Book Two: Winning A Heart

Chapter Twenty-Two: Returned

I wake up to the slow even breathing of another, my head cushioned on their stomach, one of their hands is resting on my stomach as though reassuring them that I'm still here. For a couple of minutes I don't remember how I came to end up in the situation until I recognise Nate's scent, then everything that happened last night comes swirling through my mind.

Dinner with Noah, Claude, Trick and Tommy.

Answering the door to find Nate.

Taking him up to my room.

Talking about things.

Falling asleep.

I turn my head to look up at his face, only to find his copper brown eyes staring down at me with the same content I feel inside. I smile up at him which he easily returns, he still looks tired but today he looks refreshed, it’s nice to see.

"Morning." He breaks the easy silence.

I turn my face away to stare at my ceiling. "Morning."

"Did you sleep well?" He asks as he refolds his arms under his head.

"I did. What about you? You look better." I peer up at him.

I see him nod. "I feel better."

We lapse into silence after that.

I turn my attention to the world outside my room, Tommy and Trick just left the room there sharing to head down stairs, Noah and Claude are in the kitchen cooking breakfast, the yummy smell makes me smile.

Outside our house I hear birds singing, the wind laughing. Kids running around and terrorising neighbours and family, teenagers laughing and moving about in their usual groups, adults talking and slowly moving off to do their daily duties for the Pack as well as for their families.

I don’t like this situation. My wolf growls as she emerges from behind the crumbling wall.

And which situation would that be? I ask my tone laced with boredom.

Being so close for a night with a Male who is not our Mate. She bares her teeth, silver eyes glowing.

I thought you said you didn’t mind Nate. I reply.

She huffs before turning away.

I let out a sigh of my own and sit up, I can feel Nate's questioning gaze on my back. I turn to him with a smile. "Come on, Noah and Claude are making pan cakes for breakfast."

Nate smiles back at me and gets up.

I push myself off my bed and walk to my door, staring at my crazed reflection in my mirror on the way. My long black hair appears as though birds have taken too nesting in it, my clothes a rumpled from sleeping in them.

But all I do about it is pull my shirt down and push a lock of hair behind my ear. Opening the door I walk down the hall and down the stairs Nate following close behind the whole time.

When we reach the bottom we walk into the kitchen were the rest are talking and eating.

Trick looks up first. "Brother." He smiles with relief at Nate, who is standing just behind me.

"Come and sit you two. Breakfast is ready." Claude instructs as he takes a pan cake from the pile in the centre of the table.

We take our seats opposite Tommy and Trick.

I dig in to the pan cakes when a thought strikes me. "Noah?"

He stops what he's doing and looks up. "Yeah?"

"I remember that you promised to make me pan cakes in the morning on my fifteenth birthday." I grab one from the pile, put it on my plate and look up at him.

He stares at the pan cakes for a second then at me.

The whole kitchen is silent, everyone watching us.

"Yeah." Is all Noah answers with.

He pushes his plate away from him and picks up his drink, wrapping his fingers around the mug in front of him. Conversations slowly start to pick up, but there's no happiness in the scene anymore.

The doorbell rings causing everyone to fall silent again.

Tommy stands up. "I'll get it." He leaves the room.

When he re-enters, he looks at each of us with a warning in his eyes. I'm confused for a second until Alpha Justin walks into the room.

Noah shoots out of his chair so fast that it falls back. "Alpha Justin." He says in a strained voice.

Alpha Justin smiles reassuringly at my brother. "I'm not here to take you away or anything, calm down."

Derek walks in next; I already knew he was here because of the insistent pull within my chest. His eyes instantly lock with mine and the pull within me grows intense.

I look away first.

"What can we do for you Alpha?" Trick asks from his seat next to Tommy.

Alpha Justin briefly looks at each of us before returning his gaze to my brother. "I believe we have something that belongs to you. I'm sorry for how harsh we treated you, but your Mother can be persuasive, that and we had no idea what happened to your sister."

Noah furrows his brows in confusion. "I'm not following."

"Noahie?" A little voice yells as a small girl runs into the room and throws herself at my brother.

Noah stares down at the girl hugging his legs until realisation crosses his features and a grin breaks out. "Claire." He picks the girl up and hugs her to him, I watch as tears trail down his checks.

"I thought it was best that she be returned to you, she wasn't eating properly where she was staying, always crying for you." Echo, Alpha Justin's mate says as she steps into the room.

Noah meets Echo's gaze over Claire's shoulder. "Thank you." Noah puts Claire back on her feet and turns to the rest of us. "When I was living as the Omega, I found her in the woods one day when I was out hunting. I brought her back to my camp with me and she ended up living with me until my Mother made Alpha Justin take her away." He looks down at Claire. "I thought I'd never see her again."

Claire turns towards the rest of us, a big smile on her small face. Red hair wildly standing around her head. "Hi, my names Claire."

Claude steps forward and kneels in front of her. "Hi Claire, I'm Claude. Noah's other half."

Claire wraps her arms around Claude's neck in a hug. "Thank you for making Noahie happy again."

I step forward next introducing myself and stating who I am to Noah. She hugs me with just as much love and warmth.

Tommy, Trick and Nate go next but they stay where they are. None of them being overly big on hugs.

Alpha Justin turns to his mate. "Well, we better be off. It was lovely to see you all again."

Claude walks them out after we all say our goodbyes.

Derek decides to stay and hang for the day, which doesn't bother me.

                                                             ************

If any of you are wondering who Claire is and how she became part of the story, she first pops up in Noah's Story; The Omega's Story in chapters 10 & 11.
Just thought I'd let you all know if you wanted to go and read how she came into this.

Anyway, I hope the chapter was alright.... I'm not 100% about it ..... but ....... it'll do for now.

See you all next week with chapter 23 

SoaringSpirit