Chapter 10: Coming Clean

We’ve been back home for a few days now and I couldn’t seem to shake the uneasy feeling that itched just under my skin. I still don’t know what it was that had me on edge, everything was fine between Carter and me, there had been no attacks or disturbances at the boundaries but still something just didn’t feel right. The only things I could think of that would possibly have me on edge would be that whole thing with Cory, he hasn’t talked to me or even looked at me since the last time and it was starting to get really annoying. Coupled with the fact that those two boys were still in the barn and it had everyone else on edge. I needed to do something, distract myself somehow.

Getting up from my place by the window I walked down the stairs headed for the study. Pulling the doors to the study open I saw Carter look up from behind the desk. I smiled at him and closed the doors behind me before walking over towards him. I ran my finger along the edge of the desk all the while keeping eye contact with him the whole time, reaching his side I saddled his lap and locked my hands around the back of his neck.

He had a slight smirk but his eyes and facial expression was one of caution. I couldn’t really blame him, I had never come in here before unless I wanted something and even then I usually made Cory do it.

“What do you want?” he asked cautiously with a lazy smile on his lips.

“Nothing, I’m just bored.” I said leaning in and placing a small kiss on his lips and pulling back before he had a chance to return or deepen the kiss.

“Well that’s too bad, because I have heaps of work to do.” He said leaning in for a kiss but I quickly pulled away smiling.

“Well in that case I’ll leave you alone.” I said going to get up but his hands gripped my hips stopping me from moving anywhere.

“Just give me a few minutes.” He said looking genuine. I nodded and gently pealed his hands away from me allowing me to get up and walk over to the door.

With some time to kill I decided to tackle some of those little ‘issues’ that have been bugging me recently. Going back to the bedroom I pulled out one of my warmest jumpers and my boots since it has been raining non-stop since we got back. I really miss the sun and warm days even if they only lasted for a couple of days.

I snuck out of the back door in the kitchen hoping not to be noticed as I crept over towards the barn. I don’t even know why I was creeping, it’s not like anyone was going to stop me… not unless it’s…

“Melody!” Josh’s voice boomed out across the yard and I knew I was done for. I looked out at the barn only a few more meters away, so close. I turned around and saw Josh running towards me, his dark hair tousled and dripping wet from the rain.

“Mel what are you doing out here, you’re going to catch a cold.” He said coming to stop just in front of me.

“I just… have to do… something first.” I told him trailing off a little hoping he would just let it slide but no such luck.

A confused look crossed over his face for a moment before I turned around and slowly started to creep back away in the direction I was headed originally.

“Wait…” he said making a grab for my arm but it only caused an electric shock to run up my arm making me snatch it back. “Please tell me that this isn’t one of your ‘I’m pregnant and I could do whatever I want’ moments, cause they always end badly… for me.” He gave me a pleading look.

I remembered the last time I had one of those moments and grinned. I decided to build a boat, yes a boat which everyone found extremely insane since we lived nowhere near water and I couldn’t use a hammer to save my life. It ended a week later with a pile of wood that was mostly held together by duct tape and Josh and Cory with bruises and broken bones from when I loosened my grip on the hammer and ‘accidently’ hit them with it.

“Umm, maybe.” I confessed.

“Well in that case, back inside you go.” He tried to shepherd me inside.

“Josh please, just give me five minutes.” I begged holding up five fingers.

“To do what?” I looked at him and then over to the barn and back at him, silently telling him exactly what I planned to do. “Oh no you don’t, come on lest go.”

“I’m doing this with or without you Josh.” I said turning around and walking off towards the barn once again, hearing him mutter something behind me before falling into step next to me.

“Please tell me you at least told Carter?”

“Nope.” I said popping the p.

“Then it’s official, he’s going to break my neck.”

“Oh stop complaining you’re used to it by now.”

We came to a stop at the barn door and I could still feel Josh’s pleading gaze on me, as if willing me to chicken out and walk back without him carrying me kicking and screaming over his shoulder. Taking a deep breath I pushed the doors open and stepped into the barn that seemed even colder then outside. How could they keep them in here when their probably freezing to death?

I walked further into the room watching my breath turn to smoke the minute it left my mouth. It was dark in here and I couldn’t see the boys anywhere. Looking back at Josh I scrunched up my face and shook my head mouthing where. He gestured to the right corner stall that used to house horses.

