Chapter 239

Chapter 9 – Chelsea POV I was normally a planner, every little detail, with back up plans, options at each turn, borderline OCD, meticulous. Making decisions based on methodical objective information. To keep balance I was making decisions on the fly. So as I stood in front of my the house, windows covered in steel, I was nervous, I couldn’t find a point to begin the different emotions and tone I’d be dealing with. I wasn’t sure what to expect at all, but I figured anger – that I locked them away – was in the top five. Probably right at the top, number one. Is she one of the daughters? She’s Chelsea? She’s a child! Are the two guys with her Jay and Gabriel? Who is the little girl? Momma left? Where the hell are we? Their thoughts collectively throwing me off, I couldn’t catch the anger, but Ava was wriggling in my arms, placing her on the ground, my eyes never left the Lawson’s’. “Casey play?” she walked two steps towards him, pointing at outside, looking up between him and I expectantly. Those two words breaking the staring connection. Chelsea? Casey asked me unsure, I rolled my eyes, four humans and me? Really? “We will be outside,” Casey said picking Ava up, swinging her around, tiny giggles lightening the tension. Somehow in my top five feelings and emotions, awkwardness hadn’t crossed my mind. It should have though, because this was bordering on physically painful – I wanted to wince. “Sarah was right? She left us…” she left us… Oakley thought staring at Ava. From her thoughts, I would suspect that she concluded Ava was her mother’s child. I expected her mind to be above average in intelligence but it was like spending time in my own head, her thought pattern taking me by surprise. I was puzzled by their reactions, they weren’t crying or begging, they seemed stiff and their hearts were racing but I hadn’t expect this… easiness. Inhaling deeply, I walked confidently over to Oakley and Ben, leaving three or so feet between us, sitting on the ottoman and then gesturing for them to sit as well. Grant eyed outside, behind me, maybe we could make a run for it… he thought. I wanted to laugh but not ready to divulge too much of my capabilities I remained stoic. Aria and Avena growled, humans… don’t even have any idea and they’re making a plan to run, don’t matter if we are on a cliff… Again I held the laughter in. Now that they – the Lawson’s’ – had seen me Ben spoke up, “Oakley have you – do you know her?” his voice tiny, eyeing her then me; I wanted to know that too. “No… she’s – she’s our older sister, one of our sisters?” unsure, Oakley answered sadly, she knew a lot, but her answer left Ben confused. “Where are we?” now Grant asks, when the silence left awkward and went to downright unbearable, but Oakley couldn’t look away from me. Does she like me? Her thoughts bothering me, not to the extent of being angry at her, but more like she has so much going on, such low self esteem that she craves acceptance with a stranger. She’s your sister… you just found out, but she’s known you were out there since she was seven years old Chelsea… Aria says and I wonder how she knows that. “One hundred plus miles away from Panama, on my island, not on any map…” their eyes widened. We are home now, a voice says, very unexpectedly, then understanding creeps in and I know it’s Oakley’s wolf. She had one. It wasn’t fully there yet, but around. “I’m Chelsea, I brought you – Oakley and Ben – here to protect them, as well as making sure that the two of them wouldn’t be used against me at a later time…” more silence. “I’ve thought about you a lot!” Oakley blurted out, her hand holding her uncles, shaking, his eyes focused on her from the side, “She told you about me? Us?” I asked my head tilted to the side. Mom left us to go to you… she didn’t tell her about us, Oakley thought sadly. First she nodded, and then shook her head, “Not until right before she died? Left?” she glanced back at Ava and Casey. “Ava isn’t your sister, she’s your niece,” I gave a slight smile, good lord she’s no older than 16, Grant thought in shock. Inward, outwardly he remained blank faced, “She’s adopted.” Oakley nodded, wide green eyes running over my features; the tension in this house running high. I didn’t realize how – this reunion was slightly better and worse than when I came face to face with Jay and the others. “How long will you be holding us here?” Julia asked stiffly, I just sighed, thinking over the question. What do you expect Chelsea? You barricaded them inside a house with steel after kidnapping them… Avena chortled. I gave them food and water… clean clothes as well, I defended myself. “I’m not apologizing or sorry for locking you up here at first. You aren’t prisoners – none of you. If you wanted to go back, we could do that, bring you back, but Oakley and Ben would be on their own. If the time came and the wrong people got their hands on you two, I won’t come to your aid.” I had thought long and hard about this as well. I could send them back, come up with some crazy story that worked, wipe their memories… “What do you mean?” Grant questioned perplexed. “Oakley and Ben are like me… right Oakley?” I countered Grants question, he flicked his gaze between Oakley and I, but the girl looked like deer in headlights. “What’s the voice in your head telling you right now Oakley-” I wasn’t expecting it but she threw herself at me, knocking the window out of me as she wrapped her arms around my neck sobbing. Her family startled by this, and behind me James growled, ready to throw her into a window for leaping at me. I’m fine, just startled, my wide eyes flying to Grant who seemed dazed by Oakley’s behavior. This just isn’t like her… Why’s Oakley crying, Ben turned to his uncle with questions floating in his eyes but he didn’t voice them out loud, none of the family did. While I just slowly wound my arms around her, holding this fragile girl in my arms. I’m not crazy. I’m not crazy. I’m not crazy.