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  “Are you okay, Jonas?” Her concern for me cut me deep. She cared about others, yet no one gave a rat’s ass about her it seemed.

  I spun around and yanked her to me. I wrapped my arms tightly around her, hugging her snugly to me. She stiffened for a moment before returning the gesture. When her arms came around my stomach and her face snuggled into my chest, the Earth stood still. My wolf immediately stopped, sitting back and taking comfort in feeling her around us. It suddenly didn’t matter what was going on around us, it only mattered that she was here, that I was here with her.

  I vowed then and there to take care of her. She was my mate. She would always be my mate. And even though she didn’t know it yet, she was an honorary member of my pack. It meant that we would take care of her. The pack would pay her bills until she was old enough for me to claim her.

  When she pulled back, I reluctantly let go of her. I wanted to hold her forever. She fit perfectly in my arms, but I knew that wasn’t possible right now. I pushed through the fog in my brain and focused on her.

  “What time will your parents be home?”

  She averted her gaze and shrugged.

  “No. Don’t do that, Aura. Please. Be honest with me.”

  “My mom went out of town.”

  Her mom has money to go out of town, but not to pay the bills? “You’re coming with me.”

  “No! She… she left me money. I’ll be fine, really, Jonas.”

  “Where is it?”

  She swallowed hard. I followed her out to the dining room. Sure enough, on the table was a folded piece of paper. I also saw money poking out of the side.

  “I’ll take you wherever you need to go to pay the bill, but at the very least you need air conditioning. It’s hot as hell outside.”

  Her hands shook as she picked up the piece of paper. I saw red the moment she opened it and revealed all one-dollar bills. I read the note over her shoulder; whether it was ethical or not I didn’t care.

  This was all the cash Roger had. Don’t spend it all in one place ;)

  I’ll call you in a few days.

  Love ya, Mom

  I pulled my phone out from my pocket. I text Brody to come up to Aura’s apartment.

  “Go pack some clothes.” Aura gave me a tortured look. I cupped her face. “Please don’t fight me on this.” Tears welled in her eyes. She kept batting her lashes, trying to keep them at bay. “Go.” I kissed her forehead and turned her towards her bedroom.

  She closed her bedroom door right when Brody knocked on the apartment door. I opened it, not bothering to close it after. I quickly caught him up on what was going on.

  “Damn. That’s some bullshit.” He rubbed his head, his gaze carrying over the space. “We should check the fridge and freezer, make sure there’s nothing that would smell bad if it spoiled.”

  “Good thinking.” I sprinted to the refrigerator. The freezer held one bag of who knew what inside and the fridge had a half eaten carton of eggs and a nearly rotted apple.

  Rage wasn’t even the word for it. I had rage, but I was dismayed, shocked, more than anything. I’d heard the stories; I knew there were people who lived like this, but I hadn’t known anyone personally. Even the low-income families I’d known always seemed to have food thanks to food stamps.

  I blinked and suddenly my vision was black and white. Shit!

  Chapter 20

  AURA

  Jonas didn’t judge me, yet I recalled the vivid disdain on his face. He judged my mom; he judged my family because of my living situation. I couldn’t blame him. It’s not that my mother was a bad mother; she was just a careless mother. She didn’t think things through. She didn’t think about how much food cost when she left me twelve one-dollar bills. She didn’t remember that the electric bill or water bill was past due when she agreed to go out of town. I resented her for her carelessness at times, but I’d learned to deal with it. I’d been lucky enough to never go without for too long or without a back up resource; mainly Mrs. Martha.

  I shoved two clean pairs of panties, a bra, a pair of pajamas and an outfit for school tomorrow in an old book bag. My toothbrush, brush and travel toiletries were already in my current backpack.

  I opened my bedroom door only to find Brody standing in my way.

  “Go back inside, Aura,” he ordered, blocking my exit. He was slightly hunched over, his arms spread outwards.

  “What’s wrong?” Unease rose within me.

  “Please, just trust me,” he snapped.

