Please read Max's POV on the situation in SuperNatural1985's one shot titled Broken Bonds.
I'd like to thank SuperNatural1985 for her amazing editing skills and for all her help and support! As she has already announced in her new story, The Way to Live, Max will be making appearances throughout this story as one more of the Pack. I encourage you to please read Max's original story in The Way In, also by SuperNatural1985.
*Kim will soon be introduced into SuperNatural1985's The Way to Live and was already featured in Struggling and Disastrous and It Begins.
Ch 14 Brothers and Sister
Kim's POV
I was having breakfast by the time Abbey called. I scrammed from the room, eager to get away from Reese's scent. Hopefully, I'd get used to it soon or this was going to become very awkward very fast. I went upstairs into my room for privacy, well, the best privacy I could have under the circumstances, and answered the phone.
To say that talking to Abbey was painful is an understatement. She was crying when I answered the phone and seconds later tears were pouring down my own face. I missed her, a lot. I could hear her sobs as she told me that she had known that something was very wrong at home but she hadn't known how to breach the subject with me, since I'd been so depressed in the weeks prior to my disappearance. She'd been concerned when I hadn't called her when I'd told her I would and had freaked when she'd called my mother who had told her I hadn't gone home. She had gone to the police and then had confronted my mother for not doing anything. She hadn't believed my mother when she told her that I had called her and said that I wasn't going back. So Abbey had thought that I'd been missing for a month and a half.
As I told her my story she didn't stop crying nor did she get angry. She was happy for me because I sounded happy. I have no idea how she could have known this since I cried for the entire phone call. I then told her everything I had not told her when I had lived in Holland, everything. I felt the need to do so because I was telling her such a big lie now and I would never be able to tell her the truth. It was a poor excuse, I knew I should have shared everything with her from the beginning like she had but she didn't get angry with me for this either. She was happy that she finally understood and that I had gotten away from my family. By the time we hung up, we were both still crying but out of joy now and we both made promises to keep in close contact. It wouldn't be the same but it was the best I could offer. Maybe one day soon we could see each other again.
I sat on my bed for a while, trying to calm myself down but I was just so happy. Abbey had forgiven me even though I had been such a terrible friend. I had lied to her about so many things and yet she forgave me. She was an amazing person and she proved it time and time and again. A true sister and a true friend.
A knock on the door interrupted my uncontainable tears and I quickly wiped them away as I got up to open the door. I had been expecting Tonio or Nick but behind the door stood Noah. He studied me for a moment, taking in my puffy red eyes that contrasted with the smile I had painted on my lips.
"Hey," he said tentatively. "Um, would you…er, like to go grab a coffee with me? Just into town so I can show you around a bit," he finished the last part quickly, as if anxious to get it out. My smile widened as he flushed slightly and I recognized the signs of evident shyness.
"Sure. I'd love to," I said, grinning as he suddenly looked relieved. "Just give me a sec." I ran back into my room, going into the bathroom and washed the tears from my face. I then went back out and followed Noah downstairs. "Don't you have classes today?" I asked as we walked down the downstairs hallway. I knew he worked as a part time security guard at the Sorrentino's company and also took classes at Columbia. Reese, on the other hand, worked at the company as did Nick and Antonio, of course, was the boss.
"Just a couple but in the afternoon. So I have all morning to show you around," he said and I shot a smile his way which he returned, seemingly more relaxed now. We stopped by Antonio's study to tell him that we were going out. Everyone else had already left for work and school while I'd been on the phone. Antonio sat at his desk with Max's dogs, Aiden and Brick, on the small couch. I patted them as Antonio told us to have fun but first gave me a hundred rules to memorize before we could leave. Safety rules. I guess most people hate it when parents do this, give rules for when they go out and such, but I filled with warmth at knowing that he cared so much that he actually wanted us safe.
Silence fell between Noah and me as he drove us to town and I had no idea how to break it. I didn't really know much about him or any of my other Pack brothers. Antonio just called Noah, Max and Reese my brothers instead of Pack brothers but I wasn't there yet. For me to consider them my brothers I would have to love them. I liked Reese and Noah a lot but I needed to get to know them first. Okay, I liked Reese way more than a lot, there was really no point in denying that anymore. Not to myself at least.
I smelt Noah's tension slide off of him in waves, His nervousness probably had more to do with the fact that I was a female werewolf rather than just female but I knew he wouldn't hurt me. He hadn't been able to control his physical reaction at our meeting but he had kept his wolf in check, so I trusted him with that.
