Wolf Girl (Wolf Girl, #1)(55)

My stomach tightened into knots. “Wolf Girl?”

“‘My future wife.’” She emphasized the wife. “Hey, Sage, go get my future wife out of Delphi. Hey guys, I need to buy my future wife a camera, what is the best one? He’s never called you by your name, Demi. Not to me, or any of the guys he hangs with.”

A lightness fell over me, a pure feeling that I’d never felt before. It started deep inside of my gut and then grew upward until it feathered out of my chest and into my arms.

I’d never felt loved before. The guys at Delphi hit on me and I knew Isaac was attracted to me, but this feeling, feeling adored and loved and wanted, I’d never felt it in a relationship with a guy before.

With that, she left the car and beckoned for me to follow. I wiped at my eyes and scrambled after her.

“Did I mention I’m not a fan of surprises?” I ran after Sage, ducking into the dorm and down our hallway as she waved me closer.

“Hurry, we only have an hour!” she called out and checked her watch.

What in the world? Something was waiting for me in my room and we only had an hour to enjoy it? Was it an ice cream cake? Or make an ice sculpture… Or maybe—

Sage threw open the door and yelled, “Surprise!”

When I saw my mother, father, and Raven standing in my apartment, I burst into sobs.

“Those are good tears, right? I did good right?” Sage asked, frowning in confusion.

I reached out and tackle-hugged her, nearly knocking her over. “You did so good.”

When I pulled back, she was grinning. “Sawyer had to beg his dad, they can only stay for an hour.”

I nodded, so overwhelmed with emotion, and she turned to leave.

“No, stay. I want you to meet them.” I pulled her hand.

Her face brightened, green eyes alight. “You sure?”

I nodded. “Absolutely.”

We stepped into the room and closed the door.

My mom, dad and Raven were patiently waiting for me, standing in front of my couch. My dad was full-on crying; he was the emotional one. My mom was grinning, trying to look unemotional, but I saw the glisten in her eyes. Raven just looked around my room in wonder.

“Holy shifter balls, your dorm is amazing,” she said, causing my mom to shoot her a glare and she winced. “I mean holy shifter ball-oons, this dorm is amazing.”

I grinned, crashing into my bestie as she wrapped her arms around me. Her sage, frankincense, and lavender scent surrounded me; I missed that smell so damn much. That smell that said she was working all day on her spell work. “Holy crap I’ve missed you.”

I pulled away and introduced her to Sage.

“We already know each other.” Sage gave her a hug and I frowned.

Raven nodded. “She stole your phone and got my number and we’ve been texting to arrange this.”

I grinned at Sage, unable to keep from smiling. The two of them started talking and I moved to my father, who when I hugged him lifted me off the ground and spun me around. “I missed you so much, kiddo.”

Even at twenty years old, he still called me kiddo and I wondered if he always would. He set me down and picked up my wrists to look at my cuff-less arms. “You’re free.” A tear slid from his cheek and he quickly wiped it away.

I swallowed hard. I was free, but not really able to shift in front of others because I was a split shifter. But I wasn’t going to tell him that. I just nodded, smiling and giving him this moment. When I got to my mother, she was grinning ear to ear. Reaching out, she smoothed my hair like she had a hundred times. “This place suits you.” She looked around my dorm. “Never thought I would be back. Lexington was my dorm too. Room four.”

My eyes widened and I smiled. “That’s cool.”

My mom leaned into me and lowered her voice. “So tell me about Sawyer.”

I couldn’t help the full-fledged grin that graced my face. “He’s … perfect. Protective and respectful and sweet. I didn’t really expect him to be a nice guy.”

My mom chuckled. “Sounds like his father. Curt was a nice guy.” Something dark crossed her features and she frowned.

Then I remembered that she was banished Curt’s mating year, and I suddenly found myself wondering why. She must have read my mind, because her gaze flicked to my dad, who nodded, and then she looked back at me. “Can we talk privately in your room? I need to tell you something.”

The room pressed in on me, becoming smaller and smaller, and I nodded.

Holy crap. This was it, this was the moment when she was going to tell me why she got kicked out.

Breathe, just breathe.

I always secretly thought my dad murdered someone, or something really dark, to get our entire family banished from Werewolf City. Now I would hear the truth.

She stepped into my room and I shut the door behind me. She sat on the edge of my bed and patted the spot next to her. Seeing her sitting there, her long beautiful blond hair in a thick braid over one shoulder, I couldn’t help but remark at how much we looked alike. But there was stress behind her eyes, something that aged her more than her forty-one years, but damn she was still gorgeous.

We sat there a moment, just being in stillness, until finally my mother took my hand and faced me. “Your grandmother’s land, the land I grew up on in Werewolf City, bordered the Paladin Wild Lands.” My body went rigid, as I had no idea the Paladin’s would factor into this story.