Third-Party POV:
"Mom? Dad? Why are there so many cars in the driveway?" Wrenly called out as she walked through the house looking for her parents.
She came around the corner and saw her parents, the Decker's dad, a beautiful blonde woman, Teddy and his parents, Maria, Trevor, and Decker.
"What is going on? Did something happen? Is someone hurt?"
"Wrenly, baby, sit down," her mother said.
She slowly sat down in the armchair, looking around. She had never met Teddy's parents before. She didn't understand what Decker's father was doing here. Who was the beautiful woman sitting next to him that Wrenly had never seen before?
Did Mr. Donafrio have a new girlfriend? "If this is some kind of intervention, I'm not sure what it can be for. Oh, God, is this about Carter?"
Maria was the only person in the room who looked confused about Carter's identity. No one else did, including Decker and Teddy.
They know. How do they know? Fucking Trevor. Remind me to kill him after whatever this is is over. Oh, come on, I am sure that he had the best of intentions. The road to hell is paved with the best of intentions.
"No, honey, it's not about him," her mother said.
Decker got up and came to kneel in front of Wrenly. He took her hands in his, and the rush she felt was undeniable. Her skin erupted into goosebumps. She realized how much she had missed him. All she wanted was to be taken into his arms and have him hold her.
"Deck, what's going on? I'm starting to get scared."
I think this is about me. Oh no. Do you think that they know? Oh my God, is this to talk me into going to a residential mental help clinic? Is this about the voice in my head?
"Is this about the voice in my head?" she said under her breath.
Decker's eyes went hazy. Yes, it is, Decker said through the mind link.
She heard Decker talking to her, but his mouth wasn't moving. Great, she was already hearing the one voice; now she was hearing his voice, too.
"I think I know what this is about," she spoke up.
"You do? Oh, thank the goddess. I wasn't sure how we were going to do this," Teddy said.
"You are all here because you want me to get professional help for my mental issues. I don't know how you found out about the voice, but I guess you're right, I do need some help. But I want you to know that it doesn't tell me to do bad things to people or myself."
"What? No sunshine, that's not it. You are not going crazy. We all hear a voice, too."
"Um, except for me, I don't. I just wanted to put that out there," Trevor interjected, raising his hand.
Decker slowly turned his head and looked at him. "Thank you for that, Trevor." He shook his head. "Why don't we go talk in private, and then you can come back, and between all of us, we should be able to answer any questions you have."
Wrenly looked into his eyes. They were more beautiful than she had remembered. She could see something in them. Was it concern, caring, affection... love? No, this is Decker Donafrio. He doesn't do love. She wondered if he was even capable of real love.
"Look, I don't know what's going on with everyone, but I'm getting really uncomfortable, and I want to leave now," she said, so only Decker heard her.
"Sunshine, please."
She stood up with Decker still on his knees, looking like he was begging her. "Sunshine."
She loved it when he called her that, but she was getting freaked out. She could feel the anxiety and panic growing inside of her. Her stomach started tying up in knots, it felt like she couldn't breathe, her head felt light.
"Honey, please sit back down," her mother said.
She looked at her mom and dad. "Not until you tell me what's going on. I walk into the house expecting to have a nice, quiet family dinner, and here I am having some kind of confusing intervention with people I have never even met before, and I'm not even sure why I would need an intervention."
The room started to get hot. "It's getting warm in here. Isn't it?"
It was actually pretty cool in the room.
Her mother stood up. "Honey, you need to calm down before you do something you're going to regret."
"What are you talking about? The only thing I'm going to do is walk out of this house right now."
Decker moved so that her mother could get closer.
"No, Mom, I'm leaving. You and your friends have a nice dinner." She started to walk out of the room, and her father stood up, blocking her path. "Daddy, I'm sorry, but get out of my way."
"No, honey, you don't understand."
"No, I don't understand, and that's why I need you to get out of my way," she yelled at her father.
The mirror above the fireplace shattered. Everybody jumped.
"What the fuck?" Trevor said. "What broke the mirror? Did you see that?"
"Sitting right here, Trevor," Maria said.
"Honey, you need to calm down," her mom said.
"Oh, for the love of God, somebody just come out and tell her," Trevor said, sounding impatient. "You know what? I'll do it." He walked up to her. "Sugar Pop, you're a werewolf. The voice you hear in your head. Is your wolf. Her name is Wrigley. Everyone in this room is a werewolf, once again, except for me. I'm just Trevor. Any questions?"
Wrenly felt faint. "What are you talking about, Trevor? Maybe you're the one that needs mental help or stop reading my books. You sound absolutely ridiculous."
Her father approached her. She was now surrounded by her parents, Trevor and Decker, and she was starting to feel closter-phobic. He put his hands on her shoulders.
"Little Bird, what Trevor is saying, who had no right to say anything, by the way." He shot Trevor a look, and Trevor shrugged slightly and went to sit back down. "Is true."
"How could it be true? Werewolves, witches, vampires, and fairies are characters in books. Trust me, I have read enough of them to know. They are not real."
"But they are Sugar Pop."
Trevor got back up and walked over to her. Her father gave him a disapproving look, but Trevor, being Trevor, continued making his way.
He pulled down the neck of his shirt so Wrenly could see his neck. "See that right there? That is Teddy's mark. I am Teddy's fated mate, and he marked me to solidify the bond that we share." He smiled at Teddy, and Teddy mouthed, I love you. Trevor winked at him. "Isn't that fucking cool!"
