Welcome Home Mate
Chapter 70

ROXIE

Lex leaves the room with Alpha Dean and Alpha Frank following him. I was left looking back at all the men in my family.

Bex and I were trying to figure out what the hell we saw in our dream.

"It was a dream," she muttered. "It had to be."

I stared at her. "I guess," I said. "But it felt so real."

Bex nodded.

Someone cleared their throat, which brought me back to the room.

Uncle Keith and my Dad were smiling back, but Jason looked like he wanted to be elsewhere. He kept looking at the ground. I looked around and realized that Sofia wasn't there. "Where is Sofia?" I asked.

Jason shook his head and looked at me, giving me a small smile. "She is helping around the pack," he said, but something about his body language made me think something was wrong.

I gave a small smile, even though I didn't believe him.

"Well, shall we get you ready to go home?" said my Dad.

I nodded.

I planned to go to the house for a few hours to collect my things. I wasn't going to stay; I needed to be with Lex. I knew I had to talk to them about things, but how could you explain what I saw without freaking anyone out?

The way the tingles were with us, I knew the mate bond would never give up on the fact that I needed to be with him, and in all honesty, I wanted to be with him. I was going to make him work for it more, but I don't know if I can. My body can portray me. I have seen it before, and it is only a matter of time before it will again.

I wanted to go back so I could talk to each of them. The dream affected me.

"Mama Wolf looked like she was happy," whispered Bex through my head, which made my heart ache slightly. The mere mention of her had my mind racing about whether I should tell them the truth; knowing my luck, I would end up being the laughingstock of the family.

I got up and moved to the edge of the bed, placing my legs over the side. My hip was throbbing. The doctor told me that the wound would be gone soon, but it would take a while as it was from an alpha. That part was not good, and the fact he told me that it could leave a scar would be a permanent reminder of what happened, but I'm not going to let that prick get to me.

Uncle Keith went around the side and handed me some clothes.

I smiled.

All the men left, and I quickly got changed; even though the wound was painful, I managed.

Once I was ready, my uncle and father walked back in. "Jason will meet us at the house," said my father, as I took his arm.

There was definitely something going on with my brother, but I didn't know what.

We walked out of the room and headed through the hospital.

Pack members kept saying Luna, which was nerve-wracking, to say the least. I wasn't going to get used to this, not in a hurry.

As we approached the doorway, a faint stench of death remained from the attack. "How many of the pack members died?" I asked when we were out of earshot. "Fifteen," Keith murmured.

I felt sadness wash over me.

I felt for them and their families too. No one should ever lose their loved ones like this. I should know.

We carried on walking till we reached the house. As we approached, I noticed Jason was already there. He looked like he would rather be anywhere else but at the house.

We all walked in, but I looked at Jason as he shut the door. "What's up with you?" I asked.

Jason looked at me but didn't say anything.

I stared at him for a few moments. "Well," I said. "Are you going to talk to me?"

Jason lets a low growl escape. "Rox," he snarls. "I don't have to talk to you. You need to rest."

I stared at him.

"You need to start opening up," I said. "If you don't, it will all blow up in your face."

Jason stared at me, and his face changed slightly. Anger was written on his face. "You need to butt out of my business," he yelled. He looked around and growled. "I don't need to be here; I'm going." Jason turned around and opened the front door. He stormed out with the door slamming hard behind him.

"Rox," uncle Keith said. "You could have waited until we were inside the house and settled."

I looked over at him. "Seriously," I said.

Uncle Keith stared at me, but a sigh escaped. "He is going through something," he said. "He will talk when he is ready."

I could feel Bex move in my head, but she didn't say anything. I knew she was listening.

"He will never open up," I muttered, which made uncle Keith frown. "You don't know..." he went to say, but I couldn't help the low growl that came from me. Uncle Keith's eyes widened.

"Jason will never open," I said as I walked over to the couch and sat down. My Dad and Uncle Keith stared at me. "Jason needed to open up; he used the girls to cope with everything. Mum's death took a toll on us." "Let it go, Rox," said my Dad.

I stared at him. "Why?" I asked. "I'm worried about him."

My Dad stared.

"Tell me," I said.

My Dad looked at me but turned to Uncle Keith, who nodded. My Dad sighed. "Jason and Sofia have a few issues," he said. "I don't know much, but the tension between them has been off lately."

I stared at him.

"The women," whispered Bex in my head. "Some of them must have been talking about what they did with him."

I couldn't help but growl.

I looked at my Dad. "Jason needs to own up to everything he has done," I said. "I know what it was like when all those women were here; it was like a s*x club for teenagers. I had to endure everything Naomi dished out to me and the others."

I got up from the couch and stood, staring at them. "Jason knew all the women here would have mates," I said. "Some may have found them, but can you imagine what it is like to walk around a pack, no less one you don't know, and have everyone tell you what your mate is like in the sack."

I don't know if that was happening. But knowing how she-wolves can act, I wouldn't put it past them.

Both men stared at me, but the understanding was written on their faces. They knew what I said was right. I learned firsthand what rumors and what people are like in this pack. Things needed to change.

The house was silent.

My Dad cleared his throat. "Shouldn't you go and pack to stay with Lex?" he asked.

