I frown. She never told me she wanted out of the recliner. I quietly meander closer.
Miller attempts to pull Agnus out of the chair, holding onto both of her hands and placing a foot on the footrest of therecliner. He almost clicks the footrest into place when it springs up, throwing Agnus back and dragging Miller forward on top of her.
I clap a hand over my mouth to hold in my laughter. Air squeaks from the hole in my throat. They don’t notice me. Agnus is too busy pushing Miller off of her, while he attempts to stand upright.
Agnus swears, “Miller, you are a fucking idiot. Get off of me, and get me out of this damn chair!”
His face is flustered. He scrambles onto his feet and pushes the footrest with his hand at the same time that Agnus scoots forward, headbutting Miller in the process. Shocked, Miller falls onto his butt. Agnus growls. Using her legs, she tries to close the footrest, but it won’t budge because Miller’s knee is now trapped under it.
I place my other hand over the hole in my throat, disguising the noisy rush of air as I try not to laugh harder. But I can’t help it.
Agnus hits Miller in the chest with her cane, creating some distance between the two. “Fucking smartass, get over here and help me.”
Brushing my hands on my pants, I wipe tears from my eyes and approach with a wide grin. Miller finally moves his legs, I press the lever on the side of the recliner, and the footrest retreats into the pocket of the chair
Agnus hits me in the shoulder with her cane as she slides forward. “Smartass,” she sneers.
Miller, red in the face, grabs for Agnus’s hand, but she slaps him away and stands on her own. Still smirking, I return to the kitchen, wash my hands, and finish preparing the meal.
Dinner becomes an unplanned gathering. I’m glad I made enough food to feed everyone who came. Each visitor also brought a dish to contribute. I’m pretty sure the pack members, especially Peter, who came all the way from the city, are here to check up on me.
Throughout the meal, everyone’s skepticism and hesitancy toward me lessen. I especially win them over with my brownies, topped with freshly made whipped cream and fresh strawberries. As some of the guests begin to leave, I receive compliments and hugs. After bidding their farewells to the others, Miller, Peter, and Agnus adjourn to her study for after-dinner drinks.
My body screams in pain. My vision comes and goes, but I am determined to finish what I started. I need to prove that I could be an integral part of this pack. I’m pretty sure no one misses me from wherever I used to call home. I really hope that Aggie, or rather Alpha Agnus, will keep me. I want to belong here, to her.
Gathering the dishes from the table, I hear a knock on the front door. No one is around, so I move to answer it. The second knock sounds a little more persistent. A man with all-white hair and a young face stands at the entrance.
He smiles. “Are you ready, Little One? It’s time I take you back to where you came from.”
I stiffen. He wants to return me to that place where they stuck all the tubes inside me. Hell no! I turn and run to the kitchen.
Alpha Agnus stands there. She clasps my chin and says, “No running. I asked them to collect you.”
Hurt and disappointed, I yank my face out of her grasp and turn away from her. I thought she liked me. I thought I did well enough for her to want to keep me.
She places her hand on my shoulder, spinning me to face her, and hands me my hoodie. “It’s not the time for you to stay. You’re a little early.”
Too angry to acknowledge my confusion at her words, I snatch my hoodie, put it on, head for the front door.
Two cars are parked outside. Next to the first car stand two big men. I slowly approach them, pulling the hood of my sweatshirt over my head.
“No funny business,” the tall giant warns. “We got you figured out. This time, you won’t escape.” He gestures to the second car, and four equally big men step out.
I shrug, disguising my intimidation. The slightly shorter one walks toward me, and I stagger backward, unsure of what he will do.
He introduces himself. “My name is Chris. I’m the third lead guard. This guy is Elias. He’s the second lead.”
Hesitantly, I shake his offered hand. Guards? Shit! I am in so much trouble. I close my eyes to hide my shame. When I open them again, Elias bends forward, eye level with me.
“You’re not in trouble, Little One.” He tilts his head, gesturing to the four others. “Those men are guards, but they are not important.” One of them snorts at his statement.
A puff of air and a whistling noise emits from my throat.
Chris steps forward, and I step back. “How did you survive the day out here?”
I shake my head and shrug again. The movement creates a spinning sensation. My body sways slightly, and a large hand clamps over my shoulder.
“It’s okay, Little One. We just want to take you back to the clinic so the doctor can look you over and help take care of you. You’re safe with us.”
