Chapter 356

‘No one is going to hurt you, Kieran.’ I murmured, Oakley stood to come to my side as well, while Gabriel ushered the on lookers out of the room. ‘Lie.’ He muttered rocking himself. ‘Do you know why I’m doing this?’ He was remembering something from the facility. Kieran they aren’t here! His wolf shouted but Kieran was blocking him, hearing him below a mental fog. ‘You’re safe.’ Lie, he thought at Oakley’s words, ‘no good… bad… sorry… I’ll be good,’ he pleaded making my stomach turn further. Emotional neglect – anxious – no touching – living on the mountain… Grant’s thoughts sticking out. ‘Hands against the wall,’a man shouted, wearing a mask, the telltale sign of a belt buckle. When he finally pulled himself together enough to stand, he only repeated those same words, his entire frame shaking. Oakley was ready to chase after him, holding out my hand I held her back, “Give him a minute,” I said but when my mind caught up to my hand, I realized her front was wet. “What happened?” She flushed, “I was startled when he shouted, dropped water on my front,” she shrugged distracted, “Go to my room and change into something else and then you can go see him, but Oakley,” she took a step away from me ready to high tale it to Kieran. I waited until she was concentrating on me solely, her frightened eyes searching mine, “If he wants to be left alone for tonight, can you please respect that? Give him some time?” she swallowed nodding, I promise if he doesn’t want to be around me I’ll come right down, she finished knowing I could read her mind. Scars all over his body, Grant continued silently. Severely abused… wants to be alone… She left the kitchen with her copy of the letter from our mother I gave her. Instead of reading it to them, I made a copy for each of them, placing it in an envelope giving them the option of whether or not they read it and when. Slowly, I turned to Ben, Grant and Julia while Gabriel came to me, “I just – I want to kill those fu-” I cleared my throat lifting a brow and tilting my head to point at Ben. Gabriel stopped instantly, “Sorry, but…” he huffed and Grant just nodded. Julia and Grant sat down, Gabriel and I joined them, but their eyes were concentrated on where Kieran ran off too, and Oakley followed. ‘Kieran said he doesn’t want to be my friend,’ – he’s pushing Oakley away… “Is she safe?” Julia asked Grant, his eyes darted over to Ben, and he nodded without even having the gift of reading Kieran’s mind. Nonno and Nona, remained with us, and Nonno cleared his throat, “So young child, what did you do today?” Much to my surprise Ben’s face reddened, his eyes went wide, “uh – I – well” he glanced at Grant and Julia, “I went to see my mate,” he whispered as though he would get in trouble for doing so. “I drew a picture and went to give it to her, and see if she wanted to play…” he shrugged, focusing now on his meal. “What happened after you gave it to her?” Nona asked, Grant and Julia, Gabriel and I listened with rapt attention knowing what we did about Kayla, but seeing his thoughts I just… I knew why Kayla was his. “When I went her eyes were really black,” he touched his own face, “right here and red, she looked so tired,” he paused, “So I changed to my wolf and we took a nap.” His answer clipped, his face was so red by now, and I didn’t understand just it could glow anymore but it did. “That was very considerate of you, very thoughtful,” Nona praised him and I nodded. I continued listening to Oakley and Kieran, giving them my full attention for the time being. When we finished eating Oakley and Kieran were still upstairs, but listening I stopped breathing when I heard her offer him her hand in support, his thoughts killing slowly inside. I agreed with Gabriel, I couldn’t wait to get the Elders and these people who thought it was okay to hurt any child this way, the way they had Kieran. My vision blurred as I put my dish in the sink, Grant came up to me, Gabriel, Julia, Nonno, Nona and Ben gone when I turned around. “You can read his mind?” Grant asked his face pinched, he rested against the side of the sink. I nodded; please tell me I’m not on the right trail here Chelsea? My lip trembled, I shook my head, and the devastation I felt, the drop in my stomach was mirrored in Grant’s features. “What do you think? Not as her uncle, but as a psychologist?” Grant nodded, but before he could begin to tell me anything I sitffed, Chelsea! I heard Chris shouting at me in my mind panicked. Order her to stop Chelsea! she's going to kill that boy!