Chapter 23

Bradley POV

Today is my 26th birthday. It is not remotely special to me, but every one of my birthdays is unique to my mother. After everything she went through to save me from living the life of a savage with the moon pack, I let her fuss over me for my birthday. I guess to her; it is a celebration of escaping.

Most wolves my age, hell most men my age have already met someone fell in love and started a life. I stay here close to mom and my stepdad Chuck. I know she worries I will turn into a wolf and be a savage. Everything she has taught me in life, I will never be like my father.

I stay out of the way most of the day, letting her fret over Kendra and the other women. Family and friends are diligently helping my mother prepare for the small celebration. Kendra seems so special. How I wish we had met under different circumstances. When I was close to her, I felt the electricity between us.

The vampires will be here tonight. They are coming to talk to Chuck and mom about stopping the moon pack once and for all. Chuck thinks the three women can provide information to get in and stop the wolf pack. Chuck took the GPS out of Tobias’s car. He is working to figure out all the places the car has been.

“Hey,” I hear a soft voice coming up behind me.

I turn to see Kendra. She looks much better than yesterday. The collar marks on her neck are darker today, but she looks fantastic. I push the hair away from her neck. She steps back.

“I am sorry, I did not mean to startle you. Mom has something to help with the bruising,” I say to her.

“NO, it is fine. I should not have jumped. I am not even sure why I did,” Kendra says.

“Because you have been through hell, maybe,” I say.

“Not every day was hell. Some days were quiet. Those days I would lay there and pretend I was somewhere else,” Kendra says.

“I am sorry for everything that happened to you,” I say.

“Don’t be; nothing you could do about it,” Kendra says.

“Maybe I can now. The vampires will be here tonight, and Chuck seems to think he has a location. He used the car GPS to track down the moon pack,” I say.

“Moon pack?” she questions me.

“The pack is called the moon pack,” I say.

“I hope the vampires can stop them,” Kendra says.

“Me too,” I say.

“I was thinking about walking down to the beach again. Want to join me?” Kendra asks.

“Sure, I am hiding most of the day while mom gets ready for the party,” I say.

“Does she need my help?’ Kendra asks.

“Why don’t you send Tete and Stephie to help her, and we can hide the rest of the day?” I suggest.

“Sounds good; I will go tell the two of them to go help your mom. It would probably do them both some good,” Kendra says.

She smiles at me. My heart sinks into my stomach. I have only known her for two days. I cannot be in love this fast. It is something between us. I only wish I knew what it was.

Kendra runs to ask the others to help mom. She is back quickly. She is smiling today. She doesn’t look as worn as she did yesterday. When she walked into the office to get a cabin, I knew she was hurting, but she still looked beautiful.

Kendra comes running back to me. I see the other two going to the main cabin to help mom.

“Ready?” Kendra asks me.

“Definitely,” I respond.

I reach down to take her hand. She doesn’t recoil. She allows me to hold her hand as we walk to the water.

“I love it here,” Kendra says.

“I have never been anywhere else but here,” I say.

“It is beautiful,” Kendra says.

“Not as beautiful as you,” I say.

“Thank you, I don’t feel beautiful anymore,” Kendra says.

“You will again,” I say.

We walk the rest of the way in silence until we reach the sandy beach where I kissed her last night. The water is rushing the rock. The water seems to relax her.

“We could skip my party tonight,” I suggest.

She laughs. “Your mother would kill us both,” Kendra says.

“You are probably right about that. The vampires will want to talk to you tonight,” I say.

“I know. There is not much I can tell the vampires. I stayed locked up most of the time,” Kendra says.

“I am sorry. You never have to be locked up again. You are free to be you,” I say to her.

“I hope so,” Kendra says.

“I will make sure of it,” I say.

“For some reason, I believe you,” Kendra says.

We sit and watch the water until it gets dark, mostly in silence. Sitting here with her on my birthday is the best gift anyone could have ever given me.

“We should probably get back for your party,” Kendra says.

“You are probably right. Mom might send out a search party,” I say.

I get up and then help her to her feet. When she comes to her feet, I lean in a kiss her. I feel my soul connecting to hers. I pull her close to me. I only want to hold her and feel her as close to me as possible. I dare not to try to touch her too much. I only want to be close to her. When I let go of her, I can see it in her eyes; she feels the electricity between us.

“Maybe we can spend time together, you know, get to know each other when things settle down,” Kendra says.

“I would like that a lot,” I say.

I take her hand and walk her back as we get closer to the cabins. There are a lot of families already here. The vampires have arrived to talk to Kendra. They are waiting for her.

“I will go with you if you need me to,” I say to her.

“I do not want to ruin your birthday,” Kendra says.

“This problem with the wolves is my burden too,” I say.

“You are right; it does affect you as much as me,” Kendra says.

I make a point to see as many people as possible before Kendra, and I walk to the cabin the vampires are waiting in for her. Chuck is already with the vampires. We hear them talking as we approach the cabin.

I open the door for her. The vampires and Chuck stop talking as we go into the cabin.

“Kendra, these are the men I was telling you about, Andrea and Timothy,” Chuck says.

The two men stand to greet her. “It is a pleasure to meet you, Kendra,” Andrea says.

“Same,” Kendra says.

“We are hoping you can help us to navigate the compound before we go in to take out the wolves,” Timothy says.

“I can show you where everyone lives on the map. I can tell you how many in each house and where they keep their women,” Kendra says.

“Good, we are going tonight. Do not worry by morning; you will be a free woman,” Andrea says.

“I am already free,” Kendra barks back.

She is feisty. Andrea looks a bit shocked at her statement.

“I only meant that when this is over, you would no longer have to worry about anyone coming to look for you, that is all. I am aware you are a free woman, a stunning free woman,” Andrea says.

“Thank you, and I meant no disrespect. I am only trying to remind myself that I am free from the wolves,” Kendra says.

She leans back into me. “Are you okay?” I whisper in her ear.

She looks back at me. “I will be very soon,” Kendra says. She reaches for my hand.

I take her hand in mine. I will not let anything happen to you, Kendra.

“What about the payment?” Timothy asks.

“Payment?” Chuck questions.

“You think we are doing this for free?” Timothy asks.

“No, I guess not. We do not have a lot. Everything we have is in these cabins,” Chuck says.

“We can take the cabins as payment,” Andrea says.

“No, wait, I have money,” Kendra says.

“We want one million dollars to take out the wolves,” Andrea says.

“Okay,” Kendra says.