Charity's Storm (Charity Series Book 4) (2 page)

             
That night, as I tossed restlessly in my sleep, my father came to me in my dreams. He was sitting on the side of my bed in my childhood bedroom, and he was smoothing my dark locks back from my face like he always did when I was little. “Daddy, I miss you,” I said to him, my eyes filling with tears and leaking onto my pillow.

             
“Shh, I know, Sunshine. I miss you too.” His expression was sympathetic.
Did he really know what losing him did to me?

“Why did you have to leave me? Why didn’t you just stay with us?”

              “I know you can’t understand this, but I had to do what I did. But know that I love you very much, and I’m so proud of the woman you have grown to be. You have a great family, better than I could have ever wished for you. And this Levi…” he motioned beside me, and it was then that I realized that Levi was asleep beside me. I smiled as I noticed the protective way his arm was wrapped around me. 

“This Levi is a great man. I couldn’t have chosen a better one myself.”

“But, Daddy, you do know he’s a werewolf?”

He nodded.

“Does that disappoint you?”

He grinned and took hold of my hand, and although I knew this was a dream, I could somehow feel my dad’s touch like it was real.

“I know all about this man,” he began, “and he’s not just a werewolf, he’s the alpha of his pack, and now your pack. He is the father of your children. He loves you more than his own life, and more than the lives of all the others he protects. He will always take care of you. You will never have a need that he will not try to meet. I know you miss me, but you did just fine without me, because you’re strong, Charity. You’re a survivor. If I had not left you, you would have never been with Levi. He was drawn to you because you, unlike all the other girls, hated him. Because of your anger and dislike of him, Levi was intrigued by you, and your anger has protected you. Can you say that you would give it all back to never have lost me?”

             
“How can you ask me that?” I turned to peer at Levi sleeping deeply beside me, and knew I could never give him and my family up. Never. But I still missed my dad.

             
“You see, Charity, everything happens for a reason.” He squeezed my hand tightly. “I think it’s time you talk to someone about what happened the night I died. You need to finally put this behind you. Tell someone you can trust with your life, someone who would never hurt you, someone who will comfort you.” Again his eyes flashed to the sleeping Levi.

             
I smiled and nodded, and he returned such a warm smile that it brought a strange comfort to my spirit. Yes, Levi was my rock, the one I could tell anything to. And that is just what I planned to do.

The next morning, we ate breakfast together as a family like we always did, and then dropped the boys off at their kindergarten class in the C Wing. Once we entered our living quarters, and after my second, amazing good morning kiss, which made my ears ring and my knees knock, I pulled him down onto the bed beside me.

“Levi, I’m ready to tell you everything now.”

             
His eyes became serious, searching, as he rubbed his thumb along my jaw in a soft, comforting caress. “You don’t have to do this, kitten. The boys got you thinking yesterday. It’s okay. You don’t have to tell me until you’re ready.”

I knew he was worried about me. He always did, but he was nothing if not patient.

              I touched my hand to his cheek, stroking it gently. “I appreciate that, puppy, but I’m ready now.”

             
His purple eyes closed, enjoying my touch, and when they opened again, they almost glowed. “Are you sure?”

             
I nodded. “Absolutely sure.”

We got ourselves comfortable on the bed with pillows stacked behind our backs. I saturated my lips with my familiar lip balm, took a deep breath, and began the long and hard ordeal of telling him things I had never had the strength to tell a soul, not even my best fri
end in the whole world, Ashley.

“Well,” I began, “I used to be very sweet.”

Levi suddenly coughed into his hand.

I smacked him in the chest. “Are you gonna listen or not?”

He laughed softly, lifting his hands up in defense. “I’m sorry. Please tell me the story.”

I studied his mischievous grin, but then his gaze turned serious. “Please.
I’ll behave. You have my word.”

“That’s more like it. I’ll try to get through this. It was the stormiest time in my life, and it changed me forever. This story begins when I was fourteen…”

Chapter Two

Ten years earlier…

“Charity!
Hey, Charity, wait up!” Ashley called as she ran to catch up with me. We were both late for our health class, and I had never been late to any class so far, and I wasn’t gonna start now.

             
“Hurry, Ash. And take off those ridiculous shoes, or we’re gonna be late.”

             
She giggled and pulled the heels off as we sprinted down the hall toward our last class of the day. We made it into the classroom just as the bell was ringing.
Whew!

             
I liked my health class. I guess it was okay learning about my health, but what I really liked was studying Kevin Hayes who sat right in front of me. I couldn’t tell if he liked me back, but he was awfully cute to look at, and he smelled really good, like peppermint and honeysuckle, a strange combination I know.

             
“So, is your dad picking us up after school today?” Ashley whispered to me from two desks over.

             
I nodded as I sat my chin in my hand and went back to watching Kevin. He was scribbling something down in his notebook. I leaned in, trying to make out what he was writing, when my elbow slipped on a piece of my paper causing me to fall, not so gracefully, to the floor. I grabbed at my desk for assistance but only succeeded in taking my book and notepad with me. The class all snickered. I quickly jumped back into my seat, and I could feel my face heating and turning a deep shade of red. This always happened to me when I got embarrassed, which was more often than I liked to admit. It didn’t help that my teacher had to make a comment, as if being embarrassed wasn’t bad enough.
Sometimes I really wish I was one of those people who didn’t give a rip-roaring rapid what people thought about me.

