Meet Me in the Woods

Chapter 5

The Night We Met by Lord Huron is the song for this chapter

Father calmly paces the porch as I walk up. He greets me with a frown. I stare blankly back at him. He scans the tree line and stares at a spot for awhile. Is Nik still  there ? I know dad can't really see him but it's still intimidating to think they are staring each down.

I open the screen door and slip into the house hoping he follows me so he will stop staring into the trees. He does immediately. The door slams behind him and my mother scolds him from the kitchen table. She reaches out for me and I join her. She soothes me by stroking my hair and handing me a cup of hot cocoa. It's store bought and tastes awful compared to Tatianas's homemade version. I gulp it down gratefully anyway.

"I've already packed your bags. We are leaving now." He says calmly. I roll my eyes.

"You can't take me this time. I'm an adult."

"Ha! You think I won't?"

"Greyson!" Grams and mom interject but he just stares at me.

"You don't know what you're doing, Elliana. You will get yourself killed and I won't let that happen!"

"Gramps should never have called you. You are wasting you time." Gramps looks at me apologetically.

He clenches his jaw and mother sits forward in her chair. She finds his green eyes and silently pleads with him. He shakes his head no. She sighs.

"Grey, she should know the truth. Please, I can handle it." Mom coaxes. He reaches for her hand across the table. She reassures him with a gentle squeeze.

"Mary, I cant do that to you. I can't." She tucks a red hair behind her ear, sits a little straighter and tells him to tell the truth. When he is silent she begins.

"I have always regretted the way we handled finding out about that boy. We should've never left like that. When you stopped speaking my heart broke. I thought I'd never hear my precious girls voice again. Your father was only trying to protect you. When he was sixteen he met a girl named Raven. She was a shifter and she was his mate."

All this time I thought mom and dad were so happy and now, seeing dads pained expression I know he still holds love for someone else. I don't know whether to be understanding or angry. Then I remember Nik saying those words earlier today and I'm sympathetic.

Though he never came out with it I knew that being mates was important. I knew it meant he wanted us to grow in love and that maybe he was already on his way there.

"What does that mean dad? That you loved the girl? I have asked everyone for an explanation and no one will explain."

"Darling, hasn't Nik told you yet?" Mom asks. I shake my head and she looks shocked.

"He said he's waiting because he doesn't want to lose me again after he just got me back."

"He's got restraint. I'll give him that." Dad chuckles without humor. He speaks next.

"A mate is more than someone you love. They are the other half of your soul. For a shifter it's common to wait for that one person. Accepting the shifter means you are vowing your very life. You are promising to be their forever through all the danger their life could bring to yours and the children you will eventually have."

I suddenly see dad through different eyes. I feel such sympathy for him. Grams is silent but tears form in her eyes. Mom holds herself together and I don't know how. Why would she even marry dad and compete with that?

"Did you reject your mate?" I ponder quietly.

"No, I loved Raine very much. One look and I was hooked. I met her when I made a trip with gramps to visit Nate, Nikan's dad. We actually used to be close like family until the incident. I... I need you to know I love your mother very much. She's my life now and I am so grateful to have her." Mom squeezes his hand in reassurance.