Chapter 50
LUCIAN I kept my eyes on my niece while she glared back at me. I didn’t know whether to be worried or concerned. “That punch hurt,” my wolf mumbled in my head. “She must have put all her entire strength into it.” I said nothing, keeping my eyes on her. How the hell did she know about rogues? Well, she knew about the wolves because of the pack, but knowing what they were called? Unless she heard someone call them that, then fair enough, but something was up with her. Ignoring my wolf, I stared at her and moved back till I leaned against the wall leading to the stairs. Leah watched my every move, her eyes burning holes into my soul. She was definitely my sister’s daughter. She got her attitude. “Are you going to talk?” she blurted out, making me move my head from side to side, but said nothing. My wolf came closer and stared at her, but said nothing. Leah huffed and threw her hands up in the air. She moved over to the window and let out a sigh. “I didn’t even know werewolves existed,” she blurted. “Not until I was running for my life.” “How did you know they were rogues?” I asked, making her tense and look at me. “I overheard someone call that out.” The venom in her voice came closer and saw the death look. She wanted to hurt me or kill me. It was hard to figure out which most. Leah looked back and stared. We both stood in silence. While clearing the dead bodies up, I mind-linked Carson to let him know. But learning about the attack, my parents, and not to mention Leah’s his mate, my mind was racing. I was trying to process what he had told me, and then she punched me. Leah wasn’t the same person I met a few weeks ago. I stayed to get the house sorted. Only three days ago, I got all the furniture into storage. It wasn’t my place to go through it all; it was Leah’s. But all the photos that were up, I couldn’t help but stare at them. All the different stages of Leah before my eyes made my heart ache, especially because I never got to meet her back then. Jenny kept her away from us all. No one knew about her until she had her mental break. It was hard to watch, but it was worse knowing the effects that not being near a child could have on a mother, especially for Jenny. Even though she had the boys, she insisted on seeing her daughter again. “Have you seen Lucy and Dani?” Leah asked, pulling me from my thoughts. I looked at her and felt my heart spike at one name in particular—Dani. She’s my mate, which came as a shock. Seeing her glaring at Jenny and me the day we picked Leah up to go to the pack was shocking. I had to keep it cool and couldn’t tell my sister either. It seems my mate would love both of our heads after the stunt we pulled the day of the funeral. I have been keeping my distance, but she knows I am here. She has come outside a few times to watch me load the truck. Whenever I try to speak to her, I get the cold shoulder, or I get called an ass before she goes back inside. Shaking my thoughts away, I remembered I didn’t answer her. “They have been around,” I said, clearing my throat. Leah looked at me, but her face was blank. “They have asked how you are doing and—” “Well, that’s nice,” she muttered. “I haven’t spoken to them or even sent an email since I have been kept under lock and key.” I felt the air thickening with hatred from her. Knowing Josh and Jenny, they were keeping her safe from the other pack members. Few would have accepted her being there, especially as she is human—mainly all the old generation. Even though Carson is trying to change the ways for all, it is hard for the older ones to register. My parents, being part of it, didn’t exactly help, but I couldn’t let my thoughts go to them, not after what Carson told me. “Your mum was only—” I said, but Leah glared at me. “Don’t finish that sentence. She may have been looking out for me, but she could have at least said about this.” “Did you give her a chance to talk to you?” I muttered, staring at her. Leah glares, but her face hardens. “It’s a little hard to talk to someone you haven’t seen for eight years. I can’t just switch my feelings of love to her when I see her. How would you feel being abandoned and not knowing why she left?” I stared at her and said nothing. My wolf hadn’t moved or said a word, but he was close and was watching her. “She’s in pain,” he whimpered. “She is hurting and angry.” I said nothing but my eyes on my niece. I could feel everything that he had said. Her pain is real, but the anger is the worst. She hasn’t dealt with or even spoken to my sister about any of this and knows what my sister is like. She probably hasn’t let her settle or even come to terms with everything that has happened in the last few weeks. “Would you want to talk to someone who left you behind?” my wolf grumbled, making me look at him with arched eyebrows. My wolf huffed and moved back, then flopped down. “No one considered how she felt,” he muttered. “You wanted to help your sister, your family. But no one thought about helping her.” “She would have—” I said, but my wolf shook his head and grunted. “Our sister wouldn’t have let her, and you know it,” he muttered. “She needed space. She was safe here, and now, after being chased by wolves to her home, this will probably not make her feel any safer.” Fuck. I never thought about it like that. “Are you done talking to your wolf?” Leah called out, making both my wolf and me stare at her in surprise. Leah was now facing me and staring. “How did you know I was talking to my wolf?” I asked. “The dumb look you had,” she muttered, making me frown. “Your face was blank, and not only that, I tried to call you, but you didn’t answer.” “Dumb look,” I muttered, making my wolf chuckle. Leah looked to the window and then back at me. “What now?” she asked. “What did you do with the bodies?” Pushing off the wall, I stood not too far from her. “Dealt with,” I said. “You don’t need to worry about them. As for what now, we have to stay here till the pack knows what is happening. Josh will be here too.” Leah looked at me, slight concern on her face. “Was there any—” she said, worry flooding her voice. I knew what she was asking. “They were dealing with the aftermath when I contacted them,” I said, making her close her mouth. We stood awkwardly silent for a few moments when she spoke again. “Where’s all the furniture?” she asked, looking back at me. “I placed everything in a storage unit,” I said, moving my head to the side. “I didn’t touch or throw anything away. I thought you could go through it when you were ready.” Leah looked at me, but I noticed her eyes wander the stairs. “I’m going to look around,” she muttered, moving away. I watched her leave and head up the stairs till she was out of sight. My wolf moved closer and sighed. “We now have to wait for Josh,” he murmured. “Do we have to go back? I want mate.” Ignoring him, I move away and head over to the window. My eyes went to the house opposite. Wondering what she was up to. Most nights were spent standing guard and dealing with the house, but I held out longer. I didn’t want to tell Carson or anyone until I spoke to her and won her over, but even that feels like a far-fetched move. Our mate hates us for what we did to the girl she cared about. It would take a miracle to have her.