a/n: not edited. So I have things to do so I broke down this chapter into two, I'll post the second half as soon as I can. Also someone asked if I had pictures of other characters, I do. I also have a facebook account with them all in one place. I post there regularly and I'm there chating with readers as well. It's the account linked to this account here so check it out if you want to see. I don't really like posting or choosing a particular person because, sometimes it messes with the image in your head. But again I do have them up on the FB account (www.facebook.com/newxseason).
Enjoy :)
Chapter 37 – Ben POV
Things had improved greatly since coming on the island here, with uncle Grant, aunt Julia and especially Oakley. It wasn’t that life back home had been particularly difficult for me personally, but watching Oakley live back home was painful. I hadn’t known as much as I knew now, but I was at ease here myself and I could tell that she was also. It wasn’t like Oakley changed over night or became someone new; it was like, here on the island, she could be her self and still not be an outcast or on the outside looking in. She smiled more, even though she cried and was moody sometimes, she smiled more.
Then there was Chelsea, Gabriel and Lux.
I always thought Oakley was the coolest person I knew, the smartest as well. I always remember thinking about all the things I’d get to do with her, because she was older, even though half the time I didn’t truly understand. The easiest way to explain would be to say that she spoke like a grownup to me, but she was my size and it was fun. All the things I couldn’t reach, she could. All the things I couldn’t do, she could. Up until kindergarten I had never thought that my family was truly different from other children. We had so much help from everyone – but when those people left at night, I still had Oakley. I didn’t realize that it wasn’t normal for a six year old to be the one taking care of me, making us food – granted it was things like peanut butter and jelly sandwiches – and using stools to do it.
It wasn’t that our father wasn’t around – he was. And it wasn’t like he checked out physically, because he didn’t. We weren’t abused, we were fed and clothed and between Dad, Oakley, aunts, uncles and grandparents nothing appeared wrong or broken to me. Dad didn’t ignore just Oakley, he seemed to be that way with me at times but as long as I had Oakley, that was okay. Oakley fulfilled that attention of wanting someone to be happy when you do things right, or at all; she cheered me on. And even though she wasn’t into soccer, she read a book and tried to teach me how to play when I got a ball for Christmas when I was three.
Yet when things changed, it seemed that Oakley was the extra, like the very rare occurrence in those 200 piece puzzles. You finish the whole thing and in the end there’s this one that is just left over even though the puzzle is complete. I think that I had seen that had happened twice in my opinion, once when we had a left over puzzle piece and then with Oakley. And even young, I knew we did the same thing for both occasions. We didn’t throw the extra piece away, but it was put away from the others, just a part of the puzzle, while still not really being a part of the puzzle.
For a tiny second I was afraid that now that Oakley had Chelsea, she would love me less, but I shouldn’t have worried. Then I thought that since the reason we had to come here was because of Oakley – sort of – that Chelsea wouldn’t… well she wouldn’t really see me as her brother. Just as someone that came as part of Oakley. I shouldn’t have worried about that either. I would it would be hard to get to know Chelsea as well, but it was just wild how much Chelsea and Oakley behaved so alike. They weren’t touchy feely people, they didn’t hug lots but once you had their attention, it was yours. Very… unfiltered and literal, in a way that back home made others regard Oakley as weird. Even though I knew that’s how her brain just worked.
They were both special, ‘Davey said that his family leaves cookies and milk out for Santa, maybe we should do that too,’ I remembered telling Oakley when I was four years old. ‘Santa isn’t real Ben,’ she said bluntly, never lying to me before, I surely trusted her word over some boy my age. Yet like always I wanted to know why? And she told me, ‘well… it’s just not possible, how does Santa get to all the houses? There are too many houses to get all in one night…’ I nodded agreeing with her and letting it drop.
But going back, things have been great here, Oakley made friends and I did as well, then I gained Chelsea and Gabriel, and trained with them as well as with Lux. Oakley had already shown signs of what her gift was, but I either didn’t have one or as Lux hypothesized, I hadn’t had the emotional trigger yet, one strong enough to kick start it. Either way it didn’t bother me, learning all these new things and even seeing things the way Oakley had for such a long time, suffering in silence. I had never blamed her when she hurt herself, I didn’t think it was her point, especially when I could see just how unlike the Oakley I knew she had become. But hearing her explain that she was able to listen to conversations about her and our family from a distance was slightly unbelievable.