In an attempt to break the silence, I asked him about his classes and his plans for the future. As he started talking, he slowly began to relax and I tried to be as talkative as possible, not a usual trait in me. Well, lately I had a lot of traits that hadn't been usual in me before the bite. For now, they were all for the best. By the time we got out of the car, I could no longer smell Noah's tension and he was talking animatedly. I smiled as I realized that he reminded me a lot of me. I had always been nervous around new people and I would normally have never taken the first step in a conversation, Abbey being the exception of course.
Noah spent the entire morning showing me around town and talking. Now that I had started him up there was no stopping him. He told me that he wanted to become a cop and since I knew little about that, other than what I knew from CSI and such, he spent quite some time telling me about it all. I was content to listen to him and asked a lot of questions which seemed to make him happy. We eventually moved from him to me and he asked me about my plans but I didn't have any. My parents had wanted me to be a doctor or a lawyer but none of those careers really called to me. When I mentioned my parents, Noah went quite for a moment and I felt his nervousness return.
"Kim, I didn't mean to but last night, I overheard Nick and Antonio talking about you and your…parents," he said softly, not looking at me. I stared at him, unsure of what to say or feel. I guess I felt slightly relieved. Noah had known about my family and my relationship with them and had still asked me out for coffee, well, coffee for him, tea for me.
"It's okay," I said, laying a hand on his arm, trying to convince him it really was okay. I wasn't angry. The fact that he had accepted me despite my family was just so relieving. Noah was a good person. Maybe I didn't need to love him to be able to call him my brother.
"No, it's… I shouldn't have. But I wanted to tell you that if you want to talk about it…," he trailed off, still not looking at me. I smiled despite the guy's obvious tension. He barely knew me and he was offering his shoulder for me to lean on. Tears prickled at my eyes but I held them back. "I've been through something similar…so maybe if you wanted to talk…" he said now, his tone doubtful that I would ever want to talk about this with him.
I pulled him to a stop on the sidewalk and stepped in front of him. I then did the strangest thing. I gave him a hug. He hesitated for a moment but then returned it willingly. His embrace muffled my thank you but I knew he heard it when he nodded against my shoulder. I loved hugs but the fact that I'd hugged him first surprised me. I barely knew him, even if that hadn't stopped me from hugging Antonio when we met. But he was a good person and had said that he'd been in a similar situation to my own. He'd shared that with me and offered his shoulder without asking for anything in return. I pulled away from him and stared into the eyes of my brother. I smiled and then took his hand to continue our walk. He seemed surprised by my action, hell, I was too, but he made no comment about it and grasped my hand firmly as we strode through town.
That afternoon, I began my training with Antonio. He didn't fight me directly, he hadn't throughout my entire training at Stonehaven, and so we just worked out. The following day, however, was another matter. I didn't fight Antonio but Noah.
Everyone in the household was in the training room. Noah and I faced each other in the centre of the room, the mats squeaking under our weight, as the rest watched us from the sidelines. I studied Noah, knowing exactly what I was up against. He had the same advantages as Nick had but Noah wasn't as tall, big or experienced as him. Still, I knew better than to underestimate him. Since Noah was only slightly taller than me, I knew what manoeuvre would be better suited for this. I just had to make sure Noah didn't see it coming.
We stared off and I watched his eyes, his lips, the twitch in his finger, everything, knowing that he would move first. I sure as hell wasn't. Without warning, Noah started circling just like Nick had in our fight but Noah wasn't as patient as Nick. As soon as we finished as full circle, he pounced. I danced out of the way and tried to grab me but I was too fast for him. I spun around him, the blow he sent my way only grazing me but I knew from the force that he was holding back some of his strength. He was going to regret that soon. I kept my eyes on Noah at all times as he tried to land a punch to no avail, completely ignoring our audience. I landed a few blows but only when I had a clear shot, otherwise I focused on avoiding his.
