The Wolves Among Us

Chapter5

Raven’s P.O.V.

Once I had collected most of my courage, I stepped out of the truck, my boots crunching against the gravel driveway. The late afternoon sun stretched long shadows over the land, painting everything in gold and amber. I inhaled deeply, the scent of pine and earth filling my lungs, grounding me. This place held echoes of my past—some bitter, some sweet—but none more important than the future I was holding in my hand.

Lucy reached up to me, and I immediately bent down, lifting her into my arms. Lucy held on to me, her small fingers gripping the fabric of my t-shirt like it was the only thing keeping her safe. Her wide, dark eyes scanned the unfamiliar faces gathered on the porch. She didn’t speak, but I could feel her tiny body tense against mine. I tightened my hold on her, giving her back a reassuring stroke.

“It’s OK, care bear,” I murmured, voice low and steady.

“This is family.”

But was it still?

I wasn’t sure yet.

I had told Lucy stories about them—about her grandmother, about her uncles and aunts, about the warmth of the home we might one day have. But words were just that—words. Now, standing here, my heart a war drum inside my chest, I wasn’t sure how welcome we truly were. I had been gone a long time. And I hadn’t left under the best of circumstances.

And now, from the corner of my eye, I spotted my two little sisters, both crying and sobbing at the sight of me.

fuck…

I hurt them by leaving…

A hush settled over the group as they took in the sight of me and Lucy. Some faces were cautious, some unreadable. But one, the oldest among them, softened with something I hadn’t realized I needed so desperately, as she stood up from her seat. She asked something to the brunette standing next to her, the woman nodded, her eyes fixed on me.

I hurt her as well by leaving…

Fuck… I hurt all of them…

Gran took a step in my direction, wiping at her tears with the back of her hand, her voice barely a whisper.

“Raven…”

“Gran,” I breathed.

But before I could say anything else, or even apologize, Lucy wriggled free from my hold, her hesitation dissolving like mist in the sun. My instincts kicked in, my muscles coiling, my body tensing as I took a half-step after her. I had spent too many years watching my back, too many nights guarding my daughter from a world that wasn’t always kind. Letting my guard down wasn’t easy. It never had been.

“Raven,” Gran said, her voice even but thick with emotion.

“Who is this little girl?”

I tried to swallow, knowing that my answer would hurt her.

“This is Lucy,” I finally said.

“My daughter.”

A collective silence fell over the yard. Gran’s hands trembled as she pressed them against her mouth in awe, her eyes welling up with unshed tears. I watched as her shoulders shook, as she took a hesitant step forward and waved at my little girl.

“Oh, sweetheart,” she whispered, looking at Lucy, and melting my heart.

“My first great-grandchild.”

and with that one sentence I knew…

I knew I made the right decision coming back home…

Lucy looked up at me, unsure of what to do. I nodded encouragingly as I let go of her little hand, and the little girl stepped hesitantly into Gran’s open arms. Gran held her close, running her fingers through the Lucy’s dark hair as though she couldn’t quite believe she was real.

But of course, my brothers' testosterone had other plans for this happy event.

“Give her to Gran,” Adam growled at me, his tone brooking no argument.

“The women can get to know her. We need to have a word.”

I hesitated for a second, my hand tightening into a fist for a fraction of a second before I slowly nodded, looking over at Gran. Gran on her end was already moving, her weathered hands reaching for Lucy, who threw herself into her arms without a second thought. Lucy giggled, clutching at the fabric of the old woman’s sweater, her tiny body enveloped in a warmth I could still remember from my own childhood.

“Look at you,” Gran whispered, her voice thick with emotion.

“Aren’t you just the prettiest thing?”

Lucy nodded eagerly, her face bright and unburdened.

“Daddy told me about you! You make the best cookies!”

A slow, knowing smile spread across Gran’s face.

“That so? Well, I’ll have to make you a batch, then. But I guess from now on, Meghan is the cookie queen of the family.”

I exhaled, my shoulders easing just a fraction. Gran had always been the heart of this family. If she welcomed us, maybe—just maybe—this wouldn’t turn into a mistake. Or a fight. Or a full-out war.

But as my gaze flickered back to my brothers, to the faces still shadowed with uncertainty, I knew I wasn’t in the clear just yet. I didn’t expect forgiveness from them. I didn’t even expect kindness at this point. All I wanted was a chance.

And for Lucy, I would fight for it. And so, I followed my brothers inside. Preparing myself for a conversation that would not be fun at all.

I hesitated at the threshold, glancing back just once. Lucy stood beside Gran, my two sisters flanking them, and the unfamiliar women who now seemed to occupy this house—my old house—watched me with curiosity. I still wasn’t sure how I felt about leaving Lucy here, but I knew it was the right thing to do. She needed stability, family, people who could give her a life better than the one I had scraped together for her.

I turned and followed all of my brothers inside, the wooden floorboards creaking beneath my boots. The moment the door shut behind me, the weight of their presence settled on me like a cage locking into place. The house still smelled the same, a mixture of pine, earth, and something distinctly home. But it looked different—smaller somehow, as if time had shrunk it.

My brothers were on me before I had time to breathe.

Adam stood at the front, his arms crossed over his broad chest, his jaw tight. He had always been the one who demanded answers first. As he should, he did take over our dad’s role once he had died.

“Why are you back?” His voice was sharp, almost accusing.

I met his gaze, knowing there was no simple answer.

“I lived with a wolf pack up North,” I said finally.

“But Lucy deserves a real family. Not just a pack.”

Silence settled over the room, thick with unspoken words. Skye looked at me with something more than just surprise—there was hurt in his eyes, deep and raw.

“You had a kid?” His voice wavered, disbelief lining every word.

“And you never told us? Never even bothered to contact us?”

I clenched my jaw.

“I was doing what I thought was right.”

Skye shook his head in disbelief, running a hand through his hair.

“Damn it, Raven. We’re your family too. You should’ve told us.”

From the corner of the room, Blade stood with his arms crossed, his face unreadable but his posture rigid. The anger in his stance was palpable. He didn’t say anything to me, but he didn’t need to. His silence cut deeper than words ever could.

Then there was Koda, sitting on the edge of the worn-out couch, his fingers steepled together. He studied me like he was trying to piece together a puzzle he didn’t quite understand.

“Why now?” he asked our of the blue.

“Why come back now after all these years?”

I exhaled sharply, rubbing a hand over my face.

“Because back then, I thought leaving was what I needed to do. I thought I couldn’t be what this family needed.” I swallowed hard, my voice lowering.

“But Lucy changed everything.”

The room remained tense, my brothers still processing my words. I didn’t blame them for their anger. I had left them, abandoned them, and now I was back, expecting them to understand. I just hoped at some point in time… they would understand. And hopefully forgive me as well.