Thank you to all of those who have commented, voted, and subscribed since I've started this story. It was more of an idea, and has turned into a liked story and book. I'm still developing the story line, and I am glad to hear the great things you all feel or think so far. I plan to keep writing when I can, although it might be limited as I have finals/mid-terms soon. Please enjoy and let me know what you all think down in the comments. :D
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Chapter 22
Winter's POV
3 Days Later
It's been a good few days since the entire Kaine incident and I am currently sitting on the bay window seat with Spoofy watching the breeze outside blow around the fallen leafs outside. The only thing on my mind was Kaine, and how this was even possible. It's been a couple of weeks since Mr.Kormack has explained things to me I think, I don't know. I've been doing lots of reading about this whole Werewolf topic.
At school I have managed to avoid him like the plague, and I have made sure I don't seem awkward with Mr.Kormack, although he hasn't come around because of some type of business he has had to deal with. My brothers and fathers seem to have noticed that I'm more distant, and my friends keep asking me what's wrong. I say nothing, and no one pushes farther. This whole shifting thing is horrible. The pain is getting worse, no amount of heat is helping anymore, so I'm literally getting drugs from some doctor for sleeping now and the pain. Some request from Mr.Kormack I think Olly said.
I was scared from my thoughts when Spoofy barked and I jumped. I turned my head and looked to see Beck standing there with some grocery bags. Only a few though. The twins were on the couch, Ever was coming home from his friends in a bit, Chase is somewhere maybe in his room, and I have no idea where Park is.
"Hey Little One." I heard Olly say smiling softy. I smiled a bit back. "You want to help me make dinner?" He said and I nodded and stood up and Spoofy jumped down and followed me to the kitchen.
"Why is there so much food?" I asked and Beck sighed.
"Everett and a boy from school were caught fighting on pack grounds. Now our families are being ordered to have a dinner to talk it out." He sighed annoyed and I rolled my eyes. Nice Lincoln. Just great.
"I'll be in my room after." I said and both laughed.
"No you won't. If we're stuck with them so are you." Olly sighed.
I didn't argue anymore because I wasn't winning. Today my friends all had stuff to do so none were here at the moment. I helped Olly cook for the next hour, and as I was chopping up some vegetables for a macaroni salad the doorbell was rung and Spoof started to bark. Olly sighed and I watched as my brothers tensed. They were all here now, except Park. Oh well I suppose.
"Go put on some nice clothes please Little One." Olly said taking over the chopping. He kissed my forehead and I nodded and made my way up to my room and closed the door. Sighing I turned the music on and turned it up. I really don't want to go down there.
I threw on a white oversize knit sweater, black leggings, and a pair of white cardy Uggs Beck bought me. My hair was in a french braid and pieces had fallen giving it the messy look. Olly told me I had to look nice and if I didn't I was grounded. So with an annoyed grunt I turned the music off and made my way downstairs to find my brothers getting along with some kids a bit younger than us, and the house was full of people, and kids. The family was about the same size as ours making me sigh.
"Honey there you are." I heard Beck smile at me and I knew something was up because of the look in his eye. He seemed uncomfortable, as did Olly. Beck grabbed my hand and lead my to two people, a man and woman. They smiled at me and this was even more awkward. "Our daughter Winter. Meet Mr. and Mrs.Hale." He said making me stop breathing and look at him. What?! Hale! I looked back at the two and smiled politely.
"Nice to meet you." They said smiling and I returned the four words and I was sent off. I noticed what seemed to be an older version of Kaine taunting my brothers pretty much. He seemed to be out of high school. My twins seemed uncomfortable and angry. When they saw me they pleaded me with their eyes. I noticed the boy had bruises and cuts all over his face...where was Kaine? Didn't he get in the fight with my brother not this man?
"Winter." I heard and turned to my head to see Ever standing there with a busted lip, marred face, and bruised eye. His arm was wrapped and his head had stitches. My eyes almost bugged out of my head and I rushed over to him and he chuckled when I was inspecting his wounds. My breathing picked up and I was angry. "I'm fine. It'll heal." He said and I looked at him
"Who?" I said calmly and he swallowed. I'm not calm, and I am now meaning I'm very angry. I should have asked him where he was off to other than the simple reply before. I hadn't seen him since school...ugh!
"That big guy over there. And his twin." He said and I looked at the man bothering the twins. He has a twin, and this wasn't caused by Kaine?
"Kaine didn't do this." I said and Ever looked at me and chuckled.
"He tried to help." He said shaking his head. "Got hurt too, but not as badly. They heard about what you did to him, and though it'd be funny to take it out on me. But it's not something to blame yourself over. You were protecting me in the start Winter." He said as I swallowed hard. He got hurt because of me. I hugged him gently, but he squished me to him and held me there.
"I'm sorry Ever." I whimpered and he rubbed my back. "Are you okay." I said and he nodded with a laugh.
"I'm fine. Lincoln had their asses though. And I have a feeling tonight will be eventful. They've been saying things about dad and Beck since they've arrived. Both said to ignore what they say but...it's ignorance." He growled making me look over at the two who were looking me up and down making me angrier than I was already.
"Who's hungry?" I heard Olly say smiling fakely.
We all piled into the large dining room and sat at the massive table that was set. After everyone got their food, that's when I noticed when Kaine walked in. He had a black eye and gash on his eye brow, cheek, and his lip was stitched together. This made my insides turn, and my blood started to boil.