"No, and that looks like a tattoo. You can get one of those at any tattoo parlor in the area. Trevor, I don't appreciate you being part of this sick joke. Of all people."
You are in denial. No, I am being rational. Says the girl who talks to a voice in her head. Wrigley, is it? Shut up, please.
Her mother and the beautiful woman approached her, each exposing their necks. "This is your father's mark, my love."
"No, that's a tattoo. You told me that was a tattoo. You and Daddy got matching tattoos."
"I know what we told you, but we had to. We weren't sure what the future held for you. We didn't want to scare you."
"Well, you're doing a pretty bad fucking job of it now."
Then she turned to the beautiful woman. "Wrenly, my name is Anastasia Gallo. I am Luna of the Moon Shadow Pack. Your pack, your family's pack. See, my dear, I have one too. My husband gave this to me a long time ago. He was taken away from me. He died of wolf sickness. This is all I have left of him. I will forever wear his mark. As your friend said, the mark solidifies the bond between mates. The bond can only be broken through rejection or death.
"Like in the books? So, if I don't want my mate, all I say is, I Wrenly Granatello of the, what did you say? Moon Shadow Pack reject you, Dec--"
Wrenly stop. Do not say anything further. Why? This is all bullshit. Why was I going to say Decker's name? Decker would never want me to be his mate. I'm sure he would rather have Natalia as his mate. You are so frustrating sometimes. Do you know that?
Decker grabbed Her hands. "Sunshine, please do not finish that sentence. What you have read in the books is true. In every bit of fiction, there is truth."
She turned to Trevor. "You believe this bullshit?"
"Yes. It's true. Mate bonds, rejection, chosen mates, fated mates, marking, mating." We wiggled his brows. "I've seen it for myself, Sugar Pop."
"What do you mean you've seen it for yourself?"
"Decker, do the eye thing. That's what Teddy did for me. Even though I took the news a lot better than this, it didn't really freak me out. Now the first time I saw him shift, that really was a mind fuck."
"Saw him shift? This is insane. You are all insane. Shifting, chosen, and fated mates. You all have to seek medication. I'm beginning to think I am the most sane person in the room! I'm leaving."
"Wrenly Faith Granatello. Sit down and listen to what we have to say," her father said.
"No, I told you I'm leaving. This is just some sort of weird, sick joke that I don't understand."
She started walking out of the living room and down the hallway. The door flew open, but no one was there. She stumbled backward, and then the door immediately shut.
"Holy fuck, I think we have a ghost in the house."
Her mother was standing behind her. "No, we do not have a ghost in the house. We have two witches in the house."
"Now you're saying that witches are real! Oh, for the love of fucking God! Am I being punked? I'm being punked, right? I always have wanted to meet Ashton Kutcher."
"You are not being punked. Can you just open your mind for one minute?"
"Sure Mom. Can I meet the witches? Who exactly would they be?" She sounded a little hostile.
"You and me. Even though you don't realize it, you opened the door and I closed it. You threw Decker into a wall this morning, according to your father."
"I was kind of wondering what happened this morning. Ok, I can't deny that somehow, I knocked Decker over. I wouldn't say that I threw him into the wall. Maybe he just stumbled? Ever think of that? The bigger they are, the harder they fall."
"Look, Wrenly, if you want to leave, then you can leave. We understand it's a lot, but I ask you to please come and sit down. You can ask us questions. We can tell you what is going to happen to you after Decker marks you."
"What do you mean after Decker marks me? Why would he mark me? Decker--"
"My dear, Decker is your fated mate. He is to be the Alpha of our pack, and you are to be Luna when he takes over for his father. You know, Mr. Donafrio is very sick with the same illness that killed Luna's mate, and he's taken a turn. He may not look ill, but he is. Anastasia is the sister of Kristof's wife who passed away. She took the Luna position after her sister passed. Now, if you still would like to leave, you are welcome to go. The door opened slowly. "We're not here to hold you hostage. We not going to keep you from leaving."
"Did I really open the door before?"
"Yes, Little Bird, you did."
"How?"
"Well, when you came around the corner to leave, what were you thinking?"
"Just that I wanted to go. Walk out the door, get in my car, and leave."
"So, you opened the door because you were focused on leaving through the open door."
"So, if I want to close the door, all I have to do is see it in my mind?"
Her mother nodded slowly.
Wrenly concentrated in her mind, she saw the door closing. As she did, the door slowly closed. "Holy fuck. I'll come back in, but I need a drink."
"I will join you."
"Did I break the mirror? I didn't imagine myself breaking the mirror."
"You did. That is a part of your magic we will have to practice so you have better control. It's the part that threw poor Dxecker into the wall."
"I should really apologize for that. Wow, I still can't believe this, and I have a wolf who talks to me in my head, and what about the mind link? When will I learn to use that? And why didn't I meet my wolf when I hit puberty like they do in all the books? Why did things start now? Am I going to shift? Will it hurt?"
"All your questions will be answered."
"Why is Maria here? She not a wolf too is she?"
"Maria will tell you all about herself. You will have a friend to confide in who can be there to support you and help you transition."
She nodded her head slowly. "So, Decker is my fated mate?"
"Yes, you lucky-lucky girl."