I was excited, but my stomach was turning from the nerves. I couldn't eat anything this morning since I was so anxious about what might happen. Chewing on my fingernails, I pulled at my man-skirt. Axil was never going to let me go free, so if I had to spend my life with a werewolf, I wanted to have a good relationship with my parents. I was okay with 'behaving' in return for getting to see my family ever one in awhile.
The car stopped and Axil opened the door. I climbed out the other side and hurried to catch up with him. The small rocks didn't feel the greatest on my feet. We stopped at the bottom of the steps to the mansion.
"I have some business with Andreas, but don't think you can get away with trying anything."
"Okay." I nodded.
He grabbed my upper arm. "Are you alright? You look like you're going to pass out. You're whiter than usual."
I rolled my eyes. "I'm stressed. I'll be fine."
"If you say so."
A servant opened the door and bowed as we entered. The cold air hit me and I was regretting leaving the robe that Axil offered me behind. If he'd just give me regular clothes and shoes, life would be so much easier for both of us.
"Where's Andreas?"
"In his office, sir."
I looked around. The room seemed larger than last night. It wasn't filled with hundreds of werewolves, either. "Where are they?" I touched Axil's arm.
"Your parents, sir?"
I nodded.
"They've arrived right before you. They're with your brother helping him go through the gifts from last night in the banquet room."
My heart rate increased and I swallowed the lump in my throat.
"Would you like me to show you, sir?"
"I'll do it." Axil put his hand on my shoulder. He led the way.
I was feeling sick again. Those damn toxins had really messed me up. Voices sounded from the door in front of us. I heard Jax and Maggie laughing. My sister was here too. Axil knock and the occupants feel silent. Axil opened the door and stepped to the side. I stepped forward and saw my family sitting around a mound of presents.
The door closed, startling me. I glanced over my shoulder and didn't see Axil. I was on my own. Rightfully so, I should be the one to face whatever was coming to me for what I did. I stepped forward. My mouth was dry
My mother was watching me. Her face went from shocked to indifferent. I didn't understand it. Axil said she knew I was coming. I forced a smile. Nothing. I stopped a few feet away from them.
"Mom?" I flexed and clenched my hands, not knowing what to do with them. "Mom, I... I'm sorr—"
"Don't call me that," she stated.
My chest tightened. "Mom?"
"Stop it!" Her eyes meant mine.
I knew that look. It was the same one every rebel had when they talked about a werewolf. Pure hatred. My chest tightened. This wasn't what I was expecting. I knew she'd be mad, but this hurt. It hurt worse than toxins.
"Mom," breathed Ricky, climbing off the ground where they were opening presents. "It's Jed. Wolfsbane found him, and—"
"Enough." She lifted her hand. "Your brother is dead."
My breath caught. "I'm right here." I glanced at my siblings. They all seemed unsure, while my father had his back to me. "I'm sorry. I didn't mean for anything bad to happen. It was my one chance. I just wanted to be free. I wanted all of us to be free."
"Free!" She rose from her seat and shoved the box she was holding into Ricky's hands. "You abandoned us. You left your brother to die."
"Mom," breathed Jax. "Please, don't. I told him to do it."
"I don't give a damn what you told him."
I flinched at her comment as did my siblings.
"You're a rogue."
My eyes started to burn.
"You abandoned your family and betrayed the pack. You're an embarrassment," said my mother. "Maggie comes home crying regularly because of what the kids say at school about you. A disgusting werewolf killer who was willing to let his own family be executed. As you would say"—she motioned to me—"you're a selfish asshole. You are not my son. My son would never leave his parents and brother to die for him."
"He told me to go." Tears ran down my face. "Jax wanted me to do it." I wiped my face, not want them to see the pain.
"Jax is everything you are not," she stated. "He puts everyone before himself. I thought you were better than that Jed. I depended on you to look over your siblings. You embarrassed your family and I wanted Midfield to find you."
"Mom," stated Maggie. "You know what they would have done to him."
"Restored our family name. That's what they would have done. The only reason your father and Ricky aren't working themselves to death in some mine is because of Jax. He saved us, while you condemned your own family to be executed."
A shaky breath escaped me. "I'm sorry."
"He's engaged," stated Maggie as she stood.
"Shut up," Ricky said under his breath, shaking her head.
"What?" My mother's eyes landed on my shoulder.
She marched over with the same look in her eyes that would send me running for my life as a kid. She touched the scar as I stood there for my head bowed. The tears wouldn't stop.
"Who did this?"
