Chapter 26 My Family #2
The Alpha King approaches me, leaning down to meet my eye.
“I’m not embarrassed at all. You’re entitled to how you feel.
In fact, it is our fault for putting this on you.
We should have approached this with a little more caution, talked to you, explored how you feel.
We were excited and jumped in without thinking of your needs.
We’re the ones who owe you an apology. I promise we won’t make this mistake again. ” He lifts his little finger.
Justin explains, It’s a pinky promise. It’s something we do in this family. Along with voting. I’ll tell you all about that later.
Holding up my little finger, he entangles his large one with mine. My heart swells with an unknown emotion. I feel safe and cared for. Dropping my hand, I gaze around the room. I have a family now.
The Alpha King wraps his arm around Shakti’s waist and leads her to a large table, sets a plate of food in front of her, and kisses her forehead before returning to the line.
No one serves him or stops what they’re doing to let him go first. He talks to everyone.
He claps Anders on the back as if they’re old friends.
And Shakti talks to Tater, Sixes, Faith, and Emily. It’s so casual—no airs, no hierarchy.
Justin and Jeremy chat with Liam and Sodie, like they always did in my clinic room. Nothing changes now in their own home. I like it. It feels right.
“Jessica.” Alpha Agnus crooks a finger at me. “I expect a visit from you at least once every other month.”
I thought you were done with me.
She scoffs, “Don’t be a smartass. Just because I knew you belonged here for now doesn’t mean I abandoned you. Besides, I need you to come back to make me those brownies. Miller had everyone make me brownies since you left, and they just aren’t the same.”
I cover my mouth and giggle. You made everyone bake you brownies?
She raises an eyebrow and whacks me with her cane. “Miller, how many brownies have we gone through?”
He grimaces. “I lost count. Please come back, Jessica. She’s driving everyone crazy.”
I burst into another raspy laugh and shake my head. They’re just brownies. I don’t know what’s so special about them.
She frowns. “Just tell me you’ll return and make them again. Give Miller a list of what you need. I’ll make sure we have everything in stock.”
I shrug. Here, I thought you wanted me to visit because you wanted my company.
“Don’t be a wiseass!” she growls.
I wrinkle my nose and offer her a tender smile. Behind Alpha Agnus, I glimpse a piano in the corner of the room. I hesitate at first and then decide to look more closely. It is a baby grand piano, shiny black as if someone polishes it regularly.
With the pad of my index finger, I touch it.
But I feel guilty for leaving fingerprints so I wipe the smudge with the hem of my hoodie.
Sliding onto the bench, I lift the cover, revealing the piano keys.
A music book sits on the sheet holder. I thumb through the pages, and some of the music titles seem familiar.
Play something, Alpha Agnus urges in my head.
Play what?
Just close your eyes and play something. It will come.
I hover my fingers over the keys, and they begin to move. In my head, colors take shape in a kaleidoscope. Behind closed eyelids, a yellow-white light radiates from my heart through my fingers. With only a few notes of sound, I make music.
The song is slow and haunting at first and then softens. It matches the way I felt a few minutes ago—sad, worried, fearful, relief, and then acceptance. Even with so much uncertainty in my future, it will be okay. I will be okay.
I play the last few notes, ending the song. I open my eyes to look down at the keys and my fingers. Flipping my hands over again and again, I check. Are these really mine? I can’t believe I played. Where did that even come from?
The room is quiet. Everyone stares at me.
Oh, gods, am I in trouble? Why do I keep screwing up? I wait for the yelling, for the punishment. Instead, Shakti raises her hand over her mouth, and tears streak down her face. She slowly approaches me. I wince.
“That was beautiful!” she exclaims, resting her hands over her heart. “Can you play another one?” I hesitate, and she adds, “It’s okay. Give it a try. It’s okay if you play the same one. It was beautiful.”
I don’t want to disappoint her. Swallowing, I take a deep breath, close my eyes, and place my hands over the keys once more. and another song flows through me.
With the final notes still lingering in the air, I slowly open my eyes. Shakti stands between to Anders and the Alpha King. My parents, my chosen family.
The party lasts for a couple more hours before everyone slowly begins to depart. Alpha Agnus is the first, complaining that her old bones must endure a two-hour drive back to her territory. She makes arrangements with Shakti and Anders for my next visit to her territory then leaves.
Emily promises she will return to hang out often. Ean grunts. “You’re going to wish I kept her away longer. Trust me.”
I shake my head. I like Emily. She talks a lot, so much so that the twins don’t need to interpret for me at all, but she has charisma and charm. She makes Liam laugh.
He’s different around her, more social, and for the first time since I met him, I see a playful side to him as he teases Emily and banters with Ean and Charlie.
When the boys gang up on Elijah, Emily jumps in and basically hands them their asses.
I just met her, but, in my heart, I know she’s right.
I can already feel a bond between the two of us forming.
Anders approaches. “You’ll be okay. I won’t be very far, and I’ll see you regularly.
Besides, I haven’t forgotten about our pending discussion.
We’ll talk more later. For now, get acquainted with your new home and family.
” He pulls me into a quick hug. “Liam will check the perimeter. When he’s satisfied everything is in order, he’ll return to the training facility. Don’t run… Promise?”