"So.." I heard Mrs.Hale say softly. "Might as well get it out of the way." She sighed and looked at the four boys. I saw Ever's grip on the fork tighten, and Kaine didn't look up as his older brothers picked at him, mind linking I think. He kept blinking, and his body shook. It made me upset, and I wanted to do something. Chase knew something was up and when one of the other twins whispered something I almost lost it, he grabbed my thigh and gave me a look.
"Come on you fag. Apologize to us now, then later we'll be nice and let you take it in the ass by your boyfriend over there that you chose over us." The one with a tattoo on his hand said smirking. Kaine kept his gaze down and on his plate.
"Boys. Apologize." I heard both Olly and the mother say sternly. No one spoke. Kaine went to speak and I cut him off gripping the cup I was holding angrily.
"No Kaine." I spoke calmly. This caused all of them to look at me. "I'll start since this is my fault. I'm sorry." I said honestly. They all nodded, and I spoke again. "That I stopped my brother and Kaine from ruining a possible friendship. And that I came close to kicking his ass when I should have learned there are two twins that deserve worse than to have their asses kicked, and to be embarrassed." I said smiling. No one spoke. I only heard growls.
"Excuse me?" Mr.Hale said scoffing angrily.
"Well, the fact we've been sitting here for no more than 15 minutes and you and your wife haven't noticed tell tale signs your oldest twins are adult bullies towards the smartest person in your family is sad. I apologize for over stepping, and being rude, but this is why we're here. Your other children are forced to clean up their messes. And I'm not having my siblings apologize for defending me, or my family." I said looking at them with a soft smile making the wife nod understandingly. The husband stayed silent but understood.
"You're going to let her sit there and speak to us like that." The one with a tattoo on his neck said.
"Yes." Both parents said. Kaine was smirking slightly, as were the other siblings. "Continue please Winter." The mother said.
"Well, observing just how they are, the only thing they know best is intimidation meaning they are trying to show off because someone in this room is appealing to them. Let me take a wild guess here and say Kaine is adopted because he doesn't have anything in common with any of your family from what is clear. You all write with the opposite hand he does, that's normally not a dominant trait. His features are different. All of you share similar scents, he doesn't. So my guess is that your twins here...want Kaine, or someone Kaine wants." I said softly. "No one shows that much attention to an individual unless they get some sort of pleasure. And by the way that the twins are spaced, and seem to not let Kaine out of their sight...I think it's leaning towards wanting Kaine." I sighed at the end even though I was burning from anger. Possessiveness took over and I saw the twins eyes change colors and them snarl. Kaine looked shocked, and stared at me but his mouth dropped.
The doorbell rang and I smiled sipping my glass.
"I've got it." I said and stood up setting my glass down and left the room. I was out of sight when I started to growl, and shake. I leaned against the wall and caught my breath. Shaking my head I made my way to the door and opened it revealing Mr.Kormack and Parker.
"Hey." Mr.Kormack said kissing my forehead. I smiled and let them in but kept my head down and closed the door. "Dining room?" He asked and I nodded my head.
"You okay?" Park asked and I nodded.
I watched them leave and leaned against the wall again and closed my eyes. I was ripped from my thoughts when I was grabbed and shook angrily. I looked and saw it was one of the twins, and he threw me and I landed on the floor in pain. More than I already was.
I went to stand up when I saw the other twin talk his twin down, or attempt to. The angry twin with a tattoo on his hand came at me pushing past his twin and kicked my ribs making me growl in anger and pain. I heard arguing again, and looked up finally to see a livid Kaine, and Mr.Kormack snarling which shocked everyone. I stood up and turned to the twin and he threw a punch but I grabbed it, this strength coursed through me, and he stared at me shocked. I bent it and he was on his knees. I moved and eventually had him pinned to the floor in pain making him gasp and cry out. I was calm and annoyed. I looked up to see Mr.Kormack staring at me blinking lazily...his eyes weren't on me...more my neck. I looked down and saw my sweater had moved and the purple marks from Kaine were visible slightly still. Lets just say they looked horrible the day after. And now they look like they're fading I think.
I stood from the twin and looked at him fixing my shirt. He looked at my father and they linked. I saw Mr.Hale yelling at the twins, and saw my siblings huddled talking with the other family. I looked for Kaine but didn't see him making me swallow. He hates me too...and Mr.Kormack does...
"Thank you for dinner Mr.Monroe. Maybe another time it'll go more smoothly. I'm so sorry." Mrs.Hale said sighing and Olly nodded. She escorted her kids out along with her husband and my brothers went to help Olly clean, Beck went to his office. I watched Mr.Kormack stand there for a second then shake his head and not even look at me before walking to the door. I grabbed his arm and was starting to cry. I felt horrible as it was, and I wanted so badly to tell him before but I couldn't even process it on my own!
"Don't Winter! You let another male touch you and mark you with his scent and his touch. I've been gone three days and that's what I come back to?" He snarled at me and ripped his arm from my grasp and stormed out.
I watched him leave and I was now crying. I turned and when I looked up I saw my brothers standing there shocked.
"You cheated on our Alpha Winter?" Chase asked disgusted making my body shake.
"You cheated on your mate...how could you hurt him like that?" Reed asked angrily making me completely break into sobs and sprint to my room in so much pain.
Now everyone hates me for something I can't explain.