  I heard a loud growl before an animal attacked Brody. I shrieked as Brody threw him off of him as if he weighed nothing. In a split second Brody shifted in front of me, his clothes shredding before he landed on all fours… a… a… wolf?

  I whimpered, stumbling backwards into my bedroom. I immediately shut my door, leaning my back against it.

  I shook my head, my body trembling. I had to have imagined it. It’d been a long day. I didn’t take my medicine that morning… I…

  I screamed as growls echoed nearby before something hit my bedroom door. Wood splintering sent my heart racing beyond what I thought capable. My head was pounding, every heavy breath echoing in my ears.

  “Oh my God…. Oh, my God… Oh. My. God. Jonas and Brody are werewolves.” The realization was like a bucket of ice water being dumped on me.

  I didn’t know how long I sat inside my bedroom. The chaos outside my room seemed to die down at least five minutes before someone knocked on my bedroom door.

  “Aura?” It was Jonas.

  I slowly rose up off the floor. “Yeah?”

  He hesitated for a moment. “Are you alright?”

  I remembered they always warned us in elementary school to approach animals cautiously, no quick movements or else you could scare them. I didn’t know if werewolves were technically animals, but I didn’t want to risk it. I took my time turning the doorknob and opening it.

  At the sight of Jonas and Brody standing side by side with my mother’s pink towels around their waist, I burst into laughter. I covered my mouth with my hand, trying to hold back. The image of two well-muscled, masculine men wrapped in petal pink towels was a sight to behold.

  They exchanged a look before angling their heads back towards me.

  Jonas’ face drew down, worry marring his beautiful features. At his concern, the humor of moments ago fled. He was clearly upset over what had happened. I imagined that I wasn’t supposed to find out the truth of their heritage at all. I’d been so worried about him finding out my lifestyle secret when all along he had one of his own, and it was slightly larger than mine.

  “I’m fine. A little spooked, but…” I thought about it for a moment. Oddly, I didn’t have an ounce of fear in me right now. Even before, it was shock moreso than anything that had me reacting the way I did. The same draw I had to Jonas before was ever present, urging me to lean into his touch again, wanting to be wrapped in his arms again. “I’m not afraid of you.” I met his gaze. I lifted my hand to touch his cheek.

  He leaned into my palm. Closing his eyes, the weight of the world seemed to lift from him, softening his features. He opened his eyes and looked at me. “I’m so sorry, Aura.”

  “Don’t be.” I looked around my bedroom into the dim space. “There are some things that are out of our control.”

  He immediately understood my double meaning. He put his hand over mine and smiled wide, displaying his dimples. “You have your clothes packed?” I lifted my bag. His grin turned devious. “You’re going to meet my dad, Aura; the alpha.”

  “Does that make you…?” I let the question hang in the air.

  “Yup.”

  “Oh.”

  Brody and he chuckled. Jonas took my bag of clothes, put his arm around me and led me through the apartment. Brody grabbed my book bag and followed us out. Jonas locked up for me and we headed to his car.

  I didn’t know if I was ready to meet the alpha, but if he was anything like his son, I was sure I would like him.

  Chapter
21

  JONAS

  I knew my dad was going to be angry when he found out I’d lost control. I couldn’t worry about him right now though. Aura sat quietly in the front seat, gazing out the window. She didn’t show any signs of aftershock, but she also wasn’t talking.

  I found it ironic that she seemed to relax a bit after discovering the truth of my heritage. It was as if she sensed I wasn’t being completely honest with her the way I’d sensed she was avoiding sharing the truth with me.

  This past week I’d been so angry that I’d found my mate before we were even eighteen, but after discovering Aura’s situation, once again, it was confirmed that everything happened for a reason. She needed me, and I didn’t realize how much I needed her until today.

  Maybe I was young, but I knew what it felt like to be completed by someone. She made me feel like I wasn’t missing anything. She made me feel content, less restless. My wolf was restless, but that was only because he wanted to make sure no one else could claim her.

