My Hidden Wolf

Chapter Nineteen

Emily P.O.V

        I lay in the bath for about an hour until the water was almost cold. Sam didn't leave me alone for even a second. He helped me out of the bath and then wrapped a soft fluffy towel around me. I didn't need his support to stand or walk now but he stayed close in case I needed him. I dried myself off and clambered into bed. My stomach growled loudly.

        "You must be really hungry." Sam said.

        "I suppose, I haven't eaten since lunch."

        "I'll go get you something." He dashed out of the room.

        A short while later Sam came back with a plate stacked high with sandwiches, which made me smile.

        "Not going to make anything else one day?" I teased him.

        "Maybe but you do love my sandwiches."

        "That is very true." And I love you too I thought to myself. I wasn't ready to tell him just yet tough.

        He sat down on the bed next to me and offered me a sandwich before taking one for himself. We ate in comfortable silence, both too hungry to talk and also tired from the evenings events. Once all the sandwiches were gone Sam put the plate on the nightstand and we snuggled down under the covers and went to sleep.

        The next morning I woke up late to find Sam fully dressed in a dark blue suit, laptop on his outstretched legs and phone in his hand working away.

        "Morning." I murmured sleepily.

        "Morning Princess, how are you feeling?"

        "Like I've been hit by a truck." He chuckled at that.

        "It does get easier. Mum and dad should be here soon. Why don't you take a quick shower and get dressed."

        "That sounds like a good idea." I got out of bed, forgetting that I hadn't put any pyjamas on last night. I could feel Sam's eyes on me but I wasn't that fussed. He had already seen everything anyway. I had a quick shower making sure to keep my hair as dry as possible. Sam was re-focused on his work when I came out. I picked a comfy looking t-shirt dress to wear and put my hair up in a pony tail.

        "That looks good on you Princess." Sam came up behind me, wrapping his arms around my waist and resting his chin on my shoulder.

        "Thank you." I turned in his arms and placed a soft kiss on his cheek.

        "Should we head down, get some breakfast?"

        "That sound like a plan."

        He gathered up his laptop, put his phone in his pocket and took my hand as we headed out of the room and down the stairs to the kitchen. He put his laptop down on the counter and opened the fridge, grabbing the apple juice.

        "What would you like? I can make cereal, cereal and cereal." He smirked at me and I laughed at him.

        "Cereal is great. No milk though please."

        "Coming right up." He pulled two bowls out of the cupboard and grabbed the box of Coco Pops. He grabbed a couple of spoons from the drawer and we sat down at the table and ate.

        Just as we finished our breakfast Kyle walked into the kitchen carrying a small carrier bag.

        "Got the test and your parents have just pulled up." Kyle said quickly.

        "Good, put that somewhere they won't find it. Did you hear back from Thomas?" Sam spoke with a tone of authority in his voice.

        "Yeah, he said he'd get William from school and then come straight here."

        "Does he know why I've asked him to came?"

        "All I said was that it was to do with Jefferson."

        There was a knock on the front door. Sam got up and answered it while Kyle hid the bag holding the DNA test and I cleared our cereal bowls. Sam walked back in followed by Steven and Stacey. I sat back down at the table and Kyle leaned against the island looking rather awkward and uncomfortable.

        "Why don't you sit down. I'll make some tea." Sam put the kettle on which soon boiled. "Tea Princess?"

        "No thank you Sam." I was fidgeting with my hands under the table where no one could see.

        "Here you go Kyle." He handed Kyle a steaming mug and the brought over a couple of mugs and put them down in front of his parents who had sat down opposite me. They looked nervous. Sam grabbed his own mug and sat down next to me. Taking my hand under the table he gave it a reassuring squeeze before speaking.

        "I think that there's some things that you've neglected to tell us." His voice was stern. "Things about Charles Jefferson and Emily's mother, Claire."

