“Hey.” we heard a voice and Killian was ripped away from me. I quickly sat up, looking up at Clyde. Killian breathed heavily out his nose as he broke free from Clyde grasp and gave him a hard look. “Wipe that look off your face, pup. That’s my daughter.”

I scoffed, getting up from the ground and wiping the grass and dirt off my jeans, “Don’t say that. That was totally uncalled for.”

“Oh Mat,” Devin said, coming over towards me with a cold look on his face. I crossed my arms over my face, pursed my lips, and turned my head away from him. “Hey you little brat, look at me.” he said, taking my arm. “I drove all the way here to get your ass, you should show me a little more gratitude.”

I snorted as I looked up at him, “Gratitude? I never asked you to.”

“I’m saving you from making a stupid mistake. You’re coming back whether you like it or not.” he said. “Now that you have seen how wolves live when they’re not in pack—has that taught you that it’s better to be in one than not in one?”

I shrugged, holding my hands up, “Hey, it’s not too different from living in a group home.”

Clyde stepped in, “That’s why you try and make your life better, Matilda.”

“Stop calling me that. It’s weird.” I said. “Makes me sound that little girl who can move things with her mind. It’s Mat.”

He rolled his eyes and looked at Devin, “Devin, please take your sister back home.”

“No!” I yelled, snatching my arm away from Devin and stepped away from them. “I came here for a reason and I refuse to leave without doing it.”

“You couldn’t have just asked me to bring you?” Devin asked, breathing heavily out his nose. “You know how stupid you are?”

I grinned, giving him an amused look, “I’ve been told once or twice.” My looked turned cold, “Even, I wasn’t planning on coming back.”

“And now?” Killian said. I looked at him, biting my lower lip. I put my hands on my waist, making my head fall back as I groaned.

“Who the hell are you?” Clyde asked, sounding annoyed as he looked at Killian. “She is supposed to be with William Bloodworth, not some punk.”

Clyde gave him a hard look, “Killian Arkwright, my father the Beta of Massachusetts. And I’m Wills cousin.”

“Okay, still doesn’t explain why you came here and started kissing her. She is Oath to be with Will—“

“I’m not a toy to be taken by just anyone.” I said coldly. “I’ll choose who I want to be with.”

“And we’re mates.” Killian said boldly, giving Clyde a hard look.

“Liar—“

“Ancestors come from the Mahian tribe?” he asked. Clyde shrugged, “So was mine. Native Americans runs in all three of us. So that means—“

Clyde rolled his eyes, “Which means it’s more luckily to happen.”

“Can we get back to the point?” Devin asked. “Mat needs to come back to Marchand. I’ve already made a plan to say she was just nervous and scared, but she had called us to come look for her and bring her back. You will become respectful towards Alpha Lincoln and join the pack.”

“Lincoln and his prissy daughter can go fall in a ditch.” I said, snorting.

“Oh god, she’s like her mother.” Clyde said, making me give him a hard look.

“And you will be living with me. No if’s, and, or buts. I’ll need to make sure you don’t try anything stupid again.” Devin said.

“Wow! Who knew I had no more say in how I live my life anymore.” I sarcastically said.

“Would you rather be living with that witch Mrs. Summers or in a real home?” he asked.

“I just can’t leave Emily—“

He scoffed, “You didn’t seem to care when you ran away to here.”

I stomped my foot like a child, glaring at him, “But I’m always there for her when I’m there. Ugh! Who do you think you are?”

“You’re brother!” he said loudly, making me jerk.

“Alright, alright look here.” Clyde said. He walked over towards me and I crossed my arms over my chest, looking up at him with a hard look. His eyes soften, “Matilda—Mat, I know it’s hard to understand and I completely understand why you are angry at your mother and I. We both never wanted to leave you both, it was the most painful thing in the world. You both were are children, we had you guys until the very last moment we couldn’t. In the pack world, we have strict rules we must live by. You two need each other more than ever now.”

I stared up at him, trying to figure out but to say but I just cried out in frustration as I walked around him. “God—almost eighteen years of being angry. I had spent my life thinking she just abandoned me. Like she didn’t want me at all.”

“It’s the complete opposite.” Clyde said. “We loved you—she loved you so much. She was crying, holding you in her arms. I was the one who had to take you out of them and make her leave. She has been depressed ever since because she had to leave her children behind. Let the hate drain from your heart. I know you can’t get the past back, but you just gotta look forward to your future. Being angry isn’t going to help.”

