“So, if I ask Cade or any of the guys in my pack about live births, they’d squirm and call it gross female stuff,” she says.
Other than the surprise I feel that she said the word pack in public, it dawns on me that she’s right.
I’ve never paid attention to that particular piece of information, because I practically recite it by heart every time I’m asked about it.
No one’s ever asked what Sadie just did.
The lie rolls off my tongues smoothly, but it still pains me to deceive this girl, whom I very badly want as a friend.
“My parents drilled the story of my and Danny’s birth into me so much that I became sort of immune to it.” “Which one of you is older?” she asks excitedly.
I mentally breathe out a sigh of relief that she’s changed the subject all on her own, and half-smile.
“Danny,” I reply.
“By only twelve minutes.
But he, like all my brothers, treats me like the baby of the family.” She laughs out loud.
“Oh, believe me, it’s better than being the eldest.
Everything falls on you, and you’re expected to be the better sibling so that you can put a good example for the younger ones.” “Connor’s never been worried about that with us,” I laugh.
“He’s the one who got Mason his first condom and Nathan his first fake ID.” We’re almost at her classroom, and we’re laughing so loudly that people are staring at us.
But for once, I don’t really care; I’m having fun, so I’m not about to stop just because me laughing is an unusual public behavior.
“Your family seems so incredible,” Sadie comments, still laughing.
“I can’t wait to really get to know them all.” A part of me is trying to convince myself that she only said that as part of SMP’s plan to get chummy with us.
But she seems so truthful that it’s impossible to doubt her.
Whether she’s executing a plan or not, Sadie is as honest and genuine a person as she appears to be.
“Thanks,” I tell her truthfully with a smile.
“You should be warned, though, we’re a little crazy, especially on Sundays.” She frowns.
“Why Sundays?” That’s when I tell her about War Day with pride.
She finds it incredibly amusing and laughs for almost a minute straight when I tell her what sort of pranks we’ve done on each other.
Obviously, I change the story of what I did to Connor last time.
“Jared and Sam have a friend called Tyler,” she informs me.
“Whenever those three get together, they are huge troublemakers.
But they’ve never done anything like War Day.” “Maybe you should suggest the idea,” I say.
She smiles.
“Nah, that’s your family’s thing.
They have their own little games they play.” I nod and change the subject.
“So what’s your family like?” Her smile brightens even more.
“They’re pretty amazing,” she says.
She’s about to add more, but suddenly, she has an idea.
“Actually, now that you mention it, we’re going out to the movies after school today, and I would love it if you could come, so I could have someone to talk to.
I comment a lot during movies, and none of them can stand it.” I briefly smile, amused.
“Isn’t Cade going to be there?” I wonder.
I find it odd that they’re able to be separated from each other for so long.
My brother and Marianna start texting or talking endlessly on the phone when they’re away from each other for more than two hours.
Even Connor and Andrea have to check in five times a day if they don’t see each other.
“No, not really.
He and Logan have some work to do a few miles north of the boundary, and they won’t be back until tomorrow morning,” Sadie tells me.
“Oh,” I say again.
“Then sure, I’d love to go with you guys.” She grins and flings her arms around me in a hug.
“Thank you Dyl!” she squeals.
I chuckle and awkwardly pat her head.
Her enthusiasm is something I’m going to have to get used to, apparently.
“No problem,” I assure her.
“Now get to class or I’m going to be late for mine.” With a final squeeze of my shoulders, Sadie pulls away and scampers off to class, throwing a backward glance at me with that same beam on her face.
So far, it feels nice to have a friend.
I didn’t even think about Dad’s instructions when I agreed to hang out with her; I did it because I wanted to.
Later that night, I meet up with her at the movies at exactly seven pm.
I find her waiting at the food counter, with a middle aged couple who I’m guessing are her parents, a teenage girl around fifteen who must be her sister, and a ten year old boy who can only be her brother.
Sadie, her sister and their mother are all brunettes, but Sadie’s father and little brother have dark auburn hair.
Their eyes are also different; while Sadie’s are pure brown, her mother’s and sister’s are green, and her brother’s and father’s are hazel colored.
Her sister is an exact replica of her mother only in a younger version, especially with the oval shape of their faces.
Since Sadie’s face is actually heart-shaped, I’m guessing she takes more after her father than her mother.
As for the little boy, he’s like both his parents in many ways, and I have to admit he’s kind of adorable.
He’s sitting on his father’s lap, laughing his little heart out as his father told a funny story.
His mother is watching them with an affectionate glint in her eyes while Sadie tries to talk to her sister, who is too busy typing on her phone to give more than one worded answers.
Sadie spots me a second later and waves frantically, bringing her family’s attention to herself.
The sister whispers something to Sadie that makes her frown and whisper something back, to which she shrugs then resumes texting on her phone.
Sadie’s brother stands up immediately and goes to stand in front of me.
I halt and look at him.
“Are you Dylan?” he asks, and he sounds so much like Sadie.
“No, I’m Michael,” I deadpan.
He grins and puts his hand out.
“I’m Zack!” I take his hand to shake it and feel him putting a little pressure on it, although this is probably what would be considered a hard shake for him.
Is he trying to show off his strength?
I wonder.
I pretend to be in pain.
“Go easy on that hand, Zack,” I beg.
“I kind of need it for writing my homework and stuff.” He grins and grabs it a bit harder.
I pretend to quake and fall to my knees.
“Stop it, you’re killing me!” Then he starts giggling and let go of my hand.
Two pairs of converse shoes come into my peripheral vision and I look up and find Sadie and her sister standing there.
“Are you bothering my brother, Dylan?” Sadie jokingly asks.
“His name is Michael,” Zack corrects.
“Don’t worry Sade, I scared him enough so that he won’t hurt you.” Smiling, she bends her knees until she’s at eye level with him and she ruffles his hair.
“Aw, my protector.” She stands up again and puts her hand behind her sister’s back.
“Dylan, this is my sister Zoey.” Zoey looks up from her phone to spare me a single glance and a nod.
“Nice to meet you,” I say dryly.
“Hey Michael?” Zack calls again.
I look down at him.
“Yeah, little man?” “Do you have any brothers and sisters?” he wants to know.
“I have four brothers but no sisters.” His eyes are wide.
“Whoa!
That’s more than Sadie’s boyfriend has!
You’re so lucky you have brothers.
I only have sisters.” “Hey, you know I would kill to have a sister as awesome as yours,” I point out.
“You’re the only one who does, so you’re a pretty lucky man.” “Not true,” he objects.
“Reena’s brother has a sister.” I frown and look at Sadie.
She gives me a look that says later, and turns to her brother.
“Come on, Zack, let’s go back to Mom and Dad.
The movie starts in a few minutes.” Sadie’s parents are very nice people.
They ask me about my family, my school and what I want to do in college when I graduate; the usual things normal people ask their daughter’s friends.
I play it aloof, because I can’t talk about wanting to be a musician.
Once we’re inside and the trailers start showing, I lean towards Sadie to ask her about what Zack said.
“Oh, Reena’s adopted,” she tells me.
“Her parents wanted a girl when Jason was fourteen, so they got permission from the alpha.
She was ten when she started living with the pack, and she’s been with us ever since.” “So then you, Zoey and her are the only girls in the pack?” I ask and then backtrack.
“Not counting the adult mothers, I mean.” “Unless you count the few mates that some of the guys have chosen, then yeah,” she replies.
“But we’re the only ones whose families are werewolves and part of the pack.”