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“Tasha.” Poppy’s voice is more subdued this time. “I can’t tell you how much it means to me that you’ve managed to bring us all together like this. I’ve wanted the family together for a long time, and you made it happen. We were never going to heal alone, but now… Now we have a chance to fix what our parents broke in all of us. Thank you for showing us this grace.”
Her words make tears spring to my eyes again. “It isn’t really all of you though, is it? I haven’t found the others, and Paxton…”
“Loves you,” she finishes my sentence. “Paxton is the most headstrong of my brothers, but he also loves the deepest. Sometimes he doesn’t know how to express it, but I think he’s learning to show up when it counts.”
I don’t know what she means by the last part until she points behind me. I feel like I’m moving in slow motion as I turn to face the man who’s just entered. Paxton’s chest rises and falls rapidly as he stands on the cusp of the room.
He points his finger at me the same way I did to him this morning. “Don’t you ever fucking run from me again.”
19
Paxton
If my entire family wasn’t already glaring at me, I would haul Tasha over my shoulder and out of this room. Based on the malicious looks I’m getting, though, I don’t think it would go over so well. Clearly, Tasha has already won everyone over. I shouldn’t be surprised. I’m furious with her, but it seems like she easily charms anyone who isn’t me.
“I didn’t run from you, Paxton.” Tasha stares at me like I’m an idiot and after letting her leave in Dominic’s car this morning, I believe it.
“Let’s talk privately,” I growl. I hate the feeling of all these fucking eyes watching me. As if my issues with my mate are the Glass family’s own private stage performance. They all need to mind their own damn business. I’m sure none of them are perfect. Hell, it doesn’t look like any of them even have a mate considering Leah appears to be the only non-blood relative among the group.
“No,” Tess speaks up. I recognize the finality in her tone that comes from being a pack leader. She thinks her word is law, but I’m not part of her pack, and I don’t have to answer to her.
“Tasha, come on.” She marked me; she’s stuck with me whether she likes it or not.
“I saidno.” Tess’ voice is so sharp I turn my head to look at her in time to see Dominic pull her against his chest and murmur something into her ear. “Oh, let me go. I won’t crack the floor open this time.”
My eyes drop uneasily to her hands. I haven’t forgotten how—unlike her sister—Tess wields her power with ease. I don’t know what kind of magic the Jarreaus were infused with at birth, but I’ve had enough run-ins with their powers to know I should be careful to not push my luck.
“Tasha has spent most of this day in the kitchen making enough baked goods to host bake sales at every school in a hundred mile radius. I only just talked her into coming out here and appreciating what she’s done for your family. So you don’t get to storm in and make her feel guilty because you’re an insecure prick.” Everyone seems to be holding their breath as Tess rants at me, myself included.
“That’s not—“
“I’m still talking,” Tess interrupts with a scowl. “My sister is an angel. And you, Paxton Glass, are going to have to do more than just show up to be deserving of her. Do you understand me?”
She presses her lips together and stares at me.
“Oh, is it my turn now?” I deadpan.
She takes a jerky step toward me, but Dominic hauls her back again. He offers me a dirty look of his own, his scowl warning me that he won’t tolerate me much longer.
I turn my attention back to Tasha. She’s the only reason I’m even here right now. It was a pain in the ass making my way back here in wolf form and then talking myself onto Anchorage Lake Pack territory. Luckily one of Dominic’s pack took pity on me and got me some clothes, so I’m not standing naked in front of my family as I see most of them for the first time in years.
“What are you doing here, Paxton?” Tasha’s eyes look weary, but I can hear the hope in her voice. Dammit. I didn’t plan to come here and make nice with my family, but it’s clear that’s the only thing that will patch this fracture that’s growing between us.
I don’t like this. I was content to live life without my siblings front and center. It’s so much easier to bury the sins of our parents when I don’t have to actually face what they did.
Their own little Glass army.
Nothing I say to Tasha will fix things. She needs action. She needs to see me man up and stop running from the past. I don’t want to fucking do it, but I don’t want to lose her more. If she refuses me and sends me away, breaking our mate bond, solitude won’t feel good the way it once did. It’ll be a death sentence.
I grind my teeth and turn to open my arms to Poppy. “Really?” my little sister whispers. Fuck. My chest clenches at the surprise on her face.
“You really want to offer me the chance to change my mind?” I joke dryly.
Poppy shakes her head and leaps at me, throwing her arms around my neck and squeezing for all she’s worth. “I’m so glad you came, Paxton. We need to talk,” she whispers. I stiffen, and she gives me another squeeze. “Later. When everyone else is distracted.”
That doesn’t seem to bode well for me… or for any of this. I shoot her a questioning look that she ignores as she releases me, nudging me toward the rest of our siblings.
I try to grit my teeth and bear it as they fawn all over me and all talk over each other, trying to tell me stories about where they’ve been and what they’ve been doing. I try to smile and pretend I’m enjoying any of this, but I’m sure I look like I’m grimacing instead.
