Stay Strong For Me

Chapter 20

Chapter 20

(Owen’s P.O.V)

“We could have left him there. No as a matter of fact why didn’t I leave him on the side of the road when I had the chance.” Running a hand down my face, I didn’t even have to look at the mess in front of me. Once again he was making it known to everyone why he didn’t want to be here while trying to start something with my father. When the doorbell rang, everyone except Luke looked up almost instantaneously. My eyes glared at all of them making sure they knew to back down.  I needed this more than they had and they knew it, but that didn’t stop some of their pleading eyes. The doorbell rung once again followed by more impatient rings until I threw open the door. “What” I yelled until I was silenced by who I saw.

“I’m here”

Two bags dropped to the floor and I roamed over the state of my mate. She stood in front of me drenched down to her muddy shoes, but that wasn’t important. As her head turned upwards I could tell that she was crying. There were no words exchanged as she rushed into my arms landing with a thud gripping me tightly. I wrapped my arms around her pulling her close to me and we stayed that way until I heard footsteps behind me. So I panicked closing the door behind us holding the knob so it wouldn’t allow them to open it.

Elsie pulled apart from me slowly backing away from me. She bent to grab her bags before I used my other hand to stop her. “What are you doing? Look I know that” Before I could finish the sentence the door was pulled back so hard surprising both Elsie and I.

“Owen, what have I told you about” My father’s voice stopped when he looked past me to Elsie. His face paled. From behind him, my mother let out a gasp covering her mouth looking at her up and down. I could feel the tug from Elsie’s hand, but I wasn’t about to let go. Instead I protectively brought her behind me and ushered my parents farther away from the door. I didn’t want to cause any unnecessary people from the living room to come out too. Fortunately Meryl and Stan had been too tired to stay and listen to their son rant.

“Is that who I think it is? Owen, I need to know if that is her.” My mother’s voice comes out shakily and my father moves to run his hand up and down her arms to calm her down. My father looked at me in an expression I wasn’t familiar with saying Elsie’s name as it was something foreign on his tongue.

I could feel Elsie’s body tense up behind me. Even though I knew this had to happen, my mouth clamped shut. None of the words that I was contemplating on telling them came to me, so we stayed there in silence looking at each other until I felt a hand lightly touch my back. Elsie came from behind me to stand beside me wiggling her hand out of my grip and interlaced her fingers with mine squeezing it.

“Hello” It wasn’t what I was expecting her to say, but it was something. My parents didn’t know what to do with themselves. My mother’s hand reached out to touch Elsie, but she stopped herself looking into her face to see if it was okay. The only thing Elsie did was nod and my mother’s hand reached out to touch her shoulder and bring her into her arms. My father stayed back giving them space. Letting my hand go, Elsie grabbed onto her and my mom let out the tears that she was holding in. “I’m so glad your finally here and safe. You don’t know how long I” She pulled back from Elsie pushing back her wet hair and hood away from her eyes resting her hands on both sides of her face with a smile.

“I’m sorry” Elsie looked up towards my father. He was crying. “I’m sorry for failing you.” To see a grown man in any way cry openly in front of people is hard to watch. My dad was an Alpha, but he was filled with guilt and hurt and it wasn’t just her he was speaking to when he said those words. In a way I think that Elsie knew that when she slowly put her hand on his shoulder.