The Lupine Necklace

Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Everyone began to fuss in the van.

"She's a horrible woman," Alice told me. "I'm sorry that you have such a terrible mother."

"I have a wonderful mother," I told her with a smile. "And I love her very much."

Alice was sitting in the row of seats in front of me, but she undid her seatbelt and turned around, hugging me over the seat, being careful of my back. "You're such a sweet, sweet girl," Alice breathed in my ear. "She doesn't deserve you anyway."

I smiled happily. Alice was right and I knew it. "I know she doesn't," I replied. "You guys are my family and I couldn't be happier than I am with you."

Jason shot me a warm smile in the rear view mirror and Alice kissed my forehead. Jeremy was sitting in the front seat still murmuring rude words to describe Karen.

I laughed at the one that caught my ears. "Stop thinking about it," I told him. "She's not worth your thoughts. Let her live her life without us in it. She doesn't know what she's missing."

He turned around to smile at me as well. "You're very right, Layla. She'll never know the love and devotion that she's missing out on."

I smiled and curled up against Ian. We were the only two in this bench seat so that I could lay down. I curled up, facing the seat so that my back wasn't touching it, and rested my head in his lap.

Xena, Lee and Nate were in the seats behind us and Dylan and Lewis were sitting beside Alice in the seats ahead of us.

He stroked my hair. By the way, I love you too.

I nearly laughed. He was responding to when I had told him I loved him earlier even though I was scolding him at the time.

He gently ran his fingers through my hair and massaged my scalp until I was able to fall asleep. I had a good two hour car ride to enjoy my nap, with Ian right there beside me.

Ian shook me awake when we arrived back at the house. "We're home, sweetheart," he murmured as I opened my eyes.

I smiled at the pet name and sat up slowly. My back was getting stiff, but I could already feel it beginning to heal. I would need some food and a good night's rest and I'd be able to move relatively well in the morning.

I took the hand Ian offered me and climbed out of the van, shortly followed by Xena, Lee and Nate. Everyone else had gotten out before us.

Nate and Lee came up to us. "How are you holding up?" Nate asked me.

I smiled at him reassuringly. "I'm getting stiff, but with some food and rest, I'll be up and moving tomorrow morning, afternoon at the latest."

Lee shook his head. "Or you could wait at least two days."

I pretended to think about it for a moment. "Hmm..." I looked around me and then up at the sky before returning my gaze to Lee. "No I think I'll be fine."

He snorted and shook his head. "Stubborn as a mule," he muttered as he slung an arm around Xena's shoulders and led the way inside.

I laughed at him as Nate turned to follow him. I myself, went to see how Lewis was doing as he stood staring at the house. "What's up, Lewis?" I asked him.

"You guys have a nice house. Is this the pack house?" he asked.

I shrugged and nodded. "Yeah, I guess you could call it the pack house. We live here and anyone in the pack is welcome to stay if they need to."