Reluctantly Lycan (Dakota Wolves Book 1)(13)

Marala and Jak stared at Kaden when he entered the room. "That's  better." He smiled, but it felt odd with his mood, and he lost the  expression.

"Quite the welcome home. Though, from what I understand you decided you didn't want us in your life after all," Mara said.

Kaden blinked a few times. "Why would you think that? I told Levi to call and tell you to wait because there's been trouble."

She didn't look convinced. "The missing boy?"

He nodded. "Yes. He hasn't been located."

Jak hefted his backpack, redistributing the weight. Kaden glanced at his  son, noting the boy looked unsure if he was welcome or not.

"Jak, sorry about out there. Levi's scent was on your mother and I  flipped out a little. I assume she hugged him or something, but it's  harder to think as the wolf." He stepped toward the boy and placed a  hand on his shoulder. "We good?"

"Yeah, we're cool." He tried to sound confident. "Do you want us to leave?"

Kaden shook his head then looked to Marala. "Never."

Her eyes lowered, not out of respect or fear, but from the needy  intensity with which his eyes bore into hers. "Where should we stay?"  she asked.

"Here, where else?"

"I thought Jak might get to know some people if he stayed in the bunks with the other unmated guys."

"Normally I would agree, but I'd rather he stay here until we find the missing boy and he settles in."

Marala bit her lip, but agreed. "I'll stay with Levi and Elle, if they don't mind. Do they have children yet?"

"Not for lack of trying. The births have dwindled to nearly none." He  almost ordered her to stay in his home, but thought better of it.  "Please stay here. Jak can have Dad's old office. You can have my room."

"The couch will be fine for me. Thank you."

"No, it won't. Take the room. I rarely sleep in there."

"Ah, other women keep you company elsewhere?" Mara asked.

Kaden stepped toward her and grabbed her by the shoulders. The girl he'd  loved had turned into a bitter bitch. It broke his heart. She shrunk  away evidently fearful of what he might do to her. Instead of shaking or  slapping sense into her, which tempted him, he wrapped her in an  all-encompassing hug. Warm water wet his bare chest. Was she crying?                       
       
           



       

He didn't apologize again for all his mistakes. Instead, he held her.  His right arm opened wide. His son stepped closer and Kaden pulled the  teenager into the embrace as well.

~*~

"None of that went as planned." Mara threw open a cabinet in search of plates, didn't find any, and tried two more.

Kaden had stepped out briefly after their uncomfortable emotional  encounter. Jak was in the office, making it into his own room. His  father had said he could change anything around he wanted. The room  hadn't been used in years.

Mara finally found the plates and placed three on the counter. Everyone,  including her, was starving. She tried to distract herself from how  stupid she was behaving by preparing the sandwiches. It didn't work. Her  head bowed down and she placed the knife flat on the counter, her hand  resting on top of it.

I hate him. Tears threatened to spill again. The thought wasn't a lie …   exactly. She wanted to pound her fists against his chest and scream  enough curse words to make a demon blush. So many years spent with  anger. Shedding it was nearly impossible. And being home caused the  original, sickening ache of betrayal to twist her insides like a knife  driven into her gut, an open wound in her heart.

I love him. She wrapped her fingers around the handle of the knife and  held it in her hand. Loving him made her rage more than hating him. Her  hand lifted and she stabbed downward, driving the blade into the cutting  board. When she let go, the knife stood straight up on its own. She  splayed her fingers and examined her palm. It was red from how tightly  she'd been holding onto the handle.

"Mom, is that sandwich done yet?" Jak called out.

Marala frowned, taking hold of the knife again and tugging. It didn't  budge from the huge chunk of chopping block. "Not yet," she yelled,  trying to get back into motherly mode instead of that of an unstable  psycho.

"This room is awesome," he yelled, not coming into the kitchen.

After several more tugs, she finally dislodged the blade. "Great!" She drew in a tense breath and sighed.

"I found a bunch of neat stuff. Arrowheads, old books, and even some  records. Didn't see a record player, though," he told her when he  entered the kitchen.

"Why do you want to listen to a record when you have tons of music  downloaded?" So long as she kept the conversation going, hopefully she  could stop herself from freaking out again.

"Come on, Mom. It's not the same. That crackle, the warm buzz, the sound  not digitalized to perfection!" He sat down on a bar stool, treating  the albums like revered treasure.

"If you say so."

"Sweet!" Jak held up a copy of Abbey Road by The Beatles, showing Marala.

She finished making his sandwich and slid it across the bar. "That is a  good one." The plate barely bumped into the stack of records.

"Geez, watch the vinyl." He snatched the sandwich and the records. "Thanks," came out muffled since the bread blocked his mouth.

She laughed a little. The crazy kid could brighten her darkest moods. Good thing, too, because she had a lot of them.

~*~

Kaden, running on fumes and unfamiliar emotion, left the house to meet  with the high pack. He hoped one of them had made progress because all  he'd gotten was an ill omen from an annoyingly ambiguous, but always  right, wandering man. The sun hurt his tired eyes and he groaned in  frustration. He pushed the meeting hall door open. The wolves were in  their usual seats, looking almost as tired as he felt.

"Tell me we have something," he said.

Nashoba spoke up first. "I interrogated a few of the villagers until  they broke down into tears, but none of them knew anything." His callous  tone made Kaden bristle and bare teeth, even as a human. The fact of  the matter was Nashoba could do the unsavory tasks the others weren't  cut out for, and do it without flinching.

"What about you guys?" He turned to Blake and Luke, intentionally leaving Levi for last.

Blake rose to his feet out of respect, Luke remained seated. "Sir, Old  Finn said he saw a figure walking through the forest the night Mason  disappeared. His sight isn't what it used to be, but he said the figure  appeared to be carrying something big and heavy."

Nashoba cursed, Levi covered his mouth with his hand, and Kaden lowered  his lids until his eyes were tiny slits. "Did he recognize anyone?"  Kaden asked slowly.

"No, sir. His sense of smell is nearly as bad as his eyesight. He also,  ehhh … ." Blake paused, glancing at his brother, not wanting to offend the  elder wolves.

"Drinks a lot of ‘shine," Luke answered for his younger brother.                       
       
           



       

Kaden nodded a couple of times slowly, thinking. "At least we have  something to go on. We need to find the boy fast or we may run out of  time. Enemies aren't going to keep him alive forever, especially past  the full moon. Too dangerous. Anything to add, Levi?"

"I asked around town, Elle is talking to some of the parents from  school. She can't up and tell them Mason is missing or the police will  try to stir up a mess," he said.

"Nothing else?"

"I tried to send them back home, Kaden. I swear. Marala refused," Levi added.

Nashoba rose to his feet. "The chosen returns?"

"Don't start, Nash." Kaden sighed.

"She may be of inferior breed, but she is the Moon's chosen. Is this the sign we've been waiting for?"

"Let me deal with my personal life. Rest and we'll convene for a hunt  starting at Old Finn's in a few hours. We need to be at full strength if  we find the kidnapper."

Nashoba didn't let up, even as the others stood at Kaden's words of dismissal. "The boy returns, too?"

Kaden rose up to his full height, threatening and opposing. "Your  aspirations to replace me are becoming more difficult? How far would you  go to take over the pack?" He eyed the pure-blood with unhidden  accusation.

"I only hope he will grow into a better man than you. Anything I say or  do is for the good of the pack." He turned his back on Kaden and walked  out.

Blake and Luke sighed in unison before exiting.

"You don't think Nash would … ?" Levi's sentence trailed off.

"I don't know what to think." He kicked over a chair. "And don't hug my woman anymore." Kaden flashed Levi a look of warning.