Page 42 of Ascension of the Pack

It wasn’t a bad idea so I called over Sara. ‘I need to see my parents.’

‘Okay. Jacob and I will come with you. Mack, Alfred and Robin can guard the mansion.’

‘Good stuff. Go aerial. We’ll meet you there. You know the address?’

‘Yeah. We’ll keep eyes on you en route from above.’

‘Thanks.’

Ben was waiting for us at the car, his hair mussed and his lips a little swollen. ‘Kissing Noah goodbye?’ I teased. ‘For appearances’ sake, of course.’ I winked. ‘How long are you planning on keeping up this fake dating?’

Ben winced. ‘About that. It’s not so fake anymore.’

‘No? Really?’ I gasped, heavy on the sarcasm.

He sighed. ‘You already knew.’

‘I think even the green men in space knew! You are head over heels.’ I resisted adding ‘again’ because that would have been bitchy; he didn’t need me pointing out that he fell in and out of love faster than a werewolf shifted.

Ben looked at me dreamily then said firmly, ‘This is different.’

‘For Noah’s sake, I hope so,’ Imuttered.

He jabbed me in the ribs for my sass, and I loved that things were starting to return to normal between us.

We talked quietly as we drove to Mum and Dad’s house. My stomach was in knots; what if Geneve had been fucking with me? What if Dadhadchosen to clear himself and I was about to undo that? That would be ripping away his free will as surely as if I’d piped him, and I sure as heck didn’t want to do that.

If it was his choice, we can always help him forget again,Esme offered diplomatically.

I rubbed my fingers across my forehead. I didn’t know whether I could do that. It had been hard enough to go through it once.

If it is what he wants then we will help. He is our elder, it is right.

Greg reached out and squeezed my thigh in reassurance. ‘It’s going to be okay.’

I nodded but my mouth was dry.

We arrived at the house ahead of Leyla. Mum’s car was in the drive so I knocked quietly instead of ringing the bell in case she was sleeping off a night shift. Dad opened the door. ‘Well now,’ he beamed. ‘To what do I owe the pleasure of all of you popping up on my doorstep?’

‘I need cake,’ I announced. ‘Do you have any?’

‘Does a dragon fly?’ my dad shot back.

I blinkedat him. ‘Why would you say that? Use that phrase, I mean.’

‘I just mean that I have some cake. I’m just shaking things up.’

I chewed on my thumb. Was he trying to give us clues? My dad wasnota fantasy reader and his go-to phrase for a question like that was ‘does a bear shit in the woods?’

I felt certain he was trying to give us information somehow. Cleared knowledge was covered over but not wiped entirely; that’s how Nina had been able to give my memories back because if they’d been truly wiped, they would have been impossible to restore. But clearing could be undone. It hurt like a bitch, but it could be undone.

‘Do you trust me?’ I asked Dad abruptly.

He blinked. ‘Of course.’ He frowned and took my hand. ‘Are you okay, Lucy?’

‘I’mfine. A friend of mine is coming around in a bit – she wants to help align your chakras. I know it’s a bit woo-woo, but you said you’d been forgetful and she thinks this will help.’

Dad snorted with laughter but he sobered when he saw my expression. ‘Oh, you’re serious.’

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