I roughly wiped my face. "It doesn't matter. I'll never mate him."
My head snapped to the side. I peered at my mother shocked as she stood there with her hands raised. I clasped my stinging cheek.
"Who is it?"
"Axil of Wolfsbane," stated Maggie.
"Maggie," said Ricky, eyeing our little sister. "Shut up."
"He's the beta of Wolfsbane." My sister hurried over and stepped between our mother and me. "Mom, let's sit down and talk." Maggie grabbed her hand. "Please. It's Jed." She smiled. "He was scared. Mistakes were made, but he didn't do it on purpose."
"And Jax wasn't scared?" My mother looked past Maggie to me. "I hid him behind the couch in hopes by some miracle the werewolves wouldn't find him. They took him away from us. He was all alone, wondering whether he would live or die." She sucked in her lips as her own emotions rose to the surface. "Do you know what Jax went through? Yet he still put all of that aside to save us."
"I'm sorry," I said as a sob wracked my body. I didn't feel right. My head was so heavy.
"No, you're not."
I peered up at her.
"You're only saying it because you were caught." She lifted her chin. "You'd still be out there trying to take down the pack that Jax's mate will be running one day. If you want to be apart of this family and maybe restore some trust, mate with that werewolf."
"Mom!" said Jax. He stood and ran over. "Don't do this. That's not fair to ask."
"I won't do it," I stated, gritting my teeth.
"Was it fair to you that he ran off to let you die?" said my mother.
"Mom, I maybe had a few months left. I told him to do it." Jax grabbed her hands. "I knew how badly Jed wanted to be free."
"I don't care." She shook her head.
"Mom, Jed's trying to make things right."
"Let's hope after he chose to betray his family."
"I won't do it!" I backed away from them. "I messed up. I admit that, but I won't, I can't become a werewolf. I can't do it."
My mother pointed to the door. "Get out. You are not welcome here."
"Mom!" said Jax. "This is my house and Jed is welcome here."
"Then we'll leave." She motioned to my father. "Marty, let's go."
My father marched across the room. He wouldn't even look at me. My parents left and the door slammed behind them. I sat on my heels and hid my face. I didn't want this.
"Jed." Jax reached for my shoulder.
I jerked away from him and stood. "You all knew. Is this what you wanted? Did you love watching mom tell me how much she hates me? Is that it? Did you get what you want?"
"No," said Maggie, pressing her hands to her chest. "Jed, we were trying to keep them away from you."
"You knew, though." I cursed under my breath and took a deep breath. "You should have told me!" I hurried for the exit.
"Jed, Jed wait!" called Jax.
"Go away! I'm not your brother anymore. I'm not apart of this family. I'm Wolfsbane now." I raced from the room and just chose a random hallway. I just wanted to get a far away from them as possible. Why hadn't they warned me? I must have sounded so stupid.
Opening a door, I felt really light headed and was happy to see some couches in a room. I fell into one and pulled at my hair. Why hadn't anyone told me?
***
(Jax)
"Mom!" I marched across the entryway as a servant retrieved my mother's purse. "How could you say that to him? Yes, Jed messed up but he's still your son."
"I'm not going to fight with you," she said firmly. "I'm upset enough." She was close to tears. "I just want to go home and forget this happened. Next time those... those Wolfsbane people are around, I expect you to be decent enough to warn your own mother."
"Decent? You just told your son he's dead to you. Jedrek came here to apologize, to work things out. Why couldn't you have given him a chance and listen to what he had to say?"
"It's done, Jax." She hugged me. "Tell Maggie and Ricky to be home by dinner. Let me know if you need anything."
My dad grabbed her hand.
"Dad?" I pleaded. "Don't leave it like this."
"I'm sorry, Jax." He shook his head. "I'm scared what I might say may hurt him more than anything already said. It's best if we go home." He led his wife outside to the car that was waiting.
Pulling at my head fur, I cursed under my breath. I wandered to the stairs and sat down. Ricky and Maggie arrived soon after.
"I couldn't find him," said Maggie.
"He wasn't outside," breathed Ricky, leaning back on his arms. "I asked the gardeners, and they hadn't seen any redheads running around."
"Damn it." I rubbed my muzzle. "We finally have Jed back and this happens."
Maggie laid her head on my shoulder. "We were all going to be together."
Ricky picked at his eyebrow. "I had my twin. Now he's been taken away again."
I put my arm around my sister's shoulders. I never should have told Jed that it was okay for him to run. It wasn't worth seeing my family being torn apart.