I shifted – painfully – and suddenly, I understood the pain and confusion she had faced and worse, she faced it alone. My hearing had greatly improved, as had my sight and sense of smell. So many new things to adjust about myself – with help – that I knew she did not have was still weird to me. My strength was one thing I had to adjust too, especially when I wasn’t concentrating. I could rip a door from its hinges, easily with one hand, break glass when reaching for it with hasty action, kicking a ball with what may be the same effort now had very different results.
So now as I played – well I wasn’t really playing soccer more like kicking the ball back-and-forth – with Kayla I knew I had to be extra careful especially since she seemed to be afraid of me. I watched Kayla’s blue eyes shine as she played with her family, she was amazing, her hands were making flowers grow, but the act drew my attention to her hands and wrists. Healed cuts, shinny new skin, jagged red lifted marks. There was not a particular pattern that I could find but with so many I couldn’t help but wonder how she got them. I glanced at the hands of her sisters and couldn’t find a single scrape on them. Was she in a car accident? A horrible one that it was only a miracle that she survived? Because she had scars on her feet and even three on her face. Were there more that was hidden by her clothes?
I think she’s afraid of me, I told my wolf, Saxon waiting for some response that never came, I couldn’t understand it, he was normally much more active than he had been since we arrived here.
Focusing back, Kayla around the babies and Ava, her blue eyes had so much light and happiness, but now… she – her eyes were even sadder and haunted than I had ever seen in Oakley. She couldn’t read, and didn’t know what a boat was. But it wasn’t that she didn’t know, but it was the look on her face as I explained. The slight squint in her eyes, or if she was looking away the twists of her lips when she didn’t understand. I thought of Chelsea, my eyes flicking to her as well. She had shown us the marks on her back. She also told me personally that she wasn’t able to read for a long time, she was kept and beaten a lot. My hand began to shake and I had to will my anger away. I didn’t know for sure that was what happened to Kayla… maybe she just didn’t like me or was really shy – like Oakley.
Now, as we played I left my spot approaching Kayla, juggling the ball, dribbling towards her when I hear her heartbeat quickens. Halting in my spot, I dribble in place, “This is called dribbling,” I demonstrate, kicking the ball from side to side with my feet, stepping back, I toe the ball at medium speed towards Kayla. “Do you want to rest?” I asked, her face was flushed, and intense red especially her neck and cheeks. It would be more fun if we could approach each other, but I don’t think she would want that, “You’re a wolf too?” I ask, “Or are you afraid of wolves?” she doesn’t look up, but focuses down at the ball, I smile when I see her trying to do what I just had but took three small steps away from the two chairs I placed as goals.
Later, around an hour or so, Chelsea, Ava and I left, and my only soccer ball stayed with Kayla. Walking home I was silently thinking, maybe it was an accident, all those scars, Chelsea didn’t have those kind of scars only on her back. “Chels?” I started off when it was weighing me down too much, the thought of someone getting hurt so badly on purpose. It was different, I couldn’t explain why it made my chest ache but Kayla was small, and someone had hurt her, it was different. Not just for her but for me too, it was strange to see all those marks on someone her size, something I hadn’t seen back in Middleburg. Even worse was Chelsea said she got her scars around Kayla’s age, but she was telling me about it now, older. Kayla wasn’t older; I was seeing them on a small girl. Smaller than me.
But I knew there was another reason, “Kayla,” I murmured her name and we stopped walking, she faced me warily, “She’s my mate,” I whispered, “But I think maybe she was hurt. I could tell she didn’t want me close to her,” I glanced away sighing; my wolf had been quiet like he sensed it too. “I don’t think she’ll want to be my friend,” I hunched over, walking away from Chelsea without waiting for an answer, pins in my stomach, my lips turned down.
