Fated Mates: The Fae

Ronan: Chapter Five

Ronan

You know that feeling of relief when you get home after being gone for so long? I always used to feel that way any time I got home from being at The Bayou.

When I was a pup, The Bayou always sounded like a cool place to go to. I always thought of the alligators and snakes and the swampy water.

But really, the bayou in Louisiana was all just a glamour for humans. The Fae took over the swamplands I don't know how many years ago and built cities straight smack dab in the middle of them. Not that they kept the water or anything like that.

But they used a fair amount of magic to keep it concealed from humans. There were still alligators but only in the dungeons they kept for the prisoners. And the pets they used to deter humans from getting too close.

But for the most part, the marshes and everything were fake.

The other four Fae Realms were located in different places in the United States. The Grand Canyon held the biggest Fae city in the world. The glamours around it made it look vast and empty but it wasn't. It was bigger than New York and all of its boroughs.

Then there was the one at Yellowstone. That one was much smaller. The place was still an attraction but the glamours were weaved around it and controlled by the Fae.

Central Park in New York was one. The Fae there had trouble keeping hidden since many humans traversed the land, but for the most part, they were still a secret. And then there was Niagra Falls.

That one was hidden beneath the water. I had always wanted to go there but my Dad said it was too far away to visit. It was a good thing my Realm was so close to home though.

Because I came to realize at an early age to hate it and craved to be home.

I walked into the house, sighing in relief, my tense muscles relaxing after the long car ride home. I dropped my duffel bag full of dirty laundry by the front door and made my way straight to the kitchen, looking for food.

We ate on the road, but I found myself getting hungrier more often since I discovered how to use my Fae elements with my wolf.

It seemed to have opened some sort of door in my mind that made wielding my powers as simple as breathing. But took up so much energy as well. Which made me hungry, even when I wasn't wielding my elements.

I paused in the doorway as I noticed my mom sitting at the breakfast bar, a burrito halfway to her mouth.

My muscles bunched right back up and Lux reared to the forefront of my mind as my aura spilled out of me at the sight of her. This had been happening now since the week before I went back to The Bayou.

Mom and I couldn't be in the same room without our wolves trying to come out and tear each other to pieces. Usually, I would have run around the island to hug her because I missed her but this time I knew I couldn't.

She dropped her burrito onto her plate and bared her teeth as a low growl built up in her chest. Her eyes flickered between both of her wolves as they fought for dominance and Lux growled back.

There was no softness to her features or even any type of love as she glared holes into my head. It hurt so bad, but I knew this happened. Wyatt hated being around Alpha Matthew before they came to an understanding that Wyatt would take over. And now, before I had even turned eighteen, it was happening to me.

But this seemed much worse than Wyatt described and I only had to guess that it was because my mom had two dominant, female wolves that were violent even on their best days.

"Get out." Her voice came out warped with the voices of her wolves and her own all thrown in the mix.

I grit my teeth as I force Lux to retreat, keeping my back to the wall so that she can't attack me from behind.

As soon as I'm out of her eyesight I growl as my arms begin to shake with anger and hurt. I run to my bedroom and slam my door shut as soon as I enter, taking deep breaths to try to calm myself.

Tears prick in the corners of my eyes and I shut them to keep them from falling. This was the reason why I was staying at Wyatt and Maddy's even though they had a squalling newborn pup. Because I couldn't stand the look in my mother's eyes when she saw me.

A knock came at my bedroom door and my stomach knots, wondering if she followed me back here.

"It's me," a small voice squeaks and I take a deep breath and let it out slowly.

I open my door and feel my little sister throw her arms around me, squeezing me tightly. I smile but I keep my eyes on the open door.

"I've missed you."

"Me too."

We both flinch when we hear something shatter out in the living room. I shut my door firmly and pulled Paisley into my room, hating feeling like I was in a dangerous situation.

We hear my mom's growl from down the hall and Paisley stares at the door, tensing.

"What's wrong with her?"

"I'm almost eighteen. My wolf is starting to challenge hers. I don't think she can control it."

She frowns and presses her ear against my chest. "I'm sorry. How was school?"

I snort at her subtle change of subject. "Same as always."

"Leif?"