As the fight continued, Noah's blows gained more accuracy and strength and I had a harder time to dodge them, a few even made contact. As I sidestepped another of his punches, I saw him lose his momentum for a split second but that was all I needed. I spun around him and kicked him in the back of the knee, knowing that he wouldn't fall but that wasn't my goal. He quickly jumped up to face me and I took a few steps back, letting my face show a bit of doubt. Noah saw it and ran at me, preparing to tackle me. As his body started to come into contact with mine, my left hand shot out just below his right arm, grabbing his neck from behind, as my right hand grabbed his left arm just behind the elbow, squeezing the muscle there. Noah froze under my hold but I was far from done. I swung my left leg behind his and pivoted, pulling him to me and turning my body to the right, so I landed on top of him as we hit the floor. My hand that was holding his neck quickly grabbed his right wrist and the hand that was on the elbow grabbed the other one. Within seconds I had his hands pinned over his head as I straddled him.
Noah stared up at me, clearly surprised, but then his face broke into a smile which I returned. I got off of him as the applause started and I helped him up. Nick came over to Noah and thumped him on the back.
"Don't let it get to you, Noah. The girl's just too good for us," he said, giving me a wink. I flushed and turned to face Antonio. He came over to me and wrapped an arm around my waist. I tensed but didn't pull away. Antonio noticed and quickly pulled his arm away, but his smile didn't falter.
"That was an excellent butcher," he said and I grinned up at him. The butcher move would never have worked had Noah been much taller than me. I wouldn't have been able to reach his neck. I looked back at Noah to make sure that my beating him hadn't sat badly with him but he was laughing at something Nick had said.
"Are you prepared to get your ass kicked by her, Reese?" Nick asked. Reese just chuckled, shaking his head, and then grinned at me.
"I'll guess we'll find out soon," Reese said and I just blushed. There was no way in hell that I could beat Reese but I would have to give it a shot.
The day after Noah and I fought, I was walking out of Antonio's study, the wolf in a fury. I tried to calm her down to no avail. She was pissed and I could hear her growling in outrage at Antonio's words. Though she found his words understandable she didn't understand why the guys had to go about it like this.
I shook my head and made my way down the hall, brushing my slightly damp hair with my fingers. I'd had training earlier and I'd fought Nick again. I kicked his ass and took my revenge for the shoes and underwear. When I told Nick this, he just fell to the floor, rolling in laughter. Once I'd beaten him twice and he took me down once, if only because of my own fault, Antonio sent us to the showers and asked me to come see him when I was ready.
I followed the sound of the guys' laughter to the games room where I found Max and Noah playing a game that looked very familiar. Reese was there as well but the game was only two player I think. I stood by the doorway and watched the game again. I recognized the characters from Uncharted but I didn't recognize the arenas and the Uncharted games I'd played hadn't had two player mode. Must be the new one then. I watched as Noah was shot down by the oncoming attackers and Max went over to save him. I cringed as I saw the weapons they were carrying.
Reese spotted me by the door and smiled, beckoning me to him. I willingly obeyed. I sat down next to him on the sofa and watched the boys play. At first I thought they weren't very good because they kept getting killed but after a while I realized what the problem was.
"You have to find a defendable place," I said before I could stop myself. Noah and Max turned their gaze to me, looking confused and then Max looked slightly angry. I felt Reese's gaze on me too but I kept my gaze fixed on Noah. "You guys can't fight off the waves of attackers from where you are. It's too open and the G-MALS you're carrying may be accurate but they're really slow. I'd stick with AK-47s, unless you have M9s then grab those, they're more accurate. Do you mind?" I asked Noah, putting my hand out. He smiled and handed over his controller. Max immediately put his down and crossed his arms, clearly not happy with the situation. I heard Reese growl beside me, but I ignored them all. Men.
Noah took Max's controller and I helped him find the kind of place I had been talking about in the arena we were in. I also changed the weapon to an AK-47. As soon as we found an adequate site, I told him where to stand and then placed myself behind him, facing the other way, so we were covering all the possible entries to the site we'd chosen. We passed the arena on the first try.
"You play video games?" I heard from the doorway and looked over to see Nick grinning. I flushed and nodded.
"Yeah, my, um, stepfather liked to play a lot. We had a lot of games but Uncharted was one of my favourites," I said softly, looking at the floor in front of me. Video games had been a good way for me to distract myself and to let off some of my anger by killing the enemy. Reese chuckled beside me and laid his hand on my thigh.
"Well, then, thank god you came. They've been at it for a while. It was starting to get boring to watch them die and die again," Reese said and I smiled up at him.
