Chapter 20: A FAMILY
Anna wasn’t sure how much time she spent in front of that bathroom mirror, she blinked finally when she heard a knock on the bathroom door that snapped her out of her reverie. Her face was damp with water she didn’t remember splashing on and her hands were under the running tap. Her reflection was wide-eyed and her hair loosened from the little arrangement she had made this morning. A red mark on her neck and the buzzing pinch she felt from it made her gaze shift to the mark.
Why was she like this?
Kane had left the second he was able to get his breathing under control, the entire time holding her gaze and pinning her to the spot. No words needed to be said between them, Anna was certain she already knew what was going through his mind and just how much turmoil he was in every passing second.
“Anna?”
Or maybe it was just her?
Kane had turned around and walked out of the room without looking back, with no hitch in his calm breathing or his steps. The confidence in his raised shoulders never faltered and his lifted chin never lowered.
The Alpha of GreyThorn pack is in no way a weak man.
Feeling what she felt in that moment made Anna realize that and so much more.
“Is everything okay in there?”
While continuously staring at her reflection, those wild white locks that were completely out of place and those red eyes that glowed with an unusual glint she’d never seen before, she could vaguely hear the voice coming from behind the bathroom door. It was female and somewhat familiar but she just couldn’t put a name to the face.
Not because she forgets easily but because Kane was the only one she could think about. It was just like a spell being cast on her.
Her cheeks were downright flushed and her chest still rose and fell unsteadily and her pupils remained dilated.
“Anna, I’m coming in!”
The words were said with urgency and in the next second, the door opened abruptly, startling Anna and making her jump and in turn pulling her hands out of the water and splashing the residue on her legs.
Anna lifted her head to look at the person who had barged in.
It was Diane.
A concerned furrow between her brows and pursed lips. Her beautiful green eyes darkened with worry and maybe a bit of fear.
“Are you okay?” She asked. Diane walked up to Anna, getting closer to her face like she wanted to be very sure that nothing was wrong.
Her gaze drifted to the running tap, Anna’s wet legs, and then back to Anna’s face.
“Are you okay?” she asked again, this time with more urgency.
Anna sighed and shook her head reassuringly, she knew how strange this would look to anyone who walked in and she didn’t blame the Alpha’s sister for looking at her like Anna had a few loose screws.
Maybe she did.
“I’m fine,”
“I’ve been calling out for so long, I heard the water rushing so I knew you were in here but I got scared seeing as I didn’t get a reply,” Diane bit her lip and wiped away the droplets of sweat that had gathered on her forehead with the back of her hand. Her expression was still marred with worry.
Is she really worried?
That would not make any sense, they’ve known each other for only like two minutes.
“I thought that you were...” Diane stared down at her feet, hiding a sad expression that Anna had already caught a glimpse of.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you.”
Anna didn’t believe the girl was really worried about her, sure she was worried about her brother losing the Wolf Spirit through an accident but not about Anna herself.
It was a sad thought but Anna steeled her heart to accept it.
That was how the world works and how her world has worked for the past few years.
“I was deep in thought and didn’t hear you calling out,” Anna reassured.
“I am okay though,”
The girl seemed visibly relaxed after Anna’s words, she nodded in understanding and then gave that sweet smile of hers that Anna was sure would melt even the coldest of hearts.
“My brother says you’re now a part of the pack!”
Anna wished she was at least half as excited as the girl was about the whole thing but the mark on her neck and that slight pain only now served as a painful reminder of her being dragged down deeper into this pack she wants nothing to do with.
“Yeah...” Anna pointed unenthusiastically at the red mark on her neck that was healing slower than she expected it to.
“I’m a GreyThorn now,” Anna said with a dry chuckle, hearing herself admit those words out loud was like Kane mentally flipping her the finger.
Her head buzzed at the same time the mark did, she knew it was her wolf...Where ever the fuck it was, getting accustomed to the changes that would come and the connections she would have with the pack.
“Gosh!” Diane squealed.
“This is so exciting!”
Diane took a hold of Anna’s hands and smiled widely like a child being given her favorite toy.
“You won’t regret your decision!”
Oh. Did Kane tell his sister that this was her decision?
“You are going to have everything you need here, we’re going to be family!”
Family?
Yeah, not happening.
The last time Anna had a family was four years ago and considering what her actual family had done to her, she doubted she wanted or even needed another one.
She was going to be fine all on her own. She does not and will never need a family!
“Sure...” Anna said halfheartedly, her gaze drifting to the glowing bangle, its color seemed darker than it had been when it was put around her wrist. It had mellowed down, looking less eerie and more like a fashion accessory.
“Apparently, I’m in charge of showing you around and teaching you all you need to know about your assigned job or jobs,”
“Jobs?” Anna cocked up a brow, “No one said anything about a job,”
“Well, we all have to play our parts as pack members,”
Anna was sick of hearing that shit from everyone.
“And what exactly is it I’m going to be doing?”
Diane smiled sheepishly as her grip on Anna’s hands tightened and she practically set her legs like she was about to combust from excitement.
“Well...You’re going to be working with me, we’re going to be tending the farms!”
Anna couldn’t see her incredulous expression but she could picture it in her head.
A farmer?
She was going to be a farmer?
Great.