X – x – X – x – X
Chelsea POV
As Ben walked away from me, I knew that he’d be having a talk with Grant tonight, while sitting with Rainy, I asked her for permission, to let his uncle speak to him. Not to give him details, but to help him understand why Kayla is keeping her distance, why she isn’t out going and very cautious. No one wanted them to get hurt, and the best way I could think to help the situation would be to just be adults and handle the situation instead of letting things play out. I could only think of how messed up their situation could get, without some adult guidance, Ben not understanding that her history makes her not broken, but healing, a survivor. But she had a long way to go, things would probably be hard, but it wasn’t because of Ben. It would be because Kayla had been altered, and maybe he met his mate now because she needed a friend. Chris and Rainy agreed, the last thing they wanted was for their daughter to suffer in anyway than she already was.
I continued walking, Ava was still going strong, after two hours of pool time, and I had plans, but still enjoyed the afternoon heat. When we finally stopped at our next destination, I found Rachel and Jeremiah outside on the porch, watching two little wolves tumbling on the short grass, dirtied coats.
“Russell and McKenna-” Rachel charged towards me, weeping, I had yet to come since everything that happened, settling in and handling business but oddly I patted her on the back, until Jeremiah pulled her away. “Thank you so much, for bringing her back,” He said shaking his head, eyes wet. I swallowed, “It – I really didn’t do anything,” I stammered back honestly, “But… how are you guys settling in?” I took the opening to change this conversation.
Rachel wiped at her tears, “good – good, I see my husband, go exploring where it is safe – this is our retirement,” she said with a smile, it dropped for a minute, “Jack gives us updates he has on our daughter and Darren,” Jeremiah but his arms around her shoulder. I nodded, “I’m not sure what she was thinking, it was obvious after just how far deep down her feelings ran for Amara.”
I nodded, but when McKenna opened the door and poked her head out I was relieved, “Hey,” she glanced behind me seeking out Jack, her smile falling slightly, Jack come to McKenna’s please, I sent for him. Ava was resting her body against my leg, the exhaustion starting to set in, “I’m actually here to see you, Jack’s on his way back…” I’m not sure what my tone revealed but her eyes widened, and she nodded, but her heart, that was calm, steady and that was able to show me that this wasn’t just some rash decision she had made. McKenna was absolutely ready to handle the shift. “Is Russell here?” I asked as I settled on the couch with Ava, her head in my lap, “Yeah – let me just go-” she stopped when he came into the room, “Angel told me you called for me,” He explained glancing down the hallway behind him.
“Well I know you guys have talked this over with Jack so, if you’re ready – we can do this now. It’s up to you guys,” keeping it simple I waited. Nothing like this before, but I’m ready for this, I know what I need to, McKenna thought, Russell thinking along the same line of things. Each doing this not just for their mates and family but because they wanted to be in our world, they understood the risks and they would be entering into. As we waited for Jack to arrive the silence stretched on. It’s not that I didn’t care for McKenna as Jacks mate, or Russell as Angels enough to question and be attentive to their lives, but I just didn’t want to be involved. I wanted them all safe, but outside of that, right now I felt like I was overloaded and I had spread myself as thinly as possible, there was no more elasticity left.
Then if that wasn’t enough I could hear their thoughts, asking questions would feel like watching the highlights of highlights of a game I saw live.
“Where are we going to do this?” McKenna asked looking around, eyes darting to different areas of the house. Russell shrugged when she met his eyes, “I think outside would be better, you won’t scare the kids” I moved Ava’s head from my lap standing, McKenna and Russell following me. Shifting the minute I was on the porch, “I’ll go first,” Russ volunteered. Sitting on a lounge.
I made contact with him, his wrist in my mouth, latching him in place, before two spikes elongated puncturing skin, hitting bone. He grunted, biting his lip, eyes scrunched tightly he panted pulling his arm away slightly but I had a stronger grip, moments later I released him. I moved onto McKenna, her reaction much louder than Russ. She cried out, a shriek of agony. And when I released her hand changing back to my human form, both Jack and Gabriel emerged from the forest surrounding the Davis’ home, Marlon in toe.
