Red Ridge Pack 1 Pack of Lies (25 page)

When the ambulance arrived, our resident EMS and doctor hurried out to access the situation. Only moments later, several other members of the pack arrived, including Marcus. He didn’t even look my way until Aiden was loaded into the ambulance, and Allison, her family, and Cade were instructed to head to the pack’s infirmary. Apparently, a blood transfusion would be in order, but the doctor seemed hopeful that Aiden will survive. No human could have made it, but lucky for him, weres heal rapidly.

With everyone else being sent on their way, there was only me left to be dealt with. Marcus turned my way and demanded, “Kendall, get in the car.”

There was no way that I was going to disobey. In this situation, I wasn’t even at liberty to speak, so I ducked my head and headed to the backseat of his vehicle. Not a word was spoken on the way back, and in the silence, I tried desperately to come up with an excuse for my behavior. Any excuse, even a bad one, would be better than admitting my plan to take over the pack with Dylan.

With Dylan gone, it didn’t matter what I said. He was dead. What harm would there be in throwing him under the bus? But would Marcus believe me? I could say I was forced. That Dylan threatened to kill me if I didn’t help him. That he threatened to kill my mom too. But in my heart, I knew that it didn’t matter what I said. Marcus would never believe me, and even if he did, he would say that I should have come to him for help. That he could have saved me.

Pulling into the alpha’s driveway, my heart rate increased, and I could feel my eyes beginning to water once again. With my emotions on overdrive, I stepped out of his car and followed him up his front steps. Before he could get his key in the lock, Noel opened the door and stepped back to allow us in. My mother, who was on the couch, immediately stood as she saw us enter. Still, no words were spoken. I was led over to my mom, and to my surprise, the frigid bitch pulled me in for a hug. But in my ear, she whispered, “You really fucked us over this time.”

Marcus stood in front of us all and finally spoke. “Have a seat, ladies.”

We all sat, Noel included, and I attempted to mentally prepare myself for what was to come.

Marcus didn’t waste any time getting down to business. He poured himself a glass of water from the pitcher that had been sat out on the coffee table, took a small sip, and began, “Well, there isn’t much to say. I’m not interested in hearing your excuses, Kendall. What you did is inexcusable, and therefore, you and your mother will hereby be exiled from the estate. You are to pack your things and leave tonight.”

My mother’s hand flew over her mouth but not before a loud gasp escaped. “Marcus, please no! Just hear Kendall out. I’m sure you will rethink your decision,” Mother pleaded.

“I’m sorry, but my decision is final. Your daughter kidnapped a member of our pack, my son’s mate, for God’s sake. And I can only imagine what else those two had planned. You can’t think for a moment, that I believe they were just going to let Allison go. This was all in attempt to hurt Cade, or worse. I’m no fool, Claire; please don’t play me for one.”

My mom glanced my way, and then lowered her voice an octave as if I could no longer hear her if she spoke a bit more quietly. “But why me, Marcus? This was Kendall’s doing, not mine. Why am I to be punished for her wrong-doings?”

Was my own mother actually asking him to banish me and not her? What? Just send me off into the world to fend for myself? I knew she was a pathetic excuse for a mother, but this was unbelievable.

When Marcus looked my way, I could have sworn there was sympathy in his eyes. Even he knew how horrid my mother was.

Noel spoke up, surprising us all. “Marcus, may I speak freely?”

He placed his hand on his wife’s and said, “Of course, dear.”

Her attention was directed solely on my mother as she said, “Claire, frankly I’m appalled that you would be willing to send Kendall away by herself. You really never knew how to be a mother, did you? Well, I can tell you why you are leaving here tonight with your daughter. There is only one person to blame for Kendall’s behavior. And it’s you. You are the reason your daughter has become a cold-hearted bitch. You’re the reason that she very well could have become a murderer had her and Dylan not have been stopped. You, Claire. Don’t think for one moment that Marcus and I don’t realize that. You have never cared about anyone but yourself and your status in this pack. You pressured Kendall to help raise your family’s rank, and the only reason we didn’t stop you was because Cade seemed to genuinely love Kendall, and we wanted Cade’s happiness above anything else. That’s what real parents do. They love their children more than they love themselves, more than anything else. You will leave here tonight, and there is nothing you can say or do to change our minds.”

