Lane and Joey (2nd in werewolf series)

Chapter Eleven

"How dare you hit me woman! You have lost your mind if you think I will allow that." he said.

"You don't have a right to allow or not allow anything." she said. "You were never a good man to me and now you practically come back from the dead and nothings changed. You are still the same."

"I thought the two of you loved each other." Angela said. "You never fully mated because he loved you too much to have your life tied to his dangerous one." Rebecca laughed harshly.

"Yes that's what I told the kids to make them feel better. The real reason we never mated is because he cares more about himself then anyone else! He didn't want my life mated to his because he thought his life was too important to be attached to mine."

Joey noticed that Jake was just sitting quietly at the table.

"I'm not going to argue with you woman. I do however have a few things to say to our oldest son." Charles stood in front of Jake but Jake didn't stand or even look up at his father.

"You are worthless." Charles said. "For over 200 years I trained you. I molded you into the best soldier I possibly could. But then you were too stupid to even realize that I wasn't dead! I spent twenty-one years in that cage because you are such a worthless failure! I should kill you myself especially now that I hear you don't want to hunt anymore! You're a weak coward. A waste of my energy. A waste of my time!" Charles raised his arm as if to strike Jake and everyone jumped in surprise when Angela let out an angry scream. She came flying across the room cursing and fully prepared to claw into Charles face.

Lane caught her kicking body in his arms and held her to him.

"No no, little sister. We don't want you to get hurt." he said. Angela glared at Charles, her brown eyes nearly black in her anger.

"How dare you talk to my mate that way!" she yelled. "He blamed himself for twenty-one years for your death! He killed Silas to avenge you! He has beaten himself up every day because he thought there must have been something he could have done to save you! You are the weak one you son of a bitch! You think your so damn tough but could you manage to save your own ass? No you couldn't! For twenty-one years you wasted away in that cage too cowardly to figure a way out....." Charles cut her off with a growl as he strode toward her glaring angrily.

"Jake, you need to shut your bitch up or I will." he declared. That was the last straw for Jake. Before Charles had time to realize what was happening Jake had a one handed grip on his neck and had him shoved up against the wall.

"You dare threaten my mate?" Jake growled low and deep. Charles golden eyes were full of fear. He knew he was no match for Jake. He had trained Jake for over 200 years.. He had seen what Jake was capable of.. There was not a single creature on earth that could match his strength or his savagery when he was in battle.

"I can't help you with that one dad." Lane said still holding onto Angela. "He's tougher than I am." Rebecca was all that saved Charles from having his neck broken. She laid a gentle hand on her oldest sons shoulder.

"Let him go Jake. He's not worth it." she said. Jake felt the fury that had been clouding his mind start to fade. He saw his fathers scared face and quickly moved his hand from his neck. Lane released Angela and she ran into Jakes arms.

"Thank you Rebecca." Charles gasped. She rolled her eyes and walked away from him.

"I didn't do it for you. Jake is not the monster that you tried to make him become and I won't let him turn into it now."

"Get out of my house, father." Jake said his voice barely more then a whisper. Charles shook his head.

"This is my house." he said. Jake clenched his fist but managed to remain calm.

"No this is my house." he said. "You never had anything but your hunting. I was the one who worked my ass off and bought this house. I want you out of it."

"You ungrateful....." Charles stopped when he saw that everyone in the kitchen seemed to be coming closer in on them. He realized he was outnumbered.

"This family has been just fine for twenty-one years without you, Charles. You are free to go and live your life the way you want to. We want to keep living ours the way we have been since you died all those years ago." Rebecca said. Charles nodded.

Truth be told he didn't want to be tied down to this family anyway. He walked away without a word. He walked out of the kitchen and out of their lives without a single backward glance.

Raquel and Evan came downstairs several minutes later about the same time Jordan and Kent returned with the camaro.

"Where is dad?" Raquel asked.

"Gone." Jake replied with a grunt.

"Good." Jordan said as she sat down.

"Is he coming back?" Raquel asked.

"Not if he knows what's good for him." Angela said rubbing her leg which was still sore from the bite she'd received earlier.

"Are all the bad guys dead?" Kent asked. Jake nodded.

"Guess what guys?" Lane said his voice seeming too happy for the occasion. "Joey has agreed to be my mate" Joey was shocked that he would talk about that. It seemed like the wrong time but the family seemed truly happy. All the women were on her in a heartbeat with hugs and happy exclamations.

"Great more estrogen." Kent said nudging Jake with his elbow.

"She could kick your ass." Jake said. Kent shrugged.

"Most people can." he agreed. Jake laughed. And just like that the sad gray cloud that had been hanging over the table was gone.

Joey smiled feeling more happiness than she'd ever felt before.. She knew that she would be safe forever here with her family of werewolves. They were strong and they were resilient and most importantly they loved each other. And now she was a part of that..

She kissed Lane and smiled knowing that she couldn't wait to spend eternity with this big, loud, loving dysfunctional family.