The lonely rogue

Welcome to the family

I woke feeling the most rested I had for a very long time and sat up in the bed. I stretched, testing my body. I was stiff everywhere, but the pain wasn't as bad. I took in my surroundings and saw Jaime-Lou sleeping on the floor next to the bed, she had a small blanket over her, and was using what looked like a jacket balled up under her head as a pillow. I guessed that I was in her bed which made me feel guilty. "Rylie?" I tried calling my Wolf, but got no answer. strange. I got out of bed quietly, hoping to find a bathroom, goddess only knows how desperately I needed to find one. I looked around the small room, there were three doors. I knew one would lead out of the room, but I wasn't sure I was brave enough to venture out on my own yet. I tried one door, it was a tiny little closet with a handful of clothes inside. I shut it again and tried the door next to it. Yes, it was a bathroom. I went inside, quietly shutting the door behind me and locking it. instinct told me to wedge a chair under the handle, but there wasn't one in here,just a toilet and a sink. I used the toilet, then stepped up to the sink. I washed my hands and face as best as I could, then I looked at myself in the mirror. I had yellowing bruises all over my face and little scars where cuts had been. I looked a mess. I took out my hair band and tried getting out the tangles with my fingers, but that was useless so I just scooped it all up into a very messy bun on top of my head. I quietly opened the bathroom door and headed back to the bedroom. when I got there Jaime-Lou was gone. I saw her little blanket folded up on a chair, but no other sign that she had even been here. I wasn't sure what to do now, so I just sat on the bed thinking about everything that Jaime-Lou had told me last night. Why had she and her brothers been watching me all this time? Who was this Tungi? "Rylie?" I tried contacting my Wolf again, but she still wasn't responding. I hope she's OK, what if she never comes back to me? I would be lost without my Wolf.

The door opened, making me panic until I saw Jaime-Lou walk through holding a tray of food. "Good morning sugar." She beamed at me. I'm not sure why, but every time Jaime-Lou smiled I relaxed more, she was like a breath of fresh air. "Thought you might be hungry so I grabbed us both some breakfast" She said placing a tray full of food on the bed. The smell made my mouth water, I hadn't eaten properly for a very long time. She had two of everything on the tray. Scrambled eggs, bacon, pancakes, waffles, toast and juice. "I wasn't sure what you liked, so I got everything. Tuck in." She laughed. I watched as she put one of everything onto a plate for herself, then I followed. I took a bite of the egg, it was divine. A small moan escaped my mouth as I savoured the taste, making me blush. "Sorry" I quietly said between a mouthful of food. Jaime-Lou just giggled, "You go girl. Enjoy every bite. I can't imagine that last time you ate a decent meal." I smiled then literally gorged myself on the remaining food. I washed it down with an ice cold glass of orange juice, feeling fuller than I had ever done. As I finished there was a light tap on the door, followed by a big smiling face poking around the door. "Knock knock" said the man as he pushed the door open and stepped inside the room. "Robbie!" Jaime-Lou shouted, "You can't go letting yourself into a ladies room like that, we could have been naked!" He grinned again, "Sorry sis. I brought the things for our little friend you asked for" He nodded in my direction, then placed a box on the end of the bed. Jaime-Lou sighed and rolled her eyes. "Gwen, this halfwit is my baby brother Robbie" I smiled at Robbie as he stood at the end of the bed waving enthusiastically at me. "I sent him to get you some fresh clothes and toiletries. I can't imagine you would want to stay in what you are wearing, or not wearing should I say." She laughed again. I looked down only just remembering that I was only in my underwear, which was currently covered in blood and dirt. I tried covering my body as much as I could with my hands, feeling very self-conscious about Robbie looking at me. "Robbie, please leave so I can help Gwen" Jaime-Lou ordered. Robbie smirked and left the room. "I'm sorry, my brother doesn't always think, but I promise you he is harmless. We all are." Jaime-Lou smiled. She handed me a robe, grabbed the box and lead me out of her room into a shower room next door. She helped me clean myself up and wash my hair, then helped me into some fresh clothes and de-tangled my hair. "There now" she smiled, "You look good as new" I looked at myself in the mirror. I was wearing a long sleeved white shirt, some black jeans and some black boots. "Thank you Jaime-Lou" I smiled weakly at her, "this means a lot to me." "Hush now" She said, giving me a hug "This is what family do, and you are now a part of our family."