"Come on, guys," Nick called as he left the room, "I'm leaving in five minutes." Just then the doorbell rang and Max quickly got up to get the door. Antonio had said that a friend of Max's was coming over, so I'd be with Antonio while the others went out for their Saturday night fuck mission. Noah quickly got up as well and started making his way out of the room. He stopped by the doorway and looked over at Reese who was looking at the television as if it was very interesting at that precise moment. Max had turned it off so…
"Reese? Aren't you coming?" Noah asked from the door. Reese looked over at him but I kept my eyes glued to the floor. My wolf was yelling at me to intervene, to tell Reese to stay, but I shut her up. There was nothing I could do to avoid Reese leaving. Suddenly, I heard Noah's footsteps retreating but Reese hadn't moved from beside me.
"Aren't you going?" I asked softly, trying desperately not to sound hopeful as I looked up at him. He smiled and shook his head, making my insides flip-flop. I had to remind myself that he was my brother.
"I'd much rather spend some time with you," he grinned and I turned away, flushing. He preferred to spend time with me instead of going out for sex? What the hell was wrong with him? I looked back at him, shaking my head.
"No. You should—" I started to say but he laid a finger over my mouth, shutting me up instantly.
"I want to stay here, Kim," he said and then removed his finger from my lips. I sat there shock still as he studied me for a moment. "What were you planning on doing tonight?" It took me a moment to find my voice and even longer to actually speak.
"Um, I was going to, er, watch a movie with Antonio," I said. He nodded, grinning.
"You mind if I join you?" he asked and I just shook my head, not trusting myself to speak. "I'll go tell Tonio then. I'll see you in the theatre room." Again, I just nodded and he took off out of the room. I was slow to follow, my thoughts and feelings swirling inside of me like a tornado.
I have no idea what the hell is wrong with Reese. I mean, what kind of guy would put me before sex? Maybe he just felt like he should be spending more time with me, although we already spent a lot together. I probably should have tried harder to convince him to leave but he had taken me by surprise with his touch, leaving my absolutely speechless. I suddenly felt stupid for my ridiculous feelings towards him, after all, only an idiot would have fallen for a guy she barely knew and I had fallen within the day after meeting him.
Antonio had asked me to go to his study to tell me what the guys' plan for the evening was. They were going to pick up girls. He hadn't said it like that but I'd gotten the gist. Max would be staying home with his friend Addison and Antonio and I would be spending some time together. The wolf hadn't liked knowing that Reese was going to go get laid but the human understood it. Men had needs as did women, but I had yet to find the right guy with whom I was willing to fulfil those needs. The wolf growled something about having already found him but I ignored her.
I was so wrapped up in my thoughts and trying to get the wolf under control, who was purring with happiness that Reese was staying, that I didn't notice that someone was already in the theatre room until it was too late. I opened the door to find Max making out with a guy I guessed was his friend, or supposed to be. They didn't notice me and I quickly stepped back to get out of the room but I hit my foot against the door. They both turned at the sound and Max looked at me with an expression filled with alarm and rage.
"S-sorry," I said and spun around, moving fast. As I walked away from the theatre room, I heard Addison ask Max who I was and then asked him where he was going. I quickened my pace when I realized Max was following me. I walked into the living room and turned around to face him. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to intrude," I said softly but holding his gaze all the same. He glared at me.
"Whatever, just don't tell dad, okay?" he said forcefully. I frowned at him. Didn't Antonio know that his son was gay or that his friend was more than just a friend?
"Um, okay," I said. He didn't really deserve me to cover for him but he was quite anxious right now. He studied me for a moment, surprise lighting his eyes slightly, and then nodded before turning and leaving. I walked over to the sofa and sat down. Why didn't Antonio know that his son was gay? Why was Max hiding it? Was Antonio intolerant or something? That didn't seem likely but then maybe I didn't know Antonio as well as I thought.
"Kim, what are you doing here?" I heard Reese say as he walked into the room. He sat down beside me, taking my hand in his, and I felt his gaze on me.
"Max and his friend are using the theatre room," I said softly. He said nothing. I turned to look at him and found him studying me with a slight frown, his question clearly written on his face. "Doesn't Antonio know that Max is gay?" Surprise crossed his face before a smile broke through and he chuckled, giving my hand a squeeze.
"Of course, he does. But why do you ask?" he asked now, his smile fading. I told him what happened and his smile returned. "Antonio knows that Max is gay but he doesn't let him date which is why he and Addison just say they're friends. Tonio doesn't want Max to be hurt by Addison in case he regresses." I nodded, remembering that Antonio had said that Max's problems had been much worse before. I didn't know what he meant exactly but apparently, it hadn't been good.
