Colin Aaron Skyes Point Of View
On the day leading up to Families Day, everyone is on their best behavior. Javier did nothing to taut me, Grimes doesn't speak to me at all and there's no chance of any kind of rebellion. No one wants to get their visitation rights revoked.
I almost wonder who will come to visit me. My Betas are under strict orders from me not to visit. They have better things to take care of then that. And of course Spencer and Marley will want to come, but James wouldn't let them. It would be unsafe for them, since Families Day is different than visitation in the other security wings. In the other security wings, there was a sheet of plexiglass separating the prisoners from the visitors. Families Day is nothing like that. There will be no barrier, because the cafeteria will be converted into the meeting area.
If my daughter and little brother come, they will be within arm's length of other prisoners. Dangerous prisoners. They will, for the first time in their lives, see military-grade weapons up close. It's overwhelming and intimidating, especially for someone Marley's age. Spencer has already been threw so much and the last thing I wanted to do was add to it. I don't want them to be exposed to that like I was.
"Colin?" Grayson asks quietly. "Colin."
I shake my head lightly and glance up from my bunk at him. "Sorry?"
Dylan snickers and bumps Trevor's arm, who then rolls his eyes and shoves Dylan lightly. Haden holds back a laugh by turning it into a quiet cough.
"You were zoned out for a while there," Grayson remarked. I shrugged.
"Just thinking," I said, gesturing for Trevor to continue on with the story that he was telling. I knew the story very well, it was how him, Dylan and I all met. Grayson seemed quite intrigued in it too.
I just wonder if Grayson's parents will come.
——
We all wake up an hour early to prepare the cafeteria for Families Day. Grimes says nothing, but casts me a few sidelong glances. I know that no one in his gang is stupid enough to try anything on Families Day, especially since security will be at an all time high. But afterward, all bets are off.
The concrete building seems to lock in the cold morning air as we walk down the hallway. Guards, equipped with large guns strapped across their body's, stand roughly twelve feet apart. No one is getting hurt today. Except maybe the inmates, but that's a given.
Grayson and I make it to the cafeteria doors, meeting up with the other three just before walking in.
Dylan doesn't say anything, but excitement is obvious on his face. His raw, chapped lips hint toward anticipation and anxiety, but he hides it well. Trevor was doing his best to appear neutral. He's excited to see his girlfriend for the first time in six months.
And that's understandable. I was the same when Mila wasn't around our house for a few days.
I pull open one of the cafeteria doors, to the dismay of one of the guards. He steps back into line with pursed lips, and doesn't spare us another glance.
Inside, the prisoners are attempting to transform the cafeteria. Instead of the usual rectangular tables, smaller round tables are placed around the room, accompanied by white plastic chairs.
There's no tablecloth protecting the tables or even decorations, because they could be used as a weapon.
The longer I'm here, the more I remember how most items can be used as weapons.
Haden approaches us with one of the youngest guys in his own gang on his heels. I believe his name was Ben. "You're late. We're almost done setting up."
I chuckled. "Grayson woke up late," I said, earning me an elbow to the ribs.
"No I didn't!" He protested. My laughter is joined by Dylan and Ben. Trevor even smiles.
"We could've used your help, Colin. Seeing as you're so tall," Haden teases.
I was five foot five, but the others were all close to six foot or over. Well, besides Ben, though he was still a bit taller then me.
"Oh, fuck you."
There's laughter again, and this time, Trevor joins in with a chuckle.
The others launch into a conversation about the possible people that would be attending family day. But I took note in the almost sick look that Ben was sporting. He was no older then 19, probably just turned. I wasn't sure how he exactly ended up here but he wasn't here when I was first arrested.
"Hey," I say quietly, placing a hand on Ben's shoulder to gently steer him away from the others. "You never know, kid. Someone might show up for you."
He smiles ruefully. "Thanks. But, I don't think so."
And as it turns out, he was right.
Almost an hour later, Trevor is sitting across from a girl with a huge smile plastered across his face. Lilly, his girlfriend, wipes a tear from her cheek. She's very pretty, with mousy brown hair and kind eyes. Usually I am wary around women, but she seemed to be alright. I trusted Trevor's judgement.
A few tables over, Dylan sits across from his father. Dylan babbles animatedly, waving his hands to illustrate his point. His father smiles a few times, but the happiness is evident on his face nonetheless.
