I felt someone poked my arm, it woke me up. I groaned, throwing my arm back to hit whoever and pull my blanket closer to me, ''Go away, Emily.'' I felt another poke, ''Stop it Emily or I'm going to take your desert for dinner tonight.''

When I thought she would get it, I felt someone blew in my ear. I made a girly squeal sound as I quickly turned, falling off my bed, and onto my nose. I groaned, but felt a pair of strong hands lift me up. I quickly remembered where I was and I glared at Blue, ''What the hell?"

''We have to go.'' she said and I groaned, my shoulders slouching.

''No! I wanna sleep more.'' I said, grabbing the blanket but Marco snatched the blanket from me. I glared at him, ''Give me.''

''No.'' he said. ''You sleep in the most award positions, you know? My own neck hurts just watching you.''

''Well no one said to watch me.'' I said.

*

I looked around the ranch on Marco father property. God, it was beautiful. So much land, I could only imagine what it looks like in summer with the sun out and the green grass. Trees here and there. It was something you would see out of a post card.

And Marco's house! It was a cabin style, but very big. I would sometimes drive pass, but I never knew who lived in this house. It was directly in town, the ranch was isolated on the outskirt of the woods.

I looked at the barn as Marco drove passed and it looked familiar. I've seen it in pictures at Blue and Will house. He drove up to the garage and park. I got out and continued to look around as I followed behind Blue. Even in the rainy weather, it was beautiful. Open and free. Something that made you want to run.

We walked up the porch and Blue held the door open. The living room was huge and reminded me of something from a magazine.

Someone was coming down the steps quickly, ''Marco Hanigan! You left me at school, I should bite your tail off and feed it—oh.'' Melinda said when she noticed me.

I couldn't stop picturing her and her skinny arms around Killian. I wasn't so quick to like her.

''Damn Blue, you did allot.'' she said, walking over to me.

''Hardly much.'' Blue said. ''All she needed was that hair straighten and eyes plucked.'' she said, wrapping her arm around me. ''Hot, isn't she?"

''Yeah.'' Melinda said excitedly. She grinned at me, ''There's too many boys in the pack, nice to have another girl.'' I just forced her a stiff smile since I didn't want to say anything rude. My mouth tends to get me in allot of trouble. She turned from me and took Killian hand, ''You left me at school, I had to ride with Austin. I should kill you for that.''

He looked a little stiff and looked at me for a quick second. ''Sorry, I was having a bad day to begin with. I couldn't stay. Even, I'm very apart of the situation.''

I huffed out my nose heavily and rolled my eyes.

''When your first shift is complete, you better be more protective. Austin doesn't clean his car.'' she said.

''It isn’t that bad.'' Will said.

''That's because you help make a mess.'' Melinda said. ''And I'm sure your room smells the same.''

''Dad in his office?" Marco asked.

''Yeah. He pretending to do work so mom doesn't nag him to finish.'' she said.

''Okay.'' he said and Blue pushed me towards the star case.

''Where you going?" Melinda spoke. ''Since you abandon me, you have to clean my room and help me paint my toes.''

Will laughed as he followed behind. Killian groaned and even though I wanted to laugh like I usually do, I felt angry and jealous at the thought of him alone with her . . . in her room.

''Remember no back talk, you won't like him angry.'' Blue said.

''So he's the Hulk?" I sarcastically asked and she snapped her fingers in my face.

''Serious Mat, no back talk. No sarcasm, no speaking if it's something that’ll piss him off.'' she said.

''Okay, okay.'' I groaned.

''Okay, okay like you understand or okay, okay just shut up?" she asked.

''Whichever one makes you happier.'' I said.

She groaned but didn't speak since we got close to a wooden door. Marco knocked on it and he gave me a look like 'behave'.

''Come in.'' said a deep voice and Marco opened the door.

''Hey dad.'' Marco said as he walked in, sounding like he was smiling. Blue pulled me in next to her and Marco hugged a man who seriously was probably the tallest man I seen. 6'7, broad shoulders like a football player, and looked like an older version of Marco. I did notice all the males in Marco group were probably over the height of six feet and well built.

Lincoln looked at me and he smiled, ''She looks like Clyde.’’

My eyebrows came together as I looked at Blue. She smiled, ''Your father, my uncle.''

I had only ever wondered a few times in my life who my father would be. I always thought he would be some dead beat who left my mom which could be another reason why she abandon me. My mom, the woman who gave birth to me, I always wondered about.

''Of course, you got your mother beauty. I hear temper to.'' he said, sitting down in his chair.

''I wouldn't know.'' I said.

''I'm sure this is all a surprise to you,'' he said. ''You didn't grow up in the wolf world. You have allot to make up on.''

''Make up on?" I questioned.

''Well you will need to join the pack.'' he said. ''If you don't before your first change, you'll be known as a rogue. You won't be protected.''

''Protected by who?" I asked.

''From anyone that isn't us,'' he said. ''You're parents left the pack before you were born.''

