Shadow wolves: A burning desire (Book 5) - Complete

Chapter 5 - Going back home ...

Fiona

Biting my tongue, so I don’t physically shiver because of his touch, I make myself comfortable by sliding into the middle of the truck seat. This position might be a bit of a problem, but I will just have to grin and bear it. I need to get used to having my loved ones close to me at some point. No better time than right now. Erik jumps in right beside me, slamming the poor truck door, frightening me.

“Sorry for nearly killing your truck dad.” Matt pretends to be Erik and rolls his eyes at our son.

“What? What did I do?” Erik shrugs and Matt sighs deeply. From what I can feel between the two of them, things aren’t going too well. Have they never seen eye to eye or is it just a stage? Maybe it’s just the stress of the current situation.

“You have to admit, dad… the doors have never closed properly if you didn’t slam them.” I put my best grin I can muster on my face and look at Matt.

“And so it starts…” He sighs again and starts up the truck. The drive home is quite funny because it takes an entire convoy to drive me back home. I am speechless seeing all the changes the town went through, and then our house comes into view…

“What the f@ck?!” I gasp. “Where is my flower garden? Why isn’t the house painted?” I can’t believe that Matt would let things deteriorate like this! It looks like a haunted house in the street! “Matt?”

“I haven’t been here for a while. It needs some work.” Matt frowns.

“How long?” My voice goes up an octave, and he hesitate as if he isn’t ready to discuss it yet.

“I will get this over with. He left after everyone thought you were dead.” Erik is the first one to tell me the truth. I look from Erik to Matt and back again.

“Where did you go?” I gape at Matt.

“Oh, that’s another whopper… He left me here, with aunt Meg and uncle Anthony.” The truck comes to a standstill in front of the house and Erik jumps out, probably feeling the tension and wanting to get out. Matt takes a deep breath, then climbs out and walks over to the other side to pick me up and carry me inside. I’m speechless…

Matt

Great! Her homecoming had to start this way. But what else was I supposed to say? At least coming from Erik, the blow was probably softer… I think… I hope. Her facial expression almost impossible to read, I carry her inside and softly put her down on the couch, while Meg and Esmeralda pile into the house. Es had come especially for the ceremony for her sons.

“I… I will leave you ladies to it then.” I sighed, not sure what to say or do. I walk outside and get the bag of clothes Megan brought her, as well as the cane they gave her at the hospital. She had to use it for support in the beginning until she regained her strength, but at the moment I feared she might just wrap it around my neck if she had the strength. Walking into the front door, they go quiet suddenly. “Excuse me… I’m just taking these through to the bedroom, then I will be out of your hair.” I put her things in the room, feeling the familiar “I’m so furious with you” feeling she used to give me, that I almost burst out laughing. Walking back into the living room, I grab my hat and quickly make myself scarce.

“Where’s he going?” Megan frowned and I sighed from outside.

“Away… far, far away.” I hear her outside the door and from her voice, I know I had better not come back before sundown.

Fiona

“Megan spill! What happened while I was away? What is this I hear about Matt leaving Erik with you and leaving the pack?” I’m furious. Erik walks into the living room with a smile on his face, he makes his way to the kitchen.

“Hey buddy! Seeing as you probably caused the problem, I think you had better go join the boys at the packhouse. They are all going on a practice run and I think you can do with some running today.” Es rolls her eyes at Erik, and he rolls his eyes at Es. Walking over to me, he kisses me on my cheek and on his way out.

“Sorry mom.” He shouts over his shoulder on his way out. I sit there completely stunned. My jaw on the ground! My baby boy just ratted out his father, then gloated about it and when he was sent for punishment, he almost looked proud of what he had done!! And all because my mate left.

“Fiona, you have to understand. Matt was shattered. We all were. We had lost so much at the end of the war that none of us knew much. We only found some of your hair and blood and after searching everywhere, we finally had to accept that you were dead.” Megan explains.

“Without having a body to prove it?” I am in shock.

“I know it sounds ridiculous now, but yes. You didn’t see the battlefield. The sheer horror of it all. Matt was broken without you, but he fought until it was all over. When there was no more fighting left… he didn’t know what to do without you.” Meg shrugs.

“He couldn’t feel that I was alive? I don’t believe that!” Tears starting to run down my face. “All of you! You just gave up on me! There was no proof that I was dead!” It all bubbles out of me.

“Fiona, I’m so sorry for what you had to go through, but the moon goddess is trying to find out why. She says that your disappearance was covered by some dark force. It hid the fact that you were still alive from us all. Even from Matt. That was why he couldn’t feel the bond.” Esmeralda’s eyes turn softer.

“How could you give up looking for me after you didn’t find my body?! How could Matt?! Explain that to me?!” I shouted. All the pent-up emotions burst out and could no longer be kept in. I didn’t hate any of them. I wasn’t even angry. I… I don’t even know why I want answers. All I know was that the questions were flowing out of my mouth and I can’t stop crying. “Get out! Just get out and leave me alone!” I finally shouted when they sat there unable to answer anything, looking at me with their sympathy and guilt in their eyes.

