Trickster Wolf

TwentyThree

Laying on the floor my chest heaving after running sweat gleaming on my skin as I look out, I see the first orange light bleeds into the sky awakening all the animals. Getting up I pick up my clothes that I was wearing over the top of my sports stuff I leave the building back to Darius's place. I quietly open and close the door silently going up the stairs into Darius's room I quickly get a change of clothes without waking him I move back down the stairs to the second bathroom locking the door. Dumping my clothes on the floor I find a clean towel in a cupboard I put it on the counter next to the sink. I open the glass door turning on the water waiting for it to heat up I strip down not caring where I chuck my clothes. Getting in I sigh as the warm water hits my body instantly getting rid of tension. I don't know how long I have been in here but one of the boys started knocking on the door I know that it wouldn't be Darius as he has his own bathroom.

"Hey um how much longer are you going to be" Greyson awkwardly asks through the door. I turn off the water stepping out on the bathmat I quickly dry off putting on black denim shorts and light blue grey V-neck shirt. Picking up my clothes I put the towel on a drying rack turning to the door I feel the cold tile as I step closer opening the door, I look at Greyson as he leans against the door frame looking ashamedly down at the ground. I move out of the way watching as he rushes into the room, I smirk knowing that it was most likely either Decker or Emmet that didn't let him in the other bathroom upstairs that's for the guests bedrooms.

Moving through the kitchen to the loungeroom I walk up the stairs into Darius's bedroom I'm confused as to why he is pacing messing up his hair. I enter slowly going to my bag putting my dirty clothes into a separate bag with other dirty clothes. The zip betrays me as it loudly zips closed Darius quickly turns around instantly looking less frazzled looking down to me his expression softens. Standing up I look at him confused still as to why he looks so flustered with something that happened while I was in the shower.

"So, I know you don't want anything to do with my pack which means my family as well, but my mum really wants to meet you, mostly because she wants to see who my mate is," He rambles on about his mum and how I don't want to be involved but am still his mate.

"I'll go," I cut him off he looks surprised at me blinking for a few seconds before responding.

"Wait what,"

"I will meet your parents," I reassure him going up to him putting a hand on his arm.

"Are you sure it won't just be my parents it'll also be my siblings," He looks at me worried that I will change my mind, but I am not going to the least I can do for him is see his family because family if the most important thing.

"Yes, I am sure." Looking up at him I give him a small smile, he nods taking my hand leading me down the stairs. Without bumping into the other three boys, we leave the house going to his garage he opens the door letting go of my hand as he fishes out keys for one of the cars. I make my way to the passenger side getting in when I hear the click of it unlocking. He starts the car reversing out I watch as he drives on a dirt road near the outside of the pack occasionally another car would drive pass us. The trees start to get thinner and stopping until we drive into a huge clearing where small houses are built a lot more family's walking the dirt paths. He drives down a specific road showing he has driven it multiple times, pulling up in a driveway where the front has a large garden full of colourful flowers and other plants that provide a sort of fence for the grassy front yard. We get out of the car where he leads me to the front door knocking softly causing a ruckus to ensue throughout the house. The door quickly opens showing a middle-aged women with bright golden-brown eyes, brown dark short hair.

"You don't have to knock, come in come in, don't mind the mess," She ushers us into the dining room where a large wooden table holds enough chairs for eight. Darius sits down giving me the seat at the end probably, so I don't have to sit next to his siblings.

"Oh, how rude of me, hello I'm Nataly Darius's mum," She looks to me then quickly scampers out of the room shouting to her family to get to the dining room. Suddenly they all came rushing in claiming their seats. Next to me at the head of the table is his dad in front of me is Nataly next to her are twins and next to Darius is his sister who looks older.

"So, this is the infamous mate of my brother, I was wondering who the girl that kept getting away from him was, in fact it was quite amusing seeing him running around trying to find and keep you here," She smirks leaning forward looking at me, her brown eyes glinting in amusement. The table goes quiet waiting for what I may say.