Another crash comes from the living room and we watch the door. A couple of seconds later, the knob turns and I push Paisley behind me, my blood pumping with adrenaline.

When Pops walks in, I feel my body relax slightly. He takes a look at Paisley behind me and I can see how badly all of this is affecting him too.

But he paints a smile on his face as he walks into my room and wraps me in his arms. At this point, I'm bigger than both him and Dad. But it still feels nice to be held by him. It reminds me of when I was a pup and he could sit me in his lap and tell me all about the human war and everything that happened with the rogue.

Paisley joins in on our hug and then sucks in a sharp breath when another crash comes closer.

My Pops holds me tighter and I lay my forehead against his shoulder, feeling safer with him there, even though I know I could probably defend myself better.

"I should go." I mumble against his shoulder.

He pulls away from me and furrows his eyebrows. "What? What do you mean?"

I take a deep breath and nod towards the closed door. "I can't stay here and have that happen every time I walk into the same room as her. It's unsafe for the pups and it's better if I'm not here."

My Pops closed his eyes and sighed, his whole body sagging. At that moment I could see his age showing and my throat ached.

"We can try to get you an apartment."

I think about living on my own and feel my stomach clench. "No. I think I'll just crash at Wy and Mads for a bit until this all blows over."

He sighs heavily and nods. "You know she loves you, right?"

I press my lips together and nod slowly. "Yeah. I know this has to do with the Alpha sh*t. It'll blow over and It'll be all right. You know where to find me and I'll come see you and Dad at work."

"What about me?"

I glance down at Paisley and see a panicked look on her face. Guilt fills me like a dark cloud even though I feel like I didn't do anything wrong.

"You can always come over and visit. I'm sure Mads and Wy won't mind."

She frowns and nods slowly. She lays her head on my shoulder and then pats my chest lightly before walking out of my bedroom. Pops and I look after her as she leaves.

"It'll be okay. Do...do you want a ride over or are you taking your bike?"

I smile at the old man. "I'll take my bike."

"If you pack a bag I can follow you there."

He seems to be grasping at any chance to do something for me so I nod. "Yeah, sure. Let me just get a bag packed and we can head out there."

He gives me a sad smile then leaves me alone in my room. There's a loud growl and I shut my eyes as Lux growls low, wanting to go stop them.

Instead I lay down on my bed and rub my eyes. Everything is changing and I can't seem to wrap my head around it all. I want to feel better. And even though I hate The Bayou, I feel like I would have been better off there.

Atleast I expect the abuse there. And I have Leif.

Later that evening after an unexpected nap, I settle for a ride with Pops and Dad to Wyatt's. Paisley rode along and we wrestled in the back. I felt a bit lighter since I didn't run into Mom before we left and when we got to Wyatt's I was actually excited. It felt like a slumber party. Only one where two of the three amigos were screwing and had a baby. And I was third-wheeling them hard as f*ck.

But it was okay. Because as soon as we pulled up into the driveway, Wyatt ran out barefoot and shirtless with a giant grin on his face. He looked haggard as hell. but excited to see me.

I jumped out of the back passenger seat and ran to him like those cheesy romance movies and jumped on him. I wrapped my legs around his waist. I pressed my lips hard against his and he laughed as he swung us around in circles.

Behind us, Maddy giggled with my princess in her arms. She was still tiny and not really doing anything, but I found that I was still just as excited to see her.

Wyatt carried me to the front steps and I slid off of him and kissed Maddy on the forehead before looking down at the beautiful pup in her arms.

Her eyes were wide open, looking around and I just knew she was awake to see her most favorite person in the world.

Maddy handed her to me as Wyatt ran back to the truck where my dads were watching us with grins on their faces. Paisley pouted in the back seat and I felt the guilt come back to me marginally.

"Paisley, come on! We can watch a movie or something." Maddy waves Paisley over and I grin as her face brightens.

After saying our goodbyes to my dads, we head inside and now it truly feels like I've come home. My muscles melt off all of the tension I was holding in and I groan as I settle down in the recliner in the living room.

Wyatt sits on the arm of it as he stares down at his little girl. His eyes shine with all of the love in the world and I find myself wondering what it was like to love like that.

"I missed you." I elbow his tanned, muscular side and he nods and squeezes the back of my neck.

"We missed you too, Ro. Welcome home."