I walked up to the door and opened it seeing two little boys jump back and hide in the corner. The oldest one of the two looked about seven years old with light brown hair and golden eyes. He sat there clutching the other boy who looked only about four with blond hair and green eyes, if it weren’t for the common facial features between the two you’d never have even believed they were related.

I took another step into the room much to Josh’s dismay and crouched down so that we were eye level.

“It’s ok; I’m not going to hurt you.” I told them in the soft voice that I use when I talk to Harley.

“I don’t believe you” the older one said narrowing his eyes at me.

“Well that’s a shame. I’m Mel, and you are?”

I saw his hesitation as he clutched his little brother, his eyes watching me carefully before darting between Josh and I.

“I pinky promise I won’t hurt you.” I said holding out my little finger.

He looked at me carefully. “You’re the Alpha’s mate aren’t you?”

“Yes, I am. Which is why I can promise no one will hurt you.” I moved my hand again gesturing for him to pinky promise me.

He bit his lip looking down a little before he shook my pinky accepting the promise.

“I’m Will, this is Jack” he said gesturing to his little brother who just looked at me with wide eyes, never making a sound. “What do you want?”

“I want to get you out of here, it’s way too cold and I bet not very comfortable.”

“We have nowhere to go. Our parents are dead and if we go back to the river lands, they kill us.” He said not showing any expression.

“I understand that.” I said looking down at the ground for a moment thinking. Maybe I should have thought this through before coming here. What to do, what to do? “How about we make a deal, if you promise to help, behave and not hurt my son then I promise you and your brother will be safe and will never go hungry.”

He looked at me and swallowed hard his lips parting slightly like he was starved of oxygen. “You mean, you’d take us in?”

“Of course.” I didn’t see what the big deal was.

“I would never hurt anyone, not intentionally.” He said nodding his head enthusiastically accepting the deal.

I smiled at him and we shock hands. “Now how about we go back up to the house and get something to eat?” Both boys seem to be all for it. I smiled and grabbed their tiny hands before walking out towards the house; my gaze fell on Josh as we passed him leaning against the door frame with his arms crossed over his chests. He moved his head from side to side with a small smile.

We walked up to the house and I spotted Cory just before we walked inside, he was walking away from the house, his head down and his feet dragging in the mud. Do I have time for an intervention?

Yes, Yes I do.

“Hey Josh, take them inside and get them some food, I want to talk to Cory.” I told him letting go of the boys and gesturing over to Cory. Josh’s face dropped as a serious expression came over his face.

“Mel, trust me that’s not something you can fix.” He told me.

“Just let me talk to him.”

“Not alone Mel, it’s not safe, let me come with you.” he pealed with me. Not safe? It was Cory, he wouldn’t hurt me. I shook my head and looked over at Cory.

“I have to try, just do what I tell you Josh.” I told him before walking off after Cory.

“Cory!” I yelled after him, seeing him look back at me, recognition crossed his face before he looked back down and went to walk off before I could catch up.

“Don’t you dare run from me!” I yelled across the yard gaining a look from one of the guards whose name I never remembered as he made his rounds.

Cory stopped at stared down at his feet as if they had all of a sudden become every interesting. I walked up to him feeling a little out of breath and so I sat down on the bench that face the gardens of all of the coloured flowers. I patted the seat next to me telling him take a seat so I didn’t have to stand anymore. Cory looked around cautiously as if looking to check that no one was watching us before he sat down next to me.

“Cory, what’s been going on with you lately?” I asked leaning in and rubbing my hand up and down his back ignoring the shock of electricity in an attempt to comfort him. Damn there must be a charge of static or something.

“I-I can’t tell you, it’s not your problem Mel.” He said still looking at his feet.

“Cory, please. I want to help you but you have to let me in.”

“I can’t.” He whispered.

I rolled my eyes. I have enough of this bullshit.

“Cory you have about five seconds to start talking or I swear I am going to do some damage.” I threatened pulling away from him and crossing my arms across my chest and leaning back, resting in the seat.

“It’s just, I’m ashamed and I don’t want you to think badly of me. I couldn’t bare it.” He fidgeted with his fingers, interlacing them with one another and tapping his foot nervously.

“I promise I won’t judge.”