"Rachel don't bother the young lady or your brother, he doesn't need your criticising, anyway, would you like a drink," She looks to me a shake my head to decline letting her move onto the others seeing what they would like, she leaves to go make everyone drinks and his father tells Rachel to help her mum she does discontent that she has to leave. While I can't imagine having such a large family it seems so chaotic all the time not to mention there would surely be sibling fights happening often. They walk back in placing hot mugs down in front of the correct person. When they sit back down, I look over all of them seeing his dad has the same electric blue eyes as his as well as one of the twins while the other has brown eyes. The twins aren't quite identical but similar looking I can tell that they are mischievous. While his sister is more sceptical towards other with a friendly personality but if you hurt her family, she will be dangerous. His mum is a bubbly person that is sweet while his dad looks stern, but I have a feeling he has a humorous side. The twins have dark brown hair that's almost black, where his dad has black hair showing who Darius takes after. Nataly looks warily at me as I looked over them all, calmly asking.

"Have you eaten yet sweetheart," She gives a side glance at Darius seeing him shrink down in his chair, I snicker on the inside seeing him cower from his mother's attention.

"No, I haven't," I reply with a smile waiting for Darius to get an ear full from Nataly.

"Darius, you have not fed your mate, its past breakfast it should have been the first thing you did this morning," She scolds him raising her voice putting all attention on him. I hold in my laughter seeing the twins doing the same but failing as they hold their hands over their mouths.

"Dear let him be at least he came over today when you called unlike all the other times," His father states giving a pointed look that also held amusement in his tone and eyes.

"Oh, all right I'll get some stuff for morning tea can't let his mate starve," She walks out of the room into the kitchen.

"So how old are you," His dad questions me looking like he thinks I'm not old enough for his son.

"Eighteen,"

"That means you're still in school doesn't it," The twin with blue eyes asks.

"Not quite," I tell him, he looks at me confused.

"Does that mean you have another year, or you already finished," The other twin asks.

"I already finished learning everything when I was a kid, but I had to stay until the last year," Looking down I didn't want to think about Maxine, how she just wanted a friend at school, so she wasn't as lonely, I let her down. If I had just tried harder, I could've saved her.

"Cool," They say at the same time. Nataly comes back in with a plate full of different kinds of biscuit's another one with cut chocolate cake on it. She puts both plates in the middle as soon as she sits down everyone dives into it.

"Oi have I not taught any of you manners," She scolds them all. She shakes her head as they don't listen.

"I'm sorry for my children they normally use manners," She rubs her forehead frustrated with her children. I look to Darius to see him fighting over the last biscuit of a certain flavour with his sister. "but I guess seeming that you're going to be part of this family they've forgotten how to use them," The table stills going quiet Darius looks at me cringing while awkwardly rubbing the back of his neck, he mouths 'sorry' I look back to his mum and dad smiling.

"It's ok really," I tell her taking the opportunity of stillness to take a choc chip cookie which is the last choc chip cookie left on the plate. Dipping it in Darius's coffee looking at Rachel, I eat it slowly, she glares at me but doesn't say anything. Darius looks at me then his cup back to me like he needs to process what happened.

"What I didn't drop any of it in there," He smile giving me another cookie he moves his mug closer to me and I gladly dunk the cookie in it drowning it in coffee but before it can turn into a mushy mess, I greedily eat It.

"Your parents must be very proud of you, do you think they would be able to come and see our pack," I still, not sure what to say since I haven't told Darius what happened to them.

"They're out of town and can't visit sorry," looking down at the crumbs on the table I brush them into one spot to make it easier to clean up.

"That's alright we understand how difficult it can be running a pack," His dad reassures me that it isn't a big deal that they can't come.

"Yes, perhaps another time," His mum states smiling at me.

