FOREVER HOLD YOUR PEACE

CHAPTER IV

The following day Lana woke up feeling the Monday blues. She was exhausted and emotionally drained. She stumbled out of bed and headed to the en suit bathroom, once there she peeled off her pyjamas and turned on the cold water but nothing came out.
What she needed was a cold shower so after tinkering with the tap for a while she gave up, Jessica's place wasn't that perfect after all.

So she took a towel, wrapped it around her now naked body and as she was about to walk out she caught sight of her back on the mirror. She eyed the huge birthmark on her shoulder blade, how she wished it wasn't there. With a frown plastered on her face she headed to the bathroom across her room.

After opening the bedroom door just a few centimeters she peeked around and when she saw that the coast was clear she literally ran to the bathroom and almost knocked down the door while at it.
The bathroom was empty much to her relief, it seems like the bedrooms, bathrooms and other private parts of the house where sound proof so she just took a gamble by not knocking first.

Locking the door behind her she went on to take her long cold shower.
When she was finished she felt a little bit alive again, this also helped clear the murderous thoughts in her head. Her wolf had the urge to claw out at someone, she seriously needed to go home.

Stepping out of the shower, she rewrapped the towel on her body, letting her hair to dry on its own and walked out of the bathroom.

She was still thinking about how she was going to explain to her friend why she can't stay at the house, when a growl caused her to stop dead in her tracks.
Her heart started racing at a marathon worthy pace and she took in a very very sharp intake of air as goosebumps erupted on her delicate flesh.

She looked down the hallway where the growl came from and her wolf did a little dance as she took in the sight of her mate who was standing next to Derick.
Her eyes then strayed to Derick who was shamelessly checking her out, this caused Alex to look over at Derick. When Alex saw the look in Derick's eyes, he let out a low threatening growl that held power and authority and this led to Derick bowing his head.

To Lana that growl had a very different effect, it only increased her excitement and made the urge to jump into Alex's arms more and more irresistible. That's when the memory of Jessica in Alex's arms flashed in her mind and she quickly darted into her room and shut the door behind her. She sat down leaning against the door and couldn't help but cry, her heart felt like it was being ripped apart and she clutched her chest as the pain escalated and began to feel more physical. She silently sobbed into her hands until there were no more tears left to shed and her throat was sore.

She braced herself against the door as she got up, the crying was giving her a splitting headache and the fact that she hadn't eaten anything the night before wasn't going unnoticed.
She went and sat on the bed and retrieved her phone so that she could call home.

She quickly dialed her mother's number and after a couple of rings her call was answered.

"Lana?", a cheery voice answered.

"Morning, mom", she said smiling but her voice came out a little bit raspy and quiet.

"Honey, are you okay? You don't sound well", she could hear the worry in her mother's voice.

"I'm okay mom, just coming down with a cold that's all", she tried to sound cheerful but failed miserably. She knew her mom knew she was lying but didn't push the issue.

"How's the wedding coming along? And its not morning you silly child, its past two in the afternoon. Is jet lag this bad or did someone keep you up all night?", this made Lana laugh a humourless laugh. Someone did keep her up or was it wake her up but it wasn't for the same reason her mother was implying.

"The we-wedding is going great, they were sampling the food yesterday", she replied but couldn't help but stutter a little.

"Honey, I can hear that something is not right so tell me, what's wrong?", her mother asked softly.

"Mom, it's-it's Jessica's fiance", she replied choking up.

"What did he do? He didn't touch you or anything, right? Because if he did I will give him the practical example of castration", her mother growled into the phone.

Lana couldn't help but give a small smile at her mother's overprotective behaviour, she was her parents youngest child after all and of all people she knew that her mother never made empty promises.

"Who hurt my baby girl?", she heard her father growl as he came closer to the phone.

"Jessica's fiance", her mother replied.

"I told you that she should have come home first before she went over to that blasted friend of hers", her father said.
Her father never liked Jessica and he wasn't afraid to voice it up every chance he got. Maybe it had something to do with him catching Lana doing Jessica's homework and assignments on more than one occasion.

"Oh don't bring this up again, Jack. She was being a friend, she didn't know that her friend was marrying a jerk", her mother retorted.

"Mike!", her father called out to one of her five siblings. Now this was going to get good, Lana couldn't help but smile at her family's behaviour and thanks to her werewolf hearing she was getting the front row seat.

"What's up, dad!", her brother answered getting closer to the phone too.

"Go get your brothers, we are going on a field trip", her father answered.

"Leah, ask her where she is", her father directed her mother.

Lana gave the address before her mother could ask her.

There was a long pause before she heard her father say,
"Mike! Tell them to bring their friends!".

Her father asking for backup just confirmed that she was in pack territory.

"Dad?", she started, feeling how serious the situation was.

"Just hold on tight sweety, you are just five hours away but we will get there within four and-",

"Dad, Jessica's fiance is my mate", she whispered. Even though it was a whisper she knew that her father had heard her loud and clear.

There was a longer pause and her father finally said,
"Make it three".