Next to them, Haden sits across from one of his old foster mothers. She has darkly tanned skin, almost black hair, most mistake her as the twins real mother. They must be talking about Hunters murder, because they both looked close to tears.
Grayson sits with his parents, who looks were guarded and pitiful. His father looked almost rueful while his mother was crying. A three of them looked at me from time to time, and occasionally it would make Grayson's mother sob harder. Grayson was probably trying to explain what life was like here. If I was him, I wouldn't have bothered with it but I let him do his thing. I made sure to keep my distance from them anyway.
Across the room, Grimes sits across from a young blonde girl and a women with brown hair, who I assume is the girls mother. The girl can't be more than sixteen, but she bears a striking resemblance to Grimes. They share the same shifty brown eyes, blond hair and arrogant demeanor.
I watch a few prisoners give her longing, predatory glances, but after a glare from me, they look away.
It doesn't matter if I hate her father.
She's a child.
Everyone seems to have a visitor. Whether it be a spouse, an older child, or a relative, everyone sits across from someone.
Well, everyone apart for Ben and I.
I could tell we stuck out but I didn't pay them any attention. Ben was already uncomfortable with Grayson's parents stealing glances at us.
We talk quietly, neither of us having much to say.
After all, what is there to say?
After almost half an hour of agony, Grayson's mother stands and walks over to us.
She seemed to notice the many eyes on her as the other prisoners realized that she was walking over to me.
"Grayson's mother," I whispered to Ben as she looked at us with the same large welcoming smile. Ben nodded uncomfortably and shuffled back farther in his seat.
"Colin," Amy said in almost relief, pulling me out of my thoughts.
"Mrs. Creed," I said as she took a seat across from us.
Her smile was forced. She seemed a bit shocked that I referred to her with her last name instead of her title, but didn't point it out aloud.
Immediately, Ben picked it up her forced happiness and eyed her suspiciously. I couldn't blame him because I was mask my own suspicion also.
Ben stands and swallows nervously.
I rose my eyebrow at him, knowing what he was doing, but Ben shakes his head. "I-I'm going to go meet Haden's foster mother."
"You sure?" I ask, lifting an eyebrow. Ben nods, this time with more confidence. "Okay. Scream if you're in trouble."
Ben smiles gently at my shitty attempt at adding humor and turns on his heel, walking over to Haden, who reaches over and pulls out a chair for him.
There's an awkward beat of silence, and I know she's waiting for me to say something. Maybe give some sort of explanation or whatever. I sigh, watching Amy brush her brown colored hair off her shoulders.
She had cut it since the last I saw her.
"How much did he tell you? About here," I ended up asking.
"Not a lot," She admits glancing around at the intimating looking guards and scraggly looking inmates, "Grayson wouldn't give us much details or anything. He says that he's okay, and that your both going to get out in a few months."
A beat of silence.
I didn't know if I was going to get out in a few months, I might be here for the rest of my life. But I didn't correct her.
"Though...I saw a few fading bruises on his arm."
The bruise I left from the riot.
"Don't worry about it. It can get a lot worse than that," I gazed at her with consideration, "He probably doesn't want me to tell you."
She leans forward, clasping her hands together on the table almost in a pleading pose. I could tell by her eyes that she was. She even smelt desperate, though I couldn't blame her. I wanted to know how my kid was doing too.
"I want to know how you two are dealing, I don't know much about prison... and the things I heard are horrible horriblethings," She said, her face twisting up slightly.
"It's best for Grayson to tell you," I said and she nodded slowly, taking her hands off the table.
"But I will say, that," She perked up when I went on, "I have been doing the most that I can to keep your son safe. He isn't built for this life, and I'm not lying to you when I'm saying that he probably will come out acting a bit different then how he came in." I gave a small not over her shoulder to where Grayson and his dad were watching us. Amy furrowed her eyebrows and cocked her head.
"Colin," She pleaded, looking at me with watery eyes. I kept my face void of much emotion.
"I just want to know who caused the bruise and why," She said, taking a shuttered breath.
"It's better that you know as few people here as possible," I said firmly, "This isn't a safe place for you."
"I'm fine, Colin," she protests. "I was a Luna for goddess sake."
And Grayson and I are Alphas, I wanted to say.
"I'm well aware," I say, watching her leg bounce with nerves, "Mrs. Creed, you're in a room full of the worst people you can imagine."
