51. Kestrel
Kestrel
Iam not a joiner.
I shouldn’t have to do this.
“Come on, it can’t be worse than-”
“Shut your face, it's so much worse,” I snarl and pick at the white and pink maxi dress that Blaze bought me.
It’s pretty, but I feel naked. This isn’t blending in at all.
“FUCK YOU!”
I whip my head to the front door and watch as it opens, and Mark storms out. He’s got no shirt on, just a pair of jeans, and five dogs trot after him like he’s their god.
“Hey, babes,” Pix purrs.
Mark sees him and detours to us. “Thank god you are here. Come and talk sense into this crazy woman.”
“Meg?”
“Why do you always assume I’m the crazy one?” Meg whines from behind us.
I keep the hysterical words locked behind my teeth. Home. I want to go home.
“Because you freaking are,” Mark mutters. “But in this case, I’m talking about Mum. She’s lost it. She wants to set me up on dates.”
“Oh, dear lord, no!” Pix says dryly.
“Pix, I can still give you purple nurples.”
“What’s a purple nurple?” I ask before I can stop myself.
Mark turns to me slowly. “Oh, my darling sister. Let me demonstrate.”
Five alphas step in front of me, but that leaves Pix exposed, and Mark goes straight for his best friend.
“WAIT! OWWWWWWWW! Fuck, Mark. I hope she finds the most straight-laced proper girl for you ever!”
Pix, who is holding his nipple, which I’m not sure is still attached or not, flinches when Mark smacks the back of his head.
If anyone tries to do that to me, I’m spilling blood.
“Hey! Are you going to let him assault me? Attack! Attack!” Pix says to our alphas.
Rolly flexes lazily and heads up the porch. “Mrs Sanderson, what’s for eating?”
King glances between them and shrugs. He grabs my wrist and tows me away, leaving Roseland, Sage, and Blaze to referee.
Meg trots up the stairs with us. “I love your dress.”
“I hate it.”
“Why are you wearing it?”
“Blaze thought it looked pretty.”
Meg nods thoughtfully. “Come with me.”
I follow her into the bathroom where she grabs the material, rips up the seam, and then wraps it around my upper thighs, making the dress tight and much shorter.
I can move without tripping over yards of fabric.
“Thank you,” I say, almost in tears.
She leads me back out, where we find Bonnie sitting on the couch, glaring up at her alphas.
“Come on, Bonnie.”
“Nope.”
“It’s just one little hotel.”
“If you want to renovate a hotel, by all means, go and do it. I’ll stay here.”
“But-”
She narrows her eyes. “I am sorry, but you know my line in the sand. I’m not going back to be a spectacle for the news people. If you want this project, go for it. I will wait for you here.”
Vale bumps fists with Kota. “Told ya.”
“Thank god. Someone tell them we can’t do it.”
Bonnie raises her eyebrows. “I’m sorry, are you using me as an excuse to get out of work?”
Vale shrugs and straddles her, kissing her forehead. “Yes, yes, I am.”
Rory slinks in, spots Vale, and grabs him around the middle, tossing him off so he can take his place.
“Would you like a chocolate?”
“Always.”
He feeds her one.
Cyn and King walk into the room together, talking.
I do not see the resemblance at all. King is meant to be younger, but with his blue hair, huge muscles, and tatts, he looks older and wilder.
Cyn looks like he’s going to break out a polo top and start a speech about how he’s a good candidate for senate.
So weird.
Pix and Mark come tumbling into the room, wrestling and punching each other. When Vale goes to grab Pix, he’s met with a wall of growls.
“Hands off my puppy,” Blaze says to the room at large.
“Hey, bro.”
Blaze ruffles Kota’s hair. “How are you doing, kid?”
“Good. We’re turning down the renos on the hotel.”
Blaze smiles indulgently. “You’re learning.”
Have I entered a strange, between world? I exchange a look with Meg, who is watching avidly with a bowl of popcorn that she’s pilfered from somewhere.
Bonnie struggles herself free and stands up. “Have you seen Sariah?”
Mark tenses but doesn’t look up or speak.
“No, I tried contacting her and got one of those messages saying she's taking some time off.”
“She’s been gone for a bit,” Bonnie mutters. “Someone should go check on her.”
“I can drop in,” Mark says. “Me and the puppers are going on a road trip, so we can check on her on our way past.”
Bonnie nods, but she misses the way Mark’s lips curl in a satisfied smile before he quietly leaves the room, three of his dog pack on his heels.
Mitchel and Yvonne call us to come eat. Blaze turns and sees my dress. For a moment, I feel awful, but his eyes heat and steam, and suddenly, it’s hard to breathe.
“Get out.”
Everyone leaves the room, and he moves slowly towards me.
“You look incredible.”
I exhale softly and lean my cheek into his hand. “Blaze.”
“So pretty. Hot. I want to kill anyone and everyone who looks at you.”
I step into his arms. “We could go home?” I say hopefully.
Blaze chuckles. “Nice try. Nope, no getting out of family affairs.”
My heart skips a beat. “Is this a family affair?”
His thumb brushes over my cheek. “Yes, Kestrel, this is our family, these people are ours. So, we have to stay, at least until after the cake, then we can run away. Can you do that for me?”
I nod, but my stomach flutters.
“I know it feels weird right now, but this is where you belong. We are your people. Trust me until you see for yourself.”
He leans down and touches his lips to mine.
“I love you, Kest. I’m going to give you everything you lost. Family. Home. Love. A big house, with a big yard and a tree.”
I snort a laugh because it’s become a running joke, but it lightens the mood, and when he puts his arm over my shoulder and leads me out to where the Sandersons have set up their spread, I don’t fight him, I go willingly, openly because my alpha has said these people are my people.
And I trust him.
I trust them.