My Enemy, My Mate

Chapter 19

My insides were churning as I walked up the driveway with Grey. He had insisted that he come with me to confront my Dad. We knew Paul would have told him by now and was just waiting for the wrath that was waiting. I honestly didn't know what to expect, but knew it wouldn't be good.

"You ok?" Grey asked as he squeezed my hand. I nodded meekly. My heart was pounding. Even Shay had abandoned me in my hour of need. I rolled my eyes at her - she knew what was up.

"Maybe you should wait outside for a minute..." I suggested, "I'll come out to get you if I need." I try to convince him. I know that seeing Grey will make him even more furious.

I can see from the look on his face that he doesn't like the idea, but he nods in agreement.

"If I hear any sort of yelling etc, I'm coming straight in." Grey adds sternly. I know this isn't optional.

"Ok." I agree before turning to him, trying to smile and heading inside.

I open the door and it is weirdly quiet. I can hear my footsteps on the creaky floorboard as I walk down the hallway and in to the kitchen. I see Mum standing in the kitchen, leaning over the sink. She doesn't appear to be washing any of the dishes but in thought. She looks at me with surprise when I drop my school bag on the floor by the table. Her eyes are red-rimmed and her cheeks are puffy.

"Oh, Willow!" She cries but doesn't move towards me.

"Mum?" I ask as I make my way around the kitchen bench, "What's wrong?" I ask hesitantly, not sure if I want to know.

She looks as if she is going to reply when the back door swings open and Dad storms inside the house. Followed closely by Paul.

Dad's face is hard and cold. It's as if his eyes don't even see me, they see right through me. A shiver runs down my spine.

"Oh you made it!" Dad says in a voice that sounds like a yell but isn't loud enough to actually be one.

"Hi." I reply quietly, shrinking my hands into the sleeves of my jumper nervously.

"So do you care to explain or should I just begin?" Dad spits the words at me. The only thing stopping me from retreating is the kitchen bench behind me.

"I don't know what to say..." I mutter, looking down at the floor. Mum turns her back, looking down at the bubbles in the sink again. She clearly knows that Dad is beyond mad. He has the crazy eyes that he usually only uses when he is raving mad. Paul and I had learnt to steer clear of Dad when he looks like this, but now I am the cause. There is no escaping.

"Well... shall I repeat what I have been told by Paul here?" Dad asks, his voice dripping with his patronizing tone. I glance at Paul and he flinches. That is not a good sign.

Dad continues and stomps around the table for added effect.

"Paul states that he was walking out to the side of the school to cool down after an incident with Goliath Pack students when he found you and the future Alpha of Goliath Pack, the boy I forbid you to see or speak to, and enemy of our pack. He skimmed the details of how he found you but it was definitely not how one would find school acquaintances!" He almost growls at me.

"He stops right in front of me. I could feel his breath on the top of my head. It was intimidating. Paul lowers his head from his position in the corner of the room.

"Were mates." I state quietly but confidently.

"Who the hell cares?!" Dad bellows. I swear I could almost hear the glass shake from his voice.

"I do!" I yell back. Dad's eyes turn red but I don't back down, "All I have heard is how amazing the mate bond is and what a gift it is. How you can never live without your true mate and that they make you a better person and a stronger wolf. Then, because my mate turns out to be someone you don't approve of or you expected, I am supposed to refuse my gift and everything that goes with it! How does that seem fair?" I am on a roll. I even begin to mimic my Dad's voice, "Willow, I would rather you lived an unhappy, unloved life, rather than with your gifted mate." I see Dad's fists begin to shake.

"That is enough!" Dad almost screams. My heart stops at the sound. Even Mum and Paul look afraid.

Dad's head snaps in the direction of the front door as the door opens and slams shut. I hear Grey's footsteps as he runs towards the kitchen.

He stops in the doorway, assessing the situation. His eyes immediately turn black when he sees my Dad's intimidating stance standing over me domineeringly. He runs and pulls me to his side protectively. I am all for women standing up for themselves and demanding their rights, but I felt an overwhelming sense of relief and comfort with Grey being there. His touch sending calming tingles along my arms and his scent relaxing me from the inside.

"Are you alright?" Grey asks me, concern etched across his face. I nod to him and squeeze his hand.

He turns to confront Dad.

"How dare you speak to my mate like that!" Grey growls. I hear Paul growl in response.

"She is my daughter!" Dad snaps back.

"That does not make it acceptable!" Grey responds angrily.

"What makes you think you can come into my house, in my pack territory and preach to me on how I speak to my daughter?!" Dad booms. Grey does not flinch.

Grey was about to respond as a large fist crunched into his jaw. His head shot to the side, knocking me into the kitchen bench. I felt the burn where my hip had smashed up against the stone benchtop. I would hate to imagine how Grey's jaw felt. Paul had jumped at him from across the room.

Grey regains his balance and runs at Paul. The two of them throw punches, push each other and knock things over as they fight through the kitchen and dining room. Mum can't even make herself look. I know there is no sense in trying to split the two as they would neither hear me or listen to me. Dad was smiling from his position behind the kitchen counter, watching as the future Alphas of the Goliath and Red Woods packs fight his battle. I find myself pitying him. He looked pathetic.

The boys stopped fighting when Grey had knocked one of Paul's teeth out. There was blood gushing out of his mouth.

Mum came over to tend to his wounds.

They both looked battered, but Paul was the only one covered in blood.

Grey walked back over to me to make sure I was OK. Dad's face turned ashen as he realized he had lost.

"Get out." Dad said quietly and calmly. I didn't know if i had even heard him correctly at first.

"What?" I asked.

"I said, get out!" He now yelled at me. I turned to Grey, shocked. I expected him to be angry but didn't expect him to kick me out.

"What do you mean?" I began to cry.

"I mean, get the hell out of this house and off of this territory! You are no daughter of the Red Woods Pack. Get the f**k out!" He yelled in a voice that was coolly calm, making it even more menacing.

"Where am I supposed to go?" I ask, my heart rate climbing as I stress.

"I don't care." Dad dismisses, as he turns to walk out of the door.

He stops in the door frame, "You have ten minutes to leave."

I turn to Grey, tears streaming down my face. He wraps his arm around me, trying his hardest to soothe me.

"You can come and stay with me." He whispers in my ear. A wave of relief goes through me before the new wave of anxiety. This is not how I expected my day to go when I woke up this morning.