Sacred Ties

Chapter Five

Cemil's POV

I watched the rude guy walk away and disappear down the hall. I wasn't weak and definitely wasn't small. He was just being rude to me. 

I turned around and went my way. I texted Liam that I was there and then I went on to the classes since I knew where I was supposed to be. I peeked into the other classes as I passed by. Some of the children were listening to what the teacher said while the others just played around.

"Enough of that already and come help me." Mrs. Conrad said from behind me and I jumped in fright with a shout. She started laughing and I looked at her sheepishly.

"Yes ma'am." I said and followed her to her classroom.

Mrs. Conrad was pregnant and she was helped by Miss Charlotte who left days ago. I was to be helping her in her class. We entered the classroom and I glanced around it.

"I have 19 kids...I mean 20. I have a new addition today." She said, going to her desk and I followed.

"What are they doing?" I asked her since the kids seemed to be busy with something.

"They are drawing a family member." She said.

My eyes scanned around the room at each and every kid. They all seemed to be into drawing and I smiled. I walked away from her desk and approached a certain kid. The kids sat on a chair and a small desk before them where they had there drawing.

"Hey there," I greeted the little boy. He didn't respond to me and I looked at what he was drawing.

"What are you drawing?" I asked him again. He laid down his pencil and showed me his drawing.

"My sister, Bella, she's a princess." He beamed.

"Wow! She looks great." I said and he went back to drawing with the smile still on his face.

I got up from my knees where I had to be in order to look at the boy's drawing. I went to another boy and he told me he was drawing a dog. Then I went to a girl who told me she was drawing her mother. I stopped by so many kids and they were drawing brother, sister, father, mother, dog, cats and some other pets they had.

Then my eyes gazed upon a boy. From what I could see from far, he wasn't drawing but rather reading. I took a step closer until I was standing before him. He was very focused on the book and didn't know I was standing before him.

"Hi," I said kneeling beside him. He turned his head to me and I was surprised to see the boy I saw yesterday with Charles, Shane. I was pretty sure I heard Charles saying that the kid doesn't go to school.

'How are you Shane?' I asked and signed to him. I didn't know much about sign language but what I knew was enough to hold a conversation with this kid. He looked at me and signed.

'I'm fine, teacher.'

'Why are you not drawing?' I asked.

'My pencil broke.' He said and showed me the broken pencil. I took it and went back to Mrs. Conrad's desk where I sharpened the pencil. I took other two pencils from the desk and brought them back to Shane.

"Here you go." I said and gave him the pencils. He marked his book and closed it. I looked at the book and smiled.

"I would not have guessed you read this series." I said.

'I have all books. My dad got me this yesterday.' He beamed and I smiled. If I had met his dad yesterday other than that rude jerk, I would have given him the book even if it was the last one. At least I know his father would have asked nicely than that rude jerk.

I watched as he started on his drawing. I stood up and went around the class again. I sharpened pencils for other kids and helped them out where necessary. I felt my phone vibrate and I took it out to find a text from Liam.

Can you come to my office, please? I need help with something.

I sent him a reply and excused myself from the classroom then went to Liam's office. When I entered the office, it was void of his secretary who’s always there to direct people at Liam’s door. She was a very outgoing person whose presence could be noticed missing like now. I shrugged and proceeded to Liam's door.

"Come in." He shouted and I entered.

"Where is your secretary?" I asked and he shook his head.

"I fired her." He sighed.

"Why?"

"The b***h was having an affair with Alex." He said and I immediately felt bad. But why would Alex cheat on his husband?

"Oh I'm very sorry for that Uncle Liam." I said.

"You called me uncle." He said laughing and I knew it wasn't from the heart.

"Yeah I did. I can't call you sir at our workplace and thought uncle would do." I joked and he smiled.

"I want you to cancel every meeting I had this week. And please answer those stupid calls." He said as the phone from the secretary's desk started ringing.

"So you want me to be your secretary at the mean time?" I asked with a smile.

"That's the plan baby. Now get to work." He said and motioned me out of his office.

"Yes Uncle Liam." I saluted and got a smile from him. I exited his office and then made myself at home on the secretary's desk.

"Let's begin." I whispered to myself and then answered the phone.

***

I sighed and slumped on the chair. To say I was exhausted was an understatement. It was three in the afternoon and I was glad to say I was done with today's work.

In my ears I could hear a whistling sound. Canceling meetings wasn't easy at all. People shouted and others yelled at me. I always winced when I got shouted from canceling. I heard the school was popular but actually witnessing, I was impressed. Uncle Liam was very strict on whom he enrolled in his school and the meetings I cancelled were of people who had been waiting to get interviewed to score a spot in the school for their kids.

At lunch, food was delivered from the cafeteria for both I and Liam. I ate while I wrote emails to some people canceling their meetings. I wondered how he had this many meetings in a week. It sure would have been tiring to attend to all these.

"Hey," I opened my eyes that I didn't know I had closed, to find Liam standing before my desk.

"Hey."

"So, Mary called. Apparently, she and some friends are going camping for some days." He paused and I looked at him with a raised brow. "She asked if you could go and I said yes."

"No, I can't go."

"You have to go, baby. You worked so hard today and you just got here yesterday. I think going out with some friends will do you good." He said and I frowned.

It was so unlike him to just send me away from nowhere, especially when he needed me around to help him. My uncle was a strong man but I could see how drained he was looking now.

"No, Liam, I can't go."

"I need to talk things with Alex and I don't want your innocent eyes to witness our worst moment." He said sadly and I stood up from my seat and gave him a hug.

