Page 52 of Wolf Revealed

Chapter twenty-one

"I wish I could have gone with Tuffie to get her check-up,” Kal said with a pout as they watched from the front porch as the SWAT SUV drove down the driveway. Alex, one of Mike’s pack mates, had come to pick Tuffie up a few minutes ago to take her to her appointment, something her son was very bummed about. “She’s going to be so scared getting those shots without someone there to hold her paw.”

“I promise Tuffie will be fine,” Lark said with a smile. “Alex’s wife is Tuffie’s vet. She’ll take good care of her. Tuffie will be back before you know it.”

That seemed to mollify Kal a little, and he nodded as they walked back into the house. They found Jasper and Everett in the kitchen talking about doing extra security sweeps around the perimeter while Mike and the others were out.

“Hey, kid,” Jasper said. “Want to go on the perimeter sweep with us?”

“Can we go around the pond on the back of the property?” Kal asked eagerly. “I want to check out all the buildings hidden in the trees out there. I can kinda see them from my bedroom, and I bet they’d be fun to explore.”

Lark wasn’t thrilled at any of that, but Jasper gave her a reassuring smile. “We’ll keep an eye on him.”

She nodded. “Okay.”

Although she started to rethink that when Kal asked her brothers if he could carry a weapon, too. She stared daggers at her brothers, silently letting them know that wasn’t going to happen.

The moment the three of them left, Lark’s head went in a dark direction, unable to think about anything but Mike and the raid at the warehouse. They were sure to already be in the middle of that by now. How long before she heard from him?

“Mike and his pack mates will be okay,” her mom said, walking into the kitchen with Violet, as if she’d known Lark was about to start spinning. “They’ll call soon and tell us they got Roman.”

Lark prayed that was true.

Violet grabbed three bottles of iced tea from the fridge, handing them out as they all gathered around the island.

“So, now that you and Mike are back together, will you and Kal stay here in Dallas, or will Mike move to Washington State?” her mother asked.

Lark opened her mouth to answer, only to close it again when she realized she wasn’t sure.

“Actually, I haven’t thought about where we’d live,” she admitted.

“There’s no rush to decide,” her mom told her gently, giving her an understanding smile. “We have Roman to deal with, and these people from Sentinel. Then the three of you can sit down and figure out what’s best for all of you.”

What’s best for all of you.

Her mom made it sound so simple.

“If we stay here, we won’t get to see you guys as much,” Lark murmured sadly.

“Honey, we’re only as far away as a FaceTime call or plane ride,” her mother said.

Lark nodded. They’d done a lot of FaceTiming when she’d lived in Dallas the first time. “That’s true.”

“Do you think Mike would move to Washington State if you asked him?” Violet asked.

Lark didn’t even have to think about it. “I know he would. But if we move back to Washington State, that’d mean Mike would have to leave his pack, and I don’t know if I want to ask that of him.”

“Then don’t,” her sister said. “Move here instead.”

Lark looked at her mother. “Would you be okay with that?”

Whatever decision she made, someone was going to be on the losing end here, be it her pack or Mike’s. Staying in Dallas was what she wanted, though. She only hoped her family understood.

Her mom smiled and took her hand, giving it a squeeze. “We just want the three of you to be happy, honey. If staying here does that, then your father and I support you.”

Blinking back tears, Lark hugged her mom, both of them laughing when Violet joined in for a group hug.

“You’re going to need a house with a guest room, though,” her mom said. “Because your father and I plan on coming to visit often.”