"But if Addison hurts Max and he regresses then what—"
"Addison won't hurt Max. They're mates," he said, turning away from me for the first time. I nodded even if he wasn't looking at me and turned to face the television, leaning back against the sofa. Wolves mated for life but Addison wasn't a werewolf, so that didn't mean he couldn't hurt Max, right? Even if Max was treating me like crap that didn't mean I wanted him hurt. Those kinds of things have a bad habit of boomeranging right back. "So what do you want to watch? Antonio said we could start watching the movie without him because he still had a lot of work to do," he said, intruding into my thoughts.
He got up, letting go of my hand, and went over to the DVD shelf. Although most of the movies were in the theatre room, the Sorrentinos still had a few dozen movies here in the living room. "Whatever you want," I said, looking over at him. He gave me a look I couldn't interpret.
"Don't worry about Max, Kim. He'll be alright, I promise," he said but I just nodded. He sighed and went back to browsing through the movies, eventually picking one and putting into the DVD player. Reese sat down beside me as the opening credits appeared and I chuckled. He looked at me with a questioning look, taking my hand again, but I just shook my head.
"You want me to cry?" I chuckled, keeping my gaze locked with his.
"You cry with Pearl Harbour?" he asked with a raised eyebrow and amusement in his voice. I nodded and he went to get up but I pulled him back down. Normally, I would have been horrified at having to told someone that I cried with a movie, showing them my weaknesses, but I didn't seem to care right then.
"I don't mind. It's one of my favourites," I said. He grinned at me and, still holding my hand, leaned against me. I froze as his body came into contact with mine. I took a deep breath, letting his scent surround and fill me, and then relaxed. This was one of the times that his scent calmed me and didn't risk giving me heart failure.
We watched the movie in silence, just how I liked it. I hated when people started talking during the movie, commenting on this and that. The first time that I'd watched this movie, I cried for about a quarter of an hour before I finally calmed down. Abbey, who had watched the movie with me, reacted in much the same way. Once we'd calmed down, we laughed at our own silliness and the movie soon become one of our favourites, being one of the many strings that held us together.
As the movie progressed, Reese and I silently changed positions, slowly getting closer and closer together until he was propped up against the armrest and I was practically laying on top of him. I had my head resting against his chest just below his chin, with my back leaning against his muscled chest as his arms encompassed me and laid over my belly, still holding my hands in his. I knew I should have felt uncomfortable. I mean, it's not like I hadn't been this close with a guy before but it was different. Reese was different and the wolf was helping me. She was allowing me to understand Pack bonds better which was why I had taken Noah's hand the other day.
Like I knew I would, I cried at the end of the movie when one of the protagonists died. Even though I had my back to him, he somehow knew I was crying before I did and wiped away my tears with one hand, still holding on to mine with his other. I was suddenly very grateful for the physical closeness that Pack bonds allowed us to have. As the ending credits rolled, I went to untangle myself from Reese before I fell asleep on him, lulled in by his scent and warmth, but he held me tight. He turned the TV off with the remote, leaving the room in darkness. We didn't say a word as we lay there but I eventually fell asleep, his breathing the soundtrack in the background.
I awoke with strong arms holding me and it took me a moment, and a good whiff, to remember who was holding me. I froze for a moment, unsure if Reese would have been okay with this. I had fallen asleep with him, hell, practically on top of him, something I had never done with any guy before. But I relaxed as I heard his slow breathing. After all, he had been the one to capture me in his arms, not the other way around.
Light streamed through the window and I looked over at the clock to see that it was 9 A.M. A few weeks ago, I would have been appalled for Antonio or anyone else to have seen me so close with someone. Hell, I was still a little anxious when Antonio or Nick hugged me in front of the guys, but I just couldn't bring myself to care right then. I slowly and carefully tried to extract myself from Reese's firm grip without waking him. I was almost free when he jumped up, grabbing my wrist in a death grip until he saw who it was and quickly let go.
"Sorry," he said softly, rubbing his eyes, trying to shake off sleep. I muttered that it was okay and quickly got up, shyness returning now that he was awake that was quickly turning into awkwardness. I walked from the room and went straight to the kitchen, trying to fix the mess of a hair I knew I had. I had barely reached for the cereal when Reese came in. "What's wrong, Kim?" he asked as he strode over to me but kept his distance. "I didn't mean to grab you like that. It's just that the wolf makes us be on constant alert and I wasn't expecting to wake up with…," he trailed off but I just shook my head. I understood the reasons behind his hold. Sometimes when I'd woken up with Antonio beside back at Stonehaven and I'd woken him up, he had reacted in much the same way. I didn't look up at Reese but I knew I should probably explain some of my weirdness so he didn't think badly of me, or too badly. After all, he already knew what kind of parents I had.