He took a deep breath for turning to me, the colour drained from his face. “I’ve been having a little trouble controlling the shifts and everything, I’m not like Carter or Josh, I haven’t got it under control.” He paused for a moment taking another deep breath before continuing.

“So I started taking stuff to help, relax me a little so I don’t shift every time my heart rate gets up. It was a human drug mixed with a small amount of wolf’s bane, I was fine at first, it worked and I could focus on other things like protecting you and Harley. But then I needed more and more of it as my body got used to it and that’s when everything went a little… hazy. I ran out of money and the only place I could get it was just over the board so I used to go when I was supposed to be patrol. They had me trading information for the drug, I didn’t think much of it you know, it was just little things like what are the woods like and why do they call them the whispering woods. Nothing important. But then we had all of the boundary problems and I knew it was my fault. I told Carter and Josh and they were beyond pissed. The only reason they haven’t killed me is because I’m family.”

“Cory.” Was all I said. I didn’t know what else to say, how do I respond to that? He betrayed us and put Harley in danger, I should be angry as hell at him but the sad look on his face I knew he regretted it all which made me pity him. I reached out and hugged him tightly hoping to show him that I didn’t feel anger towards him and that it didn’t change my opinion of him.

“I’m so sorry Mel.”

“It’s ok, you didn’t mean too. We all make mistakes, some worse than others but it’s all about what you do next.”

“I’m not taking that stuff anymore and I swear it will never happen again.” He promised me.

“Good. Now how about we get something to eat because I’m starving.” I said smiling earning a chuckle from Cory. I had high hopes that the Cory I knew and loved was fast on the return.

Cory’s laughter stopped dead as he looked just over my shoulder and his body seemed to go tense. I closed my eyes for a moment and took a deep breath before turning around slowly and seeing Carter standing in the window staring at us. I wasn’t sure what to do exactly so I smiled at him and waved earning a look that said ‘get-in-here-now’.

I looked back to Cory and saw him put his head back down. “You better go inside now.”

I nodded in understanding and got to my feet before offering Cory a hand.

“What?”

“Come on, you’re coming in for some lunch.”

“I don’t think it’s…” he started but I cut in.

“Good, don’t think and let’s go eat.” I said pulling him up and walking off over to the kitchen.

When we walked in I saw Harley and Jack playing with the toy cars at the table while they had their food hanging out of their mouth, Will sat next to them eating his food silently keeping a careful watch on the boys while Josh came up to meet Cory, a happy look on his face. I smiled seeing everyone happy and together, everything was starting to turn out ok.

I felt Carter’s hand grab hold of my wrist and pull my backwards. Turning around I followed his lead until we were in one of the smaller rooms just off the kitchen. We stopped by the window and he turned to face me looking extremely annoyed.

“What happened to waiting a few minutes?” He asked me getting rather impatient.

“Well I had some minutes to kill so I decided to make use of them.” I said standing on my tippy toes while wrapping my arms around his neck and smiling up at him.

“So you decided to go out and bring the boys up here and then to sit down and have a heart to heart with Cory.”

“Yep.” I said popping the p and leaning in placing a small innocent kiss on his lips.

“Well then, now you owe me more than a few minutes.”

“With pleasure.” I said just before he bought his lips down on to mine. His tongue slide over my bottom lips asking for entry but I kept my lips shut tightly. He bought me closer to him, crushing me against his chest while his hands wondered around my body brushing over my breasts until they found a resting place on my butt. He squeezed my butt making me gasp and open my mouth allowing him to slide his tongue in my mouth and deepen the kiss.

I pushed at his chest trying to break the kiss much against his will – and mine – we broke apart, but his hands were still snaked around my waist. “What was that for?” he asked with a disappointed look on his face.

“I’m hungry.”

“You haven’t eaten?” he asked, his mood changing to one of pure irritation and frustration.

I shook my head bitting down on my lip.

“Mel you have to eat.” He stressed.

“I know come one, I’ll make up for this later.”

“You better.” He said letting me lead him back into the room where the others were still seated finishing off their lunch. We took our seats and allowed Tory to bring us a plate of food, Carter’s hand remained on my thigh the entire time while he engaged in casual conversation with the twins, Cory’s bad decisions almost forgotten.

I felt so at peace now that everything was solved and looking around at my family I couldn’t seem to wipe the smile off my face.

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