Marlon came in with a shocked expression looking at the already slowly healing bite marks on either of their wrists, then back to me. Jack only focused on his mate, going right to her holding her before her pain was so intensified that she couldn’t be touched, “I love you McKenna Davis,” he murmured, softly just for her, comforting her, showing me a brand new side of him. I had never seen him this way, yes he offered me comfort at times, Gabriel growled. I rolled my eyes snorting at him, showing him the times Jack tried, a hand hold here, a side hug there and mostly it was his words he used to most to put me at ease. A few moments later Casey came from the same spot Gabriel, Marlon and Jack entered.
“Can you stay here, make sure things go alright for Russell, Casey,” he nodded inhaling. She’s in the house taking a short nap,I told him knowing he was sniffing out Ava, he didn’t meet my eyes just nodded not at all caring that I caught on. “We need to go,” Gabriel said glancing at Marlon, who gave one sharp nod, leaving, “okay, let me just get Ava-” Gabriel shook his head, “Casey can you keep and eye on Ava as well, Chelsea and I need to visit with a family on the island, we – I think Ava should be here,” he said cryptically.
“Sure no problem…” like he would have one, it didn’t matter what Ava was doing, Casey enjoyed being near her. Protecting and making sure she was happy. Taking my hand Gabriel led me away, “What happened?” I asked curiously wondering if this was about Remy and her job today, “No it’s not about that, I was listening to thoughts all day,” he stated, “Someone on the island tried to hit Oakley,” I stopped walking, my body instantly went rigid. “Kieran?” I said the first name that came to mind. Gabriel’s mouth opened and closed and he tilted his head to the side, “Why would you guess him?”
I snorted, “Because he’s mad… I indirectly forced him to shift by giving that order and now his wolf won’t let him shift back,” he nodded, and that turned into him shaking his head from side to side slowly. “Well it’s not him, it’s his older brother Connor-”
“Wait why?”
“Because Taryn Pascal, was attacked by Kieran before she shifted,” Marlon spoke from behind me, I spun to face him, “continue.”
“She was just standing near the bag of supplies his mother had set out for him, he saw her there and was enraged, brutally attacked the poor girl, left her in a coma for nearly a month. When she finally woke up, she was starting to shift and was left horribly scared, turns out that Connor is her mate, caused a lot of trouble on the island. Connor as well as the family wanted Kieran punished for his crime against their daughter.” I tilted my head thinking of what Lux had said about Kieran.
“I decided not to do the things they wanted, Kieran – it just didn’t make much sense since the minute he was on this island he went straight to the mountains. I’m not calling that girl a liar but I just don’t believe the events she described, to everyone when she woke up,” Marlon said almost struggling to explain. “Oakley went to their house and she learned of this story as well, and like Marlon here… she wasn’t quick to place the blame at Kieran’s feet. You already gave a slight order that no one should touch your family… but he was going to strike her, your order prevented him from following through with it. Oakley used her gift again, brought that little punk to his knees,” Gabriel said with a smile. We continued walking, “So what are you about to do?” I asked my irritation quite high with this Connor kid.
“How old is Connor?”
“Eighteen years old,” Gabriel spat, Marlon walking silently behind us, footsteps approached us, and soon enough Violet came onto the main road we were walking down, a bag in her hands, round, slightly moving from side to side, making no sound to give away what was inside. “Thanks,” he said taking it into his possession and in not time at all we were at the hotel, but I noticed that mostly everyone was here, people from the island as well as those living at the hotel we brought with us, Kieran, Oakley, Ben, Julia and Grant missing in the crowd.
Already having met the Ryans’ I notice them closer to the middle of the gathering, their minds worried – rightfully so – about what Connors punishment would be. Dropping the bag in his hand as well as my hand, Gabriel struck Connor, one hit bringing him straight down onto his back startled, he shakes his head, glancing around, dazed, looking up at Gabriel whose face is utterly blank, emotionless, reading Connor. Connor don’t, I hear from many in his family, telling him, but he blocks them out, in steading and completely unsteady, he rises to his feet, only to attempt hitting Gabriel out in anger. I shake my head, knowing this isn’t going to end well, “Oh… wow… I thought you only hit girls that you think can’t defend themselves?” Gabriel egged him on angrily, those unaware that he tried to strike Oakley speaking amongst them. Connor what is he talking about? One tries out again, and I narrow it down to one of the girls, triplets although now, one appears significantly different, with scars, stitch pattern on her cheek and claws on her neck. The worry in her eyes, and the nervousness and anger of her wolf let me know that she is Connors mate. Holding the hand of one of her sisters, her vision blurs as Gabriel continues to fight, full on with Connor, repeatedly knocking him down, Gabriel’s knuckles bloody, Connors’ lip busted, he spat blood, mixed with his saliva on the ground.
