Once I am back in my bedroom, I change into my own clothes before heading downstairs. I really want to go home and grab a few things, like my sketchbook and the book I am reading. Throwing my shoes on, I walk over to the dresser, grab a hair tie from the drawer and pull my hair into a ponytail.
Something red in the mirror catches my attention. I brush my hair aside and study the red and purple mark on my neck. It's huge. I blush and put a hand over it.
Ezra left a giant-ass hickey on me, in plain view, where the entire world can see it. I snag the hair tie and yank it off, letting my hair fall back to my shoulders. No ponytails for me for a while. Who knows how long I'd have to live with that dreadful mark on me. Great, now I need concealer for Monday.
The idea of going to school and facing everyone after what Angie had done makes me want to puke. Maybe Ezra will let me have a day off or drop out? I don't need a diploma. I can work at a cafe or something shitty like that. I sigh. Even I know how lame that sounds. Nobody's dream job is to become a waitress.
Grabbing my phone, I make my way downstairs. When I get to the bottom floor, Mateo comes out of the basement underneath the stairs.
"What are you doing?" I ask, stopping when I see Angie walk out along with her two accomplices. Angie looks at me, dropping her gaze to the floor and bares her neck to me.
That is…. strange. You only do that for those of higher rank or the Alpha and I am neither of those. It makes me wonder what Mateo or Ezra has done that would make them act that way.
"Hey Kat, just letting these ones out of the cells," he calls.
So they spent the last two days in the cells? That would explain why I never saw them the night of the Pack run.
Angie walks over to me before stopping, Mateo has a triumphant grin on his face as he folds his huge arms across his broad chest.
She takes a deep breath and looks up at me. This is not the same girl that was hell bent on torturing me from day one. She looks scared, terrified of me even. She worries her bottom lip with her teeth. "Look I'm sorry, Kat. Honestly, I never should have done that. It was way out of line. Please forgive me, I gave Alpha my phone and he deleted everything, please don't banish me or my family," she pleads, confusing me.
Banish her family? I don't have that sort of power even if I wanted to, and I don’t. All I want is to be left the hell alone. I glance at the other two, they won’t meet my eyes and keep glancing nervously at Mateo.
"Well, that's enough, go home all of you. The Packhouse and Pack runs are off limits until the Alpha tells you otherwise," Mateo lectures. The girl and boy, whose names I still don’t know, mutter quick apologies before rushing out the front door.
I just stand there a little dumbfounded. Angie actually apologized. Huh, turning around, I head for the door when an arm snakes around my waist and spins me around. I smack into Mateo’s chest.
"Um, where do you think you're going?" Mateo asks, peering down at me.
"Oh, home to get some things," I tell him, trying to pull out of his grip, it only tightens.
"No can do, Princess, I am under strict orders to keep you guarded. So no going anywhere until your… Alpha says so."
"What? Where is he? He can't keep me locked up in the Packhouse. I am going home to grab something geez, he isn't my dad and isn't my mate, so he can't tell me what to do," I protest, annoyed.
It makes no sense. Why can't I leave? I don’t understand, my mom is safe, he should know that by now. I pull out of Mateo's grip, only for his arms to go across my chest as he steps closer.
"Sorry Princess, he is the Alpha and I have to follow orders," Mateo scolds, steering me toward the living room. I drag my feet before dropping my weight. He only chuckles before catching me around the waist and tossing me over his shoulder. He smacks my ass before dumping me on the couch. I shriek nearly bouncing off. Glaring up at him, and he only smiles back at me. “Put a movie on or something, you can’t leave, not right now." He walks off like that's the end of this.
"Then tell me where he is, I will ask him myself!" I grip the back of the couch to sit up.
Mateo groans but stops, turning to face me. "He is in his office on the phone with the border patrol," he answers and waves his finger at me. "It would probably be best if you don't disturb him until he's done."
I huff, annoyed and storm off in the direction of his office, Mateo leisurely following behind me. I push the door open and see he is on the phone.
He holds up a finger, telling me to wait before hanging up the phone. He glances over at Mateo and raises a brow. "What did Mateo do this time?" he asks with a sigh.
"Hey!" Mateo objects. "That's not it at all. Tell him, Kat."
I resist the urge to snort at him. Ezra ignores him and his eyes study me. "What's wrong?" He asks, motioning for me to come to him.
I shake my head and Mateo walks into the office closing the door behind us. He takes a seat across from Ezra and props his long legs up on Ezra's desk.
Ezra gives him a look, but he's too busy with me to really do anything about him.
"Why can't I leave?" I blurt out. I probably should have thought of a better way to bring that question up.
Ezra wipes both hands down the sides of his face and leans his head back. "Argh, really, of all the times you could have left, you choose right now?" He groans, hopping up and walking around his desk and Mateo's legs, to lean on it in front of me.
"Why is now a bad time? I just want to go home, and grab some things."
"Jackson, that dickwad, knows you're here."
I almost gasped but kept it in check. I'd never heard of an Alpha insulting another to that degree. There is always some sort of respect, but now when it comes to their grudge, there is nothing but hatred.
"Your mother was spotted near the border the other day. I don't care where you go, Kat, but I would prefer you stay with me for a bit. They haven't crossed the border, but his men have been hounding my warriors for entry. I don't trust him not to step a toe on this territory."
"I don't understand. All of this because my mother hit the Alpha's daughter?" I ask.
He shrugs. "Jackson never really makes sense, and I think it is more to do with me having your family in my Pack. He probably wouldn't care if you went to another," Ezra answers.
"Wait, why would that matter?"
"Because Alpha Jackson was close with my father. Jackson hates me because I killed my father and I threatened his oldest son if he retaliated."
"But change of power happens all the time, so why would he hold a vendetta against you over something that happened years ago?"
"Because my father was Jackson's brother, this Pack was originally my mother's, until my father discovered she was his mate and he took over her Pack," he explains softly and I am shocked,
I didn't know they were related. They look nothing alike, not even the slightest resemblance, even their way of living and running their Packs is vastly different. What shocks me more is that his Pack was run by a woman before his father took over.
"If you want to go that badly, I will take you," Ezra offers
"Wait, does that mean I can get out of school?" I perk up at the thought of not having to go.
"Nice try, and no, Mateo and I will go with you."
"Wait, why do I have to go? She has the most boring electives," Mateo whines, and Ezra shoots him a look.
"What, you're not actually coming to my classes too, right?" I ask Mateo.