Chapter 39 Warm Welcome
1441 Words
Chapter 39
Warm Welcome
*** ***
Louise
“What an interesting surprise party this turned out to be.”
“Tell me about it! Louise can never catch a break!
“Thank the Goddess that it’s nothing serious.”
“And what a time for that girl to turn up…”
“It’s freaky…”
Raine? Jo? I knew their voices well. I blinked my eyes open to see their worried faces looming over me. “What happened? Did I faint?”
“Yeah…” Jo screwed her face up in a twisted grin. “We heard you put on quite a show. You got the attention of the entire pack!”
I closed my eyes and let out a nervous breath. Images of the accident flashed behind my eyelids. A shiver ran down my spine. “I bet I did…” I opened my eyes again. “What were you told?”
“Well, your mum had loads to say…” Raine offered her hand. “The accident… The outsiders… The way you stood up to the Alpha… I wish I had seen it.”
I thought for a moment. I shielded the outsiders... I wanted to protect them. Then I saw the blood… Joseph and Tye were running towards me… “Why did I faint? Did the witch curse me?”
Both girls looked at each other and then back to me.
“No…” Jo shook her head, dropping by my feet, then folded her hands into her lap. “The Doctor said the seatbelt rubbed against your stitches during the accident but checked them, and they’re fine. He cleaned up your cuts and went his merry way.”
“But he warned us you might suffer from shock!” Raine offered her hand again. “And that’s where friends come in handy…”
This time, I took her hand, and she helped me sit. I gazed around the room and quickly realised I was home, in my cozy living room. However, it was a lot more festive than I remembered. The walls and ceiling were adorned with vibrant red, white, and yellow streamers. I was drawn to a ‘welcome home’ banner flapping gently against the wall near the kitchen counter.
My eyes landed on the delectable spread of food and drinks laid out over the counter. My mouth watered at the sight of a towering strawberry cream cake elegantly decorated with swirls of pink frosting. It looked almost too good to eat. The cake was surrounded by plates overflowing with an assortment of savoury and sweet party food, from crispy chicken wings and party pies to bite-sized chocolate treats and choc-chip biscuits. I spotted a few bottles of soft drinks waiting to be popped open and enjoyed.
It was clear that Mum and my friends had gone to great lengths to welcome me home in style. “You guys did this for me?”
“We would do anything for you…” Raine and Jo echoed.
“It looks amazing.” I took in the room and paused when my glance landed on Tye perched on the chair across from me, an ankle crossed over his knee. His face was focused and unyielding. “Tye, you’re here…”
His eyes met mine, and he uncrossed his legs. A mischievous smile curled his lips. “We have to stop meeting like this...”
Grinning shyly, I shook my head. “Did I bleed on you again?”
“No,” he stood up and walked towards me. “This time, that other dude caught you… Duane, I think his name is… He was in the splatter zone.”
“Duane?” I squinted back at Tye. The memory of the visitors hit me, followed by a shudder of panic. “Jada! What happened to her and the others?”
He squatted before me, resting his hands on my knees. “Don’t worry about them right now. They’re safe at the packhouse with the Alpha and Luna. You need to relax. Doc has you on bed rest for the rest of the night.”
“But I have to speak to Jada.” I stood, making Tye stand. Raine and Jo eyed me cautiously. I turned to them. “She looks like me! This stranger looks just like me!”
“Identical…!” Raine gestured her thumb towards two figures talking just inside the front door. “Your mum and Gamma Archie told us all about it. It’s so weird.”
“I would like to have seen it…” Jo added.
“And my mum added her two cents worth…” Tye shook his head, running his hands through his hair, making his muscles ripple and my breath hitch. “But she’s got other things on her mind...”
“I bet,” I rolled my eyes, and he chuckled. After what Mum had told me, I knew Madeline was focused on organising a mate bonding ceremony, which I still hadn’t agreed to. Why are parents so impatient?
“What things?” Raine asked curiously.
“Oh, just a proposal I gave Louise a few days ago...” Tye coyly stepped closer to me. He reached over and brushed my hair behind my ear. His eyes were tender and bright. “I asked Louise something important. I hope she’ll give me an answer soon.”
A rush of heat had now consumed my face. Tingles radiated from Tye’s hand resting against my shoulder. My heart backflipped, making flutters rise in my throat. I exhaled a breath, hoping to drive the sensation away, but it failed.
“Wait!” Raine squealed in a cringing tone. She pointed from me to Tye. I backed away from him, letting his hand drop. “Just wait a minute... You and Tyrone… Are you two together?”
“No, it’s not like that–” I tried to protest.
“Well… Not yet,” Tyrone winked at me, and I swallowed a nervous breath.
“But what about ...” Raine lowered her voice to a whisper. “What about you-know-who?”
Joseph! “That’s a long story!” I hissed between clenched teeth, fighting against the building anger his name brought. I folded my arms. “That’s never going to be...”
“It’s strange that you think that...” Jo hooked her hands on her hips. “He was pretty protective of you...” She tilted her head at Tyrone. “When you fainted, Joseph nearly tore Tyrone’s head off before the entire pack… And probably would have had the Alpha not asked him to escort those outsiders to the packhouse.”
“Jada...” I pointed at the front door. That urgent wave of protection resurfaced. “We need to get to them! I need to speak to her!”
Tye opened his mouth to argue but went silent when Mum and Gamma Archie stepped in between us. He closed his mouth and crossed his arms. He scowled in a way that made his face cute. He caught me staring, and that scowl swapped to a grin.
“Louise,” Mum said softly. I faced her. Her expression seemed to hover between worry and confusion. “The Alpha and Luna want to see you...”
“They need you to come down to the packhouse.” Gamma Archie continued. He gestured at me. “Are you feeling up to it?”
“Why?” Tye’s face turned serious, tightening his jaw. His arms dropped by his side.
Gamma Archie placed a hand on his son’s shoulder. “It’s okay, son… It’s just a formality… Louise will be fine.”
Tye nodded, but I could tell he was far from relaxed.
I must have made a wrong impression! I swallowed a stuck breath. A sudden fear engulfed my chest. The Alpha and Luna wanted to see me… An insubordinate omega! After what I had done, this was not a good sign.
“I’ll go with you.” Tye took my hand in his, and I welcomed the warmth of his touch. “I refuse to let you face the Alpha and Luna alone!”
“We will, too,” Jo said, stepping beside me, Raine’s arm linked to hers. “We’ll go anywhere for you.”
This is serious! It was more than dealing with my doppelganger and defying the order of the Alpha and the Alpha’s son. My body trembled. I could not ignore it.
“I’m here…” Tyre tightened his grip but gently.
Squaring my shoulder back, I nodded. “Okay, I’m ready to go.”
- Writer
