Chapter 32 - A familiar look

Kaden.

I heard a knock on the door and turned my head to the side, Mom was standing by the door. Her eyes looked tired and dull, I was a bit worried if she slept at all.

“Breakfast is served. You should come downstairs if you can make it and let’s eat.” She said while staring at Janine. “It would be better if you could make it downstairs. Your father wants to see her and he has gone to the dining area to take a seat.”

My eyes darted back to Mom. “Dad’s downstairs waiting for breakfast?”

“I already told you, he wanted to see her. So you should hurry up if you’re gonna come downstairs you should let me know about it.” She mumbled and folded her arms at the side door, Janine lowered her head and her eyes went from to me.

I wonder why she was acting all tough when she was worried the whole night Janine stayed on the bed without moving a finger.

I turned to Janine and took her hand. “Will you come downstairs for breakfast?” I asked. She was just waking up, and if she can’t go downstairs there won’t be any need to force her. I could bring her breakfast. She tilted her head to the side and stared at Mom. She nodded at me.

I held her hand, giving it a little squeeze. “Are you sure?”

She nodded vigorously.

“Mom, Janine, and I will be downstairs.”

“Is she strong to move around?” Mom asked while sputtering.

“She can manage.”

She shrugged. “I guess she can, even your father is struggling too, and he’s still waiting for her downstairs, he heard everything that happened. You might be ready to answer some questions from him.” She informed me and turned to leave the room. “Don’t keep us waiting.”

I stared at Janine when she was gone. “You should get changed, I will send in a maid to assist you, and I will be downstairs waiting for you, can you do that, stay with the maid for a few minutes she’s just gonna help you get dressed.”

Janine nodded. I sighed and stared at her hand, “Are you hurt somewhere, is anywhere hurting that I don’t know?”

She shook her head. I nodded and wrapped my arms around her, she fell into my embrace and I kissed her hair and her forehead.

I withdrew from the hug and smiled at her.

“I will be waiting.”

I walked out of the room and closed the door behind me. I called the maid who assisted her last night and ordered her to meet Janine in my bedroom.

Mom hugged me when I came downstairs, I squeezed her small figure in my arms. “How is Janine?”

“She’s fine, Mom.”

“I had a room arranged for her.” She whispered.

I pulled her at arm's length and stared at her. “A room?”

She gave me a weak smile. “The room before yours...”She muttered.

“You didn’t sleep the entire night did you, and you should....”

She shook her head stopping me from talking. “It was fine and I was glad when I worked in the room. If Janine starts living in the room, I will feel more relieved and happy. I don’t want it to be empty anymore.”

The room opposite mine was never opened for years, it was decorated the first time mom got pregnant after me, and we were expecting a younger pup.

After her miscarriage, she hoped for another, it did come because she got pregnant again but lost it until her last pregnancy, and that room was locked.

Mom couldn’t go into the room, and I thought it would be locked forever because it had so many painful memories that Mom wanted to forget.

I pulled her into my arms again, she didn’t resist.

“Be nice to her.” She rubbed her hand on my back. “Let’s eat.”

I walked around to the dining area and took a seat, Dad was already seated. I greeted him and sat down.

“You should be resting Dad, you shouldn’t move around...”

He rolled his eyes. “That won’t make me last long.”

“I’m curious to see your Janine, I had to step out.”

“Dad, I was going to bring her to your room,” I informed him, that would have been after Janine was ready to see him. I don’t know if she will be ready to face him now.

“Strange.” He mumbled and sipped from his tea. “She went missing for three days, strange she’s still the same without a broken limp, and nothing happened to her. Your mom said you found her in the woods?”

“Yes.” I exhaled.

The Doctor said she would rest for two days, and she woke up before I did.

I will have to talk to Doctor James about it, and he should inform me if the result is out.

“Who is she?”

I rolled my eyes. “Janine Baron.”

