Enigma

Kiarra

Melody shifted into her human form and threw on a white blouse and a ripped pair of blue jeans.

She didn’t say a single word as Rose handed her jewelry.

The three of us sat silently as we watched her put in her golden hoops and clasp her matching watch.

Rose seemed outwardly excited, and I couldn’t fault her for that because I was too.

I could live without my parents, but knowing I had a sibling was a comfort.

I knew Aidan would have hated the sight of all of this, that he’d never allow it. I couldn’t escape the feeling of guilt as I sat there pretending to belong.

But, on the other side, being on my territory was much safer.

I found it hard not to stare at Melody. I was awestruck by the sight of my sister. She was stunning and confident, just as Aidan had described.

I felt excitement inside, and for once, I didn’t want to push it away.

I smiled awkwardly as Melody sat beside James, but she didn’t share the gesture. She looked down at her plate and pushed it away. “I don’t eat bacon, Rose.”

It was apparent she was accustomed to a certain degree of pampered life.

I didn’t have a mother to give me a hard time.

She had no idea how lucky she was.

“A wolf needs to be fed, Melody,” Rose shot back as Melody rolled her eyes and refocused her attention on me.

“So, sweet little family gathering,” she said as she cocked her head to the side, “How’s that treating you?”

I bit my lip. I was uncomfortable with the intensity of her stare.

“Don’t start that, Melody,” James intervened, “how was the trip?”

It was an awkward question that didn’t occur to me when she arrived.

Melody had successfully breached Aidan’s territory twice in a row. He wasn’t going to love her for that.

There would be blowback, but I tried to push it from my mind.

“Standard issue, Father,” she said in a very stoic and calm tone, “a little too easy.”

“Mmm, you are only as strong as your pack security,” he replied as if he knew something we didn’t.

I wasn’t positive Melody wanted me there or herself there, but she made do and was civil.

It was a start.

It didn’t deter me from wanting to know everything I could about her. Her words seemed so well thought out, calculated, and powerful.

The mysteriousness of her demeanor was overpowering and intense. It was as if I was this alien from outer space. An intruder in this life that was supposed to be mine.

I wanted to be grateful for the glimpse of what my life could’ve been.

But, instead, I kept swallowing down the bitterness that came with growing up alone in the system.

Out of nowhere, my mouth started to fire off questions.

“It’s cool to meet you; how long did it take for you to get here?”

The question was dumb.

Plus, I sounded like an old timer, trying to relate to the kid of today.

But still, I kept going. My nerves had gotten the best of me; “I love your earrings! Did you pick them up around here?”

The look on Melody’s face was one of surprise, but she still calculated the answers to my questions as quickly as I had asked them.

“I’m the fastest runner of my pack; it took 15 minutes or so. Thanks, and no, nothing is interesting or ‘nice’ in this area.”

She wasn’t wrong. It was another stupid question.

Beyond my adoration for Aidan, it wasn’t like I’d found anything interesting here either.

“Sweet! I guess it’s sort of boring here, I get that,” I paused for a breath, “what’s pack life like?”

I felt my cheeks flush. The rapid-fire interrogation wasn’t landing. I instantly regretted it.

Thankfully, Melody seemed to find my incessant nervous line of questioning endearing and gave me a small smile. I hadn’t made too much of an ass out of myself.

“There’s sweet fuck all to do here!” she laughed.

“Melody!” Rose called out from the kitchen, “please! Language!”

Rose finally came to the table to join us again.

She beamed, clearly enthralled we were all getting along so well.

I watched Melody roll her eyes, “Oh, mother, we’re all family here, right?”

Rose waved a dismissive hand, “Never mind. Now! Where were we?”

“Just telling Kiarra about the pack and what she can expect,” James said with that warming smile.

He was very good at playing father. I was surprised.

It wasn’t the man I had met a few days prior, but it didn’t change the way I felt about him and his wife.

Enemies or not, it shouldn’t have taken this long to find me.

They were fucking werewolves.

“Our family had several real-estate investments, over generations, of course, that have allowed us much comfort in life,” he said, nodding purposefully.

“That’s true,” Rose added, “you will want for nothing, my dear. The pack is very excited and hopeful, of course, for your arrival.”

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw Melody roll her eyes again.

It took all my manners not to laugh out loud.

“As we said, Kiarra, it’s understood that you may only stay with us briefly, but while you are with Apex Pack, there will be nothing to worry about.”

~“Kiarra, where the hell are you?”~

~“I’m with the Kendricks; we’re having coffee at the guest house. Aidan, I’m fine; everything is okay!”~

~“Get out of there immediately! I mean it, Kitten! I want you at the pack house now!”~

~“What? No! I’m fine. What the hell is your problem?”~

~“Unless you want to watch me rip them apart piece by piece, you better move your little ass now!”~