Under The Skin

C h a p t e r T w o

© Amber Kalkes 2015

Song: "Soft Shock" By Yeah Yeah Yeahs

C h a p t e r T w o >

The cool breeze blows on Cassidy's face as she leans her head on the rolled down passenger side window. She inhales the familiar scents of the landscape and feels an aching familiarity settle in her chest as she watches the trees pass by her view. She wonders how much everyone has changed in the four months since her last visit. The reasons for that brief return having been her niece Zoe's second birthday.

Everyone had been there and Cassidy had had fun being around her family again. Mackenzie and Jace have been married for a few years after been engaged for nearly a decade. Mackenzie isn't the waif she was when she first came into their family, Cassidy thinks. Instead she's turned into a respected member of the pack having become Colton's Gamma and taken charge over the training. They often come over on Fridays to visit or sometimes Mackenzie stops by randomly to take Cassidy shopping.

Cleo and Andy are married as well, having gotten hitched soon after Cleo's eighteenth birthday but waiting until just a few years ago to have their first baby, a little girl named Zoe. Cassidy doesn't seem them as often as she's like but Zoe often calls Cassidy 'Dee Dee' when she does see her. It always makes Cassidy happy to know she hasn't been forgotten, at least not by the adorable toddler.

Rae and Colton have been the ones Cassidy sees the least other than Poppy. With Colton and Rae taking over the pack after winning the challenge against Dalton, Cassidy knows they've been busy. With the addition of their six year old daughter Selah and one year old son Max, Cassidy isn't upset with their absence. It's one of the few reasons she's excited about this move back. She gets to be close to her big sisters again and all the extended family that'll come with it.

"Are you excited?"

Cassidy looks over her shoulder at Hudson and smiles with a nod. Hudson's is nearly six feet tall now and he has his hair in one of those man buns that drive Cassidy nuts. She's been threatening to cut it off while he sleeps but he hasn't listened. Joseph isn't much help either with it. He even told her that he liked the man bun! Cassidy scoffs and looks back out the window. She'll never see the appeal.

"Stop frowning," Hudson scolds her lightly, "You'll get wrinkles."

"I hope I do. It'll add character just like they've added to yours."

Hudson frowns at her and Cassidy just grins. Hudson is the same thoughtful guy he's always been but since he's on the other side of twenty five he's become obsessed with his age. He thinks that once he hits thirty his face will waste away like Dorian Gray in the portrait.

Hudson and Joseph ended up moving back to the family home and had taken over fixing it up about five years ago. Cassidy has seen a lot of them over the last few years since they live so close to their Aunt Jolene and Hudson has become Cassidy's closest sibling. She often looks to him for advice or as a confidant. He was even the first one to buy her an art kit.

Cassidy flutters her eyelashes at him as she sings, "You shouldn't frown."

"Smart ass," He grumbles, now scowling.

"I prefer the term intellectually advanced posterior."

"She says while proving my point."

Cassidy moves closer to him and balances her chin on his shoulder while looking up at him, "Do you think Rae missed me?"

Hudson rolls his dark brown eyes, "Of course she missed you."

"What about Colton?"

"Yes."