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The rain pelting down was making it a lot harder to see. Even with the headlights and windshield wipers didn't help much. I kept having to lean forward, squinting my eyes.
Letting out a defeated sigh, I sat back in the driver's seat and decided to turn my attention elsewhere; like to the two sleeping forms beside me.
I first glanced at Vicky in the passenger seat; leaning against the door with her head using the window as a pillow, though sometimes it would slowly nod downward before she would subconsciously pull it upright again. Her arms were crossed in front of her, probably being cold from the lack of a sweater over that tank top of hers.
Unless she needed to speak Vicky had not spoken a word.
Vicky was the type of person who dealt with things in her own way. And I couldn't imagine dealing internally over your own flesh and blood being a completely psychotic person, and having said flesh and blood kill your sister.
Vicky held a bit of harshness in her response to me when I had questioned earlier if she was hungry. She narrowed her eyes and sneered that she was fine before turning away.
She wouldn't even answer Emory when he would ask her through sniffles on the whereabouts of Iota. I did see the way she swallowed hard and kept her tear-brimmed eyes on the window when she whispered, "She's gone."
I glanced down by my arm where Emory was resting his head with it slightly tilted up. His mouth was hanging open. Dried tear streaks were still on his cheeks after he and I had to sit down when we stopped to use the restroom an hour after leaving the State Park area.
Vicky has seated herself away from us because she was pissed off at me for whatever reason.
When I explained to Emory what happened back there, his dark eyes were worried. He frowned more and more as I started to tell him about the bad woman who showed up and that said woman happened to be related to Iota and Vicky.
"Emory..."
I bit my lip, looking down a moment to take a deep breath. Looking back up at him, I started to open my mouth to speak but couldn't get a word out.
The way he was looking at me was heartbreaking.
With his eyebrows quirked, Emory slowly leaned over towards my ear with his hand cupped next to his mouth. He whispered, "Gianna...? Am I not going to see Iota again?"
I waited til he pulled back for me to tilt my head and shook it slowly. "No... No, you're not, Emory."
Emory vaulted himself onto me. He tightened his arms around my neck and I just held him. His hard sobs made my heart ache, and I snuggled up against him.
From where we were kneeled on the side of the road, I glanced over at Vicky who was leaned back against the side of the truck with her arms crossed. She raised her eyes up to me and then looked away after watching Emory cry his heart out.
Now the kid was attached to me. He sought comfort into my side as we drove on the road and whenever he slept it was on either my lap or my side.
It made it a bit difficult to drive, to be honest, but he's a kid and just lost the woman taking care of him. I'm just going to have to set aside my own comfort for his.
The windshield wipers squeaked as they dragged themselves back and forth against the window, giving me brief moments to see before the rain covered it up again.
When the truck made a slow turn along the curved road, the headlights passed over the large rectangular shaped sign that read "Welcome to Carmel-by-the-Sea!"
I bit my lip as I continued to drive on; my fingers gripping tightly to the steering wheel. My nerves were starting to get the best of me.
It's been a little over a month since I left Carmel. I was coming back to warn my pack and hopefully get Emory to a place that was safe for now.
My only hope is that Mr. Beaumont would let me keep Emory there at least, if not me after what I did to his son.
Just thinking about it was making me cringe and shift uncomfortably. I wasn't sure how bad I hurt him. I couldn't remember. My head only remembers the noises of pain Ridge made, how much he suffered under my blind anger.
"Are we going to a safe place?"
I was startled by Emory's soft question, not having felt him sit up. I glanced at him.
Returning my gaze to the road, I chewed my lip as I thought over my next words.
"It's the only safe place I can think of, Emory. At least that's how I remembered it."
Emory and I were startled when Vicky's voice joined into the conversation. "Until they ran you out."
I glanced at her, seeing the angry glimmer in her eyes.
I still didn't understand why she was so mad at me. Whatever it is I did, couldn't possibly be related to Iota. But if it was... she was going to have to explain exactly what I did wrong.
I didn't want to have to argue in front of Emory, though. The kid went through enough as it is, and with the only remaining two people he knew getting into verbal fights was not a great idea.