“She can be more than that, a witch, a sorcerer, a demon. You know those are forbidden in our pack.”

I twitched my lips. “She’s just a girl.”

“She’s not...” He argued.

“What is she? How old is she or do you want me to carry out research myself I believe you’ve done that as my son.”

“Dad, you know the Baron adopted her. She’s still Baron’s daughter, and she’s none of those things she listed, she has a wolf.” I took a sausage from the table and ate.

“I haven’t accepted her yet, and I don’t think the pack will accept her either as your mate, she has to prove herself worthy of being the Pack Luna, and gain her respect.”

I took a toast and ate as well, and drank from the juice.

“Are you listening, Kaden?”

“She’s just eighteen, give her time.”

I almost choked on my drink when I saw Janine standing behind Dad, who was seated at the head of the table.

Dad followed my gaze and saw her. Janine bowed the moment he turned.

“Lift your head.” He ordered.

Her head went up, and she fixed her soft gaze on him. Dad blinked his eyes at her, watching her in silence.

Then, Janine smiles, she has this smile that can easily light up the whole room.

Her hair was straightened and let down her shoulders, she wore a simple armless floral dress and it was a bit too big for her.

I chuckled softly realizing the dress was from Mom.

“Is it true you can’t speak?” Dad asked.

Janine nodded curtly. His gaze softened when he saw scars on her arms and bruises on her collarbone.

“Let’s have breakfast.” He said and pulled out the chair that was at his left-hand side, and Janine walked down to sit on it.

“Take anything you want to eat, you’re too thin for my son, have you been starving? I want you to recover, and I will send my doctor, he will see what he can do about your scars.“

Janine shook her head.

Dad looked keenly at her as if he wanted to understand what she meant. “You want to leave the scars?”

She touched a scar on her arm and shook her head.

“It won’t go off?”

She nodded.

“How did you get that? It’s like a burn,” Dad took her hand and examined it.

She made gestures with her hands and pointed at the hot plate on our table.

“Fire?”

She nodded.

Dad sighed. “Kaden mentioned that you were in an accident, I didn’t know it was that serious.”

Mom nudged me over the arm, loving how Dad was talking to Janine.

“I’m surprised. You remind me of someone.” Dad blurts out. “You had the same aura around you, and the same eyes.”

“You never mentioned it, Dad.”

“I have never seen Janine until now. She’s no more and there wasn’t any need for that, everyone of her clan separated.”

“A clan?” I raised my brows at him.

His hand left Janine, and helped her with the food, taking everything she pointed into her plate.

“Why would they separate?”

“Not everyone can lead them, only their true leader can.”

“Why?” I was even more curious.

“Because they come from a rare lineage of werewolves rumored to be descendants of the Moon Goddess. You seem interested Kaden.”

I wanted to speak but I couldn’t form words. I stared at him and then at Janine.

I have to find out about it.

“What else...?”

“I can’t remember about her it has been years, and my memories are being distorted.” He shook his head and urged Janine to eat.

I turned to Mom, it didn’t seem like she knew about it.

There was a clan in our pack?

I didn’t know what Dad said to Janine that made her laugh, he smiled.

Breakfast was over, I had training with the soldiers, and a meeting with the Pack elders afterward. I wanted to skip all of that and stay with Janine.

Mom took Janine’s hand and led her away after breakfast, she took her upstairs to her room.

I went to get dressed and regretted that I had to leave the house. There was a soft knock on the door that made me turn, Janine came in with her hand crossed at her back.

“I have to go to a meeting. I will be back soon, I will end the meeting as soon as I can, and hurry home.” I muttered and cradled her cheek with my fingers.

I don’t want to be apart from her for too long, if I could I would take her with me anywhere I went.

Her hands went around my back, and she placed a kiss on my cheek.

I stroked her hair with my fingers and smiled.

“Miss, Janine. Beta Baron is here to see you.”

Instantly, Janine froze in my arms.