“I’m just—“ I looked at Killian, hating to admit he was right. “Feeling sorry for myself.” I turned around to look at him, “I don’t know how to make the pain stop. I’m a strong girl, but I don’t know why this is so…hard.”

“You’re gonna have to see her. But promise me—I know you have allot of reason to not promise me anything but please promise me you’ll go back to the pack. Your future will be so bright and happy. Look what it has gotten you already. A brother who cares very deeply for you.” he said. “Don’t think about the negative thing, think about the stuff you’ll be gaining. I don’t want to see you out here, living in motels and stealing money for food.”

I looked down at the ground, staring at it for a moment. I brought my hands up to push my hair behind my ears. I peeked up a little to look at Devin. I turned my head around to look at Killian. They were two things I never thought I would have in my life. I don’t know why thinking running away from them would be a good idea. I thought I would be saving them the trouble of me by leaving. If they drove all the way here to come look for me they must care.

I tilt my head as I looked back at him, “Fine. I’ll—I’ll go back.” Killian came up behind me, putting his arms around me. “So,” I said, sighing heavily. “How mad is Lincoln at me?”

“Pretty damn pissed.” Devin said. “He felt kind of betrayed that he was trying so hard to help you. You’re going to have to be very respectful towards him. That means no back talk, no sarcastic comment, and no fighting with his daughter.”

“Okay, that’s different. She started choking me.” I said.

“You were coming onto Killian and remember, at the time he wasn’t yours.” Devin said.

“Wait. What?” Clyde asked.

“It’s complicated.” I said, rolling my eyes.

“And also, you will start calling him by Alpha Lincoln. It shows respect. He’s the leader of this pack and he takes care of us.” Devin said. “If he wasn’t Clyde friend, we wouldn’t have this much luck. Mat, I’m being serious. Stop rolling your eyes.”

“I get it!” I said coldly. “I’ll—I’ll control my temper. I’ll try harder.”

“Good.” he said. “And you’ll start by going Mat Vaughn because it’s who you truly are.”

“Lately it’s hard to know who I am.” I said.

“I know, but I’ll help you.” he said. He shifted his weight onto his one of his legs, “So—shall we get this moving forward? We have one more person to see.”

My back stiffen.

*

Killian had to press on my back to keep my moving forward as we came up to a trailer. I saw a women sitting at the table on the patio, her back to us. She was eating until we were close and she started to turn around, “I swear Clyde, if you’re late to dinner one more time—Devin!” she cried when she looked at him. She quickly got up and ran over towards us until she looked at me, she froze.

We stared at each other for awhile. She had long dark straight hair, beautiful tan skin, and was completely beautiful. I always imagined this women would have bad cheap store bought bleached hair and a drug addict. No, this woman was completely stunning. Her mouth opened a little as she took in a sharp breath.

She smiled, tears going down her face, “Matilda?” she questioned, walking over towards me. I froze though. I always thought I would start by yelling at her, calling her everything bad word in the dictionary but no. All I wanted was to look at her. She cupped my face, smiling as she cried. “My baby girl.” she said, looking at me as if she was admiring me. She chuckled, moving her hands to wipe across her cheeks, “You’re so beautiful.”

“Sofie,” Clyde said, walking up behind her. He put his hands on her shoulders, pulling her back.

She huffed out her nose, looking up at him with a cold look, “What are you doing? My daughter is in front of me and you’re pulling me away?”

“Easy.” he said, making her stare up at him for a moment before looking back at me.

She smiled, “Right—right.” She brought her hands up to her mouth, crying out happily. She looked at Devin and back to me, “I don’t even know what to say.” She then put her arms around me, hugging me. My eyes widen, freezing where I stood. She chuckled, “Matilda, you look so much like your father. You’ve grown into such a beautiful young women. I have thought about this day for a long time and—“

I put my hands on her waist and pushed her away, “Don’t.”

“Mat,” Killian said, but I shook my head. He grabbed my arm and pulled me away a couple of a feet, “Look, I wouldn’t care if you were just meeting any rogue. But this is your mother, don’t let all your anger out. You talk without thinking allot. For once, think of what you’re going to say. You listened to your father, don’t let your anger mask your feeling. You wanted to meet her, don’t ruin it. It won’t help anything.”

