We slept late the following day, and despite that, I had little intention of leaving the warm body beside me for any reason. Today, I was hiding from the world and if we never had to leave the cabin, I would probably be okay with that. Just thinking about facing everyone again made me feel exhausted so anytime I did, I just held Aiden that little bit tighter and went back to sleep.

"We can't stay here forever." Aiden murmured between kisses. Since we were on day three, I was starting to think we could. "And don't think you can just distract me into staying by-"

I pinned him down, finishing the kiss as I started to slip lower so there wasn't a part of me not touching him.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." I lie shamelessly, digging my nails into his chest just enough to earn a growl before I found myself being the one pinned down.

"I need food. If I don't eat, then you definitely do not get to eat." He bit my lip teasingly and I instantly blushed.

The hunger had come back last night and so it was decided whenever needed, I could feed from him. It was something commonly done with vampire mates, our blood not repulsive to the other or damaging. He may have bitten me too, and never had anything felt so good. For the first time in a long time, I had a sense of belonging and it was because of one person which terrified me as much as comforted me. So much for not needing a man.

As Aiden had asked earlier, I was starting to feel different. We both noticed a change as my skin didn't seem to pale and the look I often had that made it hard to tell if i was on drugs, hadn't slept for a month or just getting over a bad flu was gone and I'd almost say I had a rather healthy glow. Even my hair felt fuller, I had energy that coffee had never been able to give me and not getting ahead of myself, I'm pretty sure I was starting to develop a bit of muscle tone everywhere I never had it before; which was literally everywhere. I didn't feel like the runt anymore.

"Besides, we can't hide here forever." Aiden reminds me.

"Who's hiding? Everyone knows where we are." Which was true because we asked Brianna to tell them.

"I'll be with you no matter what happens. Your brothers won't make me leave this time."

"I know. I just, how much money will it take for Brianna to portal me to I don't know, Thailand."

"You'd hate the humidity." His nose traces my collarbone and I don't think it will take much to get him to stay another day. "Come on, get up or I'll carry you into the shower and dump your ass there."

"I happen to love humidity."

"You're a terrible liar." And then suddenly I'm up and being carried into the bathroom where he does the unthinkable by turning on the cold water first.

Too bad I don't let him go and he keep him under the water with me.

______________

Standing on the front porch of the house I'd grown up in, I'd never felt so out of place. Did I actually belong here, at all? Normally I would just walk in, no knocking or ringing the doorbell, but to do that now felt like I'd be breaking in. I raise my hand to knock, but don't and looking at Aiden he takes my other hand and squeezes. I don't even know why we had to come here. I had nothing to say to them, and before my fingers touch the wood the door is opened. Aiden is ripped away as Jack practically rugby tackles me to the ground only I never quite make it that far as Luke is with him and I'm sandwiched between the pair.

"Took you long enough to come back!" He scolds.

"You smell, different." Jack complains, before letting me go and stepping back, "You even look, different."

"Yeah nice to see you too." I mumble.

"No, no, in a good way." He quickly corrects. "You look-"

"Healthy?" Luke adds as the pair stand there inspecting me.

"Healthy?" I repeat, kind of impressed I wasn't just seeing things.

"Well, yeah, but you're normally so sick looking." Jack answers without really thinking it over. "Not that it matters to me. I love you no matter what Sammy, we both do."

I'm suddenly being squished again but it doesn't feel as overwhelming as it used to. Testing out my new body, I actually decide to wiggle free as its usually pointless but today, I can and we all stop as we realise what just happened.

"That's, new." Jack says first.

"I don't get it. Now you know the truth about yourself you're like, better?" Luke wonders.

"Not quite." I look back towards Aiden who is just standing by the steps watching the three of us. What do I tell my brothers? How do I tell them?

It's one thing being accepting of my not so solid bloodline, but to admit to them I now feel amazing and look better because I've technically been feeding like a leech was something else. Then Aiden is there, his arm around my waist as he pulls me against his side.

"It's a little more complicated than that." He says, and I can't look at either of them.

"You are her mate, so is it to do with that?" Luke asks, and I can hear the hesitation in his voice.

"Sam?" Aiden wants to know what he can tell them, so I just nod. I can't do it. He can. "I'm a hybrid too. We have traits from both our parents, including the need to feed."

"You're like her?" Jack sounds more awestruck than anything else. "That's kind of cool, I mean not the hybrid part, but whatever, but you're both the same."

"Not quite, I'm more shifter and-" Aiden explains.

"And I'm more vampire." I practically whisper.

"Oh!" Luke suddenly exclains, understanding a lot quicker than Jack. "Oh!"

"What?" Our youngest sibling asks again, looking at all of us and as I meet his gaze, he works it out too. "Oh!"

"Yeah, oh." I want to go. I want to disappear and pretend none of this ever happened except Aiden steps aside as Jack is hugging me again.

"You spent so long trying to fit in with us, the pack, everything and you were never meant to Samara. You're different and it's okay. I'm so happy you've finally found out who you are." He squeezes me as he lets go.

Luke's at his side, his eyes brimming with tears as he nods. "You don't have to pretend anymore."

"You really don't care that-"

"No. We don't. We're happy for you, honestly. I mean, it sucks. No pun intended, but you know now there isn't anything wrong with you, you just weren't able to be who you really are."

I'm not a cryer. I don't let myself get overly emotional, but those two idiots have me bawling in seconds as I don't feel anything other than acceptance from them.

"I love you guys." I sob, pulling them closer to me.

"We love you too Sammy, but really you love me more right?" Jack throws in, causing Luke to push him over.

"You ready to go in? Mums been in her room since you left, and Dad's just around." Luke shrugs.

"I guess." I hesitate following them in, but do it anyway.

