Chapter 324: 1-2

I think she’s afraid of me, I told my wolf, Saxon waiting for some response that never came, I couldn’t understand it, he was normally much more active than he had been since we arrived here. Focusing back, Kayla around the babies and Ava, her blue eyes had so much light and happiness, but now… she – her eyes were even sadder and haunted than I had ever seen in Oakley. She couldn’t read, and didn’t know what a boat was. But it wasn’t that she didn’t know, but it was the look on her face as I explained. The slight squint in her eyes, or if she was looking away the twists of her lips when she didn’t understand. I thought of Chelsea, my eyes flicking to her as well. She had shown us the marks on her back. She also told me personally that she wasn’t able to read for a long time, she was kept and beaten a lot. My hand began to shake and I had to will my anger away. I didn’t know for sure that was what happened to Kayla… maybe she just didn’t like me or was really shy – like Oakley. Now, as we played I left my spot approaching Kayla, juggling the ball, dribbling towards her when I hear her heartbeat quickens. Halting in my spot, I dribble in place, “This is called dribbling,” I demonstrate, kicking the ball from side to side with my feet, stepping back, I toe the ball at medium speed towards Kayla. “Do you want to rest?” I asked, her face was flushed, and intense red especially her neck and cheeks. It would be more fun if we could approach each other, but I don’t think she would want that, “You’re a wolf too?” I ask, “Or are you afraid of wolves?” she doesn’t look up, but focuses down at the ball, I smile when I see her trying to do what I just had but took three small steps away from the two chairs I placed as goals. Later, around an hour or so, Chelsea, Ava and I left, and my only soccer ball stayed with Kayla. Walking home I was silently thinking, maybe it was an accident, all those scars, Chelsea didn’t have those kind of scars only on her back. “Chels?” I started off when it was weighing me down too much, the thought of someone getting hurt so badly on purpose. It was different, I couldn’t explain why it made my chest ache but Kayla was small, and someone had hurt her, it was different. Not just for her but for me too, it was strange to see all those marks on someone her size, something I hadn’t seen back in Middleburg. Even worse was Chelsea said she got her scars around Kayla’s age, but she was telling me about it now, older. Kayla wasn’t older; I was seeing them on a small girl. Smaller than me. But I knew there was another reason, “Kayla,” I murmured her name and we stopped walking, she faced me warily, “She’s my mate,” I whispered, “But I think maybe she was hurt. I could tell she didn’t want me close to her,” I glanced away sighing; my wolf had been quiet like he sensed it too. “I don’t think she’ll want to be my friend,” I hunched over, walking away from Chelsea without waiting for an answer, pins in my stomach, my lips turned down. X – x – X – x – X Chelsea POV As Ben walked away from me, I knew that he’d be having a talk with Grant tonight, while sitting with Rainy, I asked her for permission, to let his uncle speak to him. Not to give him details, but to help him understand why Kayla is keeping her distance, why she isn’t out going and very cautious. No one wanted them to get hurt, and the best way I could think to help the situation would be to just be adults and handle the situation instead of letting things play out. I could only think of how messed up their situation could get, without some adult guidance, Ben not understanding that her history makes her not broken, but healing, a survivor. But she had a long way to go, things would probably be hard, but it wasn’t because of Ben. It would be because Kayla had been altered, and maybe he met his mate now because she needed a friend. Chris and Rainy agreed, the last thing they wanted was for their daughter to suffer in anyway than she already was. I continued walking, Ava was still going strong, after two hours of pool time, and I had plans, but still enjoyed the afternoon heat. When we finally stopped at our next destination, I found Rachel and Jeremiah outside on the porch, watching two little wolves tumbling on the short grass, dirtied coats. “Russell and McKenna-” Rachel charged towards me, weeping, I had yet to come since everything that happened, settling in and handling business but oddly I patted her on the back, until Jeremiah pulled her away. “Thank you so much, for bringing her back,” He said shaking his head, eyes wet. I swallowed, “It – I really didn’t do anything,” I stammered back honestly, “But… how are you guys settling in?” I took the opening to change this conversation. Rachel wiped at her tears, “good – good, I see my husband, go exploring where it is safe – this is our retirement,” she said with a smile, it dropped for a minute, “Jack gives us updates he has on our daughter and Darren,” Jeremiah but his arms around her shoulder. I nodded, “I’m not sure what she was thinking, it was obvious after just how far deep down her feelings ran for Amara.”