        "Ah, yes, I suppose I should have told you sooner." Steven spoke and Stacey looked somewhere between guilty and ashamed. "When Claire, your mother Emily, came to the pack she was already pregnant, about six months along if I remember correctly. She didn't say where she came from or who the baby's father was, but I knew who she was, that she was Charles Jefferson's daughter. The one who he had forced into marriage when she was just sixteen. Thomas Richardson was shocked when he found out how old she was but it was too late, the contracts had been signed. He treated her well and didn't force her to do anything that she didn't want to do." He took a breath and sipped his tea.

        "We knew that if her father found out that she had left Thomas, he would look for her and punish her. So we kept quiet, pretended that we didn't know who she really was. That was the main reason you were raised by your grandparents, away from the pack. To keep you hidden from Jefferson. We knew that he would try to take you away if he knew you existed." Stacey now spoke, looking me in the eyes.

        "So Thomas Richardson is my biological father, William is my older brother, Charles Jefferson is my grandfather and he's after me to force me into a marriage like he did my mother." I spoke what was going through my mind.

        "Yes that is all true but we won't let him near you sweetheart. It's probably why your parents left you, to keep you safe." Stacey's voice was soft but determined.

        "Thomas and William are coming later. As far as we know they don't know who Emily is to them but Thomas did meet Emily yesterday so he might have an inkling." Sam spoke, his voice less stern than before. "When I told Emily and Kyle what Thomas had told me in our meeting yesterday, Emily figured things out very quickly." He squeezed my hand again.

The room fell into silence as everyone drank their tea. Kyle hadn't said a word, just leant against the island sipping his tea, watching us talk. Sam still seemed slightly annoyed that his parents hadn't told him any of this before and I was just relieved to know the truth but also terrified that the truth meant that Charles Jefferson, my grandfather was really after me.

        "We should get going. I'm sorry that we didn't tell you sooner but please keep us in the look." Steven broke the silence, standing up. Stacey stood up as well and gave me a gentle smile.

        "Anything we can do to help just let us know."

        "Thanks mum. We'll keep you in the loop, could you let Chris know what's going on as well. I know he's very fond of Emily."

        "Will do. See you soon kiddo, Emily." Steven led Stacey out of the kitchen followed by Kyle who showed them out of the house.

        Sam got up, collected the used mugs and put them in the dishwasher before picking up his laptop and coming back over to me, taking my hand in his.

        "You okay Princess?"

        "Yeah, I just need some time to think. I'll come find you if I need you," I pulled my hand free from his. He looked a little disappointed but quickly hid it.

        "Okay, I'll be in my office, don't go too far."

        I gave him a small smile. He placed a gentle kiss on my forehead and left the kitchen. I went up to my room, although it was more our room now. Sam had only spent two nights in his own bed since I had arrived and one of those I was with him. I grabbed my phone and headphones and went back downstairs and outside to the wooden gazebo. I liked it out in the garden. The garden was fairly large. There was a large lawn surrounded by flower beds in full bloom. A pond sat under a small grove of Japanese Maple trees. The gazebo had a beautiful Wisteria growing up and over the roof. The back of the house had dark pink roses climbing up the walls and there were lots of pots on the patio. I put my headphones on and played my music. I hoped William wasn't too worried about me not being in school today but he would find out why later. Sam must be worried about me as I spotted Kyle pottering about with the pots on the patio but he kept looking in my direction. I closed my eyes and let my thoughts drift.

        After a couple of hours I wanted to be close to Sam. I didn't know why but I just did. So I slid my headphones to my neck and made my way back to the house past Kyle who was now watering all of the pots. I gave him a knowing smile as I passed and he just shrugged as if to say 'can you blame him'. I'm sure I would be the same if our roles were reversed. I headed thought the kitchen and down the hall to Sam's office. The door was closed so I knocked on ti.

        "Come in." His voice came from inside.

        I went in, closing the door behind me. When I turned to face him he was already standing and when he saw my face he hurried around his desk and pulled me into his arms. I burst into tears. Sobbing into his solid chest. He didn't say anything, just held me tightly and stoked my hair. We stood like that until I had no more tears left to cry. He put his hand under my chin and made me look up at him. He kissed my forehead, then both of my cheeks before wiping away the last few tears leaving my eyes.