"It's not that. I'm just not used to so much physical closeness. I know its okay and all but with my parents… Well, they weren't very keen on the whole hugs and kisses thing," I said, talking to the counter. Reese stepped forward and took my hand in his, the gesture already becoming familiar between us. With his other hand he took my chin and lifted it so I was looking at him.
"Then you better get used to it because I'm not going to let you go back to them," he said. I stared at him as I saw the protectiveness in his eyes and my heart filled with warmth.
"You still have a family?" I heard from the door way and I looked over at Max who had a furious look in his eyes.
"Um, yes," I said reluctantly. The anger in his eyes flared. Reese growled at him but Max didn't even look at him.
"Tell me, how selfish are you that you aren't satisfied with just one family that you need to come here and take mine away from me?" he asked harshly. I stared at him disbelievingly just as anger shot through me. This guy had no idea what he was talking about. He had no idea what my family was like or what it felt like to live with them. To spend every second of your day feeling completely lonely, despite the fact that you were surrounded by people. I wanted to stand up for myself, to say something, but Reese spoke first.
"Don't talk to her like that," he growled and let go of my hand. Max turned his angry glare on him and I saw the wolf peek out.
"She shouldn't be here, Reese. She already has a family. She should be with them where she belongs," Max growled back. I couldn't keep quiet any longer.
"Don't talk about things you don't understand," I said lowly but firmly. He didn't understand, he couldn't. He returned his glare to me and the wolf was clearly visible now. I smelt Reese's anger which only flared the one building in me.
"Oh, I understand perfectly. You're a selfish bitch that—" he was cut off as Reese tackled him, sending them both to the ground. I stood where I was, horrified as I watched the scene before me. I watched as Max and Reese exchange kicks and punches but I just stood there, dumbfounded. I couldn't believe what I was seeing. They were Pack brothers, a bond stronger than any other they had and ever would. They shouldn't be fighting. This was all my fault.
"Reese!" I cried as Reese pinned Max, jabbing his elbow into his throat, "Let him go!" But he didn't listen. I watched as Max jerked in pain but Reese didn't let go. I saw his mouth moving as he talked to Max under him but I wasn't listening. I ran towards them and tackled Reese in the way Clay had taught me to, turning at the exact moment so I could land on top of him. I straddled him, grabbing his wrists and forcing them over his head like I had with Noah the other day.
Reese struggled under me but I held him tight and pressed my knees against his sides. He winced with pain and I saw the wolf bright in his eyes. I held his gaze as he stared up at me and in a blink of an eye he stopped moving. He closed his eyes, taking deep, slow breaths, and when he opened them, the wolf was under control. I relaxed my grip on his wrist and he immediately brought his hand to my face. I froze and my breath caught but his touch was gentle and I caught a tender look in his eyes.
"Thank you," he said softly. I nodded and quickly got off of him. I looked over at Max and found him sitting where Reese had left him, rubbing his hand against his throat, and tears falling down his face.
"Max," I said as I neared him. He glared at me despite his tears and got up shakily.
"Stay away," he whispered in a strained voice. I stared at him. Clay had done the same hold on me during my training but I had never been hurt like that. Suddenly, the door flew open and Antonio came in. He took one look at us, taking in everything, from Max holding his throat to the tears I hadn't noticed that had fallen down my face to Reese's split lip. You didn't need to be Einstein to add two plus two together and know what happened here. The question was why.
"What happened?" he asked softly but I heard the authority behind his tone. He grazed us all with his gaze and I looked away when it fell on me. "Max?" he growled. I looked up to see him move towards Max, who managed a strained whisper of something that sounded like 'can't talk'. Antonio frowned, growling softly, and turned to me and Reese. "Kim?" he said now but in a lighter tone. Tears fell down my face still but I couldn't hold them back.
"It's my fault, Antonio," Reese said suddenly. Antonio's eyes turned to Reese and I mentally winced as I saw the anger in them. "Max was insulting Kim about things that he doesn't understand and I just…" he trailed off as Antonio turned his glare on Max now. He seemed to stop himself from yelling though and brushed a hand through his hair, thinking.