I stared at him; his eyes were on me. Something was there, but I couldn't work out what.

I nodded.

I looked toward the stairs; I might as well go up and pack.

Talking to these two will be hard.

I walked over to the stairs, but when Uncle Keith asked his question, I stopped in my tracks. "Why are you staying with him?"

I sighed.

I turned around and looked at him. "Why shouldn't I?" I asked.

"It was only a few days ago that you rejected him," he said.

Bex was up in my head and moving closer.

"After everything I have been through over the last few days," I said. "I learned there is more to life than holding onto the past."

I moved closer to them. "You taught me that," I said to him. Uncle Keith gave me a small smile, but I looked at him and then at my father, whose face was holding so much. "I didn't know the extend of what was going on with Naomi; no one did."

I stopped just in front of them and placed my hands in theirs.

"Dad, Keith, I accepted Lex as my mate because it's my fate," I said. "I needed space and might need some more. But I am ready to be with him."

My father squeezed my hand, which made me look at him. I moved to him and wrapped my arms around him, pulling him into a hug. I pulled back and did the same to Uncle Keith.

I could feel dampness on my cheeks; tears were flowing. They weren't sad tears; they were happy ones.

"I need to move on from all this," I said. "I am supposed to be by Lex's side."

I stared at them both and smiled. "You know," I said, trying to lighten the mood, but part of me wanted them to know that this was what my mother wanted.

"It's okay to move on," I said and looked at my Dad. "Mum wouldn't want you being stuck in the house and feeling sorry for yourself."

My Dad looked at me and gave me a small smile. "I don't think I can do that," he said. "I loved her so much. How could I move on?"

A lone tear leaves his eye as he looks at me.

I move from Uncle Keith's hand and place my hand on my father's cheek, catching another tear that escapes. He leans into my hand as I leave it there. "You don't have to forget her," I said. "It is alright to smile, laugh, and even have fun moments. She would probably want to hear about them when you meet her with the moon goddess."

My father's tears were coming, but I kept moving them away.

My father's tears were coming, but I kept moving them away.

"How did you get to be so grown up?" asked Uncle Keith. I looked over at him as he wiped his tears with the back of his hand.

I gave them a small smile. "I had two amazing teachers," I said, looking between them.

I couldn't help but hug them both again.

I pulled back after a few moments and looked at them. I let my arms drop to my sides and look at them. "I had best go and pack," I said.

"We will help," said my Dad.

I smiled. "I'm only going to take a few items with me for the time being," I said. "I don't want to move all my stuff in just yet."

"You are going to make him work for it a bit more," said my Dad with an amused look.

I couldn't help but laugh.

"Too right," I said, which made them both laugh. "Knowing him, he might say something to me that will get on my nerves." My father smiled.

I turned around and walked toward the stairs with Uncle Keith and my father following me.

As we got to my room, I quickly grabbed a small bag from the floor and started to put a few items in the bag.

My father and Uncle Keith sat on the bed and talked.

It was nice.

Bex moved toward the front, which made me look back at her. "You okay?" I asked.

Bex nodded, but there was a slight change in her mood. She seemed happy. "I can't wait to see mate," she said.

I laughed. "I know," I said.

Bex looked at me but c****d her head to the side. "You seem nervous," she said. "Should I be worried?"

I stare at her.

She was right; I was nervous. I was going to be staying with Lex, my mate.

My insides were doing summersaults, and I felt sick.

"Rox," she called out, which made me look back at her. "Mate won't hurt us," she said. "He is sorry."

I sigh.

"I know that," I said. "I don't know. I guess I'm overthinking everything."

Bex nodded. "I got you," she said. "You don't have to mate or mark mate yet. We will wait till you are ready."

My eyes widened. "Mate and mark?" I muttered. "That can wait for a little while."

Bex nodded, but I could see the disappointment in her eyes. I guess she wanted to mate and mark with Lex so she could talk to Blaze.

"Bex," I whispered. "I will, but I need some time."

Bex nodded, but I knew she wanted me to say more.

"I will," I said. "I promise."

Bex didn't say anything but moved back slightly. She laid down in my head, with her head resting on her front paws.

I looked back at my father and Uncle Keith, who were staring at me. "All okay, sweetheart?" asked my father.

I cleared my throat. "Yeah," I said, looking around and realizing I got everything I needed.

I glanced at my father and took his hand into mine. "I will leave now," I said. "Can we have food tomorrow?"

My father nodded. "All three of us will," he said, looking over to Uncle Keith.

I looked at them both.

"Well, I had best make a move," I said.

I picked up my bag and placed it over my shoulder.

All three of us move out of my room and head back downstairs. I hugged and kissed them both before I opened the front door and walked out.

I knew they were watching me as I walked away.

I was going to be staying with Lex.

I was completely nervous, but I could feel the excitement too.

I knew I needed to do this and be there with him, not just as his mate, but as his Luna.

All pack members needed to see me and know that I accepted him.

It might take a little time to get there, but I know we will. Let's hope he doesn't open his mouth and drop himself into a hole. I could hear Bex chuckle. "We know human mate will," she said, which made me smile as we walked closer to the pack house.