Parker

"There's not two rooms up there?" I ask as I follow Kohl.

Kohl has a large screen television under his right arm and a table lamp in his left hand. He seems unbothered by my questions. He said that he expected push back and it's nice to know that he's learning me so well.

I hate his conceited disposition.

I follow him up a set of stairs and through a door. I find myself in a large sitting room. I'd call it a living room, to be honest. It has the feel of a mancave. The TV Kohl is carrying is small compared to the very large TV hanging on the wall. Beneath it is a small coffee table and both are situated in front of a moderately large black leather couch.

To the direct left is a kitchen area. The kitchen is furniture with many black appliances, including a stove, microwave built into the cabinets and refrigerator. The counters and bar area are made of black granite. It's beautiful.

Straight forward are two doors. I've seen what lies beyond those doors. One is the bedroom and the other is the bathroom. Both of which are beautiful. The bathroom is a half-bath while there is a full bathroom attached to the bedroom.

"Nope, just one room." He says sitting the TV on the ground and the lamp on a black end table beside the sofa, "We spend almost every night together. What's the difference between that and moving into a room with me?"

"The fact that this is all going extremely fast." I say looking around the room, "I went from being a mid-level worker to being the Alpha and/or Luna of an entire pack of werewolves. Maybe I need a minute."

Kohl smirks as he walks closer. He reaches out and places his finger on my mark. I feel like the entirety of my body is melting from the inside out. Kohl told me that the mark is sacred and he'll be able to tell if anyone touches it. He states that his touch will always cause an eruption when he touches it or is even near me.

I never believed him until now.

Kohl pulls his hand away, staring at me with a sense of satisfaction, "You were saying?"

"Don't do that! It was—"

"Pleasurable? I can smell. I think the entire pack will smell it." Kohl laughs.

"Not that again."

"Which reminds me that the Blood Moon, or Blue Moon, is happening soon. A day or so. I need you to be safe, especially with your...scent." Kohl stops his sentence, "It's pungent."

"Romantic."

"I have to be with the other wolves. We will be more primal and dangerous during this time and I feel it might be prudent to move you."

"Move me?"

"There is a small bunker that only the family knows about. I think we should move you there until we've—"

"Other options?" I ask.

"You stay here and I ravage you."

"Oh yeah?"

"As well as fight off the other wolves. Maim them." He says darkly, "I know this is all new to you but you have to take my word for it. You need to trust me."

"I do."

"Then trust me when I say that the best place for you to be is in that bunker." Kohl says with a frown, "Now that it's settled, can we discuss living arrangements?"

"Can we?" I ask.

"We are already married in wolf terms."

"You tricked me into that, by the way." I remind him. I sigh, "Fine. I reserve the right to make you sleep on the sofa."

"I'm the Alpha."

"Yeah and you will be, even on the sofa."

Kohl groans, "Why did I get the insolent mate?"

"Just lucky." I say as Gaius enters. I turn to him, "Thanks for helping us move I guess."

"You've made the better decision?" Gaius asks, "I knew you would."

"Because I'm his mate?" I ask.

"No," He says, "Because I know everything."

"The Alpha is right." Jasar says entering with a box of things. His eyes find something behind me and he clears his throat, "Former Alpha."

"You're such a weirdo, Alpha Kohl." Cassandra says as she enters and throws a box on the floor, "I think that's underwear. You should really wash your clothes."

"That's what a Lu—" I turn to stare at Kohl and he clears his throat, "I'll get right on that."

"Luckily for you, I'm not pampered like you and I know how to do laundry." I say.

Cassandra smells the air, "Did we walk in on something?" She asks.

Kohl opens his mouth to speak but stops to sniff the air. All of the wolves in the room do so. I look around at them. They are clearly smelling something I, as a regular, puny human, can't smell. Kohl and Gaius' eyes meet as Kohl bolts out of the room, followed closely by the others. I look around the room and roll my eyes.

It's always something around here.

I quickly follow them down two flights of stairs and outside. I arrive to find the wolves gathered around a bloody McKennon. He looks not unlike Kohl looked a while ago. None of the wolves move. Cassandra moves forward and checks his pulse.

"He's alive! We have to get him to the clinic!" Cassandra says angrily.

No one moves. Cassandra looks between her father and brother before her eyes land on me. She's pleading and I feel for her. I don't want to get in the middle of this family feud but we can't just let him bleed out on the street.

I've seen this before and I'm not in the mood to scrub his remnants away.

"Kohl." I say softly.

Kohl blinks at me. I nod to the injured wolf and Kohl growls lightly as he scoops McKennon off the ground and heads towards the clinic. Everyone, save for Gaius, follows. I can see the hurt in his eyes. He's rarely easy to read but standing here, his emotions are very clear.

He's afraid and hurt at the same time.

"I don't know your history. I'm barely part of the family."

"So do not comment on it." Gaius says angrily, "You are as much family as any of my children but this isn't a subject you want to get in the middle of."

"Sure, sure. I do have a pretty good story to tell, though. Want me to tell you a story?"

Gaius raises an eyebrow at me and I smile, looking forward.

"So, I wasn't exactly the most well-liked in my family. Had something to do with falling in love with other men. They did a lot of bad things to me. They taunted me, abused me and were just horrors throughout my childhood. Well, my Mom and favorite Aunt couldn't protect me from all of the things they did to me. Most of it, actually." I take a breath, "There's still scars, really. Thing is, I learned to forgive them. Family fucking sucks, yeah, but holding on to things hurts worse. Would you really be okay if he died?"

"Long-winded story."

"Also topical." I nod, "Thing is...McKennon has tried to kill me, I think. But I still feel like he's not all bad. I feel like he's stubborn, which is a strong trait in this family."

"He killed his own mother."

"Fighting with you. Are you sure it's him?" I ask causing him to look at me, "Are you sure you're angry at him? Because your anger towards him is justified but your hatred—"

"I don't hate him."

"I know." I say softly, "Well, look at that. You finally said it."

"He's murdered people. Innocent people." Gaius frowns.

"Yeah, sucks. Really bad. He's a hurt kid, too. Doesn't excuse anything he did but did you ever think that maybe it's a side effect?"

"Of?"

"Losing his mother and the rest of his family in the same night." I say patting his shoulder, "You're a good man, Gaius. You raised two great people. You failed one. But it's really not too late."

"You don't believe so?" He asks.

"If it were, he wouldn't have come here. Now go and see your son."

Gaius smirks at me, "For a young one, you're wise."

"It's just been a really long life."

Gaius laughs as he leaves me on the street. I watch as he disappears into the clinic and I debate following them. I feel as if it's a family discussion they need to have. I may be family but that is a bag of cats I really don't want to open right now.