Northwood

Northwood was in a buzz, two strangers had approached the border claiming to be brothers of Adline. Everyone in the home was sceptical and keeping it from Adline who had no idea what was going on, as far as she knew it was another typical day with more and more freedom.

Frosty decided to get Adline out of the house while everyone else ran around like headless chickens, the last thing she wanted was for Adline to feel as if people were hiding things from her, even if they were.

“But why are we going to town?” Groaned Adline quickly, she would have preferred to stay inside. The cold winter months were growing colder by the day and while it had snowed over a few days it didn’t stick for long but there was talk that an intense winter storm was on its way and Adline didn’t have warm clothing and besides the intimates she had to put up with everything else being second hand and hand me downs from others her size.

“Aren’t you sick of wearing clothes that aren’t yours?” Asked Frosty carefully, she didn’t want to push it and she didn’t want to make her suspicious, “besides,” she added quickly, “Kane gave me a credit card with no limit.” All it took was for her to say no limit for Adline to agree.

“I guess we don’t just have to buy clothes you know, we can go get lunch, buy you a phone.......hell we can even go to the jewellery store and guy the place out,” joked Frosty with great enthusiasm. “Please come with me! I am bored out of my freaking mind in this house.”

“Okay, okay I’ll come with you! Just don’t beg,” she laughed warmly, “that’s just sad!”

The pair walked through the large and rather empty house which piqued Adline’s curiosity. The home was usually rather quiet but she could always count on walking passed one or two people but it seemed that she and Babel were the only ones there.

“Where is everyone?” Asked Adline with a deep questioning look on her face. The more she thought about it the more suspicious she grew but she knew getting any kind of answer would be difficult so she’d save it for later.

“Apparently there’s a really big meeting, a couple of guys approached the guys at the border last night, Kane’s been in meetings ever since.” The frown that pressed against Babel’s brow looked worried and confused at the same time, she knew what was going on because Neal was part of the meeting too but she had been given strict instructions to keep Adline busy for as long as possible.

“Oh, well I guess I’ll see him later,” though Adline had a difficult time with Kane when she first arrived in Northwood it seemed things had changed, she didn’t know why or how but he’d opened up to her a little bit and that for her was a major thing. She was letting her walls down and starting to let him in but she had an uneasy feeling in her stomach and she knew something was wrong.

Babel smiled and took her by the hand pulling her out the door, “hurry up! I want a cream doughnut and I’m not getting any while standing here in the doorway,” with a smile Adline turned and walked towards Babel’s car. Before long the pair were in town and looking for a parking spot along the main street.

As they pulled in Adline noticed the girls from the gym that had been more than a little rude to her, she rolled her eyes as she walked around the car and helped Babel out. It wasn’t long before the two girls noticed them and ran over, “hey girls!” Chimed one of them enthusiastically.

Adline looked at Frosty more than a little confused before turning to the girls, “I’m sorry?” Asked Aldine quickly, “are you talking to us?”

The girls looked at each other and laughed, “Well of course silly who else would we be talking to? It isn’t like Casper is here or anything.” The two of them giggled like school girls which made both Adline and Frosty cringe.

“Last time I saw you two you wanted me out of here, what’s changed?” Adline didn’t like fake people and though she had expected it to happen the longer she stayed in Northwood she hadn’t expected the two make up laden gym bunnies to be the first two to welcome her with openly wicked arms.

“Well rumour has it,” began one of them as she smirked at Adline.

Babel pulled Adline back and pushed passed her in a huff, “there are no rumours! You two better pull your bloody heads in before the Alpha gets a whiff of your rumour spreading and tosses you two airheads to the wilds like Victoria!” Adline had never seen Frosty so mad but she put it down to the pregnancy hormones and a dislike for the two girls. “Now get out of here before I run you down with my car.”

The two girls turned and walked away leaving a very baffled Adline and a very angry Frosty.

“Well that was strange,” mused Adline as she shrugged her shoulders and carried on. Babel let out a sigh of relief, at least Adline had a short attention span. “I hope that doesn’t happen too often! The girls here are so different to the ones I’m used to.” With a laugh she shook her head again and carried on, they had clothes to buy and a hole to burn in Kane’s credit card.

The first clothing store they went in to Adline noticed the store clerks staring at her, it was rather unsettling but when Frosty walked away and began browsing other clothing racks one of the clerks approached Adline with a sly grin, “it must be good knowing you won’t be the only one in your family in this pack.”

