Shadows (Book 2 of the Zara's Wolf Trilogy) BWWM

30. Waiting for an Answer

Tamara's voice cuts through the heaviness in the air.

"I'm sure it's nothing. Don't worry about it, hun," she says, although no one misses the struggled swallow. "Try again later, they might be busy right now."

Marcus nods, but says nothing. He forces a smile to reassure Mama, but it's a stiff, tight-lipped one.

"So, when do you have to go to work, Mama?" I ask, trying to distract everyone's attention away from the tension now filling every breath in the room.

She shrugs. "Same time as always." She glances at the clock on the microwave and sighs. "I guess I should start to get ready."

Grudgingly, she gets up and leaves the kitchen. Her footsteps on the creaky old staircase fill the silence, tugging at the tips of my hair on my nape.

"You don't honestly think something's happened to them, do you?" Tamara asks her mate in a hushed voice.

Marcus takes Mama's former seat and rests his elbows on the table. With his head momentarily in his hands, he pushes his fingers over his forehead and into his hair.

"I don't know. I don't want to get worried over nothing, but at the same time, I don't want to just stand around and do nothing."

Leah gets up, and without a word, she goes to the phone to place a call.

I'm not sure what to make of this news. I sit there, holding my breath, my thoughts racing around in my mind.

If Aunt Nicky and Vicky aren't okay, then what could have happened to them? Have they just moved to a more secure location, leaving their phones behind so they can't be traced? Although that could be a possibility, it would seem highly unlikely as it would only create worry and stress over their whereabouts. Shifters don't need technology to be able to find someone they're looking for.

Ryan wouldn't go after his aunts too, would he?

He would if he knew they were hiding something from him. Something more precious than an alpha's right hand in combat.

Rick's pregnant mate.

My head hits the table a little harder than I intended to. "Ow."

Evan leans over me as I lift my head up, rubbing my forehead gingerly. His brow creases as his eyes gaze over my face. "You okay?"

"Yeah," I mumble.

"What did you do that for?"

"Because I'm an idiot."

He rolls his eyes. "Don't be ridiculous."

"Are you sure?"

Leah's words catch my attention and my head snaps in her direction. Evan takes his eyes off me so he can focus on Leah too. Everyone else is already listening in, and Brianna is standing by Leah's side. She looks ready to catch her older sister if Leah suddenly becomes faint. It's a possibility, given how pale her face has suddenly become.

"What do you think we should do? Should we just stay where we are, or..."

She trails off, pursing her lips together as she listens intently. She lowers her head and in turn, her voice so that I cannot catch her words.

I turn forward in my seat again, massaging my forehead. I only meant to rest my head on the table, not hit it. Idiot.

Evan leans in closer and holds me against him, nuzzling my neck.

Sighing, my eyes flick upon the adoption papers before me.

I hate this. I hate not knowing who my biological parents are, and thus, my true nature. Everyone else knows where they fit within the pack because their position developed over the course of their life. I'm not an alpha, nor a beta, but I'm not an omega either. What am I?