This Burning Love

Pickups and Talks

Jonah's POV

I walk out of my apartment with my jacket pulled tight around me and jump into my car, starting it up. I use my magic to glide my seatbelt across my broad shoulders and throw the car into drive before I pull out of the driveway.

I try to smooth the frown from my face, but today is Tuesday which means I have to pick up my baby sister from gymnastics. I don't mind the fact that I get to spend time with her, it's more of the fact that it means I have to deal with all the whispers and stares that I always do when I go to the pack lands.

On Tuesdays, Dad hosts training for the upcoming Warriors and even omegas to help them get stronger and Mom goes to volunteer at the baby wing.

I'm told that he started hanging out with the babies away before he and Dad found and saved me. I asked him once why he still goes if he has kids of his own now and he just threw a grape at me and told me that Lily and I aren't babies anymore and he needs someone to dot on.

Apparently the dotting stopped when I entered middle school, though I can't say I remember that transition.

Actually, now that I think about it, it was probably when I drifted towards Zion and started making friends at school through basketball. It's embarrassing to have your mom call you his little prince when you're trying to be cool in front of your friends.

I chuckle to myself, reminiscing on the days that I actually gave a fuck about what people thought about me or my relationship with my parents. I don't have that luxury now. Now I have to pretend not to notice the state's, ignore all the looks, act like I don't have fucking super hearing that the rest of the Supernaturals in the damn pack.

When I was small and cute, they thought nothing of having their Alpha and Luna adopting a Warlock. They were all so sweet and nice. Then I hit high school and my powers got stronger and everything changed. Suddenly I wasn't the sweet kid that was an addition to the pack. No, now I was the dangerous Warlock in the pack that they should keep their kids dorm because I'm a bad influence. Even if those were the same kids I played in the mud with. Even if those were the same kids I help shift for the first time after asking help from my Dad.

I've heard it all.

I don't belong here.

I'm a menace to society.

Dangerous.

Apparently since I'm older I'm supposed to just leave the family that saved and raised me since I was seven.

And though the assholes in that pack would never say something to my parents face, especially after all that they've done for the ungrateful pack, I couldn't bare the thought of them looking at them sideways. I don't want them to be mistrusted or hated all because they had a heart and saved the broken little boy that got slapped around for two years. I couldn't have that on my conscious.

And so even though it broke their heart, especially my Mom's Ioved our the same week I graduated.

And fuck is it lonely.

I miss the way Dad would wake me up so to running in the mornings, him with his wolf and me with my enhanced speed. I miss how Mom always got me to bake with him, making me wear the stupid apron he got me for my birthday a few years back.

I miss helping Lily with her hair as she told me all about her day from her classmates to playing with Ashley. Knowing him, he probably accompanied her to ballet practice.

I've never met a more shy or quiet pair than the two of them. Which makes them a target, especially Lily for being my sister. Luckily after now that's she's fifteen, most people forgot about me.