Taking What's His

Chapter 15

I had my seatbelt off before he had even so much as turned into the driveway, hand on the door handle to pull it open the moment he stopped. I'd been looking forward to this opportunity so eagerly, being able to spend time with my family without him present.

"Athena wait." He said, wrapping his hand around my elbow to keep me from getting out.

"I'm not going to run away while you aren't here." I said before he could start on his whole speech about how he would find me and there would be consequences.

"Good, I'm glad you know better. My pack members will be outside the house to make sure you're safe and that no one tries anything they shouldn't. I'm going to go back to my territory but I'll be back on our agreed time to pick you up and if you need anything call me or let those wolves know."

I nodded impatiently, feeling like a kid being sent off to school on their first day of kindergarten instead of a grown woman visiting her own house. He finally released me and I was out the door before he could make it over to open it for me.

I hurried up the stairs of the porch with him unfortunately still by my side as he wanted to give Nora the box of chocolates he had bought for her. I rang the bell, the door being thrown open immediately as though they had been waiting right at the entrance.

I couldn't help the giant smile on my face as I saw my mom and Nora in the doorway my dad just a step behind them. Their eyes eagerly taking me in as though it had been years though it had only been a couple weeks since the last time we met.

I stepped forward into my mom's embrace, burying my face into her hair and clutching her as tightly as she did me. She pressed a kiss to my forehead before letting me go so that I could hug Nora, squeezing her until she yelped in complaint making me laugh and loosen my hold slightly. I kissed the side of her head, unable to resist gently trailing my hand over the side of her jaw. My dad was last and waited patiently for his turn, folding me into his warm embrace the moment he got a chance, patting his hand over my hair before releasing me.

"Hi." I said softly, still grinning and my mom let out a huff of a laugh in response.

"Mr and Mrs.Clarke it's nice to see you both. Nora you look well." The Alpha said by my side reminding us all he was unfortunately also here.

"I brought you these, your sister said you would like them."

He held the box out for Nora whose eyes widened when she caught sight of the logo but she looked extremely hesitant to take anything from him, glancing up at me uncertainly. I nodded towards the box reassuringly, silently telling her to take them.

She grabbed them wordlessly, refusing to so much as look at the Alpha.

"Thank you, this is kind of you." My mom piped up interrupting the awkward silence.

"It's no problem, it's custom for older brothers and sisters to get presents for their younger siblings." The Alpha said making Nora's face contort into a disgusted grimace.

"He's just dropping me off so I'll just see him off." I said, hoping to distract him from seeing the look on my sister's face.

"Yes, have a safe trip." My mom said as they all turned to go into the kitchen, my mom ushering my dad away with a hand on his arm.

"I could stay a little longer, I haven't even gotten a chance to speak to them." The Alpha complained.

"They're not very chatty people." I responded, and though he could probably hear I was lying he didn't pick on it.

"Your sister did not seem pleased with the chocolates."

"She probably doesn't remember the name of the store, I'll remind her and I'm sure she'll be very glad." I said, opening up the door which he seemed to have closed at some point without me noticing.