  I parked in front of the house. Brody immediately jumped out of the car. “Catch you later, Jo. Take care, Aura.” He shut the back door and rushed to his house across the street from mine.

  “He left his book bag,” Aura stated.

  I couldn’t help but smile. “He’ll get it later.”

  She met my gaze. She pursed her lips and her brows dipped inwards. “Won’t they be mad that you brought an outsider here?”

  My heart sunk a bit at her words. “Definitely not, once they know who you are.”

  She accepted that. She was still nervous, but she visibly relaxed a bit.

  I got out of the car and came around to open her door. I held tightly to the towel around my waist. “You can leave your book bag here for now if you want.”

  She nodded and slipped out of the Jeep. Seeing her in my front yard looked right; it felt right. She felt right.

  I placed my hand on the small of her back and guided her to the front door. I opened the door and let her walk in ahead of me. “Mom, Dad, I’m home with company,” I announced.

  Aura looked around the house. Most of the boxes had been unpacked over the week. My mother had insisted on making everything feel like home as soon as possible. When I got a good look at her gaze though, I realized it wasn’t nerves that were making her uneasy; it was what we had, and what she didn’t, that made her uncomfortable.

  “Hi.” My dad thrust out his hand as he came into the front room of our two story colonial house.

  “Hi.” Aura shook his hand without hesitation.

  “I’m Will. And you are?”

  I cut in. “Dad, this is Aura. Aura, this is my dad.” I gave my father a poignant look, one that would tell him exactly who she was beyond her name.

  His face immediately fell. He looked at the towel around my waist and back at Aura. “It’s not what you’re thinking. I sort of lost control, and now she knows. Nothing more.”

  “Nothing more?” A single brow lifted in my direction.

  “Where’s Mom?”

  “She just got out of the shower. She’ll be down in a minute.” He turned his attention to my mate. “Aura, why don’t you take a seat?” My dad gestured towards the sofa.

  She looked between us, sensing the beginnings of tension I was sure. “Um, I can just go.”

  “No!” We both shouted at once.

  She worried her bottom lip. She was clearly torn and our little dance wasn’t helping. I had to be honest. Everything needed to be out in the open.

  I grabbed Aura’s hand, pulling her attention to me. “Do you mind if I tell him? He won’t tell a living soul; alpha’s honor.”

  My dad’s features were etched with concern as he watched Aura and me.

  Aura withdrew her hand. She glanced at my dad. Her expression was tightly controlled, but her eyes were a storm of emotion. To my surprise though, she shook her head. “It’s alright.” She went and sat on the sofa, her gaze wandering and purposely avoiding where me and my dad stood.

  Chapter 22

  AURA

  I knew Jonas meant well. I got the feeling his dad did too. It didn’t erase my embarrassment. It didn’t erase the implications towards my mother’s lack of parenting finesse. It didn’t make this situation any less awkward for me.

  I’d grown up in Leesburough. After one day at school with Jonas, he knew more about me than ninety-nine percent of the people here. And as difficult as this was to endure without losing every ounce of the pride I had left, I couldn’t picture myself being with anyone better. Jonas didn’t look down at me. He also didn’t look at me with pity in his eyes. He’d gotten angry and then took control. He couldn’t change my mother, but he could still change my situation, or so I assumed he thought.

  I idly listened as Jonas explained the situation to his dad, whom he was the spitting image of. It wasn’t until I saw the two of them together, actively engaged in a conversation that the reality of Jonas’ place in the pack hit me. He was a werewolf. And not just any werewolf. He was the future alpha. He was going to be his father one day. And he would have a son just like himself one day too. My heart grew a little colder at the thought of another girl marrying Jonas.

  I silently scolded myself. Clearly Jonas was a great guy. He deserved the best girl possible, a beautiful girl who would fit perfectly into his world. Basically, not me.

  “Hi, boys.” I lifted my head at the sound of a female voice.

  The guys stopped chatting. Will embraced his wife, kissing her forehead. She was a beautiful woman. She had a long, lean figure, soft, lightly tanned skin and clear green eyes. Her auburn hair fell in layers around her heart shaped face.

