Chapter 10 - Fluent Drunk-A-Nese

Nyla was thankful to Paul and his mom. She'd slept a good amount and then had dinner with him, his mom Katherine and his little sister Samara. They kept Nyla in smiles as they all ate and laughed. Katherine had been telling stories about the trouble Paul and Jared used to get into when they were younger. As Paul and Nyla were heading out the door, Katherine stopped Nyla and hugged her tightly as she softly kissed her forehead. Paul smirked as he leaned down and kissed his mom's cheek.

They started to leave again, when Samara's high pitch squeal stopped them. They looked back and noticed she was standing looked at Paul with her hands on her hips with tons of authority. Paul chuckled as he squatted down to her level as she ran and jumped into his arms. "You promised you'd read me a story Paul."

Paul stood up with her in his arms. "How about I put you to bed, and after I drop off Nyla I'll come back and well do a story then?" Samara nodded as Paul looked at Nyla. "I'll be right back."

Nyla smiled softly. "Take your time."

Katherine wrapped her arm around Nyla's waist. "I'm so glad Paul met you Nyla. You seem to be exceptionally good for him. His temper hasn't been as bad since you've been seeing each other for the last few months. He's always needed help with his temper."

Nyla looked at Katherine. "Why is Paul's temper so bad?"

Katherine sighed heavily. "Paul doesn't like to talk about it. Last year Paul's father and I had been fighting a lot, more than normal. Suddenly the fighting wasn't just arguing, it started getting physical. One night Paul came home and watched as his father backhanded me and I fell through a glass coffee table that we used to have. I didn't realize how much our fighting had effected Paul. Something inside of him snapped and suddenly he started hitting his own father. Broken bones and a severe concussion later, and I was signing divorce papers, Paul's father signed over full custody of Paul and Samara to me and Paul was threatening his dad if he ever came around again he was going to kill him."

Nyla was completely astonish and speechless all in wrapped up in one. "I'm so sorry Katherine. I had no idea. Paul never talks about his dad. I guess I know why now."

"Because he's not worth talking about." A tight lipped voice sneered.

Katherine and Nyla looked over to see Paul standing in the hallway, his hands clenched into fists at his side. Nyla frowned and watched as Paul walked over and looked as if the scowl was permanently etched on his beautiful face. "You really didn't need to tell her that shit mom."

Katherine shook her head as she gripped Paul's chin between her index finger and thumb as she tilted his head so her eyes locked with her sons. "You can hide your past from her. You can't hide your past, present or future from anyone. And if you try you'll only end up letting the guilt of hiding it eat a hole in you." Somehow Nyla couldn't help but wonder if there was a hidden meaning behind her words.

Paul shook of his mom's touch as he let a deep sigh escape through his nose and took Nyla's hand; he spared a last look at his mom. "I'll be back in about ten minutes. I'm just taking Nyla home. Then I'll be back to read Samara a story." He knew his mom was trying to get him to understand he needed to tell Nyla about him being a wolf, but he just hadn't been ready yet. Things were going so good between them he didn't want to jeopardize them. Her brother told him when he was ready they'd be there to help her understand.

Paul lead Nyla out of the house and into the truck. Once they got on the road Nyla noticed Paul's hand on the steering wheel and his knuckles were turning white. He had been really upset that his mom had told her that stuff, it was personal to Paul. Nyla moved over as she reached out and touched his hand on the wheel.

Paul snapped out of his pissed off thoughts when his imprint touched his hand. He literally wanted to rip the steering wheel off and fling it like a Frisbee. But figured doing that would definitely freak out Nyla and then he really would have to tell her.

"Paul don't be mad at your mom...please. You don't ever tell me much about yourself from before I met you, it was nice hearing something so personal even if you didn't want me to hear it."

"She should NOT have to you any of that!" He snapped; immediately regretting it when he saw Nyla flinch out of the corner of his eye. Paul pulled into Nyla's driveway and parked the truck.

Paul turned to Nyla as he grabbed both her hands in his. "I'm sorry. I'm not mad at you. I'm not even mad at my mom. I'm just pissed about the whole situation. I'm scared too. I don't ever want to be so angry that I attack someone and don't remember it. Nyla I beat the shit out of my mentor. The man I looked up to from birth to the age of fifteen. I beat him within an inch of his life and I don't remember a single second of it. All I can remember is walking into the house and watching my dad backhand my mom, and she lost her balance and her body fell through the glass table as it shattered. Her mouth was bloody and he had tiny cuts all over her arms, hands and legs. I never could've thought my father would ever lay a hand on my mother, my sister or me in anger. But he did. And I couldn't stop myself. I don't know what scares me worse, the fact that I didn't want to stop or the fact that if Jared hadn't showed up and pulled me off my father, I don't know if I would've stopped."

Of course he left out the part where he had phased for the first time that night. That was a different story for a different night.

Nyla frowned as she moved around and sat on her feet as she cupped Paul's cheeks in her hands. "Paul it was a single moment in your life. It doesn't define who you are. It only proves that no matter what happens in life you'll always protect those who mean the most to you in your life. And it only proves to me that being with you is the only option in my life right now that I can trust fully."

Of course she omitted any particulars about her mother's drinking, but knew she'd have to tell him eventually. She just determined it wouldn't be tonight.

Nyla leaned down and brushed her lips against Paul's softly, his arms went around her as he held onto her tightly as if she was going to disappear any second. She kissed Paul's lips once more as she sighed softly. "I better get inside. I don't want to keep you from Samara's story time. I'll see you in the morning for school."

Paul nodded. "Absolutely." He watched as she got out of the truck and went inside before he backed out and took off home.

Nyla walked into the house and could hear the TV blaring again. GREAT her mother was drinking again. Apparently her weekend hangover hadn't been painful enough.

"Nyla." A voice slurred out obnoxiously. "Nyla...Are you home?"

Nyla rolled her eyes as she put on her fake smile again and walked into the living room. "Hey Momma." Nyla took note of all the empty wine and hard liquor bottles that were just sitting on the floor and the wine glass casually hanging from her mother's hand.

"Where have you been? Your father called and I warned you once before when he calls I don't want to have to talk to him. I ignored his call five times before I finally picked up the damn phone to tell him not to call anymore and do you know what he told me?" Her mother's words were slurred but she could still understand fluent drunk-a-nese. Kind of like Chinese only drunk-a-nese was spoken by true drunks who could barely speak the English language when soused.

"No momma what did he say?" Nyla questioned trying not to provoke her mom who had a TERRIBLE attitude when she drank.

"No momma what did he say?" Her mother mocked her nastily. "He informed me that he is getting married. To his assistant Charlotte and he would like you, Brady, Collin and Calvin to fly back to New York for the wedding. He also wanted me to let you know you and your brother are going to have a new sibling arriving in a few short months."

Nyla rolled her eyes as she moved and started picking up the empty bottles around the living room.

"STOP CLEANING THIS HOUSE NYLA! JUST LEAVE IT BE! IF YOU AND YOUR UNGRATEFUL BROTHERS WANT TO GO BACK AND WATCH YOUR BASTARD FATHER GET RE-MARRIED THAN BY ALL MEANS GO!"

"Mom what in the world are y-..." Before the rest of the question could leave Nyla's mouth her mother swung her arm back and caught the right side of her face and a sickening backhanded slap echoed off the walls of the house.

"GET OUT OF MY HOUSE!"

Nyla just stared at her mother in shock and awe. When she didn't move, her mother grabbed her ponytail and drug her through the house and threw her out the front door and down the steps. She felt her head snap forward when the back of it came in contact with one of the steps.

Blackness consumed her.