I pause to take a breath as she glances around.
"But you aren't dangerous, nor is Grayson. You and my son are good people," She stated.
I only rose my eyebrow at her.
"Labeling people to try to humanize them does nothing to change who they are."
She got quiet, so I went on.
The guards to my left and right tensed.
"I-I-, but y-you've never hurt anyone intentionally," She said quietly. I rose my eyebrow at her.
"The bruise on your sons arm was caused by me," I said. Her eyes widened and she sputtered a bit.
"W-why? Colin, I thought you guys were working on fixing your bond," She stuttered, her chair screeching under her when she backed away.
"We are. Your son is alive - stubborn but alive. And that's all that matters to me," I said as her eyes clouded with more confusion.
"Grayson said that you two were in the city when you were arrested. But why? I still can't picture either of you hurting anyone," She said softly, whipping her eyes with the palm of her hand.
Looks can be deaseving, I wanted to say.
"One of the feds recognized me, and strung Grayson in with my other charges," I said duly, shrugging my shoulders and clasping my hands on the table in front of me.
"Other charges? Colin, what?!" Amy said loudly, making Haden and a few other members of his gang heads snap over quickly. They were all tense and ready if Haden gave them a cue to fight. Ben looked like he was about to bolt. Other prisoners and guards looked at me and Amy in sick interest.
"Quiet," I said to her, slipping into my alpha tone slightly. Amy snapped her mouth shut as I gave a reassuring look to Ben who was across the room.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to use that," I grimaced. I never really used my alpha tone on anyone. Ever, "But, yes, I do have other charges."
I didn't say anything more about it, if she really wanted to know she had many other ways to find out.
"What are they?" She pressed.
"Something I'm not going to talk about with you. They don't matter anyway, I'm the reason your son is in prison and I'm going to do my best to make it so he gets out," I said. She looked at me with grateful, but troubled eyes.
"What about you? Where have you been living, Sam and I've been wondering about you," She said softly. I rose my eyebrow, she had only mentioned her and her mate - Grayson's father - were worried about me. I knew they would be worried about me when I ran, but I always assumed that they would all get over it within a few months.
"With a few friends of mine, my brother and daughter. We live in the Wolf Peak Mountains," I said and her eyes widened and she almost fell off her chair.
"W-What? You have a daughter? A brother?!" She stammered, making me chuckle lightly.
"My younger brother. I found him in foster care about a year ago. He's 17, and my daughters six," I said, shrugging lightly with a small smile.
"Y-You said the Wolf Peak Mountains?" She said after a second. She looks like she was going to cry.
"I did."
"You have to tell them to move, they're in danger!"
"And how do you know that?"
"The rouges, Colin, there's a big rouge pack in those mountains. I'm sure Grayson told you about them. They're dangerous, vicious!" She was breathing hard and I would have thought she was about going to have a panic attack if I didn't know the proper signs of one.
"That pack is not 'vicious', " I said, scrunching up my nose.
"You've been here Colin, you don't know. T-They have flown under our alleys raiders for years. They're planning something, we know it! Colin, it would be the safest for you if you move your family," She rambled frantically. Dylan casted me a sideways glance and discreetly pointed to Amy as if to ask me if she had lost her marbles. I only shrugged in response and waved him off.
"Do you have any evidence?"
"Evidence?"
"Yes. Have they attacked anyone so far?" I asked pointedly.
"Well, no... but they've flown under the radar so long that they're bound to-!" She tried starting again but I cut her off.
"I see why your concerned, but I assure you that they will all be fine," I said and she nodded slowly, still wanting to protest more.
"Colin!" Dylan said, waving me over to where he sat with Trevor and his girlfriend. I gave him a light thankful smile and turned back to Amy.
"Excuse me. A friend of mine wants me to come over, sorry," I said, excusing myself from Amy and getting to my feet.
I offered her my hand to shake but she waved it away and chose to try to hug me instead.
"Sam and I will be there for you two when you get out-."
I cut her off, seeing the hard glares given to me by the surrounding guards.
No hugs.
"Not here."
She nods but her face shows confusion and she takes a step back, bringing her arms back down to her sides. "Okay."
"Thank you for coming though, Grayson really needed it." I said, nodding at her in recognition.
Amy smiles gently, tucking a strand of brown hair behind her ear. "Thank you for helping him..."
I only nodded at her before turning and going to Trevor's table.