Authors: Edugardo Gilbert X
Lennox wraps his
arm around my waist just as they stop and the doors open. I watch a
tall man with white blonde hair get out. He turns to me and I gasp,
my hands flying to cover my mouth.
*********
The Meeting
I know just by
looking at the man in front of me, that he's my father. My hair, my
eyes, my skin tone, my square chin, my lips. It's me if I were a
man. I chuckle as he comes closer; I'm stunned seeing my features
on such a rough looking man. How can I look so dainty while he
looks so manly? It's amusing. I see him crack a smile.
"You're
definitely my daughter." He says in awe.
I nod and he
holds his arms open. I spring forward, wrapping my arms around his
waist hugging him tightly as my tears fall. I hear sobbing and
another set of arms wrap around me. I turn to see a woman with
light brown curly hair and green eyes.
"I missed you so
much, baby girl. I've never stopped loving and missing
you."
"Mom?" I
ask.
She closes her
eyes and nods her head. I move my arms to hug her as well and she
crushes me to her. I notice we are the same height but that's our
only physical similarity.
"I'm never
letting you go." She says batting at a pair of hands I think are my
father's. I laugh and she cries harder.
"Jen, the others
would like to say hello."
She doesn't pull
away and I can't help but laugh. My mom is very funny.
"Jenna-"
"Shut up, Travis!
Give me a minute!" She snaps.
I turn to see him
trying to smother a smile. When she finally pulls back, she brings
her hand up to my face looking over my features. "You're so
beautiful. Even when you were first born, you were
stunning."
I blush.
"Thanks."
"Has Lennox been
taking good care of you? Just tell me if he steps out of line and
I'll have your father fix him." She smiles sending a wink over my
shoulder to Lennox.
I laugh in
response and I hear a girl's voice yell. "Okay, introductions
please! I have things to do today." Mom rolls her eyes and turns to
the girl.
"Jocelyn, this is
Rachel, your half-sister." She doesn't move so I smile and wave at
her. She has short dark blonde hair in a bob style and brown eyes,
she's tall and beautiful.
"Hey, sis." Two
very tall, lanky boys say rushing forward hugging me.
I smile. "You two
must be Josh and Jason."
The one with a
mole by his left eye smiles. "Guilty, I'm Jason." I nod. "That's
Josh." He points. Both have short curly brown hair and green eyes
like our mom.
"It's nice to
meet you two." I reply.
Next in line is
the guy almost as big as my father, this must be my half-brother.
He holds out his hand. "Travis junior, but you can call me T." He
says. I smile and shake his hand. He resembles our father but the
coloring is off. He has auburn hair and light grey eyes.
"Jocelyn." I
reply.
"I'm Jessica." I
feel arms wrap around me from the side and the girl starts jumping
excitedly with me in her arms.
"Hi, Jessica." I
giggle.
"We're the same
size! We can share clothes and everything!" I nod hugging her back
happily. We pull away and I see she looks exactly like our mother.
"You look so much like dad!" She yells looking back at our
father.
I nod, agreeing
with her and I feel Lennox's hands come around my waist and pull me
to his chest.
"Ugh, can we go
now?" Rachel whines and dad snaps at her.
"Enough,
Rachel!"
"Oh, it's okay.
I'm ready." I say.
Everyone starts
making their way to the cars and the twins grab our bags. Lennox
tugs me back and turns me around to face him. He looks me over
making sure I'm okay.
"I'm fine." I say
reassuring him.
"Let me know if
it becomes too much."
"I will." I say
and we continue to the vehicles. My mom and dad are the only ones
that waited for us. We get in the back seat and close the
doors.
My mom turns in
her seat. "I can't believe you're actually home." She gushes
happily. "I never thought this would happen." She whispers and
starts crying loudly.
I don't know what
to say that will make her feel better. I look up at Lennox
helplessly.
"There's nothing
you can do. She'll stop eventually." He replies smirking down at
me.
I'm really
starting to love those smirks. I turn back to my mom who is now
hiccupping and trying to control them.
"Jen, stop.
You're going to make yourself sick." Dad says smiling at
her.
She turns back to
me. "Tell me everything about you."
"Umm, well, I
like to eat, my favorite color is red. I don't know. I'm pretty
quiet and boring." I shrug.
"The people that
raised you, were they kind to you?"
"Yes, they were
typical parents. I'll still consider Marta my sister. She's my best
friend."
"Thank God for
that. What hobbies do you have?"
"I love art and
building things. My-" I hesitate before I continue. "The man I
considered my grandfather taught me carpentry. I would stay with
him almost every weekend working on projects."
"That's why you
chose those electives." Lennox states, understanding dawning on
him.
"Yeah, I didn't
get them though."
"I didn't want
you in those classes." He admits.
Confused I ask,
"Why not?"
"I didn't want
you to hurt yourself in woodshop and I don't like the man teaching
art."
"Alphas!" Mom
snorts. "Don't worry, it will get better with time." She tells me
reassuringly. "I remember when I was pregnant with you Travis
wouldn't even let me walk up or down the stairs."
"You're clumsy.
It was a precaution." Dad responds defensively.
"So that's where
I get it then?" I ask laughing.
"Don't worry, you
and I aren't alone, Jess can barely walk a straight line without
tripping." Mom jokes.
I watch as we
drive through a wide open wrought iron gate. It's a lot like our
pack. Nice middle class houses and a park for kids, a few little
stores and a couple of restaurants. I don't know why I keep
expecting this to look familiar, I was only a day old when I was
taken.
