Koltons pov:
I pull myself into Kates room, feeling the raw anger and hurt radiate from her.
I look at Dominic and wave a hand. She screams inside her closet and I hear the thoughts inside her head vaguely.
'Own- father- let's set fire- house-' I push into the closet and see her sitting on the floor.
"Kate." Dom says softly. He wasn't sure how best to approach her, since it seemed she hadn't actually registered our presence through her anger.
She pinches the bride of her nose and takes a deep breath.
An easy minute passes before she speaks, and we just stand there stupidly.
"Guess I'm homeless." She pulls her face from her hands to look at us.
She looked on the verge of tears. We knew how to respond to her tears, rather than anger.
This was something we had instinct for.
Or rather our wolves do.
I take her hand and reach to cup her face.
I brush my fingers under her eyes.
"You're never without a home when we're here Kats." I promise. She nods and wipes her cheek.
Her thoughts were blank, just shock as the anger wore off.
I hear a knock at her door. She stands and smooths her shorts. I watch her go, staying hidden in the closet.
"She's going to need help packing I guess. Call Ariel and Alexa." I say under my breath, so low human ears would have missed it even just beside us.
He pulls out his phone and starts texting.
"Are you okay? That was awful!" It was Keira. That girl our angel talked so highly of.
I was glad she had at least one friend.
"I know. I feel good though. I mean bad but good." Kate says.
"Good! Ugh I felt good watching. I wanted to jump on the table and yell I quit in solidarity." They both giggle.
I smile, knowing if she ever did do that she'd always have a place too.
"How did you get those glasses to shatter?" Keira asks. I frown. Oh yeah I did recall the sound of glass shattering but I assumed someone had thrown something."
"I didn't." Kate says curiously.
"Hmm never mind must have been a joke Carl played. Ugh I hate that kid." Keira growls.
So did we. He was always checking our mate out.
"Why don't you quit? You could get a better job. You are amazing. You deserve better." Kate scoffs, shaking her head.
"Employers see a resume Kats. Not necessarily sprit. I'd get a job, but it doesn't mean it's better pay just better treatment." She shrugs.
"Isn't it worth it?" Kate asks, putting a towel on her head and making prayer hands.
Keira snatches it and sighs. She drops onto the bed.
"I wish Kathrine. I wish." She sighs.
They lapse into silence. "So what are you going to do? I can spare some money if you need some." Keira really was a kind woman.
I had the odd urge to step out and offer her a job as head maid since ours had just flew off to France to be with her new boyfriend.
Boy, the drama in her life...
But that's creepy. Grown men that hide in closets go to jail and aren't allowed within certain distances of schools.
"No. I can't ask that. Just some moral support." They hug.
"I'll do you one better. I'll help you pack if you'd like." I freeze. I look up at the top shelf where suitcases sat untouched.
"No! Uh it's okay. I wanna do it myself. Pack my naughty things." My eyes widen.
I look around desperately for whatever naughty things our girl had.
"Oh uh yeah. Okay. When you're done packing those come get me."
Kate laughs awkwardly.
"Love you!" Kate calls with a wince.
"Yeah yeah say it again after you've packed!" Keira laughs over her shoulder.
I slip out of the closet and snatch up my tiny mate.
"Hmm what about these naughty things?" I head Dominic chuckle.
"I was making an excuse to get rid of her before she found you guys." She giggles into my neck. She sighs and looks around her room.
I release her.
'I've said it once I'll say it again... pick her a flower.' Asher says unhelpfully.
I kiss her cheeks and she forces a smile.
Dominic traces her lips.
"You know we love you right?" I murmur reassuringly. She pulls back and looks at us.
Her big for eyes were wide and her full lips were parted with shock.
I hear the word love bouncing around her head over and over and I realize now we haven't said it out loud.
How had we made it a whole month. That was a almost a year in dog years ya know.
Dominic presses a kiss to her cheek, not mad I included him in my confession.
"You love me? Or is that Asher?" Asher barks inside my head.
"Both." I say. He nods inside my head. "And of corse I love you too. As does Carter." Dominic says when her big eyes move to him.
Then she surprised us both for the second time today.
She grabs Dominic and kisses him. I feel his surprise for a moment then she turns to me.
I was more ready, though the passion in the kiss still surprised me. I move my lips on hers, flicking my tongue over hers.
Her moan makes me lose all self control.
"Wait-" She mumbles against my lips. Dominic and I still start attacking her neck with kisses.
"I love you t-too." She stutters breathlessly. I lose even more control.
Dom pushes her back against the nearest dresser and I slide my hand up her shirt.
We jump apart when someone knocks on her door. She shoves us into the closet sharply. "Stay." She whispers.
"We aren't dogs Kathrine." Asher scolds. She sends him a snort. He steals another kiss before she ducks back into her room.
The scent of her father wafts into the closet.
"Hey." She says, and her tone was far more composed than her thoughts. Worry takes hold of me, strangling me.
As much as she liked to pretend she didn't like her father she did still occasionally mention him, as if hoping he'd come around.
"Now that you've calmed down I'd like to talk." He says. I hear her hold her breath, a unconscious reaction.
"About what?" She asks cooly. I look over at Dominic.
"We have certain rules-" he drawls slowly. She exhales and I see through the crack in the door that her shoulders slump ever so slightly.
What a dick.
"In this house that we follow. Sure, some might seem over the top but really, in the end they help keep the house in order." He pats her shoulder awkwardly.
She sighs quietly, not answering.
"I think I know the problem." He says. She looks at him numbly.
"Those boys you've been spending time with." He says. I grind my teeth together.
"Now I know sometimes older kids can influence someone like you. But I think it would be best if you stopped hanging out with them. Look, they are causing you to act out."
Don't. Hit. Him.
'Do hit him.' Asher grits.
Don't. Hit. Him.
'Hit. Him.' I move my hand toward the doorknob but of corse, Kate has us beat.
"I have spent my whole teenage life trying to get you to treat me like a daughter. Care for me, mentor me, make sure I'm safe when my dates come pick me up, but I have to say now I'm glad you've never given me advice." She stands up and crosses her arms.
"Because their was a time once when I'd have listened. You raised me to be a little bit spineless and if it wasn't for the boys in question I still would be."
Her words warm me a little and soften the rage but not by much.
My limbs were tight and stiff. I felt like I could burst and I knew a few feet away my brother was gripping the shelf on the wall so hard he'd left finger prints indented into it.
"I demand you respect me Kathrine. You have no where else to go, and if you think those boys will offer you anything but trouble you're wrong." He was yelling now.
"At least they have something to offer." She challenges.
I hear my brothers wolf take over. He turns to push the door open but I catch him.
'Not now!' I yell inwardly. He pushes against me, but not with all his force yet.
The thing about our wolfs, was that we had a close bond.
Most alphas were angry and irrational because their wolfs took over the second they got pissy.
But our wolfs would hear our plan if it appealed to them and was what was best for our pack.
Now Carter was shaking with rage.
'Please. She told us to wait for a reason.' I say.
'-and that was invalid the second he raised his voice at my mate!' His voice was a growl.
He pushes me off sharply and I yank him back. We stumble into the closet shelfs.
They break under me. Carter turns to break free, and I see him trembling with rage.
I pin him, pressing my knee to the back of his neck.
"Dad stop!" I hear her yell. I hear shuffling.
Carter was about to phase.
'I will handle this. Don't leave until you're under control!' I make sure my voice holds power and authority. Just as someone grabs the door handle I push out of the closet, making sure Carter stayed inside.
Better me than a massive wolf right...?