“Again – again – I’m punished, because of Kieran!” Connor spits out on his knees, shouting angrily, “You’re here fighting me, when he is the one in the wrong! No one did anything, he got away with nearly killing my innocent mate,” the look I witness on his mates face however tells another story.
“Hey – hey Marlon – I have to agree with the boy, this – what’s going on here?” a man standing on the other side of Connors mate comes forward, doing what no one else is, not even Connors parents.
“Listen you don’t talk to him, I’m the one here, I’m the one you talk to now, you got it?” Gabriel spat at this mans utter lack of respect, Marlon doing nothing to dispute his words. “Well you brought us here to what? Watch you punish Connor? No one punished Kieran for what he did to my baby,” he shouted, “Look at her,” he pointed at his daughter, her head down, the silent regret churning in her mind, but kept his eyes on Gabriel. “What are you going to do for what he did to my child?” hearing what Gabriel and I could, that not even Marlon could since he wasn’t a true Alpha Gabriel just snorted.
Not even batting an eyelash, Gabriel focuses back to Connor, and when he gets to his feet wobbly, his mates father helping him, “He tried to hit a thirteen year old girl, for telling the truth, the same truth that from the looks of it, only Marlon saw. Taryn, why don’t you come here and tell everyone just what happened? Tell everyone what led to you being viciously attacked while remaining innocent and pure as snow?”
Deer in headlights. Heart racing, “No, we already know what happened, look at her,” her father pointed to her general direction, she shook her head so slowly, from side to side, the dazed fearful look still hadn’t left. Her sisters, in her mind telling her it’s okay to just tell the truth, Kieran can’t hurt you Taryn, Marlon didn’t do anything to Kieran but they will, don’t just let him get away with what he did to you, the one holding her hand said calmly.
“No, I think everyone on this island deserves to hear what happened? So Taryn, tell them?” she stood shocked in place, her eyes wide.
“Did your mate tell you that Kieran shifted back to his human form Taryn?” her already wide eyed look that I believed couldn’t possibly get bigger, did. He shifted? She asked Connor worriedly, gnawing on her lip making the roughly healed skin, the scar from the corner of her mouth to her ear, look impossibly worse. “Okay, you won’t tell what happened? Dad why don’t you tell everyone what story she told you when she woke up?” Gabriel asked.
Her father glanced between her and Gabriel, “We didn’t need to hear what she said to know what happened, that boys’ scent was all over her,” he spat. “She woke up afraid for her life in pain, crying, telling us that she was just walking along, exploring the island like she had every right to do, when Kieran just attacked her from behind no less, she never stood a chance,” I snorted shaking my head. His eyes flashed to mine, as did Connors, wide, the veins in their foreheads, pulsating as they tried to kill me with their glares – but as the dominant wolf, they each glanced away in submission.
“Tell us what happened Taryn,” Gabriel snapped a bit more frustrated than before, just as Kieran, Grant, Julia, Oakley and Ben came up to the crowd. Taryn looked away from everyone her eyes on her feet, before she whispered, “I jumped on his back… we all teased him… I’d – I’d throw rocks at him, for – for fun, to see him run away, each time,” her sisters along with a few other kids, even Connor and Dominic, they look away, thinking of times they participated in this bullying. Worse was that his own brothers let it happen, watched and laughed when they got Kieran to run away from them, I glanced at him, at Oakley, her eyes meet mine in confusion.
“We – Kieran never came close enough for that to happen – for us to actually touch him, but that day I was so I thought I could over power him…” I snorted, but what was worse was I wasn’t the only one; Oakley chuckled, snorted and quickly covered her mouth. I knew she was stupid, would probably poke a bear or hit and then try to outrun a cheetah, her thoughts only making me throw my head back laughing. Clearing my throat, I swallowed my laugh, coughing, getting myself under control.