"When's my
birthday?" I ask quietly.
"September
twentieth." Mom answers.
We pull into a
long driveway surrounded by trees. I see a big brick house come
into view.
"Welcome home,
Jocelyn." Dad smiles at me in the rear-view mirror.
"Thanks. It's
good to be back." He stops the car and we all get out.
The twins come
out scratching their heads. "Where do we put the bags? In her old
room?" Josh asks and Jason adds, "She could probably still fit in
her crib." He teases smiling at me.
"Put them in the
first guest room on the second floor." Mom replies
laughing.
They kept my old
room? I'm touched that they would keep it.
"We'll redo your
old room however you want it." Mom says, reassuringly.
I smile. This is
really like a homecoming; they want me as a part of their family.
Walking inside, I take a deep breath wanting to remember what home
smells like. I smell chocolate chip cookies.
"Brenda's baking
again." Dad says smiling. Looking at me he explains, "Brenda is T’s
mate. She's pregnant and is always craving sweets."
"Our house always
smells like a bakery." Mom chuckles. "Come meet her."
"Lennox, why
don't you come with me? Alpha Briggs will be here shortly." Dad
says.
Lennox kisses my
head. "Come find me if you need me." I nod and follow my
mom.
Alpha Lennox
Hall
I watch her until
she disappears into the kitchen.
"You're lucky you
mated her before I had a say in any of this. I want her to stay
here for the next eighteen years. I feel cheated." He
jokes.
"That's not
happening." I tell him walking behind him into his
office.
"How long do I
get to keep her?" He inquires.
"Depends. What's
the plan regarding the Rhys?"
"Contact Alpha
Brett Rhys, tell him if he doesn't hand over his father he'll have
us on his doorstep."
"Brett challenged
me for Jocelyn, he wants her back. He even killed his Beta for
letting the family leave his territory."
"He's no
challenge for you. It doesn't change the fact I'll openly declare
war on his pack, completely decimating it if he doesn't comply." He
replies seriously, rubbing his knuckles.
"Jocelyn believes
he'll give him up. That the two aren't close."
"She's probably
right. He won't want to lose his position over his
father."
There's a knock
and the door opens to reveal Alpha Andrew Briggs. He's a year older
than me and a few inches shorter, yet he's a force to be reckoned
with. He's brutal in a fight and someone you always want on your
side. I know Travis had hopes for him and Rachel, but I've heard
him refuse the possibility of a courtship outright. Rachel is a
high-maintenance bitch that no one wants a part of.
"So, you've found
the long lost Griffin daughter?" Andrew asks coming in.
"Yeah, now we're
planning a fight." I reply.
He nods. "I'm
in."
Travis laughs. "I
didn't doubt it." He states and Travis fills him in on the
details.
Just as he
finishes, the door opens and shuts quickly, then locks. I look at a
very flustered looking Jocelyn with pigtails, a black headband,
wearing a blue and white school girl uniform, complete with white
stockings that stop right where the skirt ends and black 'fuck me
heels.' My mouth is watering.
"I'm not going
back out there. I love my little sister, but I'm not trying on
another idea for a Halloween costume." She explains her eyes wide
and traumatized.
Travis throws
back his head laughing. "What the hell are you supposed to be?" He
asks clearly entertained.
"A girl from a
movie, Sucker Punch, I think she said." She walks closer but jumps
when there's a knock on the door and runs to me, diving into my
arms, hiding in front of my body. I instinctively wrap my arms
around her.
"Dad, is Jocelyn
in there?" Jessica asks through the door.
"No, honey. We're
in a meeting." Travis yells back.
"It's okay, babe.
I won't let that mean little girl get you." I whisper in her
ear.
"You can't say no
to her. If you do, she looks at you like you just kicked her
puppy." She grumbles sitting next to me.
"Jessica is
notorious for that. Don't let it fool you, she's a master at
manipulation." Travis chuckles.
She groans. "Are
you kidding me?! I went through seven wardrobe changes and five
hair styles and you're telling me she was playing me the whole
time?"
"That's exactly
what I'm telling you."
"Wow, you should
use her to torture criminals." She mutters.
"Honey! Lunch is
ready!" Jenna yells.
**************
I'm burning
that poster
“
Okay, let's eat. Jenna hates waiting."
We stand up and I
notice another man in the room. Instinctively I know he's an Alpha
so I don't address him and keep my eyes averted. Lennox pulls me to
his side and we walk out of the room and see a very angry Jessica
coming towards us.
"I knew it! Dad,
you lied!" She accuses stomping our way.
He laughs. "Leave
her alone, Jess. She's not your doll."
"I know that. I'm
trying to figure out our Halloween costumes." She huffs.
"Halloween is
still over two months away." Dad says exasperated.
"I don't know how
long she'll be here and we need to figure it out before she leaves.
Right, Jocelyn?"
"Um,
yes?"
"Just decide and
tell her." Dad responds.
"Fine." She
mutters and we walk to the kitchen.
We walk in and
the twins and two other guys, around Lennox's age turn, and watch
us. I hate being the center of attention and the way I'm dressed
right now isn't exactly making me feel comfortable.
"What are you
wearing?" Jason asks chuckling.
"Are you supposed
to be the Sucker Punch girl?" Josh questions laughing.
"Jokes on you,
pervert. Don't you have that poster in your bedroom?" Jessica asks
smirking.
Josh gets a
disgusted look on his face and Jason laughs. "Oh, sick! I'm burning
that poster."
"She does look a
lot like that chick." One of the guys says. "Good job,
Jess."