When I got back to my apartment, my pulse still racing from the beast encounter, I started packing up my clothes. I hurried like my life was at risk. Maybe it was. I was not entirely sure what I had just gotten myself into with that beast. But I knew staying here wasn't going to solve any of my problems, so I was going home.
Once the duffel was packed, I grabbed my laptop and sent an email to Angelica. I told her I wouldn't be coming in for a while and that if she wanted to know what happened, Tandan would have the answers. Then I added in that I was terribly sorry for leaving her to all that work again. She was such a kind woman and only a day ago she had welcomed me and Tandan into her home.
Maybe I would never have to see her again. I sent the email and carried the oversized duffel down to my car. The zipper would bust if I even tried to close it, yet I had plenty more clothes in my room. It would have to wait until I could return to get everything else. Until I had a clear head again.
I called my mother as I backed away from the apartment complex. In the back of my brain, I could still hear the beast roaring. My mother's crisp voice drew me from those sounds of the mind.
"Rylee?" she said.
"Hi mom," I squeaked.
"Your Dad and I are just picking up some lumber from the hardware store. We're having your brother build a fence in the backyard." Pausing, she seemed to realize she was talking too much. "How are you doing, honey?"
I felt like I should have been bawling, but I felt surreally neutral about it all. "I'm coming home."
"Oh, your dad will be so happy to see you!"
"I know...but I'm going to stay a little longer than the weekend this time, Mom."
"You got off work to come see us? You didn't have to do that."
There was hesitation through the line and then: "Are you alright, Rylee?"
"I'll see you in a little bit, Mom. I love you."
"Oh. I love you too, honey."
I ended the call and sucked in a deep breath. My knuckles faded to white from gripping the steering wheel. Now I had about two hours to come up with something to say and try to ignore the growing ache in my chest.
—(—)—
Braden's Jeep wasn't in the driveway when I arrived. I felt apprehensive knowing he wouldn't be here to comfort me when my parents rained hell. No one greeted me at the door, so I twisted the knob and let myself in. My ears picked up on hushed voices in the kitchen. Swallowing down my fear, I placed my duffel by the staircase and walked to the kitchen.
"He is going to be fine," my dad was whispering in a stern voice.
"There is no telling what they've done!" argued my mother. "We don't know if he's safe. We don't know wha—"
"Rylee, honey." A quick smile darted across my dad's face as he watched me step into the threshold of the kitchen.
Wide-eyed, my mom spun around to look at me. She couldn't disguise the worry from leaking into her features. I instantly felt a rock of dread form in my gut. Like I needed another reason to be worried.
"What's going on?" I tentatively asked.
"It's just your brother," my dad said.
"What happened to him? Is he okay?"
My mom cupped a hand to her mouth and shook her head with watery eyes.
Sighing, my dad folded his arms over his chest. "The Alpha called him in to help contain a problem. We don't know what the problem is but it's bad. Some of our friends in the pack said it's dangerous."
"What does that even mean?"
"We don't know."
I rubbed my face with my hands. If it wasn't one thing, it was most certainly another. The stress sent vibrations through my bones that made me want to shift. It would feel so good to release again. Then again, the last time I did I was caught by a beast. Not that it would even be able to find me here.
Thinking about the beast reminded me of Matt. I needed to call him again. Just to try.
"I'm going to take my things up to my room," I said before turning away.
Neither parent protested my leave. I knew they were stressed about Braden but I had so much to tell them. So much that I couldn't tell them now until my baby brother made it out of this alive.
Once in the solitude of my room, I tossed the duffel on the bed and pulled out my cell phone. I nearly called Tandan on accident before catching myself.
"What the hell is wrong with you?" I hissed to myself. Then I picked Matt's contact and listened to the ring. Except it didn't ring at all.
"We're sorry," spoke an automated woman's voice, "but the number you have dialed is no longer available. Goodbye."
I stared at my phone screen after it hung up. What was going on? First, he wouldn't answer my calls and now his number isn't even in service? Feeling worried again, I chewed on my bottom lip. I felt like shit. What if he was hurt? Worse yet, what if he wasn't hurt but he just got a new phone number to avoid me? I let out a mournful whine without realizing it. I'd lost my mate and my best friend in a matter of days and now my brother was in danger.
This was all still passing through my mind when there was a knock at the bedroom door. I rubbed at my cheeks where tears had fallen stray and tried to pull myself out of the emotions.
"Honey?" called my mom. "Can I come in?"
I cleared my throat. "Yeah. Come on in."
The door pushed open and she came into the room with a forced smile. We were all forcing them these days, it seemed.
"I'm sorry we weren't very welcoming," she said. I scooted over on the bed so she could sit beside me. "It's just been a lot to deal with. Beth and I have begun planning the wedding and now Braden might be becoming Alpha even sooner than we—"
"A wedding!"
Her face blanked in surprise. "Your brother hasn't told you?"
"Ugh, no! Nobody tells me anything," I complained. "When is the wedding?"
"We don't know now..."
I felt angry, of course, that no one thought to tell me that my little brother was getting married but I could see they'd all been busy. Still. I didn't even feel like part of the family anymore.
"So what was it that you wanted to tell me?" my mom asked. "I can't believe you're moving home so soon. You were so happy to leave."
Shit.
"Oh...uh, it's okay. We don't have to talk about it now," I said. "I'll tell you when we know Brady is going to be okay."
"It's okay, honey. You can tell me."
I clenched my jaw in frustration. Naturally, I wanted to tell her. There was no one else I could turn to about everything that happened. But she didn't need my mate and rejection drama. It might be the end of it for her and my dad.
"Really, it's okay." Tucking my hair behind my ears, I tried to smile again.
"Well, if you insist. How long are you planning on staying again?"
"I don't really know at this point. I'm going to see if I can get a job here in the meanwhile. Until I figure things out."
She leaned over to hug me into her chest. "You can stay as long as you'd like, Rylee. You can even help Beth and I plan this wedding!"
This time my smile returned on its own. "I think I'd like that."
"Well," she started while pulling away, "I'm going to start on dinner. Go ahead and unpack and unwind and meet us downstairs when you're ready."
"Okay."
Once she left, I fell back onto the bed with a sigh. My demons were still hidden and protected. But probably not for long.