After that, my mother was speechless. And it kind of felt good to know that Marcus and Noel knew the score. That they didn’t blame me completely.

Marcus stood, wordlessly telling us that this meeting was adjourned, but before we left, he said one last thing. “And just so you know, Kendall. You are lucky that you are still breathing. I should kill you. And if it were anyone else, I probably would. You plotted against my son, and almost killed his mate. Don’t think for one second, that if you ever return, for any reason, that I won’t kill you, because you would be wrong. You have two hours to evacuate the premises. Take only what belongs to you. I have arranged for a cab to pick you up and take you wherever you choose to go. Now leave, and I suggest that you don’t look back.”

My mother and I walked out the door together, but there had never been more distance between us than there was at that moment. There was no telling what my future held, but I had a good feeling that she wouldn’t be a part of it.

Chapter 61

Cade

I freakin’ hate hospitals. I hate the antiseptic smell and the bright fluorescent lights. I hate the way everyone just stands around waiting for the news that either their loved ones will be okay or they won’t. Even in our little infirmary on the estate, it felt the same. All of the excitement of the evening had long ago faded, and the only people left here were members of the Wright family and me. The elders had all gone home, with the exception of Alli’s grandparents, but I couldn’t leave, even though I probably should.

With Aiden in a serious condition, I felt like this was way too personal for an outsider to witness. But I just couldn’t leave Alli. Not yet.

So many things about tonight were confusing the hell out of me.
Why did Dylan choose this pack to torment? When did Kendall become such an unfeeling bitch? Why didn’t Aiden transform when he was attacked?
I should just stop thinking about questions that I will more than likely never know the answers to.

“Okay everyone, I’m going to need you out for a while,” the doctor said.

Alli and I walked out of Aiden’s small room and into the quiet waiting room down the hall. I pulled her close to me so that I could rest my chin on the top of her head. We just stood there, holding each other until the doctor came in.

“Mr. and Mrs. Wright, I’m afraid that my initial thought was correct. Aiden has lost too much blood, he’s going to need a transfusion,” the doctor confirmed.

Beside me, I heard Alli gasp. I gave her a reassuring squeeze, but on the inside, I knew that this was bad. I have never heard of a werewolf needing a blood transfusion, but hell, before I met Alli, I have never heard of a werewolf getting sick either.

“Which one of you is B positive?” I heard the doctor ask. Mr. and Mrs. Wright looked at each other and then asked to speak to the doctor in private.

As they walked to the end of the hall to talk, I all but collapsed on the small leather sofa. I hadn’t realized just how exhausted I was until now. I was already feeling a thousand times better just being with Alli, but still not 100 percent.

It’s weird the way this mating thing worked. One minute, I felt like I was on my death bed, but then was strong enough to defeat a rogue the next, and all it took was one look at Alli.

“How are you holding up?” Alli asked, sitting down beside me.

“I’m fine… I’m good. Just tired and worried,” I told her.

“Baby, why don’t you go home, take a hot shower, and get some rest. I promise I’ll call you as soon as there is some news,” Alli assured me.

I reached over and pulled her onto my lap. I couldn’t stand to be separated from her, not even for a short while. I gently rubbed her back and whispered in her ear, “Don’t. Please. I can’t. I need to be with you. Just let me stay with you, okay?” She didn’t say anything; she didn’t need to. She just took my face between her hands and kissed me. It was a quick, soft, little kiss, but it was just what I needed. That kiss meant the beginning of our new lives together.

I was leaning in to steal another kiss, when Mr. and Mrs. Wright came into the room. They both looked worried and nervous, which was to be expected after all that had occurred. I didn’t know how they kept their spirits up, but they did. They sat down opposite of us in the waiting room.

“Cade, your father is on the way up here,” Mr. Wright said.

Strangely, I was actually relieved that he was coming here. There was a nagging at the back of my mind since I watched the life drain out of Dylan’s eyes, and I knew that only my father would understand what I was feeling. I did what I had to do. I knew that, but that didn’t stop me from feeling sick about it. I didn’t want to bother Alli with it though. She had enough to worry about with her brother. She didn’t need to hear how guilty I felt about killing the wolf who had kidnapped her, and very nearly killed her brother.