"Princess, go to your room please," he said gently. I shook my head. Antonio sighed and said, "Go to your room, Kim." He said it gently again but the note of authority could not be mistaken. The wolf felt the weight of the older wolf's order and pushed me to obey. I walked past Antonio and Max and out the room without looking back.
As soon as I reached my room, I ran to the bathroom and jumped into the boiling hot shower. I tried to calm myself, only somewhat succeeding. I was just so shocked by what I had just witnessed. I knew Reese was protective of me, well, so was everyone else in this house except for Max, but I would never have thought that he was capable of fighting his brother. I needed to fix this. I could not have brothers brawling over me like this; it was just so selfish on my behalf. I would have to try and find a way to fix things with Max, even if I just managed for him to tolerate me somewhat. If I couldn't though then I would move back to Stonehaven. I would not stay here knowing that I was not wanted and causing altercations between brothers.
I got out of the shower once I'd decided to try to get Max to accept me. It wasn't an easy decision. I had never gone out of my way to try and get along with someone. I hadn't seen the point since everyone had always seemed to have made up their minds about me before getting to know me. I was trying to think of a way to get Max to talk to me after everything that had happened this morning when a knock came at the door.
"Just a sec," I called as I quickly pulled my jeans and top on. I would be going on a run soon with the guys and I knew they would eventually see my body, but that didn't mean I was any less conscious of it. I might like the body I had now, hell, maybe even they would too, but I still felt uncomfortable with it. A lesson engrained into my brain after years of torture I guess. Once I was decent, I called my visitor in. Reese. He looked slightly defeated but I could tell that he was trying to hide it. Antonio must have chewed him out for hurting Max then. I went over to him and took his hand in mine, the first time I made the first move and not him. I probably should have been freaked by his show of violence from before but I was strangely at ease. I suspect the wolf had something to do with this. "You okay?" I asked. He nodded but said nothing. "Come on," I said, dragging him out of my room and, pointing to his split lip, adding, "Let's get that cleaned up."
As I cleaned Reese's lip, he told me that Tonio had taken Max to the doctor. I nodded but didn't comment. I'd ask Antonio about it later. However, there was something I wanted to talk about with Reese but I had no idea how to approach the subject.
"I'm sorry," he said suddenly. I shook my head, saying it was okay, but he cut me off with a growl. "No, it's not okay, Kim. I shouldn't have lost my temper. Max is my brother and he doesn't understand, so I should have just tried to explain but…" He sighed as he brushed a hand through his hair in a very Antonio-like gesture. Silence fell between us as I put the first aid kit away. I heard him get up behind me and then felt him take my hand in his. He led me from the downstairs bathroom and took me to the kitchen, where he proceeded to make me breakfast, completely ignoring my complaints about being able to get my own breakfast.
"I wanted to ask you something," I said softly as he sat down beside me with the plates of bacon and eggs in his hands. He nodded, giving me permission to ask away, but I hesitated. Maybe he wouldn't want to talk about it with me. Who was I after all? I had no right to pry into his life.
"Ask me anything you want, Kim," he said when he realized that I wasn't going to speak. I bit my lip, wondering how to say it.
"It's just that, um, Max said that I still had my family," I started, emphasizing the 'still'. Reese nodded but I saw comprehension dawn on him. His eyes grew cold suddenly but he kept his expression neutral.
"My parents are dead and none of us really have parents that are alive anyway," he whispered but I could hear the pain in his voice. As if by instinct, I took his hand in mine and told him to forget it, that he didn't have to tell me. He nodded and gave me a light squeeze before turning his attention to his food. I studied him for a moment more, looking for anger in case I'd ignited it with my question, but I just found sadness.
We ate breakfast in silence and I couldn't help but wonder what had happened to Noah's parents as well as Reese's. Noah had said that he had suffered something similar to me; maybe I should talk to him about it. By the time Antonio and Max got home, we had almost finished breakfast. Antonio announced that Max's voice box had been re-damaged and I saw Reese cringe. He immediately got up and walked over to Max, asking if they could talk. Max nodded and they left the kitchen. Antonio walked over to me and embraced me.
"I'm sorry about all that, sweetheart," he whispered. I nodded against his chest, not really certain of what I was supposed to say but decided on clearing my doubts.
