Mated To The Alpha: A Standalone Wolf Shifter Romance, стр. 4
Henry spoke again, "I was trying to figure out how to best handle you, but then you guys went out of my county. I have no jurisdiction here, we're just lucky that they called us instead of booking you."
"So that's it? Those are my choices? Spend a year with my mom's family, whom I've never met, and didn't even know existed, or stay here?"
"Yes."
"It is still, technically, my first official offense. What would they do? Make me pay a fine? Give me some jail time? Way less than a year, I bet. Maybe community service?"
"Maybe. Plus an arrest record, fingerprints, a mug shot. A history that will follow you forever. Good luck getting into college, or getting a good job. Telling some future fiancé about your past, telling your kids why mommy has a record. Choosing your mother's people will avoid all of that. And, think of it this way- you get to know your mother's family. Where you come from, their way of life, people who knew her, grew up with her. They are a bit...different, I’ll admit. But they are good people. Honorable people."
He shot a look toward the others again, obviously still not telling her something. But he had always been closed and quiet about her mother, so Emma didn't think much about what he could be leaving unsaid.
After letting everything settle over her for a bit, Emma didn't really see that she had much of a choice here. It was your classic no-brainer. She could stay in jail, or she could get a second chance that most other petty criminals didn't get, and also get to see where her mother came from.
The more she thought about it, with the shock of her dad's ultimatum wearing off some, the more her mind raced. Her thoughts circled, intrigued. She'd always heard vague whispers when her mom's name would come up, rumors and secrets never being exposed to the light of day. Either rude, staring eyes or averted gazes were the norm when her mom's name was mentioned.
Before she could give her answer, Kate's dad injected, "Would Kate be welcomed, too?"
All eyes flew to him.
Henry was the first to speak.
"I'm sorry?"
"I'm just kidding. Kate, I was going to tell you this in the car, but it seems like a good time for my news as well, with you being behind bars and all."
He turned back to Emma's dad first though, saying, "My wife and I were offered a transfer, through the church. The mission trips that our congregation here supports? They go to Africa every chance they get. To help out, to teach, build houses, clean up their water, and all that. They lost their pastor. We'd been discussing whether or not to take the position, to move the family to Africa for a while, and the phone call we got telling us to come here to collect our daughter from jail cinched it for us."
He turned back to Kate, "Your mother and I are taking the post. Moving to Africa. And I think you should come with us. Not many stores to lift from there, I'd guess. It would give us a chance to start over, to steer you better. I know that you’re an adult and can make your own decisions, but I also know that you are nowhere near being able to support yourself here. So, I’ll offer you a similar choice. Stay here, taking your chances with the legal system and having to find a real, self-supporting, bill-paying job, or come with us."
Kate bargained and cajoled, but Emma had already decided. It wasn't an ideal choice, but as she sat, watching Kate try to persuade her father, her mind was already elsewhere.
A year was a long time, yes. Especially when it was spent with strangers, in what her dad had said was an odd, contained, traditional, almost tribal community of her mother's family. It sounded almost like a cult to Emma, but she trusted her dad not to send her somewhere dangerous.
As Kate started to wind down beside her, accepting her fate, Emma started to get excited at the chance to see where her mom came from. She looked at her dad, searching deep in his eyes. She saw trust there, and love, and as always, for as long as she could remember, a large amount of heartbreak.
She knew somehow that her dad, in trying to save her, was also offering her a huge opportunity. But she also saw a dark, hidden knowledge buried in there. A secret that her dad had never been willing to talk about, that she knew she'd soon be a part of.
His eyebrows rose in silent question as Kate and her dad came to their own agreements. Somewhere deep inside Emma, a restless part of her that she often fought to tame, or at least to understand, stirred again. With a mixture of excitement, dread, and a large dose of fear, she nodded her acceptance to his terms.
3
Emma found herself more and more confused as her dad drove. They'd been driving for an hour, climbing higher up into the mountains and on progressively smaller and windier roads. When her dad slowed, turning onto a rarely used, seasonal dirt road leading into a state park, Emma shot another nervous glance at Kate.
She still wasn't quite sure how Kate had talked their fathers into letting her go with Emma for the year, but she was grateful. At least she would know someone.
In the couple of days since Emma's birthday, the dads had spoken in hushed, somber tones many times. She hadn't caught much of the conversations, just bits and pieces here and there.
"No, not dangerous, per se. Well, no more than anywhere else," she'd heard her dad mumble once.
And then last night