Justice sighs. “Yeah. We’re okay, I guess. Dad struggles the most.”
Ivy reaches over to squeeze Justice’s arm. “Just know that we’re here for you. We know how much it hurts. We’re here if you ever need to talk.”
“I know. My dad doesn’t like me leaving the house anymore, though. Says it’s too dangerous.”
Ivy frowns. “I’ll try to be better about coming to you, okay? Or calling, at the very least. We miss you guys. I know Mom still thinks about Gerina a lot.”
Justice nods, running a finger along the worn material of the track pants he is wearing. He must have borrowed them from Rowen since he’d arrived in wolf form. After a moment, he wipes at his eyes and Ivy pulls him in fora hug.
Rowen sees me watching and says, “Justice’s mom was killed by a newborn vampire last spring.”
“Was it one of Foxx’s vamps?”
He nods. “She was freshly turned and overwhelmed with bloodlust. Jus’s mom was in the wrong place, at the wrong time.”
I mutter a curse. “I’m so sorry, man.”
He avoids my gaze.
At least that explains why Bronson wanted to murder Jericho the moment he saw him. If my wife or spouse or whatever had been killed by a vampire, I’d want to murder those responsible. And isn’t that exactly what the pack was doing when they first found us? Reacting to their own pain? Sasha died at Foxx’s hands too.
The list of victims is never ending. Just like the pain.
A long, awkward moment passes before Rowen clears his throat. “Anyway, um, I wanted to apologize for what I did this morning. To Jericho, I mean. I realize now that I overreacted, and I should’ve just listened to you guys first. I’m sorry.”
I quickly look away. I was just thinking the same thing, but I’m not ready to forgive him, or pretend like it hasn’t happened. I’m not ready to let it go. But these people are kind of hard to hate. They’re decent and kind, and they just want to defend their family.
I get that. I felt the same way when Jericho first disappeared. I wanted to rip the world apart to try to find him.
The front door opens seconds before a little boy comes running out, squealing in delight. “Jussy!”
Justice turns to sweep Aster up into his arms, completely forgetting about our conversation at all. “Hey, little man!” He laughs and tickles Aster’s side, bending over to blow a raspberry against his cheek. “I missed you!”
I notice Taren standing by the front door, keeping an eye on her son. She offers me a shy but guarded smile, so I smile back.
“So,” I say, sucking in a breath. “Did you guys all grow up together or something?”
All three of them smile. “Kind of. Justice was too young to go to school with us, but we still knew each other from pack get-togethers. Then his dad bought the land next to ours about four years ago. So we’ve seen a lot more of each other,” Ivy explains as she ruffles his hair. “He feels like a cousin now or something.”
Rowen grins at the younger man. “I don’t know. I like to think of him as a lost puppy, since he’s always following us everywhere.”
Justice laughs, though he ducks his face as his cheeks turn a soft shade of pink.
I pull my phone out to check for a text from Jericho, but there still isn’t one. It bothers me. I thought he’d be back by now.
When I see Jasmine through the window, I head inside. “Hey.”
Jasmine pauses, wiping at her brow with the back of her hand. She has a rag in one hand and a bottle of cleaning solution in the other. “Hi.”
“You haven’t heard from them, have you? I’m starting to wonder when they’ll be back.”
She sighs. “Grant called a few minutes ago. Said they’re meeting with one more pack before coming home. They should be here in about an hour.”
I clench my teeth. “Is he… I mean, how’s it going?”
“They’re fine,” she says. “The other packs have mostly been understanding.”
I must make a face because she gives me a small smile.