I looked back to the road, noticing the familiar pathway leading into the village. We just went by the store I used to work at, so I was getting close to the pack site.
I hated how nervous I was feeling. My mind was racing to how we'd be received when I showed up at the pack gates.
"Gianna?"
"Yes, Emory?"
"Are you okay?"
Without looking at him, I replied with a question of why he'd ask. Emory waited a moment before he said that he could "feel" that I was nervous.
"There's a storm inside you," Emory frowned, and I glanced at Vicky who narrowed her eyes curiously at the boy between us.
I sighed, nodding as I admitted that I was a bit nervous because I hadn't seen these people in a while. Trying to place a smile on my lips, I promised him that I wouldn't let him get hurt.
Vicky, because she was oh-so-helpful with her attitude, sneered, "Why would he get hurt if it's a safe place?"
Narrowing my eyes, I curtly swerved the truck to the side of the road, making Emory yelp and Vicky curse.
Once I was parked, I pulled off my seat belt and exited my side of the truck. I stomped around the front of the truck, the rain pelting down on me, but I didn't care. As it is, I was nervous of being back after what I did to get banished. And now Vicky was really working my nerves with this shitty attitude.
I yanked Vicky's door open, ordering her to get out.
The she-wolf raised a brow, scrunching her nose and scoffed that it was raining, and so she wasn't going to get out.
"Get. Out. Now." I bit out.
Just to make sure she knew how serious I was, my wolf eyes took over and I growled that I wasn't going to repeat myself again.
Vicky frowned, staring at me before looking at Emory who worriedly glanced between us. She huffed, muttering for Emory to stay in the car.
I stepped back to let her emerge then I looked at the little boy inside. I offered a small smile before shutting the door then faced my "Caretaker".
"What the hell is your problem?!" I demanded, curling my fists at my sides.
Vicky narrowed her eyes, scoffing, "I don't have a problem!"
"Bullshit! From the moment we escaped, you started to throw these looks at me like I'm to blame of what happened back there!"
"That's because you are!" she shouted back.
Frowning, I blinked, "What...?"
Vicky growled, eyes turning gold as she nodded that since my arrival everything has gone downhill. She grumbled how much she and Iota had to give up to protect one Quail Wolf and now there was a second one that was an even higher target.
"Madilynn has it out for everyone now because she wants more Quail Wolves! And by finding you of all people, she can now do that! She's a fucking crazy she-wolf whose hunger for power is growing, and it won't stop now that she knows you exist!"
Vicky's eyes narrowed further as she eyed me up and down.
"I get why I'd have to sacrifice things because of Emory being a child... but you? What use is it to have a father who can teach you to fight if you can never fight for yourself?"
Her words made my fists clench at my sides, knuckles cracking as my eyes kept blinking because of the rain.
"You just keep tracking shit everywhere, ya know that!?" Vicky growled. "Everywhere you go there is something! Makes sense to me now why your mate didn't want you in the first place!"
Swallowing, I frowned at her reminding me of once upon a time not too long ago when Ridge didn't want me. I clenched my teeth so much it was hurting my jaw because Vicky wasn't done yet. She had one more hurtful jab to give.
"Had you never found us then maybe I would still have my sister!" Vicky growled, snapping a final insult that made me step back wide eyed. "You deserve to die if all you do is bring death."
Once she said it, I didn't know what to say.
All I could do was stand there, shivering as my clothes were drenched, and all I could hear was the rain coming down as it showered around me. The silence---other than the rain---was making me feel worse.
I had no response to her insults. None because I almost got my dad killed... Molly... Ridge... but I had gotten all those humans back at the site killed. All of them. Men, women... children. The screams were still replaying in my head; hearing their screams echo over and over and I couldn't do a thing about it.
And then Iota...
She was gone because I didn't have control over my wolf. She didn't have a fighting chance because I was too afraid to stand up to myself and take charge. And so I didn't blame Vicky when she said that I deserved to die.
Maybe being dead was better than living. Not for me... but for everyone else.
