“We don’t have time. I’ll be fine, just get back over that wall, I don’t know what those guards will do if they find us together.” I push her again and she starts running towards it.
I watch until she’s over the massive wall and out of sight before I start running towards the pack house. I make sure to keep an ear out for the guards that are on patrol, and when I finally meet the gravel road that leads to the pack house, I slow my pace trying to catch my breath. I walk slowly down the road toward the house calming the adrenaline that is running through me.
“Shit!”
My father’s car is parked near the main house. I’m late. I hurry to the back door hoping everyone is in the front by the dining room. I open the door to find my father standing by the kitchen table pouring glasses of wine.
“Angel!” He says with a big smile, dropping the wine bottle and heading towards me. “We were wondering where you were. Come here.”
I continue to stand by the door frozen in place unsure of what to say.
He pulls me in for a hug and I can’t help but wrap my arms around him, holding him tight and letting out a deep breath after I take in his familiar scent. I missed him so much.
I feel his body tense immediately, his chest moving as he takes in deep breaths smelling the air.
“Angel?” He says, his chest rumbling against my cheek. I know that he knows and I don’t have the slightest clue how I’m gonna get out of this one.
“Yeah?” I say slowly.
He pushes me away from him and looks down at my face with a frown.
“Where have you been?”
“I uh…” I can’t look into his eye. I’m fighting my wolf, the truth on the tip of my tongue. The human side of me hasn’t got a problem lying, but my wolf wants to please her Alpha.
“Angel! Thank goodness you arrived! Oh come here, honey! I missed you so much!” Alex comes through the kitchen with the twins and she heads for me, but Johnny stops her, pulling her back. Her smile disappears and she looks between the two of us confused.
“Alex, stop.” he looks down at me.
“Where have you been, Angel?” His tone is serious, and Alex looks at him then lifts her nose up and smells the air.
“Oh no,” she whispers.
My father lets out a low growl, I step back afraid. The twins walk up and stand in front of me as if they could protect me from their Alpha.
“Answer me, Angel. Where were you?” He rumbles again, this time Alex wraps her hands around one of his arms trying to calm her mate down.
I look to Alex and mind link with her. “Mom, help me please. Say something,” I beg. Her eyes turn watery and she looks up to my father. He looks down at her then back at me.
“Now you want to mind link with your mother? We’ve been trying to link with you since you joined this pack and not once were we able to get through? Is that what you have been hiding from us? Seeing witches behind our backs? What are you hiding Angel?” I look to Alex again.
“Stop trying to link with your mother and speak to me!” My father speaks sternly, the twins standing firm by my side.
I stare at Alex. “Please, Mom,” I mind link.
“You dare disobey me!” My father’s Alpha tone is enough to have my hands shaking. Faith pleads with me, telling me to tell the truth, begging me.
“I was in town,” I blurt out.
He lets out a cynical laugh and looks to the rest of the people in the kitchen.
“Now she lies to my face. Your car was here when we arrived and you have leaves and twigs in your hair.” He gestures to my hair. The twins turn around and look down at me. I feel through my hair, as Tyler pulls a few leaves out and Talon manages to get a huge twig untangled from my hair.
“I walked,” I say.
“Move.” He tells the boys, but they won’t budge.
The growl that leaves my father’s lips has me close to peeing myself. I’ve never seen him this angry before. Well, never this angry at me.
“Talon, Tyler. As your Alpha, I’m ordering you to move out of my way so I can speak face to face with my daughter. MOVE!” He snarls.
Talon forces Tyler to move out of my father’s way.
My dad looks down at me. “We are all going into the dining room to enjoy the meal that was prepared for us. You better think very wisely about whether you are going to continue to lie to me, or if you’re going to tell me the truth young lady. I had some very important news to share this evening and a very big decision to make, the answer you give me will determine the decision I make.” He backs away and calls my mother and the twins to the table. I stand there frozen, unsure of what to do.
It’s time I face all these obstacles that have been put onto my plate. No more running away. Well, not yet anyway.