After I had brushed my teeth, we headed back to Jaime-Lous bedroom to drop of the box, then she took my hand and squeezed it. "I'm going to take you to meet everyone now." I felt the panicked expression on my face. "Don't worry. we're only a small community and everyone is really nice and friendly. You've been our concern for so long now that everyone is dying to meet you." "what do you mean I've been a concern to everyone?" I asked feeling panic rising. Jaime-Lou just pulled on my hand, "come on" She laughed.

she pulled me along the corridor into what looked like a makeshift living room and dinning area, I could see about a dozen people sat around chatting to each other in the living room and a few more sat in the dinning area eating. Jaime-Lou gave a little cough, "Everyone, I'd like you all to meet Gwen, Gwen, meet everyone." I stood nervously as every set of eyes turned and starred at me. There was silence for about three seconds before everyone stood, coming up to greet me. A lady aged around forty was the first to reach me, "Gwen, we're so happy to finally meet you, we have been waiting for you for so long." She pulled me into a hug, which I returned awkwardly. "Um, hi" was all I could say before another set of arms wrapped around me, then another, then another and so on until I think everyone in the room had hugged me. I was feeling a bit overwhelmed with all of the attention, but I could feel the sincerity in all of their hugs. I finally felt welcomed and wanted. I couldn't help a few stray tears falling and tried my hardest to hide them. The lady that had hugged me first came back to me and put a protective arm around my shoulders, she looked at everyone else that was still stood around me. "OK, OK everyone relax, this must all be very scary for Gwen, we'll let her settle in and then she can get to know you all when she is ready." Everyone nodded and smiled at me, before returning to what they were doing before I came in. The lady wiped my eye's and looked at me kindly. "I'm Sarah, I'm kind of like the mother of this lot." I looked around at all the people with a surprised look on my face, "You're all of theirs mother?" I asked in awe. Sarah and Jaime-Lou both laughed, "No my love, I just take on the role of mother. This lot would run riot if I didn't keep them under control" Sarah said nodding her head towards everyone. I smiled politely feeling really stupid at my question. "Jaime, why don't you take Gwen over to meet your brothers" Sarah suggested. Jaime-Lou took my hand and pulled to the dinning are, I could see Robbie sat down with another boy next to him, who I assumed was the other brother. "Robbie, why are you eating like you're starving? Slow down and show some manners" Jaime-Lou snapped. "sorry" Robbie mumbled with a mouthful of food."Hi again Gwen" Robbie smiled with food everywhere., I couldn't help but laugh, I had the feeling Robbie might be a bit of a handful. Jaime-Lou pointed at the other boy, "And this brooding mysterious thing is my older brother Gabe" Gabe lifted his eyes towards me and gave a small nod of acknowledgement. He didn't appear to be as friendly as Robbie, he put me a bit on edge. Jaime-Lou rolled her eyes at Gabe, "Come on Gwen, I'll take you on a tour" She said. We left the living are and stepped back into the corridor. We turned left and walked down a little bit, "This is where the unmated males sleep" She said, pointing to a row of doors, then she pulled me back up past the living area and carried on walking, "This is the male and female showers", she pointed at the shower room we went in earlier, and a door next to it, then she pointed down the corridor "This is the unmated female rooms, as you know you slept in mine last night, and we're going to fix one up for you in a bit. Mated couples are on the floor above as is Tungi. Tungi has a wing to herself, she only comes out when she is needed." I nodded, trying to remember everything "Where is this place?" I asked, "It used to be an old care home, but it fell into disrepair and was abandoned. This area is fine though, so we have stayed here for a few years. it's quite nice putting down roots, even if it is only temporary. " She told me. I looked at her, the question must be evident on my face, as she answered it before I asked, "Usually we travel around. never stay in one place too long as we normally get the blame for s**t the bad rogues do. Since you showed up on our radar we have stayed and settled here. easier to get to you when you need us. As you're with us now, I imagine we'll be moving on again soon well, whenever Tungi decides it's time." This was so much that I had to learn, when would they be moving and would I be going with them? "And yes, you will be coming with us, you are family now" Jaime-Lou whispered in my ear. How does she answer my questions before I ask them? Jaime-Lou smiled and said, "you'll find out soon sugar, don't you worry."