I looked away from Vicky who was glaring at me through her drenched light colored hair curtained around her face.
My gaze shifted to Emory staring at us from inside the truck. His dark wide eyes kept switching back and forth between the both of us. His little hands were pressed against the glass and just glancing at how small they were brought more into perspective of what a small life I was responsible for.
Turning my attention back to Vicky, I swallowed the lump in my throat. Nodding, I tried to get out, "You're right..."
I don't think she was expecting me to agree with her, but she looked a little surprised as I sighed out that everything was my fault.
"I'm sorry... for what I've done. And what I've put you through. I can't make up for losing your sister... I can't."
Dragging a hand back over my hair to get the wet strands out of my face, I frowned that Vicky didn't have to stay. That she could leave while I looked after Emory.
"You shouldn't have to take care of us. I will make sure Emory is kept safe while you do the same for yourself."
Vicky's eyes shimmered something unreadable as I continued to tell her, "It didn't occur to me that I was so dangerous. Not really, anyway. Not until I've seen everything that's been happening. So..." I glanced at Emory in the truck, staring right back at me.
I assured Vicky that Emory was going to be just fine. I didn't expect her to reply.
"And what about you?"
I shrugged, "I don't know yet. I have a habit of putting others first before me so I haven't thought that far ahead."
The blonde stuck her nose up in the air, raising a brow until Vicky reminded me that she gave Iota her word to watch over the Quail Wolves, so she was going to do that.
"Emory, at least," she finalized.
We were quiet for a moment before I nodded silently then walked away, around the truck again to get back inside. I waited until Vicky slammed the truck and she grumbled at Emory to put his seat belt on.
The eight year old glanced at me, asking if I was okay.
Mustering up a smile, I nodded then started up the engine.
.დ.❧.
The engine sputtered to a halt once the truck stopped in front of the pack gates.
The rain was still pouring down but I could see through the blurry visual of the windshield two pack members approaching the gates. They were wearing yellow raincoats.
Taking a deep breath, I glanced at the two beside me.
"Stay inside. I'll be right back." I ordered, then unbuckled my seat belt and got out.
As I got closer to the gate, the two pack members were blinking a few times, making it difficult to see so I hoped they wouldn't recognize me right away.
"Are you lost, Miss?" one asked.
Oh, good. They didn't recognize me. Yet.
I frowned, nodding as I requested to speak with their alpha. That it was an urgent matter, and it involved the desperate safety of a child.
The other pack member blinked, looking to his companion who in turn looked at him. He took a moment before the first one that hadn't said anything nodded back to me that we were welcome to come on the property and warm up. He mentioned that his alpha might not be able to see us right away.
"He's occupied at the moment with his Alpha Female, but we suppose you'd be seen before the night is over."
Mr. Beaumont was overlooking the pack still. Even after a month?
A knot in my stomach made me fear what Ridge's father would do once he saw me. But I had to come back and warn him and the others about Madilynn being on her way. That was what was important, as well as getting Emory safely to my family.
I nodded, thanking the two men before they urged me to come inside. I returned to the truck, my teeth chattering from the cold. I could barely feel my fingers wrap around the steering wheel after turning it on.
"Forgiven you, have they?" Vicky bit.
I shook my head, replying to her snarky comment that I hadn't been recognized. She snorted, shaking her head to look out the window.
Rolling my eyes, I stared ahead and drove up the familiar dirt path until reaching the lot where most of the cars were kept. I slipped out of my side, reaching in to help Emory jump down. I kept him close to me, feeling his little arms wrap around my waist.
Vicky's door slammed shut and I could hear the mud being squished under her shoes as she came around the front of the truck. She stood close by, but not too close with her arms crossed.
The two men from earlier jogged to a stop and then looked at us before waving for us to follow them. We moved along quickly, our feet covered in mud as we approached the main hall.
I glanced at one of the two men who raised his voice over the rain that everyone was inside because of the rain that had worsened over the past few days.
"There's supposed to be a meeting on how to assist the humans in town with the small damage so far. There's been so much rain a lot of places will be getting flooded again."
