Chapter 31

" Amber, wake up."

I feel someone shaking my shoulder trying to wake me.

I slowly opened my eyes, and they settled on my mate, Connor.

" I got to go, but I wanted to say goodbye first. Plus, your brother needs your help cooking tonight. He's cooking now and, by the way, it smells. You may be able to save it before it's too late," says Connor.

I let out a small laugh and stood up with Connors' help.

We walk over to the window and open it. He then gets out onto the ruff and leans his head back in, capturing my lips in a small but sweet kiss.

" See you tonight Amber." He then turned and leaped off the ledge.

I watched as he landed in a small crouch and looked both ways to make sure it was clear before he took off running and disappeared into the trees.

It is then that I smell the scent of food burning and smoke.

Holy crap, is John trying to burn the house down?!!

I hurried to my door and unlocked it before rushing down the steps, hurried through the den and ran into the kitchen to see John trying to scrape food off a pan as it continued burning in the pan.

The smoke coming off of it must mean if he doesn't stop cooking it soon, it will catch on fire.

I moved John to the side and cut off the burner.

I then moved it to a different burner so it wouldn't burn anymore.

I then turned to John. " Are you trying to burn the house down?" I asked.

" I thought I could handle it on my own," he said, putting his hands up in surrender.

" Apparently you thought wrong. " I say.

John sighed. " I probably should have gotten you up to help me cook. I only seem to be able to cook when you tell me what to do," says John.

I walked up to John and smiled. " Well, of course. You have got dad's leadership skills for being a bête and I have got mom's cooking skills," I say.

" I guess you're right," he says, grinning.

" Of course I am. Now let's see if we can save this food. What were you trying to make anyway?" I asked, turning back to the good.

" We had some kind of meat in the freezer," he said.

" Well, that narrows it down," I mutter sarcastically.

I then saw the wrapper on the counter. "OK, so you were cooking steaks. Now we have four people in this family, so you need to cook rice and another side dish to go with it," I say.

He nods, and I tell him to grab me a pot for rice and another for green beans.

He does and sets them on the stove. He also hands me another pan and I put the half burnt steak in it to finish cooking it without burning it anymore.

Soon enough, we finished cooking and got our food and put the rest in the microwave.

To do all that's going on now, mom and dad will be going till late tonight.

We sit down and eat our food. I look at John. " So did you have a good nap?" says John.

" Yes I did." I say.

He nods. " I would have woken you up to help cook, but it seemed like you needed the sleep."

I smiled. " Well, thank you. It's been a busy couple of days with the rogue attacks and them leaving the note," I say.

" Don't worry about the rogues. I won't let anyone hurt my sister, even if dad is forced by Alpha George to give you to them. I will never let that happen. I will stand by your side and I know for sure that Kurt will do the same," says John.

I smiled. " Thank you, John. That makes me feel better," I say.

John smiles at me, and we finish eating before I grab our plates and put them in the sink.

" I'll handle the dishes tonight," says John.

" You sure you won't set it on fire?" I asked, grinning.

John sighed and started laughing. " I can handle it, Amber," he said.

I walked up to him and kissed his cheek. " Thank you, John," I said.

He smiles at me. He then hugged me. It caught me by surprise at first, but it didn't take long before I hugged back.

" I've been worried about you, Amber. You seem to be tired a lot lately. Then you're stressed out because of the rogues, and I don't know what dad was thinking when he let you talk to that rogue in the prison. Now there's the note and their threatening to take you away. I will never let that happen," he says.

I think about what he says for a few seconds.

Connor was right. He really does care about me a lot. Enough to go against dad and the Alpha if he has to.

I love my brother. I hugged him tighter. " It's good to know that you're on my side no matter what. That someone will have my back always. Thank you." I say.

" Anything for my only sister," says John, letting me go.

I smiled at him again before finally heading back upstairs to my room.

I never clean it when I said I would.

When I walk into my room. I started cleaning the room. As I pass the window, I look out with a smile.

I know I can't see him in the darkness of the trees, but I know he's there making sure I'm OK and protecting my house from rogues.

I don't know how I'm going to sneak out tonight. There will be more wolves guarding my house.

I'll manage it somehow. Clayton and Cassandra have to hear what's going on from me.

They could get a good amount from Connor, but since I read the note myself, I could explain everything better.

Things are going to change very soon. Rogue attacks are going to happen again soon.

Things are going to get crazy dangerous very soon.