THE CALCULATED RETURN 

CHAPTER 2 

Natalie POV 

FOUR YEARS LATER.

I spotted Tasha holding a sign with my name—Natalie—written in bold letters.

at the pickup area in the airport. 

She still had that fake smile of hers. A smile that never touched her eyes at least when she's with me.

I walked up to her. Without a word, she turned and headed for the exit. I followed a step behind her until we reached her car.

The drive home stayed quiet.

I hadn’t seen Tasha in four years. Her fashion sense has changed. She's wearing a simple floral patterned dress and corset and her ash blonde hair in a high ponytail. There are things that haven't changed, the silence in the car told me everything. If anything, I felt her hostility more clearly now.

I can't believe I was back in this pack again. After the bullying incident, I couldn't return to that school. My mother was mad the family name was ridiculed and sent me away. 

I know she didn't do it for my own good but I was very relieved back then. 

But I wonder why she wants me back all of a sudden?

I stared out the window, watching as we passed by the familiar and unfamiliar buildings.

“Mother is marrying Alpha Black,” Tasha broke the silence. Her tone was flat.

My head snapped toward her.

A small, mischievous smirk tugged at her lips.

“Mother is marrying Alpha Black,” she repeated. “Tomorrow.”

Her words echoed in my ears.

“What?” I shouted. “How come nobody told me?”

Tasha kept her eyes on the road.

The truth sank in slowly, then all at once.

Wait, If Mother married Alpha Black, then Kade and Cassian would become our stepbrothers!

“That’s right,” Tasha said, as if she had read my mind. “And Karl is being formally adopted by the Alpha as his third son.”

My face lost all its color.

“What?” 

Not just Cassian and Kade but Karl would become my stepbrother as well? 

What is this nightmare?

As the horror registered on my face, Tasha’s lips curved into a thin, satisfied smile.

“I thought you should know before the wedding,” she said, wearing a fake look of concern. “Mom didn’t want to tell you, in case you refused to come home.”

She shrugged. “You need to be here for the wedding. So here you are now. I guess it doesn’t matter anymore.”

So this was their plan all along—pushing me to come home without telling me the truth.

After everything Cassian and Kade did to me back then, they still care about other's feelings over mine. Why am I even surprised?

“Oh, you’re going to love the wedding,” Tasha went on. “It’s going to be glamorous!”

She kept talking. She told me how she had helped plan the wedding for months. But not just her—our soon-to-be stepbrothers had helped out too. 

Then she turned and looked at me again.

“We’ve all grown close. They’re different now.”

“I didn’t know they were this… chill,” Tasha said. “You know, after your over reaction to their teasing, it made me miss out on a really good relationship with them.”

I turned back the window after rolling my eyes at that statement. Whatever I did never stopped her from doing what she wanted.

She sighed dramatically. “I couldn’t forgive them either, but oh well, mom's getting married and I have to make things easier for her. We’re going to be siblings soon and it's been four years now, ought to let things go.”

I didn’t respond. I kept my eyes on the road ahead.

She kept rambling and gloating, but I didn't respond.

I instead tried to steady my nerves and calm my shaking hands. I still had to come to terms with the fact that I was going to meet those three again, sooner or later.

By the time we reached the house, the sun had set. I could smell the feast from the front door.

Before I stepped inside, I could already smell all the dishes coming from inside. It was a feast. Tasha rushed into the dining room, acting gushing over the several dishes that were prepared. 

She hugged Mom. They looked like the perfect mother and daughter duo. I was like third wheel, in their happy family. 

“Mom, you made all this?” she asked loudly. Then she turned to me. “Lucky you, Natalie. This is all for you.”

I rolled her eyes, and mother growled.

“Natalie…” mom folded her arms. Her apron was stained with flour and oil but her hands were clean. Her bouncy curls lay on her shoulders and back. Her makeup was clean and minimal.

“Hi mom..” I greeted.

The way Tasha acted felt fake. I was sure she knew about this dinner already. I wouldn’t be surprised if she had suggested it herself.

“All this just to welcome you home,” Tasha added sweetly. 

“I almost chipped a nail preparing all this for you.” Mom added. 

No, I'm sure it was ordered in before I came.

I looked into the kitchen and to the trash can and behold!… several takeaways were inside.

Mom noticed my line of sight and before I could respond to either of them, she hurriedly blocked the kitchen. 

“Don't be ungrateful.” she said then gestured to the table, “Welcome back. Sit down and enjoy your dinner.”

I yawned, “I’m sorry, Mom, but I'm pretty exhausted from the flight,” I said softly. “You all should eat. I’ll wash up first and come back later.”

I slipped away before they could stop me and headed straight to my bedroom.

It was just like I left, literally. The room is dirty, covered with cobwebs, dusts and I could hear rats scurrying around.

I took a deep breath and switched gears.

I grabbed a trash bag and started tidying up, just a bit. It was mindless work, but it felt grounding.

It didn't take a while before the room looked halfway decent.

I stripped off my travel clothes and stepped into the shower.

*****

After my shower, I walked toward the woods behind the house. 

It always felt like entering a whole different world, the air here was cooler, the scent of damp soil and decaying leaves always filled the air.The leaves crushed under my feet as I walked a narrow path winding through the trees. I knew this place by heart, I could walk deep into the forest and back home with my eyes closed.

While I was living here, the woods had always been my refuge whenever I felt insecure or lonely.

I walked deeper into the woods, remembering the trees from four years back. 

The noise from the bugs and animals filled me with a calm my home never did until I sensed something different.

Eyes on me.

I stopped and turned around.

Pairs of glowing eyes stared back at me from the darkness. 

The sight horrified me, they had been watching me the whole time in silence. Why? 

I immediately turned back around and ran to get away but stripped on my boots and fell forward, hitting my chin on a tree root.

I winced in pain but quickly turned around to see if they were following me.

One by one, they faded into the darkness.

I looked down and saw paw prints of different sizes pressed into the mud.

Goosebumps spread across my arms. Who the hell was following me?