Luke was right, Dad was nowhere to be seen and Mum was hidden away. Instead of going to them I go into my room and checking my phone, see a few messages from Gwen and Hannah. Aiden says nothing as I quickly pack up the things that I hadn't snuck in and grabbed when Brianna gave me a portal in.

"So, you just going to leave?" Luke asks, Jacks head popping up between his and Aiden's so my doorway was now a solid barricade of men. "Not even try and talk to them?"

"I plan to talk to them." One day. "Just, getting my things together for when I do go home. Which is soon."

"What about you?" Luke asks Aiden. "You staying or going too?"

"Going. My business is done here now the threat to everyone is over." He answers flatly.

"The threat isn't over for her." He points my way.

"That's a completely new issue, but I don't think he'll hurt her. He hasn't yet and I will do what I have to do to keep her safe anyway."

Hello one of many obstacles.

"Good. Sam, we can come with you too?" Luke offers.

"No. It's fine. You've got work and stuff to worry about after the holidays." Plus I wanted them here; safe and away from whatever crazy is going to be waiting back home. "He isn't a threat, well not to me."

Or was he?

"Just call. If you need us, just say the word." He nudges Jack and the pair leave us.

"You really not going to see your parents?" Aiden asks sounding a little disappointed.

"Well when you say it like that." I zip up my bag. "Fine. I'll go see Mum."

The walk down the corridor feels like death row and I stop outside their door. Again I raise my hand to knock, but just can't bring myself to go through with the motion. Aiden's presence is thick around me and glancing over my shoulder, he's still standing by my door. I turn back and knock, before slipping inside. It's dark, light barely filters through the shut curtains and Mums figure on the bed doesn't move.

"Mum?" I ask softly, unsure of what else to say.

Her whole body twitches as she sits up, wiping her face she flicks the bedside lamp on. What I see actually terrifies me. That's not my mother. Her hair sticks out, unwashed and brushed in a way I don't think I've ever seen. Mums cheeks look sunken, her whole figure shrinking in the light as red eyes look at me in disbelief. Hesitantly she licks chapped lips, her hands trembling as she pushes herself up into more of a sitting position.

"Samara." My name sounds foreign as her voice is faint and broken.

I'm beside her and in her arms in seconds, holding her tightly as she does the same. She's still my Mum. How many times has she held me like this only our roles have been slightly reversed as for once I'm not the one looking a total mess. Her hands stroke my hair as she mumbles against my forehead, apologies, requests for forgiveness and promises of her love that I never really doubted. I hadn't really processed everything yet, I wasn't sure I ever would but the words came naturally and sounded sincere.

"I forgive you."

"You what?" She stops, and I move to sit opposite her.

"I forgive you."

"Why?"

"Because it's the right thing to do. You did what you thought was best for me, for you guys, for our family. I don't know, but it is what it is."

We sit together and cry for I don't know how long, but I think it's helping. Dad comes in and says nothing, soon coming closer to the bed and finally sitting down opposite us. He coughs, his voice just as raspy as mums and looking closer I can see he is just as torn up as she is.

"I know I haven't always been the father you've wanted or needed, but I do love you Samara. How could I not? You were so tiny and helpless when I first held you. It didn't matter anymore, none of it did, other than to keep you safe and with us. It's been a challenge, especially as you got older and you didn't seem to need me like you did when you were little and your brothers came along and-"

"It's okay." I tell him as Mum finally stops crying. "I forgive you, both of you."

"I don't understand." He actually looks confused.

"I'm not angry anymore." Not sure when that happened, but I wasn't. "I forgive you."

"You do?"

"I'm leaving, to go home. Aiden will be with me so don't worry. I know this changes a lot, but it doesn't change everything. You're my family. You raised me. That doesn't just stop now." I'm actually impressed with what I'm saying right now, I guess it wasn't as bad as I was thinking it was going to be.

"Are you sure you won't stay until new years?" Mum asks hopefully.

"And go to the big pack party? I'm good." I smile, patting her knee.

"We don't have to go. We can stay home and watch the fireworks on TV?" She offers.

"It's fine. I really just want to go see my cat." I leave out the part about rehoming him to Kyle. "I know it's not the Christmas you had hoped for, but we're okay."

"Oh darling!" She hugs me again and I breath in her scent. It's warm and comforting and home. It's Mum.

"So, he's really your mate?" Dad asks hesitantly as we part.

"He is. He's like me too, a hybrid." I tell him.

"I thought there was something, different, about him." Dad muses. "You going to be ok kid?"

"Probably better than I've ever been." I smile.

He nods, no longer the intimidating and distant person I've always thought of him as. If anything, it looked like a weight had been lifted off his shoulders and I wonder how things could have been if not for this secret.

"I'll give you two a minute." He leaves us and I know that's as good as it's going to get.

"Sammy, what about David?" Mum whispers, looking completely terrified. "If he killed all those people-"

She closes her eyes and at least my forgiveness has eased one of her many burdens.

"When we met he asked to be my friend. The few times he's visited, we've just well talked and he just seems lonely to me. I was also trying to annoy Aiden, which I do regret now I know the truth about their history." I sigh.

"Their history?"

"Vampire stuff." I left it at that and she only nodded. "I guess, I'll just try and I don't know. It's just an obstacle that will need to be dealt with."

"And what about you and Aiden? You look better than I've seen in a long time." She smiles. "I'm so happy you found each other, especially now."

"We're good, I hope. David was as much a surprise to him as it was for all of us and we're going to have to work through it too."

"If you can forgive us, I'm sure you two will be fine."

"I hope so."

After saying goodbye to my brothers we got into Aidens car and started the journey home, yet while everything seemed to be so calm and at peace here I couldn't stop thinking about what storm could be waiting for us.