Golden Secret

Chapter 16 - Fitting in

"Luke! Door for you!" Nick shouted up the stairs, after he had gone to answered the front door.

"Coming!" The sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the house as Luke sprinted downstairs wearing knee-length shorts and a t-shirt. 

"What time will you be back?" Nick asked, once the teenager was shoving his shoes on his feet, without undoing the laces.

"We're just going to play football, then we're going to Peter's to watch films." Luke explained excitedly, while he stood up and kicked his own feet to make sure his shoes were on right.

In the past few weeks, since the 'pack gathering', my family had settled well into pack life. Luke had quickly gotten over his fear of hurting others, hanging out with the other teenage boys and from what we could tell he loved every minute of it.

After we told those few pack members about Luke's past experience with 'friends', they became a lot more determined to involve him. Once the boys discovered Luke's skills on the Xbox, since that was all he used to do in his free time, he was dragged into the group... by his hair.

"Have fun!" Meg called, looking away from the TV screen.

She was curled up on the sofa beside Rowan, even though the show was on, Rowan was staring down at their joined hands. His fingers were messing with hers as they rested on his lap, while his other arm was draped over the back of the sofa.

"It's good to see the kid going out." Nick flopped down onto the arm chair, stretching forward, after Luke had left.

"Feeling like a mother hen?" I asked grinning at him but only got a glare in reply.

"He fits in well." Rowan added looking up from Meg's hand.

"I've really missed pack life. It's fun." Aaron grinned.

He was sat at the corner of the sofa, forced to be my personal foot rest. He didn't mind. I was draped across the sofa, my arm hanging off it as we watched an episode of 'Grimm'.

"There is no way in hell that we look like that." Nick muttered staring at the attempt of a werewolf on the screen, or 'Blutbad' as they called it.

"I think it looks a lot like you." I chuckled,

"Have to agree there brother." Aaron chuckled.

"Stop sucking up to her Aaron." Nick growled grabbing a pillow and throwing it at his brother, who caught it easily.

"The truth hurts my friend." Aaron replied throwing the pillow back at him.

"Kids! Where are you?" Our mother shouted as she walked through the front door.

She walked into the living room and glanced around to see who was there, when she saw Megan and Rowan curled up together she smiled.

"Good to see you Rowan."

"And you Mrs Oakley." Rowan smiled at my mother, still not letting my sisters hand go.

"Please, I thought I told you to call me Helen."

"Sorry Helen." Rowan flashed a smile, the excitement clear in his eyes as he got closer to his mates family.

"Suck up." Nick muttered under his breath, only to be pelted in the face with three pillows, from Meg, Aaron and, of course, myself.

"Will you please tell your mother that the lemon cheesecake was delicious." Mum said taking a step into the room.

"Of course, I'm sure she'll be pleased to know you liked it."

"Ah, you're all here." Dad walked into the room and went to kiss Mum on her cheek, "Good, we have something we need to talk about."

Tension suddenly filled the room at Dad's sudden serious tone, even Rowan sat up a bit straighter and he glanced at the door, wondering whether he should leave or not. Meg tightened her hold on him and Rowan was a goner, he wasn't going anywhere.