“So – you and many other children on this island, terrorized Kieran, and then you thought that you also had the right to invade his personal space? Then you wake up and to add insult to injury you play the victim?” Gabriel summed it right up, but anger still flashed in her fathers eyes. “So she teased him, that gave him no right to attack my-” he didn’t get to finish that thought before Gabriel decked him in the face, the slight cracking noise, mixed with a pant as he fell to the ground, forward. One hand holding his nose, the other palm flat on the ground holding him up, standing he looked at his hands, eyes darkening, he stood ready to strike Gabriel back.
“Uh – uh, that hit was just me teasing you, it doesn’t give you any right to hit me back or defend yourself,” Gabriel snapped. Then I faced the crowd of islanders, “those of you who participated in tormenting Kieran, come forward, now!” giving the order I watched two other children, teens, two boys, Connor, Taryn and her two sisters, and one other girl come forward. I hated that they had bullied anyone, but what stung and bothered me the most was that Connor had participated in hurting his own brother. The seven of them probably counting on the fact that he was in wolf form; he’d never be able to set the record straight. I glanced at Marlon, who was currently eyeing his children, Justine, Anthony, Kiley, Farrah, Sage, Dayton and Bradley. Proud that none of them had partaken in teasing Kieran, a few other parents relieved as well, while those parents of the other children, couldn’t believe that a child they raised could participate. Especially since they knew what was it like to be tormented, hurt and looking over their shoulders, each person on the island here for a common reason.
“Justine, Anthony, Farrah, Clover, River, Nova and Shiloh,” I called seven of the other teens and children that hadn’t joined. Justine glanced at her father; he nodded smiling easing her nerves and the rest of the others followed. “You all have chores on the island I believe? Marlon, Leland and Lux explained,” they all nodded. “Okay, well you seven that helped in teasing Kieran, you are going to take over their chores for two weeks, as well as completing your own,” I ordered.
“Marlon, I would like you to over see that, these seven complete all chores to the best of their abilities and efforts.”
“Yes Luna,” he nodded.
Focusing on Justine and the rest, “You seven, enjoy the two weeks off,” I smiled turning to Kieran, who stood behind Oakley, but wasn’t watching this scene, instead staring at the back of her head.
Many were starting to scatter when they realized that the show might be done, “before everyone leaves I have one more thing to say. There will be no more of these altercations, if you have a problem and want to fight it out, there will be announced challenges – which I will mediate,” Gabriel said in a clipped tone, picking up his bag on the ground, and taking my hand he walked over to Kieran, Grant, Julia, Ben and Oakley.
“That was so cool,” she gushed, blushing bright red, excitement in her eyes, making me giggle all over again. “These are for you,” Gabriel said handing Kieran the bag, the two of us heading back home.
__________________________
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Someone asked for a list of the different children on the island, but since that would be info overload, here at the names of the ones I’ve mentioned and will continue too:
Pascals’
· Taryn, Meadow, Jade
Hayes'
· Justine
· Anthony
· Kiley
· Farrah & Sage
· Dayton & Bradley
Simmons
· River
· Nova
· Shiloh
· Clover
Ryans’
· Connor
· Dominic
· Kieran
· Tera
Other things to clear up. When I said last chapter that Chelsea couldn't read the mind of the Elders, the way it's written implies that she can't do it at all, but thats only from Logans' point of view. She can read their minds, but if she does, they'll be able to tell unlike the other wolves. Since it's being told from Logan's POV you don't really see the truth, just the truth he is aware of. Make sense?
So how many thought Oakley would be the first to tell that Kieran was her mate? Or Ben would be first? AS we can see the winner is: BEN.
Someone asked why are my books so long? Hmm... I guess I want to give enough details so that readers can really imagine just what is happening. The UP side to my writing is even with three books I have NEVER once written the same scene from like five different POV's to make my story longer! LOL. When I start doing that, please... someone reach into the App and slap me!
and this is random but as I'm posting this, I am VERY behind about learning about this but I was reading about a writer (truly published) that got a bad review and she (Katherine Hale) stalked her reviewer and then went on to write a piece about her doing that. I'm not sure how many of you readers have a goodreads account or check that site out, but that's how I stumbled across this story. crazy.
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