Welcome Home Mate
Chapter 22

ROXIE

There was a knock at the door, but I didn't say a word.

I knew who it was, but I didn't want to see anyone.

I wipe my cheeks with my hands and sigh. I moved up off the floor, walked over to my bed, stopped at the foot, and looked around.

I know I can't stay here, not in the pack; too many bad memories were here for me.

My eyes landed on my closest, and I walked over and opened it. I looked around till I found what I was looking for and grabbed my rucksack.

I turned around, placed it on my bed, and started putting some clothes inside. There was another knock at the door, but I ignored them. The door opened, and in walked my Uncle Keith and my father.

"Roxie, please talk to us?" says my Uncle Keith.

I don't say anything, but I keep packing my clothes. I don't know what I'm putting in altogether; all I know is I need to get out of here.

I could hear yelling from outside; Jason was telling him to leave.

A tear slides down my face as I place another top into my bag.

A hand moved to mine and held it tight, making me stop what I was doing; I looked up and stared at my father.

"What happened, Rox?" he asked, worry written all over his face.

I look back down, and I feel like a failure. Why the hell do I? I thought he wanted me; he was supposed to have been waiting for me or changed when he knew what I was to him.

Bex was in my head, with her head resting on her paws. She has been hurting more but hasn't said a word to me.

"Please, Rox," he says, pleading.

I closed my eyes, "I thought he was in danger, and I wanted to help him, but when I got to him, he had his tongue down Naomi's throat," I said as a tear slipped down my cheek as I opened my eyes to look at my father and Uncle. Uncle Keith had a blank face, but my father looked angry.

"I will kill him," he shouted.

I shook my head, "No."

My father looks at me, "you rejected him, Rox."

I know what I did; I wanted to hurt him like he hurt Bex and me, before and now.

I moved my hand from his and sat back on the bed.

I stared at the closet, "I can't stay here," I said in a weak voice. I looked at my father, "I need time, but I can't be here. Too much here has hurt me, and I only came back to meet Sofia. And I have. I want to go back home."

This pack used to be my home when I was younger when my mum was alive, but after she was taken from us, this pack became my nightmare. I felt more at home in my Uncle's pack. I know I hurt my dad with my words as he stared at me, heartbroken. I worked my arse off to be who I am now and being back here, I have had to change who I am so that I don't show anyone the real me.

My father stares at me for a moment, "I know you do," he says with a weak sigh.

My dad walked in front of me and kneeled. He stares into my eyes. "I was a mess when your mother died; I couldn't function. I know I haven't been there for you, but you are my world, Rox," he says. He places his hand on my cheek and gently rubs his finger on it, catching a stray tear as it falls.

"I don't know what you went through, but I know you will tell me when you are ready," he says. He looked at Uncle Keith, "Both Roxie and I will return to the pack with you. I must be with my daughter, but I know she can't stay here."

My Uncle nodded and smiled. "That's okay with me."

Uncle Keith walked out of my bedroom and must have gotten his phone out as he started to talk on it.

Sofia walks in and gives me a weak smile. "I heard he's an a*s."

I nodded but didn't say anything to her. I watched as her eyes went to the box on the chest of drawers.

I looked back at my dad, "Dad, you best get packed and also tell Alpha Frank that we are going," I said to him. "Hopefully, he won't tell Alexander that I'm leaving."

My father nodded. "Don't worry. Alpha Frank will keep him busy, and I will explain what is happening."

My father gets up and places a kiss on my head. He turns to leave and heads in the direction of his room.

I glanced back at Sofia.

"When I go," I said to her, making her look back at me. "I need you to do something for me; I need a favor." She nods.

I walked over to the box and placed it on the ground.

I looked over at her. "I'm going to leave the books behind, and I want you to have Jason and Alexander read them," I said to her. Sofia's eyes widened, "Roxie; I can't do that."

I looked at her and gave her a small smile. "I need you too; I don't want to be here when they read them. But I'm taking the diary with my mum's memories in as I think my dad needs to read it. But I'm also taking one of these for him to read. Well, I can tell him the other stuff in a PG version at least, but the boys need to read them."

Sofia stared at the box, but I knew which diary my father could read, so I got up, retrieved the book from the box, and placed it in my bag.

"I know that Naomi is the main villain in the diaries. What she did to you was unforgivable, but Alexander must understand the whole story. He won't stop at one," Sofia says.

I sighed and looked back at her. "I'm not hiding them anymore. I have nothing to be ashamed of," I said.

Sofia looks at me and walks over to me. She placed her arm around me. "Will you be coming back?" she asked as she placed her head on mine.

"I don't know," I said. "I really don't know." This is the truth; I didn't know. I needed time to think.

Sofia sighs and moves her head. She places a kiss on my head and leans back. I looked at her, "I will miss you," I said to her.

Sofia nods, "Me too," she says as a tear slides down her face.

I know I'm packed, I don't know what I have put in my bag, but I need to get out here soon.

After a few moments, Uncle Keith enters the room. "The car is outside, and your dad is telling Jason what's happening. I will put all the bags in the car," he said.

I nodded.

I moved away, and Sofia followed me as I headed out of my room.

I walked downstairs and saw my father hugging my brother.

My father pulls back and smiles. "I will be home soon," he says to Jason.

Jason nods, but he looks at me. His eyes were holding so much emotion.

Both Uncle Keith and my dad walked outside, with Sofia following them. "I'm sorry," says Jason.

I kept my eyes on him but kept my mouth shut.

I know he is, but I bet he doesn't understand why he's sorry.

I didn't say anything.

Jason sighed. "Lex's an arse, and I know I should have said or done something in the past about all this, but I couldn't. It wasn't my place," he said.

I looked at him and walked up to him. I don't hug him, but I lean into him and place a kiss on his cheek.

When he reads the diaries, there will be a lot more to be said on both sides, but I can't tell him anything, but I know I need to leave.

I didn't say anything, but I turned around, walked straight to the front door, and walked through it.

The car was ready, with Sofia standing outside, holding the door open. I looked to see where everyone was, and Uncle Keith and his driver were in the front, which meant my father was in the back.

I walked up to the side I needed to go to and Sofia was holding the door open for me.

I climb in and sat back in the seat while Sofia closes the door behind me.

I looked at my father, who was staring back at me.

"Alpha Frank has him in the office, so we need to go now," he said.

I nodded without saying a word.

Uncle Keith's driver starts the engine and leaves. We drove away and headed toward the pack house. I held my breath when we came to pass the packhouse while we were driving past. Thinking that Alexander would know, we had left. Once we were past it, we were not far from the open road. I began to relax and let out the breath I was holding in.

I closed my eyes and looked at Bex. She stared back, and I could tell she was crying.

"I'm sorry, Bex," I said to her.

Bex looks at me and nods. "I know," she whispered. "We need time to heal."

I looked at her, "maybe we can go for a run when we get there or even have a fight," I said to her.

She nodded. "We can see how we feel when we get there, but Rox," she says. I looked at her, "I know you were trying and wanted to see what happened with mate; maybe some time away will help us, and we might come back. He didn't accept the rejection, and you could always take back the rejection if you wanted to," she says. I noticed the hope in her voice.

I didn't say anything, but all I knew I needed to do was to get away for now. I needed a clear head for thinking, and I certainly wasn't going to get it around this pack.