Page 5 of Sparks Flying

Westin Force Headquarters was hidden below Westin Lodge. We lived in suites in the Lodge. It was nicer than my family’s home, and safer too.

I shuddered, thinking of my uncle there. Uncle Craig had moved in shortly after my father died. I was five. I barely knew my dad, but his brother had insisted that it was his job to step in and take care of the family. . .more like for us to take care of him.

My home life had always been bad. I was younger than my siblings by ten years. My brothers fled almost immediately, but my sister was stuck there until she turned eighteen, though I rarely remembered her being home as she always made excuses to be anywhere but there.

That had left me alone with him.

He’d never actually touched me. Yelled and demanded this or that, but never once had he laid a hand on me. My mom was another story. I knew she had interceded on my behalf many times, and I tried desperately not to do or say anything that would upset him.

To the outside world, we’d been a normal family and he had been praised for stepping in and taking care of us. If only they knew.

Oscar was the only one that I’d ever confided in about stuff like that. I made him swear never to tell anyone, especially not his family. He was the nephew of our Alpha and my uncle would kill me if I ratted him out to the Alpha.

Mostly, I was just grateful to be away from there for now. Though I worried non-stop about my mother. She couldn’t just run away because when I was seven, she’d chosen to take him as a compatible mate with the promise that he would never lay a hand on any of us kids.

Mom would probably die if she knew that I knew that. But when you’re a kid, grownups just seem to forget you have ears or something.

Pushing all those bad memories from my mind, I opened the door to my room and set to work packing. When I opened the folder Patrick had handed me, I saw our destination—Ravenden.

A quick search told me we were headed for Arkansas and the temps were wildly varying from day to night, so I packed a little of everything, just in case. And then went into the bathroom and packed a toiletry bag.

I had never been outside Westin Pack territory before. I was so excited that I could barely contain it. Because of that, I arrived at our meeting location fifteen minutes early and had to wait. It didn’t take long before annoyance set in. Where were the guys? And why hadn’t they rushed the way I had?

With only one minute to spare, they rushed in with their suitcases looking disheveled just seconds ahead of Patrick.

Our leader took one look at them and then to me and scowled.

My heart dropped when he shook his head.

“They just got here, didn’t they?” he asked.

I wasn’t positive about who he was talking to, so I kept my mouth shut.

“Suitcases? Really? You boys are going to have to learn to pack a whole hell of a lot lighter. Take lessons from Bailey.”

I bit back my surprise as I did the happy dance inside, praying it didn’t show on my face.

They all turned to look at me with my single large back pack stuff full of everything I thought I might need.

I just shrugged.

What was I supposed to say?

“Move out. You three will learn if you’re gonna stick around here beyond this internship.”

We were quiet on the way out of the Lodge to Patrick’s vehicle, where we loaded up and he drove us to the airstrip. The Westin Force jet was awaiting us there.

It was a surreal moment as we walked across the tarmac and up the stairs. I wanted to pinch myself to make sure it was all real.

“Take a seat and buckle up,” Patrick instructed.

I did as I was told. The guys took a little longer as they struggled to drag their bulky suitcases up the narrow stairs.

An irritated Archie, the mole shifter that oversaw headquarters, was impatiently following them.

Once they were all on board, Patrick shook Archie’s hand.

“I’m glad you decided to join us. I think this will go a lot smoother this way.”

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