Before my dad can answer, the doorbell rings and we all share a look. I sigh when I realize I’m closest to the door and make my way over, looking through the peephole to see how it is. Once I see the man that I recognize from the pictures Elder Collins showed us, I freeze, realizing that we were all in danger. I slowly lock the door, hoping that he wasn’t paying attention enough to hear it.
I tiptoe back to the kitchen, holding my finger up to my lips to tell my family to be quiet when I see them again. Once I realize that they realize that they need to be quiet while also silently freaking out, I move my finger, looking around to make sure all the windows were covered with curtains.
Okay, we need to be quiet. There’s someone outside that’s dangerous and if he gets in the house, we’ll be in danger. No one can make a noise because then they’ll know we’re here, I whisper to them and they all nod as I motion to Emilie to hand me her phone.
I go through her contacts to find Joey’s name before hitting the ‘call’ button as I motion at them again to stay quiet as the phone rings. On the fourth ring, he picks up. Hey, Emilie, everything alright ?
Joey, it’s me. Reece Sutter is outside our front door right now and you need to get here because we’re all terrified, I whisper to him as loud as I can so he could hear me and I immediately hear Joey start to say thing to the people around him.
Are you okay ? He asks.
I’m scared, I whisper.
We’re on our way, we’ll be there as fast as we can. What I need you to do is make the least amount of noise possible and try to get upstairs to the farthest room away, just in case they get into the house, he tells me and I can hear him moving around over the phone.
Hurry, I whisper to him.
I love you, Kade, he tells me.
I look up at my family, who are now on the same side of the table to hold each other in a group hug. I love you too.
I notice the small smile Mom has on her face before she runs her hands up-and-down her daughter’s back, who looks completely terrified. I hang up the phone, putting it in my pocket as I motion for my family to follow me as I move towards the stairs, making sure they know to continue to be as quiet as they can be. When we successfully get up the stairs, I thank whatever’s up there for making this a new house without any creaky floor boards.
The doorbell rings again and Dad has to quickly reach over to cover Emilie’s mouth as she cries out when it startles her. I grab my sister’s hand as we tiptoe through the upstairs hallway to my room, which happens to be the farthest room from the stairs. I slowly turn the knob and open it, but once I do, I see that my window’s been opened and I realize that someone’s already in the house.
Dad reaches out and grabs my shoulder to pull me back once he also sees the open window and we rush into Emilie’s room, which is right next to mine that doesn’t look to be tampered with. We shove into the closet that’s big enough for all of us to hide in before closing the door, hoping for Joey to get here as fast as he can.
We all sit on the floor in a tiny circle as we hold hands with each other as my mom bows her head to pray along with my dad while Emilie’s head lays on my shoulder as she bites down on her lip to not cry out in fear. Mom looks up at me, squeezing my hand in hers to get my attention.
Who is it ? She whispers as quiet as she can be.
Rogue, I whisper to her, clearing her face of all confusion while Dad and Emilie give me a confused look, but we all freeze when we hear footsteps in the hallway. I reach over to cover Emilie’s mouth in case she freaks out even more than she was right now. I kiss the side of her head to silently tell her that we were going to be okay.
I lightly set my ear against the closet door to help myself hear what was going outside the door. Someone clears their throat as the footsteps stop. We believe they were here because the food was still warm, but we haven’t seen them since we got inside.
I bite my lip when Emilie’s door creaks open and I tighten my grip on Emilie because if she even moved at this point, they would know where we were. Mom’s hand tightened on my free one as we heard someone looking around Emilie’s room and I just hope that they don’t even notice the closet door.
We hear a hand come down on the doorknob of the closet and I squeeze my eyes shut as tears start to come into them. Everyone freezes, trying not to move even an inch as the doorknob starts to turn while someone laugh in the next room. All of a sudden, we hear a huge bang and the doorknob is released as screaming starts to happen.
The White Water Pack ! Someone yells as we hear people running throughout the house. My hand leaves Emilie’s house as my head falls to my chest in relief, knowing that Joey was finally here with perfect timing because if he was just five minutes late, we could’ve been dead. Everyone in the closet sighs as tears start to free flow down my face.
We sit there for a few minutes as we hear yells and growls from downstairs before everything goes quiet. I don’t want to leave yet, just in case something else is going on and we just don’t know it. We hear more footsteps on the stairs and I put my hand over Emilie’s mouth again because we had no idea who this even was.
We hear my door open before it goes silent for a few seconds before Emilie’s door opens and my hand tightens on her mouth again as her eyes squeeze shut as she tries to ignore everything that’s going on. Someone’s hand goes onto the doorknob again and we all freeze once again as it starts to turn.
It swings open and we all gasp when we see my beautiful man standing there with a look horror on his face until he sees that we’re in there. He pulls all of us up from the ground before pulling me separately into a hug, kissing the side of my head. You’re all okay. I have some of my guards on the way and we’re going to take all of your to one of our guest houses for the night just to be safe.
Joey backs away to grab Emilie into our hug as Mom and Dad hold each other. We both hold my sister as she continues to cry against my chest as I kiss the top of her head. Dad separates from his wife before coming over to Joey as he separates from me. I hold Emilie as I watch my dad shake my boyfriend’s hand.
I’d really like to apologize, so I’m so sorry for all that’s happened within the past few days. I would love to accept you into my family, but it’ll take time for me for multiple reasons, but I’m going to try, Dad says and Mom comes over to me, giving me a soft smile before kissing my cheek.
That’s all I can ask for, Mr. Brooks, thank you, Joey says, clapping my father on the back.
My father shakes his head. Call me Brody, Mr. Brooks is too official for me. You’re going to be my son after all I’ve learned these past few nights, so let’s start to act that way.
Joey smiles. Of course, Brody.
Okay, all this lovey-dovey stuff is great, but I’m stressed and I want to sleep, can we go do that ? Emilie asks as she wipes her eyes with her sleeve.
Joey nods. Yes, everyone pack a bag and be downstairs in 15 minutes. My guys are still searching the house for anything else that we need to be alerted about, so don’t be alarmed if you see some random guy searching around.
Mom steps forward to give Joey a hug, making my heart flutter at seeing them react together. My mother kisses his cheek before moving back into her husband’s arms. We all move to our separate rooms to start packing a bag and when we get into my room, I turn to look at Joey who now looks a little nervous. I stand there for a few seconds as I try to clear my mind from everything that just happened and just focus on him.
I know you’re confused and you have every right to be, I tell him as I reach down to hold his hands in mine. but my dad gave me an ultimatum.
He gives me a confused look. What was it ?
I had to choose between you and him. He told me that he was going to work through the fact that I’m gay, but he couldn’t work through the fact that you were a werewolf, so he told me that if I chose you, I had to move out and his and I’s relationship would forever be ruined and I felt like if I did that it would also ruin my mom, Emilie, and my relationship as well, I tell him and he nods his head, leaning down to give me a kiss on the cheek.