Wish It Would Rain

Chapter 49

"Oh! Ax, air!" I tap his arm and he loosens his group.

"Sorry! Sorry." He sits down on the other side of me. "Are you alright?" I smile a little until it grows and I start grinning. I glance between them.

"Never better," I say.

By that night I was eating dinner at Cole's house with our families again.

By the next day I was hanging out with Kayla again, we went to visit Taylor.

The next day, Friday, they both came over to Cole's. Kayla freaked. Taylor closed her eyes and flinched when Dawson shifted. Abel sat next to her, and I noticed her grip onto his arm before she thought about it and let go just as quickly.

Axel had to basically hold Kayla down in order for everyone to explain everything to us.

On Saturday, Taylor finally opened up to us about what happened. I wanted to revive Tom and kill him all over again.

Sunday, Kayla found out about my birthday that Friday and decided it was a good idea to focus on that instead of everything else that was going on. I also spent the day with my mom, and we talked about the years since we were separated.

"I didn't want to leave you. I wanted to raise you! I wanted to go back for the boys when we were ready! But I made a bad deal to get some money. We were in a tough spot. When I couldn't pay it back... that man, the one that had me all those years, he took me."

"You were with him all those years?"

"Yes. Your brother, Aiden, I mean... he already said he'd find him." I had no doubt Aiden would. "Please believe, I'm only still alive because I was thinking about you and your brothers."

I stared at her for a moment. Then I nodded and looked down. I didn't trust her mental state. I mean... being locked up all those years? Abused? I knew what that was like, but at least I had human interaction. "Could you... could you talk to people?" She sucked in a breath and nodded.

"He ran a small business. Made me work. I just... I never dared to make it look like..."

"Like you needed help?" I couldn't look at her as I said it, but I saw her nod out of the corner of my eye. I nodded too. "I know."

Monday, we went back to school and started having graduation rehearsals. I got my cap and gown. So did the others.

Tuesday-Thursday was basically only consisting with moving back into my actual house with my brothers, Cole sneaking in again, and trying to make everything make sense to Taylor and Kayla after school everyday. Sometimes Abel, Axel, and Alec would be involved in those sessions too.

Friday, Maggie came down. My brothers, Cole, his parents and Dawson, Taylor, Kayla, Maggie, ... my mother, and I all went out to dinner for my birthday. It wasn't the first time I'd seen my mother, but it was the first time really her being involved. It was strange.

Maggie kept showing her and Marie way to many pictures of me for my liking.

"Can I see?" Axel asks. I shake my head immediately.

"No, you can't," I say. Axel gapes at me.

"But I'm your brother!"

"And I don't care!"

"Well, that's rude!"

"Well, I don't give a-" Maggie kicks my leg from under the table and I jump. I look at her with my mouth wide open. "Maggie!"

"What?"

"You-ugh. Just put the phone away, please?" I ask. I kinda liked the smile on my mother's face. Maggie put her hands up in surrender.

"Fine. But only because it's your birthday," she says. I let out a breath as she shut off her phone.

That's thankfully when the food came.

The next school week was Finals week. Also the week Taylor came back to school. Also graduation week. She immediately hated it, but I was glad because I could slowly see her getting a little more like herself. I knew she wasn't going to be the same... ever, really. That was trauma and it wasn't going to go away easily. But... we would be there. And we'd help her. We weren't gonna leave her.

I was towards the end of the alphabet. I watched everyone except Axel walk the stage before me.

Taylor was first. She grabbed her diploma and turned the tassel over her head. Then she stuck her tongue out and shook her head wildly before taking a dramatic bow. Kayla and I cheered annoyingly loud for her.

The next was Cole. He was how he always was in public. He walked the stage and got his diploma and turned his tassel. I heard his mom cheering loudly. Despite himself, I saw him smile a little as he walked off the stage.

Next was Kayla. She practically skipped across the stage. She got her diploma and turned her tassel and blew a kiss into the audience and threw her arms out to her sides as she bowed like Taylor. That was when I realized, I probably had to bow too, if both of them did it. I would get shit later if I didn't. Regardless, Axel, Taylor and I were definitely the loudest cheerers.

Next was me. I got up onto the stage. I walked across. I smirked at Mr. Asshole as I did. Then I got an idea for my bow. I grabbed my diploma and turned my tassel. Then I grabbed my cap, crossed my right leg behind my left, took my cap off, and threw my left arm out to my side as I bowed. Then I returned my cap to my head. I heard all of my brothers yelling, plus Taylor and Kayla, and I saw Cole clapping with a small smile on his face.

That night I had dinner with everyone again. It was one of the best nights of my life.

The next day I spent with Cole, preparing for the next day. I was supposed to talk to people. Be presented to his pack, I guess? Apparently I just needed to stand there while he introduced me to them, but still. It felt a little strange.

Better than a couple weeks ago.

So that's what I did. I stood there and tried not to look to awkward as Oscar presented Cole as the new 'alpha' of their pack. Then Cole 'presented' me as his Luna. I still don't like being called that. It's a name! They could be calling me the wrong name or being respectful and I wouldn't know the difference.

So, I rarely let go of Cole's hand throughout the night. He kept his promise and never left my side. Only a few of the pack members talked to us. Mostly just quick 'congratulations'. I still wasn't entirely sure what I was getting myself into, but Marie promised to help me out. So... I guess that's it.

Six months ago if you told me I would be dating the alpha of a werewolf pack who happened to be my soulmate, living with my four brothers, getting to know my mother, and less than two weeks ago I killed my abuser and tormentor, I would've... well, I would've thought you were insane and avoided you like the plague. Six months ago I wasn't much of a talker.

A lot can happen in six months.

But, one thing hasn't changed since six months ago.

I still wish it would rain.