I won’t go anywhere. I cross my heart.
“Good.” He squeezes me one last time before turning to leave.
Sodie hugs me next. He is the only one here tonight who doesn’t have family. I want him to know that I think of him as my family. I point to his chest and then my own.
He smiles. “Are you adopting me?” I squeeze his hand and nod. “Good. I already think of you as my family, too. See ya around.” He touches my chin before heading for the door.
Liam stands off to the side. He doesn’t move at first. Frowning, he scans the area and grabs my arm. “When you find your room, flick the light on three times so I know you’re okay and settled in for the rest of the night. There is no rush. Take your time.” Then, he disappears into the night.
Returning to the foyer, my new family waits for me. “Ready to see your new room?” Shakti asks.
“Tomorrow, we can give you the grand tour. You’re free to go wherever you please, and you can play the piano whenever you like. This is your home now. I want you to think of it as your own,” the Alpha King adds.
“You can call him by his name,” Jeremy offers. “You don’t have to call him the Alpha King,” he snickers.
I elbow him in the ribs. When we reach the top of the stairs, the Alpha King says, “It’s okay to call me Nathan.
In time, when you are comfortable, you can call us Mom and Dad, if you want.
” Glancing at my toes, I’m unsure how to respond to his kindness.
He puts his hand on my shoulder and make a gesture to follow Shakti.
Shakti indicates the various guest rooms as we pass down the hallway. She notes the twins’ bedrooms and Luke’s room on the opposite side. Then, she opens double doors to a room at the end of the hall.
“This used to be the boys’ playroom, but they’ve outgrown it and spend most of their time in their own rooms. I thought you might like it. It has better lighting and more space.”
I peek behind her. Large floor-to-ceiling windows frame the expansive territory beyond the grounds.
A hearth centers a sitting area, and a desk and series of bookshelves situate across the room.
Shakti walks farther into the room, and I follow her toward a huge canopy bed with lavender bedding and gauze curtains.
The furniture is white with an antiqued look. The desk and shelves match the décor.
“I wasn’t sure what color scheme you would like. I thought pink was too girly and blue too boyish so I chose purple. If you don’t like anything, we can always change it.”
I spin in a slow circle. I love everything about the room. It’s perfect. The small couch features a sage green fabric, with a matching chair. Above the hearth hangs a large flat-screen TV.
I notice the centerpiece on a coffee table. A rectangular planter holds succulents and sprigs of lavender. I smile. I love lavender, and purple has always been my favorite color. The green is a perfect combination. I pause at that thought...
“She loves it,” Justin says out loud.
“You nailed it, Mom. Apparently, lavender is her favorite,” Jeremy shares, picking up another pot with sprigs of lavender in it. “Is lavender a flower or a bush?” Everyone laughs at his question. “What? I’m serious.”
Shakti opens a door into a private bathroom with a walk-in shower, clawfoot bathtub, water closet, and double vanity. Why would I need two sinks?
Justin chuckles. “It’s just the way the bathroom layout was designed.”
“I noticed you liked the lavender and honey soap collection I got for you so I stuck to that. We can get you something else if you like,” Shakti says.
At the very entrance of the en-suite, where we passed double doors before entering the full bathroom, she pulls it open. It’s a walk-in closet, already stocked with some clothing, but not enough to fill it.
“I picked up some clothes for you, but I thought we could go into town one day soon and you can pick out your own. I think you might like some of the cute little boutiques there . If not, we can order anything online.”
She walks out of the closet and stands in front of the glass French doors and steps out onto a balcony. A small wrought-iron table with two chairs and a lounger face the beautiful vistas beyond.
“You can sit here and eat breakfast or study if you get too cooped up indoors.” When Shakti returns inside, she hits a button on the wall, which activates heavy drapes drawing closed.
“The curtains block out the light if you decide you want to sleep in during the day or just feel the need for privacy.” Pressing another button, she reopens the curtains.
“Anders told me you like to read. He gave me a list of books he thought you might like to start your own library collection. And the boys have an extra laptop and an iPod they don’t use, but I can get you your own. ”
I shake my head, overwhelmed by the room, by the items, by the care she put into it, all for me. This is more than enough. If I didn’t know better, I’d think I’m still in a coma and this is all a dream. This can’t be real.
Just when that nagging feeling that I don’t deserve any of this echoes in my head, Jeremy sets his arm over my shoulder and pinches me.
Ass! I slap him in the chest.
He grunts and laughs, rubbing where I made contact. “Did that feel like you’re in a coma?” he taunts.
“Jeremy! That wasn’t nice!”
Nathan laughs. “Shakti, leave them alone. It’s what siblings do. Besides, I think she can handle it.”
The twins stretch out on my bed and turn on the TV. Shakti and Nathan position in my sitting area and check in with me before they bidding me good night. This is more than I could ever want. Eventually, they wrangle the twins out of my room to give me some peace and let me settle in.
When everyone leaves, I remember Liam’s request. He left a long time ago. Running onto my balcony, I look for him, but little good that does. I can’t see anything. I listen intently, but I hear nothing. He may have gone, but I walk inside and flip the light switch three times.