I nodded, looking ahead to where the meeting hall was getting closer.
My nerves were making me shiver terribly, and I felt Emory look up at me as we walked, but I didn't pay him mind. I was mentally freaking out about what was going to happen once everyone saw me. The pack knew who I was, what I'd done. There's no way I would leave this unscathed.
The two men trudged up the wooden steps to the upper platform, their boots weighing heavily on the creaking steps before they pulled the doors open and ushered us inside.
The chatter that had been echoing throughout the meeting hall faltered once we came into light, and every pair of eyes was on us.
I frowned a little, instinctively pulling Emory behind me as Vicky suddenly went into care-taker mode and stood partially in front of me. I bit my lip while slowly looking over the many faces that I was trying to put names to. Apparently putting a name to my face didn't take long.
"Gigi...? Gigi Gomez?" one woman squinted, tilting her head.
I made the mistake of looking right at her.
Her eyes widened, gasping, "It's her!"
An eruption of mutters filled the hall and I held tighter to Emory as people growled and frowned in our direction.
"You were banished!"
"You attacked our alpha!"
"The nerve you have to show your face around here again!"
"Get out of here!"
Vicky's voice was low as she muttered, "You're quite popular, Shorty..."
I huffed a breath. 'Now is not the time, Vicky.'
From the hurtful and hateful things being yelled my way, I felt a short relief when seeing my family make their way through the crowd.
My father was the first I made eye contact with and he rushed forward to hug me. I gently placed a hand on Vicky's shoulder to silently let her know it was okay to put her guard down. For the moment, anyway.
I squeezed my eyes shut while hugging my father. I felt my tears seeping through as he huffed, "Oh, Button! I've been so worried! I'm so glad you're alright!"
He pulled back, wiping my tears as he looked me over and I weakly smiled, "I missed you so much!"
"I missed you too, Gigi. We all did."
I looked at my mother pull me to her as she wept against me, apologizing for not helping that day. That it was out of their hands when Mr. Beaumont warned them that day that he'd have me killed on sight if they came after me.
Looking between my parents, I sighed that I really missed them a lot, and that there was so much I had to tell them.
I didn't get a chance to see my siblings because a door at the opposite end of the hall slammed open and everyone that had been glaring at me, immediately shouted towards the person who had entered. They were in an uproar that I couldn't hear my father and mother trying to warn me of something.
"Gigi... you have---"
"Stand aside, Angus."
My heart jump started at the voice. It fluttered even if my father swallowed nervously and then slowly stepped away from me.
Just the sight of him made my heart soar. It was only a little over a month I had last seen him and yet, even within that month, he looked different to me.
His usually tidy-kept hair was longer; the tips of his ears peeked out a bit and his stance was a lot more authoritative as he stood straight with his broad shoulders back. Those green eyes I'd missed held an intensity of an alpha.
"Ridge..." I barely breathed out. I smiled, relieved that he was alright. "Oh, Ridge! I'm so glad to see you! I was so worried about you!"
His gaze didn't change. His hard look made me frown a little. I glanced at everyone around looking at me in that same brooding manner.
When he didn't say anything, just kept looking at me with so much contempt, I glanced at my parents who had these solemn looks on their faces.
"Ridge...?" I tilted my head slightly, shaking it a little. "What's... what's wrong? Why aren't you saying anything?"
My eyes dropped to a dainty pale hand suddenly appearing from behind Ridge and curled around his bicep. Its owner appeared next with a smug look on her face.
"Ridge, darling..." Molly's coy tone didn't match the smugness she was giving me. "Who do we have here?"
There was a pulsing in my ears that I had forgotten. Seeing her blue eyes narrow with that gleeful gleam made me swallow hard.
I looked back at my mate scowling in my direction. A low growl rumbled out of him and he didn't take his eyes off me as he grunted, "A problem that should have been taken care of a long time ago."
Startled at his words, I looked at Molly smirking at me. I was completely at a loss for what was going on.
Ridge didn't know who I was...
.დ.❧..დ.❧..დ.❧.
Xoxo Always,
SAMiAMiz