Intrigued•Paul Lahote

seven

ZURI WAS WRAPPED IN A BLANKET on the couch watching TV at her grandmothers. She had realized she wasn't as comfortable staying at a friends house as she thought she would've been. Especially one of the opposite sex. She was pissed at everyone. Her mom who planned to take back custody if her, her dad who lied about what he was, along with her brothers who she feared now learning what the turn into.

She thought about calling Embry to tell him but she didn't. She didn't feel as if it was fair to the boys as they were obviously trying to keep it a secret. She wasn't sure how she was going to confront her dad and brothers about her knowing. So she bottled it up and pushed on.

Zuri knew her dad would be coming to get her in the next couple of hours after he left voicemail last night saying he was on his way to get her in the morning. She accepted that he was coming to get her and was ready when he came. After a few short hours the door bell rung and her father was standing on the other side of the door waiting for it to be opened.

Her grandmother had came down the stairs to wish her off. When the door opened her grandmother greeted Sean.

"Nice to see you Gail." Sean greeted.

"You too." Gail replied. She looked at her granddaughter and kissed her wishing her a safe flight home.

Zuri kissed her back and got in the rental her dad had to pick her up. Zuri couldn't look her dad in the face. Not after seeing those scars on her mom. Not know what he was. She was terrified. Of course she wouldn't let him know that but she was scared. Before the car pulled off her dad spoke.

"Why?" He asked.

Zuri sighed. "I told you why." She replied.

Sean nodded frustrated and drove back to the airport. The two didn't speak to eachother the whole flight there. When they landed Miranda had picked them up from the airport and drove home. Miranda constantly looked at her husband and then back to Zuri not used to them being silent. When they pulled up to Emily's and Sam's the trio got out of the woods car and headed inside.

Everyone had breathed a sigh of relief to see that Zuri was okay. Especially Paul who had noticed the anger and upset on his imprint face. Miranda was so sick of the silence she finally decided to break the silence.

"Zuri. You do understand that this was just because all of us were worried about you right?" Miranda asked her stepdaughter.

"She knows. She just won't acknowledge how irresponsible it was to agree to fly down to see her mother without asking me first.

"I knew you would say no." Zuri stated plopping down in the chair at the dinner table. Emily looked at the girl with sympathy.

"You should see mom. She's clean and working on getting better." Zuri confessed.

"Eve was nothing but a liar and a manipulator." Sean lectured his daughter.

"Well you slept with her. She must've done something right." Zuri snapped.

Sean was taken back as no words left his opened mouth. "Watch your mouth." He finally snapped.

"No wonder you guys were perfect for eachother." Zuri mumbled.

"What do you mean?" Xavier asked Zuri. "Dad has done nothing wrong. He took you in. Fed you and gives you a roof over his head. He could've left your ass in Atlanta with our fucked up mother but no he went to court and won you back. You could at least be grateful." Xavier yelled at his sister.

Zuri was scared deep down. What if her brother was getting ready to phase and attack her. Zuri blanked out fearing the possibilities of this arguement. She didn't want them to know she knew but she was scared to be near the boys. Even her dad.

"Zuri? Zuri!" Xavier yelled calling his sisters attention.

"WHAT?" Zuri asked her brother.

"Do you have anything to say?" He asked her. She looked around and saw everyone's face of worry.

"No. Except if I was back in Atlanta mom would've offered me a drink after yelling at me." She said half jokingly with a stifled laugh looking at her dad.

Sean scoffed. "Another reason you shouldn't be down there." Sean confessed.

After the small altercation the Thompson's went back to their residence and Sean had placed Zuri on house arrest with a new set of rules.

Until everyone could trust her again she had to leave her door open, her brothers must go wherever she went and lastly she was pretty much grounded until further notice. This meant no Embry, Jake or Quil until further notice.

As weeks had went past and Zuri was growing tired of everyone hovering over her making sure she wasn't planning a secret trip across the country. It was a one time thing and wasn't something she was going to make a habit of doing. She was sick and tired of her dad acting like it was a routine for her to pack a bag and fly across the country. She couldn't get him to understand.

Throughout the day Zuri wasn't feeling the best. She was cramping and she knew exactly what it was. She went to the bathroom to look under the sink to find an empty box of pads. She groaned mentally knowing she would need some for the next couple of days. She went to her parents bedroom to see if her stepmother had any but just found a box of tampons.

She groaned out loud this time. She walts downstairs seeing everyone watching TV on the couch. While they were distracted she grabbed the keys of the key ring on the wall and grabbed her purse and headed for the door.

"Going somewhere?" Her dad asked.

"The store." Zuri answered quickly.

"What's at the store?" He asked. "Food. Drinks. Snacks." Zuri listed. "You name it, they have it."

"I mean what do you need from the store?" Sean continued to ask his daughter.

"Snacks." She lied.

"Your brothers can go with you." He demanded.

"No its fine. I'll be right back. Promise." She replied.

"Either your brothers go with you or you don't get your snacks." Sean stated giving her an ultimatum.

Zuri huffed. "Oh My Gosh Dad. I need pads okay. There." Zuri exclaimed. 

Sean was speechless. Xavier and Zac looked at eachother than turned back to the TV.

"Ill go with her." Miranda stated getting up from the couch. "Let's go." She said pushing Zuri out the door.

"Look at it this way dad. At least she's not pregnant after her getaway trip." Zac joked.

Xavier and Sean looked at Zac and shook their heads.

"What?" Zac asked offended.
"Just saying."