The Red Wolf's Daughter (Book 3 Part 2: The Making of the Siran)

Chapter 29

"Ky?" Caroline asked when I didn't say a word and watched where Rhett had gone a few seconds prior. Concern filled her voice, and I had a feeling it was because I hadn't moved and didn't even blink with my mouth wide open, shocked.

I didn't respond and stayed rooted in my spot, my heart pounding hard in my chest. My mind was blank, and my whole body was numb from pain but also relieved that Rhett accepted me as his family, even though he didn't know me and wasn't "technically" his blood.

"Ky?" she asked again before she touched my shoulder and tried to shake me "awake" and out of my stupor. "Ky?" she asked again a few seconds later when I didn't answer. "Please, don't make me smack you," she said while she shoved me harder, breaking me out of my stupor.

I blinked and blinked again before I focused my gaze on her, her pushing getting me out of whatever funk I was in. "What?" I asked while I looked at her. I rubbed my eyes before I cleared my throat and cocked my head, studying her. "What is it? Are you ok?"

Relief filtered through her eyes and she cleared her throat and nodded. "I am," she confirmed, "but I was worried about you. Are you ok?" She frowned and narrowed her eyes while she studied me.

I moved a hand across my face before I nodded and let out a tired sigh, my whole body wanting to take a nap but knowing that I couldn't rest until that evening. "Ya, I am," I replied before I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet. "I am just stunned, is all," I said and shook my head some more to clear the rest of the funk from my mind.

"Why?" she asked and furrowed her brows while she cocked her head and studied me.

"Because I didn't expect Rhett to do that, in all honesty." I shrugged and grimaced before I cleared my throat and shifted on my feet. "I thought he would be kind, but to say, "welcome to the family" was something that I didn't expect."

"But you two are related by blood, right?" She raised an eyebrow in question.

"Sort of," I replied and shrugged. "Now, come on and show me where we can train. I'll let you know what I mean while we walk there."

Caroline nodded and started to walk that way, and I followed her. She stayed silent and cocked her head while she waited for me to continue, and I bit my lip and kept quiet while I gathered my thoughts.

I took a deep breath and cleared my throat again before I licked my lips and rubbed my hands together. "So, I am related to Rhett, but I am not related to this Rhett," I said and stuffed my hands into my pockets and shrugged. "My Rhett is still a lot younger than him and probably has less kids than he does."

She nodded and stayed silent.

"It was heartwarming to know that he, I guess, considers me as his niece, and it honestly does make me long for my family, for the ones that know me and not the ones that have their face." I sighed and shook my head, my heart yearning to be back home surrounded by love and laughter and a place that made my heart grow warm. "I guess I will have to make due and see if I can't find the similarities between the two of them. Some things I know are going to be different."

"Like?"

"Some of their behaviors," I replied. "I think the twins are more mellow than the ones in my group, but I haven't been able to talk to them. There's a lot of pain and sadness, which isn't something that I'm used to, but I do understand why they are sad and why there is a lot of pain in this world."

Caroline let out a tired chuckle and slowly nodded. "It sucks," she said before she sighed and shook her head while she moved a hand across her face. "How does it feel to you as being an outsider?" she asked and looked at me, curiously.