''So that makes me have to join?" I asked, my tone a little cold. That tends to happen when I'm not even trying. I spent so long being cold towards people, it's just how I sound. But that didn't stop Blue from pinching my arm, making me wince. ''I mean . . . since I live here, I'm supposed to? Can I reject that offer?"

''You can.'' he said. ''But then you won't have friends, family, and you won't be paired with anyone. Not being a pack member is a dishonorable thing.''

''Well let's starts on how I don't believe in joining cults—ouch!" I hissed when Blue pinched me again, but extra roughly. I glared at her and she glared back.

''Blue, Marco, and Will could you leave the room.'' he said and they did as he said. Blue gave me one more warning look before leaving. ''Please, you can sit.'' he said calmly pointing at his chair.

I hesitated, but moved over to the leather chair and sat. He smiled and looked over at his shelf before getting up. ''I went to school with your father, we were good friends.'' he said, picking up a photo. He walked over to me, ''Clyde was always joking and laughing.'' He came over to me and held out a picture. A boy who looked like Marco had his arm around another boy who had dark hair as well and an eighty style pushed back hairstyle. He had full lips like my own and his things about him . . . looked so familiar. I seen this man before.

I was six and this man who had this familiar style came into the homes. He just walked in and found me in my room. I thought back to that day.

''Why are you crying?" he asked me, putting an arm around me and brought me into his chest.

I made myself stopped crying a wipe my face, ''I'm not crying!" I had said.

He smiled, "Strong girl, aren't you?'' he said and I just shrugged. ''Do you have a family?"

I just shook my head.

''You will someday.'' he said.

''No one wants me.'' I said, fighting back my tears. ''Mrs. Summers says I'm a bad girl and no one wants a bad girl as a daughter.''

''She's crazy.'' he said, smiling down at me. ''I want you . . . but I can't take you. You need to be safe. But when you get older, you will have a huge family. People who will accept you as you are.''

I remember his words made me feel so loved. I wrapped my arms around him tightly, ''I want you to be my daddy.''

He chuckled and pet my hair, ''I do to.''

''Take me.'' I said. ''I want a family now.''

''I can't Matilda.'' he said. ''One day, I'll be your daddy. But it’s not safe right now.''

''Why not?"

''Because, it's hard to tell you.'' he said. ''Hey, don't worry. Lay down, you look tired.''

I had laid my head on his lap and he covered me in my blanket. He was so warm himself that I brought my knees up, just wanting to be closer. It had been raining that day. When I woke up, he was gone.

''He made me promise I'll keep you protected.'' Lincoln said. ''He said to let you find us on your own, that if you were kept away, you'll be safe. Now, I can do that. I can keep you protected.''

‘‘I . . . I don't understand.'' I said. I thought all of that was a dream, thought that man was a dream of someone who actually wanted me.

''Your parents got in some trouble with another pack. You're mom and her mouth.'' he said, walking over behind his desk. ''But your father loved that about her. He said she was a strong she-wolf. He would do anything for her.''

''My mom abandon me.'' I said, running my fingers across the picture of Clyde. This wave of new emotions came over me and like always, I masked the pain with anger.

''You're mom didn't want to.'' he said. ''She loved you.''

''Yeah right.'' I said sarcastically as I got up and put the photo on his desk. ''She left me in a park. No name but a bracelet with the name Matilda on it. I’m not even sure if that’s my real name.''

''She knew someone would find you and it is your name.'' he said.

''Why'd she do it then?" I asked. ''What was so big that she had to abandon me?"

''She got in a fight with the Alphas wife of Washington. Things happened, someone got killed, and the Alpha demanded my father who was Alpha at the time to kick your family out. You're parents kept you and your brother here in Oregon, but separated and live like a human so Washington pack wouldn't find you both.''

''Brother?" I questioned and he nodded. ''Devin? Blue said that name earlier."

''Yes.'' he said. ''He's four years older than you. Twenty two years old and strong. He's on his way down from Portland. Very excited to see you.''

''Whoa there!" I said quickly and he looks confused. ''I'm just finding this all out and now a brother who I never met before is coming to see me?"

''Yes.'' he said. ''Tomorrow.''

''I don't want to see him.'' I said.

''You have to. He's waited for you for a long time, he's your family.'' he said. 

''I have no family.'' I said as I paced back and forth.

''You do.'' he said and got up. He chuckled, ''If you’re this scared, you're going to die when you find this out.'' he said as he went over to his office door and opened it. ''Will, come up here!" he called and I raised an eyebrow.

When Will finally came up, he looked as confused as me. Lincoln closed the door and smiled, ''Will father was also your mine and your father close friend.''

''Okay?'' Will said. ''I don't understand.''

''Will, you didn't get paired with anyone yet for a reason.'' he said. ''It's because the girl your dad had his eyes on wasn't a member. Matilda, your father made me promise another thing. Make sure you be paired with Will—you two are gonna be mates.''

My eyes widen as I stared at Will, who gave me the same shocked look. This feeling of shock washed over me as I stared at him and I just wanted to burst out laughing at how ridiculous that sounds.

''What!" we heard Killian voice down the hall.

Holy shit, I thought.