I didn't need to say anything. He knew how I felt and the embrace was to comfort us both. I didn't want to go but I had no choice now. I couldn’t go to Charles because he had yet to find an apartment for us. Camping was the only option that I had despite my unwillingness.

My phone started ringing so I broke the hug to answer it and it was Mary telling me they were outside to pick me up. Unsurprisingly, Liam had told her to pack me some clothes and other necessities for camping so I didn't need to pick up anything else.

"Take care, uncle." I said and gave him a parting hug.

I left the office building and went to see Mrs. Conrad. Classes were about to be over and I wondered how she got along. I found her and said my goodbyes but as I was leaving her classroom, I felt a tug and when I looked down it was Shane.

He gave me a folded paper and then went back to his seat. I watched as a girl signed to him and he signed back. I smiled knowing he has found a friend to talk to in class. I pocketed the paper and run outside the school. I looked around the parking space and then I saw Mary waving at me. I walked to the car and got in the backseat.

"Welcome aboard." Mary said as the driver, a guy, drove out of the school grounds. I debated on whether I should text Charles that I was away or not. I decided not to text him because he would get all protective and stuff.

I remained silent on the whole ride and just gazed out the window. Mary would talk to me now and then but it wasn't much. I then started playing games on my phone with my headsets on and I only looked up when I noticed the car had stopped.

"We are here, CJ. Let's get settled." Mary said happily and got off the car. I peered through the window at the clearing where we were to make our tents. I closed my eyes and let my senses go free. I sighed in relief as I had not sensed any danger near the woods around us. A clearing of throat made me open my eyes.

"Are you getting off any soon?" The guy asked. He was still seated in the driver’s seat.

"Oh, I'm sorry." I said and removed the seatbelt. I opened the door and exited the car. I started walking towards the other people when the driver called out to me. I turned around saw him carrying some bags.

"You left these in my car." He said with a chuckle and I took the bags from him.

"Thanks." I said and joined the others.

"Guys, this is CJ my friend and neighbor. CJ this is Samantha, Gerald, Harold, Esther, Christine, Kate, Danielle, Owen and Justin." Mary introduced everyone and after the greetings were over, we started on the tents.

We built a total of six tents and after we were done, we made fire and sat around as food was shared amongst us. Fortunately I wasn't sharing my tent with anyone. I silently ate while I listened in on the conversations around the fire.

"You are quiet." Justin, the driver from before, said as he took a sit beside me.

"Yeah." I said dismissively not wanting to start a conversation with him.

"Uh, CJ?" I looked up from my empty plate to Mary.

"Yes?"

"We are going to the stream for a bath and fun. Are you coming with us?" She asked.

"No. I-I will go and rest for now." I said and everyone left. Justin was the last to leave and I thought he would say something from the way he looked at me but he just left.

I retreated to my tent and lied down. My thoughts filled with worry for Liam. I couldn't say I knew how he felt but I knew it wasn't easy. From what I knew about him and his husband, was what told me this situation would not be easy. I couldn't sleep anymore so I stood up and shed off my clothes.

The mere seconds change into my wolf was a relief. I shook my fur and ran out of the tent into the forest. On my run, I came upon a rabbit and managed to catch it for a meal. From there, I went to were the guys had gone. From the tree line, I watched as they played around. I watched them for a while then I turned around and ran back to the camp.

I got in my tent and changed back. I got some boxer and put it on. I was looking for a shirt when I felt someone’s presence. I smelled Justin just as he came inside my tent. He was leaking alcohol.

"What are you doing here?" I asked him and he took a step closer to me and I took a step back on instinct.

"You are so stunning, CJ. I can't stop thinking about you." He said with a slur to his voice.

There was nowhere to go as Justin closed in on me until I was stuck with him. He looked down at me and was about to kiss me when I turned my head away. My heart was beating like crazy. I was afraid of what could happen.

"Stop please." I whispered as he trailed kisses from my cheek to my neck. He didn't stop despite my pleadings so I did what I thought was best for me. I brought my knee up and hit him on his jewels. He groaned in pain and stepped away from me. Then I gave him a fist to the face and I watched as he hit the ground out cold.

"Excuse me." A voice called from the entry of my tent and then a guy I recognized as Harold came in.

"Did you see- oh my god! What did you do to him?" He asked and then Christine followed inside as well. She gasped and ran out the room and I assumed she went to the others.

"I didn't mean to...he was harassing me and I-" I tried to explain but a slap made me shut my mouth.

"I don't want to hear it; I knew you were trouble. We shouldn't have invited you. Now leave this instant or you won’t like what I can do to you." He seethed and I knew it wasn't my place to stay. I run out of the tent and put on the clothes I managed to grab on my way out. It was a T-shirt and some shorts. Thankfully, my genes helped from the night cold.

I took one look at the tent and then I felt the others coming. I didn't want them to find me here, so I fled like a coward. I ran on the dirt road for almost half an hour and luckily I came out to the main road. I looked both sides and debated which way to go.

There were no cars around and I started walking in the direction I felt was right. I hoped there would be cars passing and that I could hail a ride but none passed. My phone battery was low and it had no service. I sighed as I thought of how I messed up. I shouldn't have hit him so hard and maybe he shouldn't have fainted. I felt bad nonetheless.

Just then a car pulled up. I was so lost in my thoughts that I didn't see it coming. I sighed in relief and went to the driver's side to ask for a ride. I knocked on the window and then it started sliding down.

"Good evening sir. I am in need of-" I said but stopped when I recognized who the driver was.

"You got to be kidding me." I whispered.

"You were saying?" The driver said smugly.

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