"Why is Max's voice box re-damaged?" I asked as I pulled away from him. Antonio hesitated slightly but then told me the story. Earlier in the year, there was an incident with a few mutts and Max had been strangled, injuring his voice for months. When I asked what had happened exactly, Antonio refused to answer. I accepted this, knowing that if it were important, he'd tell me.
I eventually left the kitchen and went to play the piano. I needed to clear my thoughts. Max had been attacked while under Pack protection and he was injured, which means that even if I have the Pack's protection something could still happen to me. Antonio had said that the attackers had been dealt with and I knew that most mutts knew that attacking the Pack was suicidal but still. Turner had gone against the Pack and had bitten and killed four girls before me. The Pack wasn't almighty, I could still get hurt or attacked or kidnapped. I wonder if Turner knew I was alive. If he did, would he be suicidal enough to try and get me? He had been in love with the girl he had bitten and killed which then set him off to bite five more girls, including me, that looked like her. His love for the girl probably drove him to insanity when she died, meaning he probably was capable of coming here now. The thought didn't scare me, I felt too protected at the moment to be afraid, but I knew it was still a possibility.
Antonio's POV
I listened to Kim's piano and it instantly soothed me. I knew she was probably playing away her stress from the day's events but her music was so gentle, so calming, that you would never have known that she had witnessed two werewolves wrestling in the middle if the kitchen. Or that she'd just found out that the Pack wasn't as safe as we had let her believe. She needed to know this though; we could not let her fall into a false sense of security.
I had anticipated a fight between Reese and Max but I never thought that Reese would be the one to initiate it. When I'd spoken to him alone, he'd admitted what I already suspected. His protectiveness of Kim overrode everything else, making him lose control of his wolf. Still, I gave him hell for hurting Max, who will now be almost voiceless for about a month before he gets better. I had taken him to a trusted doctor that we pay well enough that he doesn't ask any questions. I chewed him out for what happened as well, though Reese held most of the responsibility for being the oldest and for starting it. Max had not only insulted her but had touched a delicate subject. Reese had of course exploded.
I told Max that Kim's situation at home had not been good, that she had been unhappy. He didn't relent on his arguments of her going back to her family until I told him that they hit her. Only then did he seem to understand that maybe she was better off here. I didn't care if it had only been when she disrespected them or broke their rules. I didn't care if in a grand total they only hit her three times, though I knew it was more than that. For me, one smack was abuse. End of story.
I sighed as I brought my hands up to my head; the sound of Kim's playing still filling the air. Last night she had slept with Reese on the couch. It shouldn't have surprised me really. They were really close despite the fact that they had known each other for just less than a week. And yet, even after last night, Kim didn't seem to realize what had happened or what was happening between them. Hell, Reese has apparently given up sex for her. He was already her mate even though she hadn't realized it or recognized it yet. He was hers.
When I'd asked Noah if he wanted to show Kim around town, the first thing he did was look at Reese, seeking his permission first. Kim wasn't technically his; this was just the wolf in us. Noah had really taken to Kim. When they got back from town, they had been laughing and talking animatedly together. Hard to believe when she spent most of her first day in the house crying her heart out, but her tears had filled me with joy. They had been tears of happiness, after all.
I hated to finally know some of the reasons behind her actions, though I'd already suspected them. Her parents, well, her mother and stepfather. They had hit her but not much she had said. I didn't care. Just knowing that they hurt her sent waves of fury through me. Reese had been unable to control his anger, which was why he'd left the music room when he found out someone had hit his mate.
I smiled as the sounds of the piano disappeared and the ones of a Spanish guitar started up. She wasn't as practiced with the guitar as she was with the piano but she was still very good. She'd mentioned that she knew how to play a bit of guitar during our stay at Stonehaven and I hadn't doubted in getting it when we set up her music room. I didn't regret it either when I saw her face of happiness when she saw the room. I filled with warmth at knowing that I had caused that happiness.
There was only one thing, or person to be exact, that could dampen her happiness. Max. How I was going to fix this or get him to accept her as Pack, I had no idea. For now though, I would be patient and see if they could work it out themselves. After all, Max was now speechless so I hoped that meant less trouble on his behalf. But should he continue to try to make her life difficult, I would have no choice but to send him to Stonehaven until he wised up. I was afraid that this might cause him to regress, but I would do it if it ever came to that. Kim still had a lot to learn and to accept before she could ever be truly happy and Max was not going to make that easy for her. I can only hope that they worked it out before I was forced to separate them.