I can’t stand it! What did they want from me? Forgiveness? I haven’t even had time to catch my breath, let alone forgive. They both leave without a fight. Megan just says that if I needed anything the numbers are by the phone in the kitchen, same as before. As if I care at the moment. I don’t look up at either of them until I heard the door close behind them. What is wrong with me? All I could think about the past ten years was getting back home, and now I was chasing all my friends and family away from me.

Matt

I join the guys for a training session to work off some of this tension I am feeling when the receptionist calls me. Megan is on the phone sounding concerned. Fiona chased them out of the house for the same reason she was angry at me for, but she couldn’t be left alone at the moment.

“She doesn’t want anything to do with me, Meg. The only person she wants around her is Erik.” I sighed.

“Well, he is a child and can’t look after her. Step up and be the man in the house.” Meg growled.

“You do realize who you left sitting in my house?” I’m on the verge of hysterical laughter.

“Yes, now get your ass back there!” Meg orders.

“Yes ma’am.” I can’t say no when the Luna gives me an order. Handing the phone back to the receptionist, I walk over to the locker, get my stuff, and walk over to the truck. “I have to face hellfire… Come on Matt! You have done this before, and it only burnt for like two days.” I think back to the day I bit her, wanting her to be one of us. She told me she loved me. What else was I going to do? That was when I met her hellfire… she doesn’t have red hair for no reason. Meeting her wolf Nightmare was even worse! She really is a nightmare to deal with. “Oh cr@p don’t let Nightmare be there.” I climb into the truck and drive home, ready to meet the creator.

I park in front of the house, taking a big breath before climbing out of the truck. I didn’t even take a shower, I realize suddenly. I should have stayed and taken a shower first. Too late now. Hesitating for a second. Seriously Matt! She can’t be that bad. She isn’t even close to full strength you woos! I close the door and walk to the front door, trying my best to softly open the door, when I see her feet on the floor. I rip open the door, finding her passed out on the floor in front of the couch.

“Fiona!” I shout. She moans, looking dazed and confused, her eyes flutter open.

“What are you doing here?” She frowns.

“It’s my house, remember.” I try to help her up, but she pushes me away.

“OUR house, remember.” She says, trying to sit up. I help her again, and she grabs hold of her head the instant I put her back onto the couch.

“What can I get you? What do you need?” I frown.

“You… away… you stink!” She holds her nose waving me away from sitting so close to her. I jump up, smelling myself. I blush blood-red.

“Anything else?” I don’t want to leave her alone.

“Water please, and some of those pain pills doc. M prescribed. My head is killing me.” She seems a little calmer, but in pain.

“Well then maybe you shouldn’t have shouted at your friends and chased them away. You overexerted yourself, and you should take it easy.” I couldn’t help myself. It just slipped out.

“Who died and made you the expert on all things Fiona?” Her words hitting me right in the gut. I take her the water and pills and without another word. I fetch her the cane from the bedroom.

“Here you go. Seeing as you are so self-sufficient, you can get yourself to bed. I need a shower as you so nicely pointed out.” Regretting my words, the second they leave my mouth, I turn around and head for the bathroom. Turning on the water, so it sounds like I’m not paying her any attention. I stand by the bathroom door, waiting and listening to hear if she makes it to the bedroom. I hear the cane coming down the passage and decide to start stripping and jump in the shower.

She might just walk into the bathroom knowing her. Wanting to check if I was in fact taking a shower like I said I was going to. I hear the doorknob turning, but then a couple of seconds later I hear the cane moving towards the bed. I’m not sure if I’m disappointed or relieved. I climb out, putting a towel around my waist, shaving I realize there is another problem… My clothes are in the bedroom. I’m not going to put the sweaty clothes back on again.

F@CK! This day couldn’t get any worse! I will just have to pretend that it doesn’t bother me and get my clothes and come put them on in the bathroom then. Walking out of the bathroom with as much confidence as I can muster, I see her lying on the bed. Her eyes burn through me watching every move.

“I hope you didn’t have any funny business in mind. I’m injured, you know.” Her eyes flash with anger.

“As a matter of fact, I didn’t. I just came to get some clothes. You don’t have to worry, Fiona. I won’t touch you until you ask me to.” I am sounding snarky!

“Ah but you did. You picked me up and put me in the truck at the hospital. You picked me up and carried me inside the house…” She starts counting them off on her fingers. I bent down to grab a pair of jocks from the bottom drawer, rolling my eyes at her sense of reasoning and when I stand up, the towel had come loose from where I tucked it in and drops right down to the ground. Revealing an entire naked backside of me… I drop my head, holding my sweats in one hand and my jocks in the other… Great!