Pursued (Completed) ✔️

Chapter 13 Her father...and his too

Harry had left for his ride to school while dad was still in the kitchen with Ben and me.

"To start with I would like to know what their problem is with you Ben." Dad said in a no nonsense tone.

"I have a history that put me in contact with the rulers when I came to work for you. I was given permission to work here, with some conditions attached."

"Should I be worried about why you needed their permission or any of these conditions?"

"No Sir. I would never let my life affect your family. Your family is all I have."

"Well the offer still stands, you are welcome to move in here as part of our family."

"I know that sir and I appreciate it but.."

"It's fine! You just remember the offer is open. Now then... Next subject, I know they called you a mutt but I want you to remember... You are a good, hardworking man and just because you weren't born to the highlife doesn't mean you are any less than they are... I'm glad the girl isn't like that but those boys were out of line."

"Thank you sir." He replied, blatantly ignoring the fact that Camille had been just like the boys where Ben was concerned.

"Now, my beautiful daughter...would you like to stay home today?"
"I want to stay home for the rest of the year." I replied with a guilty smile.

Dad wordlessly grabbed the phone. "Yes hello, I'm just calling on behalf of my daughter Juliette_"

He listened.
"Yes, yes." He was quiet again. "Yes that sound exactly right Mrs. Peters, not contagious but she is just too weak_"
He was obviously interrupted but he smiled as he listened.
"Oh, you are right, at least a week to recover." Dad grinned at me.
"I'll tell her. Thank you ma'am."
He laughed.
"And to you."
He hung up.

"Looks like Mrs Peters at the office knows more about what happens in my daughters life than I do. She knew you were coming down with this unidentifiable but clearly non-contagious disease, said she saw the signs yesterday. Even said she would understand if it took more than a week to get better and not to rush you back to school. She'll personally deal with the teachers and send you the work via email."

I grinned broadly. "Yeah! She's the bomb."

I stayed home the rest of the week. I did my school work after my run and then I would go and help dad or Ben. Ben stayed at our house the whole week and he was up at the same time I was every day. We got into a routine and he started running with me.

Friday morning dad left early for the markets and Harry had slept over at Dirk's place. The shop only opened in the afternoon on Thursday and Friday so we weren't expecting anyone. Our run went as usual but when we got closer to the house, to our coffee, Ben and the dogs stopped suddenly.

"Juliette go inside, run!" Ben snapped as the dogs started growling low in their throat.

"Ben, what's wro_"

"Just go!" He snapped, he turned to the dogs. "Take her to the house. Protect her!" He snapped at Arnold like he understood. I was quite surprised that Arnold did seem to understand as he pushed me from behind, causing me to stumble.

Ben caught me and the dogs surged to stand before us.

"Step away from the girl, mutt."

I looked up and saw three men and two women. I recognized Adrien's father, our mayor and Bobby's father Mr McKellar. I didn't like the way they were talking to Ben and I believed the dogs to know something was terribly wrong here so I pushed Ben back behind me when he tried to move.

"You are trespassing!" I snapped.

"Do you know who we are?"
"I don't see the sheriff or a warrant that says that you have any legal right to be on our property!"

"I asked you! Do You Know...who we are?" He growled at me.
I was slowly turning my position, holding on to Ben to keep him behind me. The dogs moved with me like they always did. He sounded like Adrien. Demanding, patronizing and rude. I raised my chin and straightened my back ignoring him and spoke. "Mr McKellar sir, I have the utmost respect for you. My whole family is thankful for everything you do for us but I am not comfortable with strangers on my land, especially since, as you know, dad isn't here."

"And I am sorry." He replied. "But we need to have a talk to the m_young man behind you."
"No."

"Excuse me?"
"No sir." I grinned cheekily. "If you wish to talk to Ben you can knock on the door like a normal person, or call. The dogs are trained to protect us."

"They won't protect him." Adrien's dad replied with certainty.

"I wasn't talking to you! I don't care if you think you are God just because you are the mayor. Right here, right now, you are just another trespassers on our property!"

"Don't upset him Juliette, please." Ben begged softly behind me.

"It's alright Ben. I am within my rights."

The two women looked pleased by my lack of fear, as did mr McKellar. The other two men looked like they were going to explode.

"Go to the shed, it should be open. There are benches there, you can wait for us to clean up from our run." I pointed to the shed.

"We will go into the house with you." Adrien's dad told me.

"Adrien is an arrogant bastard, I can see where he gets it from!"
He growled, one of the woman put her hand on his shoulder with a small smile and I continued. "You are not welcome in our house so I am being polite and giving you somewhere else to wait." I pointed to the shed.

The women and McKellar pulled the other two along and we watched until they entered the shed. "Leave the doors open!" I yelled.

Ben was rather pale for his normally tanned skin, he looked sick. I dragged him inside and as soon as the dogs were in I shut the door.

"Don't lie to me Ben.. What the fúck is going on here?"

"They're here for me."

"I figured that out on my own dude! Why?!"

"Your boyfriend wants me gone." He snapped and I swear I saw his eyes flash but he immediately started apologizing. I cut him off mid sentence.

"Well then, you stay here with Dean and Sam. I'll talk to them."
Ben looked relieved and worried at the same time.

"I'm going to shower and change first."
"You shouldn't make them wait." Ben said sounding very worried.

He let me drag him upstairs, push him into his room and order him to shower while I went to do the same. He was waiting against the wall next to my room when I came out. Normally he would wear a long sleeve shirt over his t shirt when he was working in the sun but he wasn't now. He was also wearing loose army style pants. I didn't give him a chance to say anything.

"Look Ben.. As you so charmingly pointed out Adrien caused this, that much I understand. I'm not sure what this is but I'll fix it. Just remember, next time you call that arrogant bastard my boyfriend, you'll loose your boy bits."

He chuckled. "Yes ma'am!" He saluted. I gave him a tight hug. It sounded like he murmured that I would need another shower before seeing them but he was softly laughing as I let him go. I had to have heard him wrong.

At the backdoor I ordered Sam and Dean, my beautiful Rottweilers to guard. They wouldn't let anyone in or out of the house. Ben tried to argue but I shut him out by closing the door with a wink. The last thing I heard was through the door. "Be careful!"

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