Amelia helps me up, as Forrest stands and directs the she wolf. “Tillie, you and the guys take our guests to visit the hot springs.”
Tucker stands to follow the she wolf and her pack mates. Bonnie hesitates. Her eyes look over the situation nervously. I release Amelia’s hands and move towards my friend. It takes the little strength I have in me, but I manage to crouch down in front of her without falling to my butt. Gripping her knees to keep my balance I tell her. “I’ll be okay.”
She eyes the strangers around us. “I don’t like this.”
“They’re family.”
Her eyes come back to me. “They may carry a sliver of your blood, but that doesn’t mean they’re family. If they were they would’ve been there for you.”
“Bonnie.”
“Your mom left. They didn’t come then. And they knew what she was!” Bonnie’s eyes move to my Great-Aunt and Uncle, accusingly.
“Bon…” I try to calm her.
“Your Gran and Pap both died. They didn’t show for either funeral.” She points at Amelia. “And your Gran was her sister!”
“Bon…” I try again to no avail.
She lays her hands over mine at her knees, holding them tight, and leans closer to my face. “You lost your dad.” I suck in a harsh breath. I’m healing from that loss, but there will always be an undercurrent of pain from losing him. She takes in my reaction and softens her words when she continues. “Bloom, you thought you had no family left. And still they didn’t show. So how can I trust them to keep you safe?”
“Bonnie, I appreciate you having my back, but it’s not your place to keep me safe.” I tell her equally as soft, because I’m worried my best friend is going over the deep end. We’ve always had each other’s backs, but this feels as if someone slipped my friend overprotective steroids.
Her hands dig deeper into mine. To the point it’s borderline painful. “It is my place! I have to keep you safe!”
Tucker and Pike come to us. Pike helps me up, pulls me back a few feet, and wraps his arms around me. Tucker pulls Bonnie out of her seat and to his chest. I don’t know what to say or how to respond. I stare at my friend as she shakes in Tucker’s arms, apparently overwhelmed with her need to keep me safe.
“What the hell is happening to us?” Pike growls in frustration. His arms are still wrapped around me, so I wiggle free and take a few steps away. His eyes snap to me and I see the pain of my rejection in them. That look makes me feel as if someone’s ripped open my chest to repeatedly punch me in the heart. He’s my mate, but being so close to him intensifies this pain. I need to tell him that’s why I’m keeping my distance. But I’m sure me telling him his presence is causing me excruciating pain will hurt him more than keeping this distance. And I just can’t do that to him.
Amelia breaks into our mess by addressing the she wolf. “Tillie, I believe you have some things to explain to Bonnie and her mate, as well.”
Tillie nods her wolf head. Then heads towards a hall off the living room. Pike, Tucker, Bonnie, and I watch her go. None of us say a word until she’s walking back toward us in her human form. The female wolf is breathtakingly beautiful. Long straight black hair that falls to her waist with subtle grey streaks. The streaks somehow manage to enhance her beauty. Sharp grey eyes that I notice are observing Bonnie. And her body is stunning. Slender, yet muscular with arms to kill for. I’m pretty sure I want to be her when I grow up. I might have to dye my hair black and start spending every waking minute in the gym, but it would so be worth it.
She walks right up to Bonnie and Tucker. Removes Bonnie from Tuckers arms, maneuvering her into her own. Then proceeds to guide Bonnie out of the house. Tucker stands there in shock for a few seconds before he finally comes to his senses and follows. The rest of Tillie’s pack right on his heels.
My gaze swings back to Amelia. “What just happened?”
“That’s what I’d like to know.” Pike grumbles.
“Let’s go to the kitchen. I’ll pour us some sweet tea, and then we’ll explain some things.”
Pike and I follow her to the other side of the massive fire place where the kitchen is laid out. I watch her move around gathering glasses and filling them with ice. She pulls a beautiful blue glass pitcher filled with tea out of the fridge, and fills the glasses. Then after putting the blue pitcher back in the fridge she carries the glasses of sweet tea to us. She takes a seat at the table directly across from me, beside her mate, and takes a sip from hers. I wait until she sets her drink back on the table before beginning my questions.