“We need to talk to both of you before Marcus arrives,” Mrs. Wright said looking down at her shaky hands.

“What is it, Mom? Is Aiden going to be okay?” Alli asked in a panic.

“He will, as soon as Marcus gets here.”

“What does my father have to do with Aiden’s recovery?” I asked.

“Oh God, how can I say this?” Mrs. Wright asked with tears forming in her eyes.

“Aiden needs his blood. Cade, your father, is also Aiden’s father,” Mr. Wright said, so that his wife wouldn’t have to.

I felt Alli stiffen in my arms as my own breath caught in my throat. My mind started racing, trying to process what I just heard.
My father is Aiden’s father. That would make us half-brothers. A brother? Wait, does that mean I’m related to Alli? Think damn-it… no? Thank God. That would be bad.

“I have a brother,” I whispered to myself, kind of liking the way it sounded. As an only child, I have always wanted a brother.

Alli turned and stared right in my eyes, “No, he is my brother.”

I was slightly taken aback by her remark, but I tried to imagine how she must have felt. This was all too much for us to handle.

“Cade is right, and so are you, honey. The truth is that I was pregnant with Marcus’s child when I fled from the estate all those years ago. I didn’t know until I had already left. And to be honest, I wasn’t sure that I would be welcomed back. And I really didn’t want to go back. So I stayed… I started a new life with your father,” Mrs. Wright told Alli.

“But I don’t understand. Dad, did you just find out? Oh God, Dad, that is so awful. I’m so sorry—,” Alli was saying until she was cut off.

“No, baby. I knew from the beginning. Why don’t you just take some time to let this all sink in, and I promise we can talk about this later, when Aiden can be here to listen,” Mr. Wright said.

Without another word, Mr. and Mrs. Wright got up and went back into Aiden’s room.

Alli tried to scoot off from my lap, but I just held her tighter. We would figure this out, we had to.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to snap at you,” Alli whispered.

I placed a kiss on her nose and said, “He was going to be my brother one day anyway.”

Just then, my parents came busting through the front doors of the infirmary, looking panicked and desperate. Alli’s parents walked out of Aiden’s room and met them in the hall.

“Lily, is it true? Is Aiden my son?”

With tears flowing freely down her cheeks, Alli’s mom just nodded and stepped aside allowing my dad to walk into Aiden’s room.

“Go… go be with your dad. I think mine needs me right now, too. I will be right outside if you need me,” Alli said.

Part of me wanted to, but part of me wasn’t quite ready for all of this. In the end, I knew that Alli was right, so I took a deep breath, and walked into my brother’s room.

Chapter 62

Allison

“I’m so happy to have my baby back,” my mom said reaching over and squeezing me into a tight bear hug.

After Cade went in with his father to see Aiden, my mom and I came outside to get away from all the drama and get some air. It was freezing cold, but it was a welcome relief from the stifling confines of the little infirmary.

Pulling away from Mom a bit so that I could look her in the eye, I admitted, “I’m just not sure how to take this all in. How could you have never told us?”

Mom looked away as if it was too much to face me. “I don’t know. You both were so young. And as more and more time passed, it felt like I had missed my chance to explain all of this. Dad was a dad to both of you, and he never saw Aiden as anything other than his son. To be honest, I guess I just took the easy way out by never telling you both the truth.”

Again, she pulled me in for a hug and said, “I’m so sorry.” Minutes passed before she spoke. “Can we talk about you and Cade?”

That completely threw me off. After all of this, she wanted to talk about me and Cade? “What is there to talk about?”

“Well, there’s the fact that you two are true mates. Something that hasn’t happened in a really long time. It’s kind of a big deal. And you are so young, honey. You’re mated and only seventeen. Don’t you think that’s worth talking about?”

I have never really thought about it like that. Mom was right. Seventeen is young, whether I wanted to admit it or not. It’s like my life has suddenly been planned out for me. But… I loved Cade. And I couldn’t imagine being without him.