“Killian, you don’t understand though—“

“I know I don’t.” he said. “Just think for once though. Are you going to really be able to talk to her by yelling at her? What is the matter? Talk to me?”

I breathed heavily out my nose, “I just thought she’ll be some drug addict. It would have been easier to hate her, but she’s just worse. She’s making it hard to hate her.”

He gave me a look like he couldn’t believe what I just said, “Do you eve listen?” he asked, pointing at his ear. “It’s like one things goes in your ear and out the next. What they did, it’s what they felt like they had to. You may not understand, but you just have to move on.”

“Why do you care so much?” I asked.

“Because this is what’s going to help you heal.” he said. “To find comfort in your life. I want you to be happy, Mat. The only way you can be happy with me is if you’re happy with yourself. You still think of yourself as some orphan but you’re not. You have people who care now.”

I stared at him before groaning. I put my hands on his biceps, resting my forehead on his chest, “How do you always know what’s best for me when I don’t?”

He chuckled, his arms going around me, “I’m just smarter.”

That’s the truth.

He put his hands on my shoulders and forced me around, pushing me towards Clyde and Sofia. Sofia was hugging Devin until I walked back over. I took a deep breath as I stared at her, “I’m….sorry I pushed you.”

“It’s alright.” she said.

“And I…I go by Mat. I hate the name Matilda.” I said.

She nodded, “So do I.” she said, making Clyde scoff. “You’re middle name is Nicole because that’s what I wanted to name you, but your father wanted to name you Matilda. Mat a real cool nickname though.”

We stared at each other for a moment, “So,”

*

I stared out the window as Devin drove away. I kept replaying the conversation I had with Sofia. She mostly had me talking about myself and she seemed very curious. It’s weird to have someone attention on me. I never liked it. But she was—she wasn’t as bad I thought she was. We did have things in common though.

“Would you come back to see them?” Devin asked.

I turned to look at him, “Would you?”

He didn’t answer very quickly, heisting, “To bring Shiloh down to meet his grandparents. We shouldn’t even really be seeing them.”

“You sound just as scared as I am.” I said. “I was more curious to just knowing who they were and I still am.”

“Mat,” Killian said behind me. “They’re rogues, meaning—“

“They’re still my parents.” I said. “I don’t care what they are, their blood runs through my veins. I want to hate them, I really do but after seeing them? I don’t know.”

“Get settled into the pack first.” Devin said. “Then you can think about the next time you’ll see them.”

I reached into my pocket and pulled out a piece of paper, “Sofia had put this in my pocket. It’s an address.” I said, looking down at the envelope. “Their address.”

“You shouldn’t keep in contact with them.” Devin said. I bit my lower lip and folded the piece of paper back up, putting it in my pocket. “If anyone finds out you will have contact with them, they’ll think you betrayed the pack.”

“Mat, he’s right.” Killian said. “You think the worse thing they can do is kick you out. They’ll will kill you.”

“I don’t understand though? So she got into some fight with another chick. What’s is the big problem?” I asked. “They really kicked them out because of that?”

“Someone died that day.” Devin said.

“Who?” I asked. “Why won’t anyone tell me the real truth? What was so serious? All I know is she got into a fight with the Alpha of Washington, someone got killed, and that Alpha had our parents kicked out. What happened, Devin?”

He looked at me quickly before looking at the road. He sighed heavily, “It was an accident.”

“What was an accident?” I asked coldly, getting impatient.

Devin licked his lips, “Sofia got into a fight with the Alpha wife Jesslyn because Alpha Alaric is Clyde second cousin. Supposingly Clyde was supposed to inherit the role of Alpha when the last one dyed but Alaric convinced everyone he was better choice. Jesslyn was taunting Sofia about it and they got into a fight. Sofia pushed her a little too roughly and she fell, hitting the table edge.”

I stared at him, “Are you saying what I think your saying?”

He nodded, “Sofia killed her, but it was an accident. That’s why they were kicked out of the pack and had to go on the run because Alpha Alaric wanted them dead.”

“And that’s why they abandoned us.” I said. “So. . . so they wouldn’t find us.”

“If we lived like humans, we would blend in.” Devin said. “If Alpha Alaric finds out you’ve been in contact with them, he’ll have you thrown out of the pack and he could learn where they are. He’ll have them killed.”