meet my eyes. Drew was texting something on his phone , looking concentrated, but glanced sympathetically at Joshua in between his tapping.
Tiamhaidh came and sat behind me. He started to massage my shoulders slowly, and I felt the knots starting to ease. I couldn't break now. I had to be strong, at least till David came home a nd I could collapse in his arms in private . I was the pack leader and they were all depending on me. I shook Tiam's heavenly hands away an d looked steadily at Joshua.
“I understand if you want to go home to your own packs. No one will blame you if you quit now. You all know as well as I do what the situation is and I want you to know, no matter what happens, you're all welcome to join my pack and live together with us.”
“Sofia,” Fabio started uncomfortably. “My pack is waiting for me and even if I like it here, I have no reason to stay away from my family any longer. I'll be gone before dawn.”
“I know it's not the best time to go, but I've been gone way too long already. I'm sorry,” he said quietly.
“Same here,” grunted Igor . “I, however, am not going to give up as easily and the minute Adam is gone, I'll be back.”
“I'm going, too,” said Alexei . “I've known from day one that she wouldn't choose me, but I still hoped for nothing. It's better to leave now and save myself from further humiliations.”
The other males grunted in agreement and when I counted the ones who were leaving, I noticed that besides Joshua, only Blake and Jonas were about to stay. Only three, I thought, and for nothing. Blake looked straight at me, as if he had heard my thoughts.
“I'm not staying for Clarissa, but for you, Sofia. I don't have any other family and I like it here.”
I nodded approvingly. Blake was not the strongest of males, but he was very bright and clever. I was more than happy to have him in my pack.
“I, as well, am not staying for Clarissa, but for Joshua. He has become a brother to me and I'm not gonna let him face Adam alone,” said Jonas .
Joshua nodded at him and I smiled at them warmly.
“I'll stay, of course, though at this moment I'm sure Clarissa will nev er choose anyone else over Adam. Anyway, I am not so sure Adam seriously wants her. I think he'll play with her awhile and then throw her away like a used toy,” said Joshua bitterly.
I glanced at him questioningly. Joshua would barely be pleased with Adam's leftovers, so I was sure he was up to something. I wiped his mind lightly, but I didn't catch anything alarming. Well, anything except a lust for murder, and that at this point was more than understandable. Joshua met my eyes without a blink, so I smiled at him, u ncomfortably. I reminded myself that Joshua was one to keep an eye on. I didn't want to experience any more unpleasant surprises. I turned my eyes from Joshua and felt Tiamhaidh lightly in my mind . I stretched my hand and he grabbed it hard. I knew I wasn't here alone. Although this was my fight, I didn't have to fight alone and even if I collapsed later in David's arms, Tiamhaidh was here and he would share his power with me for as long as I wanted. I didn't have to struggle, not with him. He was here for me and I could count on that. Whatever happened, he would stand beside me. I leaned against his warm body and sighed.
“It doesn't matter why you stay. The most important thing is that you stay. As there are nine strong shape shifters in our pack, I'm sure we'll find a way to keep Adam away from Clarissa.”
“I don't want to influence her choice,” said Joshua strictly.
“That was not a choice. Adam tied her to him by force and you know that. We can't just overlook that, but as Clarissa is still more human than shape shifter, I think we can separate her from Adam,” I said sternly. “Adam is my problem and from now on I will be watching his every step, closer than any of you can imagine.”
“Sofia,” said Tiamh aidh softly.
“No! Adam can never touch her again. Not
Tiamhaidh came and sat behind me. He started to massage my shoulders slowly, and I felt the knots starting to ease. I couldn't break now. I had to be strong, at least till David came home a nd I could collapse in his arms in private . I was the pack leader and they were all depending on me. I shook Tiam's heavenly hands away an d looked steadily at Joshua.
“I understand if you want to go home to your own packs. No one will blame you if you quit now. You all know as well as I do what the situation is and I want you to know, no matter what happens, you're all welcome to join my pack and live together with us.”
“Sofia,” Fabio started uncomfortably. “My pack is waiting for me and even if I like it here, I have no reason to stay away from my family any longer. I'll be gone before dawn.”
“I know it's not the best time to go, but I've been gone way too long already. I'm sorry,” he said quietly.
“Same here,” grunted Igor . “I, however, am not going to give up as easily and the minute Adam is gone, I'll be back.”
“I'm going, too,” said Alexei . “I've known from day one that she wouldn't choose me, but I still hoped for nothing. It's better to leave now and save myself from further humiliations.”
The other males grunted in agreement and when I counted the ones who were leaving, I noticed that besides Joshua, only Blake and Jonas were about to stay. Only three, I thought, and for nothing. Blake looked straight at me, as if he had heard my thoughts.
“I'm not staying for Clarissa, but for you, Sofia. I don't have any other family and I like it here.”
I nodded approvingly. Blake was not the strongest of males, but he was very bright and clever. I was more than happy to have him in my pack.
“I, as well, am not staying for Clarissa, but for Joshua. He has become a brother to me and I'm not gonna let him face Adam alone,” said Jonas .
Joshua nodded at him and I smiled at them warmly.
“I'll stay, of course, though at this moment I'm sure Clarissa will nev er choose anyone else over Adam. Anyway, I am not so sure Adam seriously wants her. I think he'll play with her awhile and then throw her away like a used toy,” said Joshua bitterly.
I glanced at him questioningly. Joshua would barely be pleased with Adam's leftovers, so I was sure he was up to something. I wiped his mind lightly, but I didn't catch anything alarming. Well, anything except a lust for murder, and that at this point was more than understandable. Joshua met my eyes without a blink, so I smiled at him, u ncomfortably. I reminded myself that Joshua was one to keep an eye on. I didn't want to experience any more unpleasant surprises. I turned my eyes from Joshua and felt Tiamhaidh lightly in my mind . I stretched my hand and he grabbed it hard. I knew I wasn't here alone. Although this was my fight, I didn't have to fight alone and even if I collapsed later in David's arms, Tiamhaidh was here and he would share his power with me for as long as I wanted. I didn't have to struggle, not with him. He was here for me and I could count on that. Whatever happened, he would stand beside me. I leaned against his warm body and sighed.
“It doesn't matter why you stay. The most important thing is that you stay. As there are nine strong shape shifters in our pack, I'm sure we'll find a way to keep Adam away from Clarissa.”
“I don't want to influence her choice,” said Joshua strictly.
“That was not a choice. Adam tied her to him by force and you know that. We can't just overlook that, but as Clarissa is still more human than shape shifter, I think we can separate her from Adam,” I said sternly. “Adam is my problem and from now on I will be watching his every step, closer than any of you can imagine.”
“Sofia,” said Tiamh aidh softly.
“No! Adam can never touch her again. Not
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