"Crap, I am so sorry I must've gotten distracted, I forgot to introduce myself and my family how silly of me, I am Martin Darius's dad my lovely wife Nataly who I'm sure has already introduced herself, our oldest Rachel and our youngest the twins Tristian and Agustin. We're not usually this bad at introductions," I nod remembering the names and which one belongs to which twin. I feel eyes looking at me I turn to find the twins eyes staring brimming with questions I nod letting them ask away.

"What do you do for a living," Tristian asks his blue eyes filling with curiosity.

"I can't specifically say what I do for work, but it involves protecting certain people," Everyone looks at my suspiciously except Darius who knows what I really do.

"Do you plan on staying or do you have something to do before you can be inducted to this pack" Martin asks hope sparking in his eyes that I'll stay with his sun and be inducted into the pack soon. Looking a way from him to meet Darius's gaze I sigh not being able to look them in the eyes.

"I have an important event I need to attend to soon," Both parents look deflated the small park stifling out as they realise, I will be leaving their son and his pack again.

"Will you at least stay for lunch then" Nataly try's to cheerily ask us.

"Mum, I told you that we would only stay for morning tea because I have to finish helping with the pack event," Darius breaths out worriedly looking to his mum seeing her delate even more.

"I'm sure we can make time to stay for lunch" I chirp up sporting a tiny smile.

Nataly's smile shows excitedly as she whisks off into the kitchen where clanging of pots are heard. In the time it takes her to finish making lunch I answer any questions thrown my way giving brief quick responses that shouldn't keep them questioning me. When Nataly brings in the steaming meal a mouth-watering aroma instantly infuses in the air brightening the space up with the liveness of a family. I feel my eyes start to sting from staring at the food in front of me my hand white knuckled grip shaking with the fork in it. This is how every family should be, not a child ripped away from her happiness and love of a mother and father. A warmth envelops my shaking and hand shocking me back into reality looking into stormy blue eyes I catch the worry held in his eyes. I shake my head clearing my thoughts taking my hand back I dig into the meal savouring the delicious flavour. Catching worried glances throughout the meal I brush them off needing to remain strong knowing there is no possibility of me staying here without something going wrong.

Shortly leaving their hospitality I let Darius drop me off at his with a silent tension between us I watch him leave towards the pack house. Leaving me to do whatever I pleased as the others are not here. I decide to take my emotions out on a punching bag meaning I needed to change into proper attire.

Light turns to dark as the lights flicker on in the gym illuminating the sweat covering my skin as well as showing the full damage of the boxing bag that now lays on the floor busted open, claw marks shredded through the fabric letting sand drizzle out into a heap. Emotions are a deadly thing to have. I make my way to the door I take one last look in the chaos I ensued I flick the lights back off leaving the whole training grounds. As soon as I step outside warm crisp air hits my body and the sharp smell of smoke. Following it I wonder if someone set a house on fire instead, I am met with multiple large bonfires set out in the field with the whole pack out some sitting around them others dancing and laughing around. Most moved to and from a large wooden stump that looked like they were getting drinks from. Stepping into the festivities I quickly find the largest one in the middle with the least amount of people around it. Looking through the flickers of orange my eyes lock onto storm blue ones. Moving around I plant myself between Darius and Mike reaching over Mike to take Deckers plastic cup sniffing it I find the tang of alcohol I take a long swig drinking it all I hand the cup back to Decker where he complains. Emmet snickers and Decker elbows him in the side, Greyson tells them to stop before they get into a fight. He leans back on the wooden log carven into benches, his hands on the edge of the wood he looks up ignoring the squabbling.

The heat from the fire keeps the chill of the night away as the wind changes direction, calming me further into the comfort of needing sleep. Leaning on Darius I close my eyes tuning out the laughter and dancing tuning into the sound of his heartbeat as it calmy thrums. Darius softly asks if I slept, I shake my head no. After that I feel his hand softly stroke my head lulling me into a deep sleep.