my wild mate

chapter 7

Joshs pov

Today is Shannon's 18th birthday and we're doing a party in the old storage house that's now our 'ball room' it's 8am and I'm heading over to the family house to have breakfast with mum and Shannon. Packs normally have a pack house where the 'important members' sleep. We do have a pack house but we use it for meeting, my office or pack get together. We used to live there but mum left after dad's death. She moved into one of the little houses on the grounds, I also moved into my own house on the grounds its more tucked away than the rest but I like it.

I call it the family house as that's where mum and Shannon live. Mum spends alot of time on her garden, I built her a little picket fence that she always wanted and got our construction guys to build her a little porch with a swing on the front. I see her sitting there most evenings, with a drink and watching the sky.

I open the big wooden door and smell the pancakes straight away, I walk down the hall that's covered in our family photos and make my way to the kitchen, mum loves to cook as well so we made sure she had the kitchen remodeled to fit a big breakfast bar in , I walk in and see Shannon sat at the breakfast bar with her cup of tea. I walk up to and kiss the top of her head "happy birthday sis!!! Finally 18!!"

She looks at me with a forced smile "cheers josh"

I push the wrapped box in front of her "it's not much but I hope you like it"

I got her a little locket that had a picture of our dad inside it. On the back I had "I love you poppet" engraved, poppet was his nick name for her. She steadily opened the box and when she read the back I saw the tears in her eyes, she opened the locket to see the last photo they had taken together the Christmas before he was killed.

She stood up and slammed into me, she rested her head on my chest and wrapped her arms around me. I hugged her tightly until she pulled away and looked up at me with tears down her face "thank you!! I love it!!"

"Turn around, let's try it on"

She spins around and I put the necklace on her, she rubs the little locket before going to mum and showing her, mum is crying as well now "that's beautiful josh. Well done"

The pancakes are done not long after and I help mum put all the topping on the breakfast bar, she's got the classics, lemon juice, sugar, chocolate spread, honey, bananas, strawberries, blue berries and whipped cream. She piles the pancakes onto a plate and sets them in the middle. We all load our plates with pancakes and I go for some chocolate spread, fruit and a little cream.

I help mum tidy up and Shannon excuses herself to go and and shower and get dressed. 

"Mum, can I talk to you about Shannon?"

"You see it too?"

There's no denying it, shannon is loosing herself.

"What's happened mum? I know dad's death hit her hard like it did with us but surely she wouldn't be getting worse after 2 years?"

"Chloe is what happened josh. I don't like her"

"I've tried to talk to her mum but she just shuts me down and I don't want to push too hard"

"I know darling, I've tried as well but got the same outcome"

.........

It's 6pm and I'm dressed into my dark blue jeans, a black fitted top and some trainers. It's Shannon's party but I'm just going casual. I know mum tried to buy Shannon a new dress but she didn't want to. I look in the mirror and sort my hair out so it looks a bit better, I put some aftershave on and head over to the family house.

Mum is on the porch sat on her swinging chair. She's gone for a simple look of a knitted dress and some little boots. Her hair is pulled back into a bun and she has light make up on.

"Hey mum, everyone ready"

I seem to snap her of her thoughts.

"Aww look at you my handsome boy!!"

"Thanks mum, you scrub up well as well"

I lean down and kiss her head just as Shannon walks out. She's got a pair of black jeans on with a white long sleeved blouse. Her make up lightly done and her brown hair hanging over shoulders. I was expecting her to have her make up and hair all done and wearing a nice dress like she always had but now it's like she's covering every possible inch of her body. She's a beautiful young girl who poured confidence, her blue eyes would twinkle and her smile lit up a room but now.... now her eyes are dull and sad, her smile hardly lifts her lips and I'm so scared I'm loosing my sister, then I see chloe step beside her, her blonde hair is in curly waves, her make up is done and she's wearing a blue dress... why is she more dressed up than my sister on her birthday?!

Chloe steps out and wraps around her arm around Shannon's waist before kissing her cheek "ready to go and party baby!"

Shannon shows her weak smile before walking past me and mum towards the ball room "what the actual fuck was that!?"

My mum puts her hand on my shoulder "let's just hope she sees sense soon Joshua. Come on let's go and celebrate Shannon"