  “Mom, this is Aura. Aura, this is my mom, Cassie.”

  “Oh, hi, sweetie. I’m sorry. I didn’t even see you sitting there.” She immediately closed the gap between us to shake my hand. “Did these boys offer you anything to eat or drink?”

  “I’m okay, thanks.”

  Cassie put her hands on her slim hips and narrowed her eyes at the guys. “Oh, she’s good. She saved your hide and remained polite.” She turned back to me. “Come along, dear. I’ll give you a tour of the house.”

  “Don’t fight it.” Jonas gave me a serious look. “My persistence is nothing compared to hers.”

  A smile pulled at my lips. Cassie grabbed my hand the moment I stood up.

  She talked the entire time as she took me room by room throughout the house. The home had four bedrooms and three bathrooms, a formal living room and dining room, a family room and office. Though it was a new home, the builder had taken the time to give it the architectural charm typically found in older homes. I loved it.

  She ended the tour in the kitchen. She opened the fridge and took out a bottle of water for each of us. “So, tell me about yourself, Aura. You must be someone special for my son to bring you here.” She handed me the drink.

  I felt myself blush. “We’re just-“

  “She is,” Jonas said.

  Hope surged within me. Hope was bad though. Hope had been destroyed every time it’d appeared before. Hope was alive now though. My heart sprinted, my flesh aware of his proximity to me. His energy, his presence was palpable. I didn’t understand how someone could be so conscious of another person, yet I was very conscious of Jonas.

  He came to stand beside me, fully clothed I noted. “You’re going to be staying with us until your mom gets back.” It wasn’t a question; it was a statement. The way he said it, there would be no arguing. “You can sleep in the guest room beside my bedroom.”

  My pulse tripled at the thought of sleeping that close to Jonas. So much for containing my hope.

  Chapter 23

  JONAS

  I listened to the erratic rhythms of her body as it responded to my words. I didn’t know if she was responding in fear or excitement though. Her scent never changed. She revealed nothing in her expression. She was a puzzle; my puzzle.

  “Well then. What do you all want for dinner?” my mother asked, not missin
g a beat. My dad would fill her in later.

  ~*~

  I watched in awe as Aura moved around the kitchen with my mom, both of them working together as if they’d been cooking partners for years. It wasn’t long before dinner was ready and we were all sitting at the table.

  I shoveled a bite of the pasta into my mouth. Whatever Aura had done to the sauce made a world of difference; the flavors danced on my tongue. I went to give her a compliment, but stopped short at the stricken look on her face.

  “What’s wrong?” Everyone stopped what they were doing; forks froze in mid-air as we all stared at her.

  She flushed. “I’m sorry. I… I can’t eat without my medicine.”

  “Where is it? I’ll go get it.”

  Her color deepened. “I forgot them at home.”

  Them? As in more than one? “No problem. Just give me your keys and I’ll go grab them.”

  “No. It’s okay. I can walk-“

  “No.” I immediately cut her off. With all the walking she did and how little she ate, I didn’t understand how she wasn’t the size of a toothpick. She over exercised and under nourished her body. I was hoping to help her with that.

  “Then at least eat first and then we can go,” she said. I noticed she had a bit more confidence when she responded this time. Atta girl. She was finding her voice.

  Too bad it was nothing compared to mine. “We’ll go now and then come back and eat together.”

  “How about we all go and then come back and eat together?” My mother chimed in with sarcasm, clearly she was annoyed with the back and forth.

  Aura looked troubled. “No. You both stay and eat. I’d rather interrupt one person’s dinner than three. Please.”

  I could tell my mother felt bad for her attitude moments ago. She hadn’t gaged Aura’s level of sensitivity right. “Sorry, dear.”

  “No funny business,” my dad warned, moving past the unease.

  “Contrary to what most parents believe, teens do have a bit of control over their hormones.” I shook my head. “We’ll be back.”

  “Drive safe,” my mother called.

  “Sorry about this,” Aura said as we walked out the front door.