Changed [Watty Awards 2013]

4. Encounter

4. Encounter

DELILAH

Eric whistled slowly. “Geez.” He scratched his head and looked over at me. “You’ve been through a lot, kid. Why don’t you sit this investigation out?”

“No.” I growled. “I can take care of it myself.”

“No you can’t, Delilah.” I looked over at Nick. “He thought he killed you. He dumped you on my doorstep like you were trash. He thinks you’re dead, so it’s going to stay that way.”

I clenched my fists. “You can’t tell me what to do, Nick.”

He laughed. “Actually I can. I’m Alpha, remember? You’re a member of my Pack. What I say goes. And this is an order, Delilah. Stay out of it.” He finished off with a growl so sharp I whimpered.

I felt like a caged animal when he was this hostile. The human side of my brain did not like this power he had over me, but my wolf side on the other hand was the exact opposite. My wolf accepted it and even embraced it. She liked having a strong and powerful leader that made her tail go between her legs and her ears go down in submission. He was the one she could also call her own...

Was Nick really more to me that just my “saviour”—as some cliché romance movie would put it—and my Alpha? Was he actually my mate like he says he is? Could I get over my horrid past and accept him, if he was my mate?

My thoughts were interrupted.

“He’s right, hon.” Emily assured me. “It should stay the way he thinks. We don’t need any more attention drawn to you then you already have now. It’s not safe for you or the Pack. “

I opened my mouth to respond, but snapped it shut when the front door slammed shut. Nick swivelled his head over to the door and smiled. Eric and Emily followed their son’s gaze. Emily beamed and ran over to the door.

When I looked over, I saw two men. One of them looked almost identical to Nick—everything except eyes—and the other looked like a replica of Emily with the same blonde hair and bright blue eyes. Both of the men had full lips just like Nick’s. These had to be his older brothers.

Were all werewolves attractive?

I glanced over a Caelon. “Nick’s brothers?”

He laughed. “What was your first hint?”

The brother’s walked forward with brilliant grins identical to their youngest brother’s. Their grins disappeared when they glanced at me, to each other and back to Nick and to their parents. Their attention on me never fully vanished.

“Who’s this?” The dark haired brother asked.

“This is Delilah... My...” Nick hesitated. I looked at him with narrowed eyes. “Newest Pack member.”

He looked at Nick and gave him a knowing half-smile. Great, I thought. His whole family figured it out.

“Well, hello, Delilah.” He winked at me and I rolled my eyes. “I’m Jared.” The blonde one elbowed him in the ribs.

“How’d you find her?” The blonde one asked, shaking his head at his brother. Nick went into story mode, filling his brother’s with information.

“We didn’t find her,” Nick sighed. “A Mutt dropped her off unconscious. She had bruises all around her neck from where he strangled her, but that was as extensive as the damages got. My assumption is he dropped her off, thinking he killed her, as a warning to us.”

 “A warning to tell us what?” Jared asked, leaning forward on the kitchen island.

“That’s what we’re trying to figure out.” Caelon said from across the room. Everyone turned their heads to look at the Beta. “My guess is, he wants the Pack. Or at least, some part of the Pack. Whether he wants to be a member, or fight Nick for position.”