Home > Chosen Wolf (The Marked Wolf #2)(6)

Chosen Wolf (The Marked Wolf #2)(6)
Author: Jen L. Grey

“What do you mean?” Mom asked with concern.

“You know that birthmark …” How in the hell did you put something like this into words?

“Of course we do.” Dad’s voice grew louder as if he’d gotten closer to the phone.

“It means something.” I wasn’t sure how much I could tell them without putting them in danger.

My dad knows which pack you’re from. Aidan grimaced. He told me before I broke contact. That’s why we were staring at each other like that. He was daring me. He won’t cross the territory line, but your parents need to be careful.

Why didn’t you tell me earlier? That was information I’d needed pronto.

Because it’s early, and your parents are on central time. He frowned. You were tired, and I was going to tell you after you’d gotten a couple of hours of sleep. I didn’t plan on keeping it from you. I just thought it would be pointless to upset you when you needed rest and couldn’t call them yet. They’re safe at home.

He was right, but dammit, it pissed me off. Next time, I want you to tell me. I don’t like us keeping secrets from each other. We need to be in this all the way together. I wouldn’t bring it up again, but he’d kept a secret from me for four years. It wasn’t his fault, and now I understood why he’d disappeared, but it had left its mark on me.

Okay. He nodded. I promise.

“Emma.” Mom huffed. “Are you going to tell us or not?”

“Yeah, sorry.” I wasn’t sure how they would react to the news. Even though our pack didn’t mind witches, they still frowned upon a shifter dating someone outside of their race. “It’s just …” I had to rip it off like a Band-Aid. “I’m half witch.”

“What?” Silence fell, and I wasn’t sure why. I’d expected a bigger reaction. “That’s what the birthmark means.”

Dad chuckled as if I’d lost my mind. “How do you know that?”

“That’s why the Murphy pack hates us. We protected a witch who got pregnant by the Murphy alpha. She cursed the pack before she died. Apparently, I’m destined to lead both wolves and witches. They want to kill me.”

“I knew it was weird that the coven had left. We should’ve sought answers.” Mom sounded borderline hysterical.

“Honey, come on. This is a Murphy member, for God’s sake.” Dad paused. “He could be telling you that to get you to run away with him. You’re smarter than this.”

The only sign that Aidan could hear them was the slight frown on his face.

“I’d smell the lie. You know that. And it’s not just him.” They were getting on my nerves. They weren’t really listening to me. They’d called ready to argue. This was how they got when they were concerned about my well-being. “We’re with a coven, and they recognized the symbol too.”

This silence was different, as if realization had finally dawned on them. “Are you sure they aren’t working together?”

“The Murphy pack hates witches.” I forced myself to calm down. Getting upset with them would remove any progress I’d just made. “There is no way in hell a Murphy shifter would willingly work with a coven and leave his pack if it wasn’t for a good reason.”

“And you think that reason is you?” Dad’s voice was emotionless like he was talking to someone he didn’t care about.

“Stop being a jackass,” Mom chastised. “What if it’s true? She was left right at the border with a dead wolf next to her.”

“It doesn’t matter. She’s our daughter.” Dad’s tone was absolute.

“No one is arguing that, Josh.” Mom sighed with frustration. “Honey, where are you?”

“I can’t tell you.” I hated that we were in this situation. It wasn’t fair or right, but I was quickly learning that it didn’t matter. “You know why.”

Tell them you’ll be getting a new cell phone. Aidan tightened his hold on my hand. They would track you that way. We need to get you a new one that’s not linked to their account.

I hadn’t even thought about that. If the Murphy pack figured out who my parents were, they could hack our information, and there was no telling what they could get. “I’m tossing this phone. I’ll call you when I can.”

“Are you sure you’re safe?” Mom’s voice quavered with fear.

No, I wasn’t, but I couldn’t let them worry about me. It wouldn’t do them any good. The Murphy pack would be watching my pack in case I came home or tried to sneak them out. “Yes, I’m fine.” At least, they couldn’t smell my lie. “Just don’t leave our territory until all of this calms down. I can’t have anything happen to you two.”

“Honey, I think we should come to you.” Dad still sounded skeptical.

“I get that you’re concerned, but you could lead them straight to us.” I needed to protect them in every way that I could. They’d already done so much for me by giving me a loving home when they didn’t have to.

A series of loud knocks came from their end of the line.

“What the …” Dad’s voice grew quieter. I could tell he had raced to the door because I heard it open. “Sam, what’s wrong?”

“It’s Jacob.” Sam’s voice broke. He sounded upset. Something must have happened to Jacob. “We need to call Emma.”

My stomach churned. “What’s going on?”

“Emma!” Sam sounded hopeful. “I need you to go get Jacob and bring him to me.”

“I …” Oh, no. “… can’t.”

“What do you mean?”

“I’m not close by.” He must have gotten hurt because of me. “What happened?”

“His roommate beat the shit out of him,” Sam said, and it sounded like he pulled out his keys. “Something about being a witch lover. I don’t know. We just need to get to him. His teammates are trying to make him go to the hospital.” He paused. “Josh, can you go with me?”

“Of course I can.” Dad blew out a breath. “Emma, call us when you can. Go somewhere safe.”

“I will.” I still couldn’t believe what had happened. “I’ll call you tonight to check on him.”

“Let’s go, Sam,” Dad said, and seconds later, I heard the door shut.

“Baby, please tell me you’re safe.” Mom’s anxiety-riddled voice pulled at my heart even more.

“Yes, I am.” If the Murphy pack was tracking us, the longer I stayed on this phone, the easier it would be for them to find us. “Mom, I’ve got to go. I’ll call you tonight, okay?”

“Tell that boy if you two need anything, he better not hesitate to call,” Mom said with vigor.

You better go. If Prescott beat Jacob up, they know we killed their pack members and got away. They’ll be on the hunt. Aidan’s jaw clenched with anger.

“Okay, I love you.” I ended the call before I could somehow make things worse. I rolled down the window and threw my phone out of the car. It hit the ground, shattered, and rolled under the wheel of Coral’s car.

“What happened?” Amethyst leaned forward and caught my eye.

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