Everything Breaks

Joshua

(Scarlet's POV)

I am on cloud nine because, in such a short time, Kollin and I feel so connected, and there is no doubt about whether he cares about me or not. There is one thing that I'm curious about; the first time Kollin and I slept together, he pulled out before cumming, but this time, he didn't pull out or even try. I don't know if it is a wolf thing where after you mate, then you immediately start having babies or what, but what Kollin doesn't know is that I am on birth control. I had it inserted about a year ago because I didn't want to end up getting pregnant by Myles. I'm not sure if I even want children, so I'm not going to say anything about it.

The rain finally stopped, so we started driving again, and we were about 10 minutes away from the pack lands. My heart was pounding from nerves, everything in me wanted to tell Kollin to turn around, but I knew he would be so disappointed. We were driving on a little one-lane road through dense woods and had yet to pass a house since we turned onto this road. It was so beautiful; everything was untouched besides the little road that winded through the woods. Breathing here felt cleaner. Up ahead, I could see a few houses on both sides of the road. Kids played outside on a trampoline and waved as we went by.

The road opened up to a large circle, and then four other little roads split off on the other side of the circle. I figured this was the center of the town. Kollin pulled off to the right and stopped in front of a large building resembling an old-timey courthouse. It was stunning, entirely made of wood and painted white. It had a wrap-around porch with outdoor furniture and planters all around. Kollin helped me off of the bike and held my clammy hand as we walked towards the stairs. I started up the stairs and heard the brown front door creak open. I saw a tall man with dark gray and brown hair. He looked at me with tears in his eyes, and I knew he was my father. I walked up to him, smiling. I tightened my grip on Kollin's hand with my left hand and held out my right hand to shake his hand.

"I'm Scarlet," I said as he shook my hand. "Joshua Randale, but everyone calls me Josh," he said clearly his throat. He looked down at mine and Kollin's hands, nearly fused from me holding onto him so tight. "I'm not sure what Kollin has told you, but I would love for you both to come in so we can talk," he said curiously. I looked over at Kollin, and his eyes met mine; I could feel him reassuring me. I looked back at my father; he had started walking back into the house. Walking into the house, I noticed it smelled like an old library. I looked around, and everything was dark cherry wood. The door opened up to the living room, which had two couches and one chair with a glass coffee table in the center. There was an L-shaped staircase in the far corner that led upstairs. Looking down the hallway straight ahead, I could see the kitchen. Josh walked over to the chair in the living room and sat down. We followed him and sat on one of the couches across from him.

"So Mr. Allane, what all have you told Scarlet?" Josh said. Kollin stiffened, and I could tell that he was uncomfortable. I was guessing it was because Josh was the alpha, and it was intimidating. I spoke up before Kollin, "He told me about you, the pack, him being my mate, and then about my uncle. What about my mother?" I asked quickly. Josh smirked and looked back over at Kollin and then down at his wedding band on his ring finger. "You look and sound just like her. She was a beautiful and wild spirit," he claimed while trying not to cry. I gulped, and my stomach turned. "Her name was Allison. She passed during childbirth, we did everything we could to save her, but she had just brought a miracle into the world and was tired. Pack doctors told her that she couldn't have children, but after a few years of being married, she became pregnant.

The pregnancy was rough on her body, and she was on bed rest the whole time, but no one ever knew she was pregnant. She stayed inside, and then after you were born, we told people that she passed from a sickness," Josh poured out. "I didn't tell anyone because I didn't think I could raise a child without her, and I was in such a bad way after she passed; I just wanted you to have a better life," He said, crying. I just sat there in disappointment. I did not mean to come off cold, but my life was not the easiest, and I feel like if he had tried, my life would have been way better than what I was in. "So then you took me to another city and gave me up. I grew up in bad foster homes and girls' homes, and then I met Kollin, and here we are," I said boldly.

My response took Josh back; his face was stunned. Kollin's head snapped to look over at me with his eyes huge. "Alpha, I'm sorry. Scarlet has not had a good life, and I understand her anger about all of this. I did not tell her about her mother because I thought that should be something you should tell her," Kollin said calmly, trying to defend my behavior. "I apologize for the disrespect, but you must understand how I feel. All I knew before Kollin was that I was abandoned by my parents and had to live in places that didn't want me either but had to keep me because there was nowhere else for me to go. I spent holidays alone, and after turning eighteen, I spent holidays with my friends' families. I have been alone my whole life, so I'm sorry, but I do not have sympathy for a man who brought a child into the world and then gave her up," I declared as I stood up from the couch. "Scarlet, I'm sorry for everything you've been through, and it is solely my fault. I do not blame anyone else because I should have kept you or at least gone back for you, but I didn't," Josh said sadly as he got up from the chair and walked toward me. "I will spend the rest of my time on this earth making it up to you, Scarlet. I will understand if you need more time before speaking to me again, but I do love you, and I have one thing I want to give you before you go," He said while pulling me in to hug him.

I was not sure how to feel. I hugged him back, and it felt so good to find the person I came from. He hugged me for what felt like a year and then finally let go. "Follow me," he said. Kollin and I followed him back outside and down the stairs. We walked for about 3 minutes across the circle and down one of the little roads until we stopped in front of a house. It looked newly built, a white two-story house with a big front yard. It had flower beds in front of the house full of pink and yellow flowers and three rocking chairs across the front porch. To the left was a separate garage with a breezeway connecting it to the house.

"It's your Scarlet," Josh said. My heart dropped, and we stood in silence; I did not know what to say or do. "The whole house?" I asked. Josh laughed and nodded while pulling keys out of his pocket and handing them to me. "It's for the both of you, not to pry, but I do see the mate marks, so it's both of yours," he smiled. Kollin's face turned white and then bright red. "Thank you, but I didn't bring anything with me but a few changes of clothes. I don't think I need a whole house." I laughed in embarrassment. "It's fully furnished with all new furniture, and Kollin called and told me what size clothes you wore," he said excitedly.

My face then turned red because he knew we had been intimate, and this was the first time meeting him. Just airing all the dirty laundry up front. "oh, did he now?" I said while turning to show Kollin my darkened eyes so he could see that I was not happy about being felt in the dark. "thank you, Alpha, I am glad to be back home and with Scarlet," Kollin said while trying not to laugh, after looking at me. "Come by for breakfast if you're up to it in the morning. I want to get to know you more; no more sad talk out of me, I promise," Josh said. "We will be there!" I said, smiling at my father. He grinned and began walking back in the same direction we came. Kollin and I looked at each other, and I started running towards the house. Kollin chased me up onto the porch and then through the front door.