Within the blink of an eye Babel was at Adline’s side and growling at the woman, “How dare you!” She screamed at her loudly, “I will make sure the Alpha hears about this and deals to you appropriately.”

A confused Adline turned her head and looked at Frosty with great bewilderment and disbelief, “what is she talking about?” She had no family left, Adline’s parents and brothers were killed when Tobias and his father attacked.

Babel rubbed her forehead and sighed, “Late last night two men presented themselves to one of the watchers, they claimed to be your brothers. Kane has been with them all night making sure they get treated for their injuries and asking them what they know about Tobias and Ambrose.”

“My brothers?” Asked Adline suddenly short of breath and questioning everything. She felt no anger towards Babel for hiding it from her, she didn’t even feel anger towards Kane for having not told her about it she was just relieved that her brothers could be alive and they could have come to settle in Northwood with her. “Take me to them now!” She grabbed Frosty by the shoulders and shook her.

“I can’t. Not yet. Kane wanted to make sure they were your brothers before deciding anything.” Reasoned Frosty as she grabbed Adline’s forearms and removed her hands from her shoulders.

“Well who better to figure that out completely than their little sister?” Babel had to admit that she had no answer for that, it would have been much easier if they had of just taken Adline with them to see the men, they would have had their answer instantly.

“Fine!” Conceded Babel with a frown. “But you have to tell Kane it was your idea! I don’t want to be yelled at because I am likely to yell back at him at this point.” By now Frosty also didn’t care, she was completely worn out as her stomach grew larger and larger as each day passed her by. “Besides I would rather be home in bed right now. No offence or anything but sitting in front of the tv with popcorn sounds a thousand times better than dragging you through store looking at clothes.” Smiled Frosty warmly.

“Yeah no offence at all,” laughed Adline as they turned to leave when the shop assistant grabbed her by the hand.

“You seem like a reasonable girl, won’t you have a word in the Alphas ear and lessen my punishment?” The woman pleaded with her.

Adline seemed to contemplate it but she already knew her answer, “no.” Both the woman and Babel gasped. “You obviously knew you weren’t supposed to tell me and yet you did. You will take what’s given.” It was a little worrying that members of his pack would go behind is back and deliberately go against his wishes. Pulling her wrist from the other woman’s grasp the pair left the store.

Leaving the store empty handed they quickly returned to the vehicle and began heading to Kane and Adline’s brothers in silence. When they pulled up Frosty saw Taylor and waved him over. His face paled when he saw Adline sitting in the car with her, “what’s she doing here?” He questioned with some suspicion. Though they were guarding whatever was going on inside the building they had a casual air about them.

“Tracey at the Green Button told her, make sure Alpha Kane knows that won’t you?” Taylor nodded his head and pulled Frosty’s door open gently so that he could help her out.

“He isn’t going to be happy with you but he will understand I guess considering it was loose lips Tracey,” with his statement Adline wondered how everyone knew about her brothers and she didn’t. They hadn’t even been in Northwood territory for a long time.

Climbing from the car they walked towards the building and pulled the door open quickly before entering. A hot stream of air shot down from the heater situated over the door, it seemed a little too much but Adline was glad for the instant heat.

The building on the inside looked like an old office and she heard hushed voices as Babel guided her through to a corridor that led to a single door at the end, “wait here, I’ll just get Kane......this might be delicate.”

She walked to the door and knocked gently, the voices behind ceased and sooner rather than later the door flew open and Kane’s eyes widened as he stepped out in to the corridor and looked at the two of them standing there, Babel looked sheepish and Adline looked hopeful.

“Tracey told her.” He said before Kane could say anything. His face contorted in anger and his fists balled at his sides.

“Remind me to have a word with her sometime soon.” He spoke through gritted teeth but motioned for Adline to join him, “I was going to let you know this afternoon but I guess now is as good a time as any,” and with that he stepped to the side and opened the door.

The world around her seemed to stop as Adline walked slowly towards the open door, her stomach was in knots and her head spun slightly, if the men in the room were not her brothers she knew she would be disappointed. She wanted to badly to know that others of her family had survived and even if their parents hadn’t she would be happy knowing her brothers could carry on the Hutton family name.

“Addie!” Called a voice as she finally poked her head through the door. Her eyes clouded over as she lay eyes on the two figures in the room, they were her brothers.

Both of them stood from their seats and looked at her adoringly, both looked as though they had been in a war with scabs and scars on their faces, “I never thought I would see you again,” she cried as the tears began running down her cheeks.