“Um, Mi
ss Bell, are you having trouble keeping your derriere glued to your seat?” Mr. Campbell asked as his unibrow furrowed in annoyance.

I grimaced and stirred uncomfortably. “No, Mr. Campbell.”

              “That’s what I like to hear. Now class, let’s begin.”

I rolled my eyes and glanced over at Ashley. She was looking at me and covering her mouth to hide her laughter.
Some friend
.  

             
I glared at her, but I knew we would both laugh about it after class. And I was right.

             
After class, Ash and I took our time as we strolled through the courtyard and made our way toward the front of the school.

“Holy mudslide! Did you hear the thud my big butt made when I hit the floor?” I asked her.

Ashley gasped and covered her mouth like she was about to explode. Then she said through strained laughter, “No, but I felt the earth shake.”

Ash and I loved to tease each other. After all, if we couldn’t laugh at ourselves then where was the fun in that?
She especially liked to make fun of my curves. And, of course I liked to make fun of the fact that she didn’t have any.

We were both laughing hysterically when my dad pulled up to the curb in front of the school to pick us up.

              I tamed my laughter long enough to climb into the car and give him a peck on the cheek, enjoying the smell of his familiar Old Spice aftershave. Then we burst into a fit of giggles again.

“What’s so funny, girls?” my dad asked with amusement in his voice. He looked really handsome on this day, with his dark gray suit and blue tie. I could see why my mom fell in love with him. As handsome as he was now, I knew from pictures that he was extremely handsome at age twenty-two when they fell in love.

              “Oh, Mr. Bell, it was priceless. Charity fell out of her seat in health class while staring at a guy. It was so funny.” Ashley laughed again.

             
He grinned at me. “I hate I missed that. Staring at a guy, huh? Since when are you boy crazy?”

“Mr. Bell, there are a lot of things you don’t know about our darling Charity here.”

              His eyebrows rose. “Oh yeah? Like what?” He looked genuinely curious.

             
Ashley was about to answer when I glared at her, silencing her.

             
“Oh, you know. Usual female stuff,” she stammered.

             
Just then a group of seniors walked past our car, a string of profanities pouring from their lips.

             
My dad sighed. “Now, why do they have to talk like that? Don’t they know how bad it makes them look?” Then he turned to me. “Promise me, Charity, that you’ll never talk like that.”

             
I beamed up at him. “Of course not, Daddy.”

             
He smiled back as he stroked my cheek in an adoring fashion. “That’s my girl.” Then he looked back at Ashley who was sitting quietly and observing the whole thing in silence. “And you too, Ash.”

             
She giggled and covered her mouth. “Of course not, Sir.”

The main reason she covered her mouth when she laughed was because she hated her braces. She said they made her look like Jaws from the old James Bond movies. He was a giant with a mouthful of metal. Personally, I didn’t know what she was talking about. But I did just what best friends are supposed to do, I nodded and agreed with her.
You know, just making sure she doesn’t get a big head.

             
“Hey, Dad, can we stop at the Westside Drug Store? I need a few things.”

“Oh yeah, can we?” Ashley asked, bouncing in her seat. “I need some things too.”

              “Well, I really need to get home to work on my presentation for tomorrow.”

My dad was a big wig for our local bank. I still didn’t really know what he did there, but I really didn’t care to know either.

              “Pleeeeaaase,” we both begged in unison.

             
He laughed. “Okay. Anything for you two.”

             
“Thanks, Dad,” we both said.

             
As soon as the car came to a stop, Ash and I jumped out and headed for the door of the Westside Drug Store. “What things do you need?” I asked Ash.

             
“I need tampons, and eye shadow.”

             
My eyes widened. “Ash, you don’t need any more eye shadow.”

“Sure I do. I’m sick of gold. I wanna try silver next.”

              I rolled my eyes, not even trying to hide the gesture from her.

             
“What about you?” she asked me.

             
“Well, my lips have been cracking a lot lately. I wanna see if I can find some good lip balm.”

We walked around the store for a few minutes, and Ashley picked up her things plus a few additional thi
ngs. I strolled over to the lipstick area while Ashley went to pay for her things. Nothing was catching my attention. Then I noticed an older woman with a straw hat and orange sneakers putting lip balms on a special display. I walked over to observe her but said nothing.

             
“Oh, hello there, dear. Are you looking for lip balms?” the lady asked me.

             
“Oh, yes I am, actually.”

She smiled widely and handed me one. “Here you go. I make these in my greenhouse. You won’t find any better. They’re made with all natural ingredients. This store just started carrying them. As a matter of fact, this display is my first.”

              “Really? Wow, that’s so cool,” I responded, genuinely impressed.

“I’ll say. And you can have that one for free, just for trying it out and giving me an honest opinion.”

              My eyes widened. “Really? I can have it?”

             
She smiled sweetly as if she was touched by my question. “Why yes, dear.”

             
“Wow, thanks. No one has ever given me something for nothing before.”

             
She smiled and patted me on the shoulder. “Well, now they have. So try it and tell me what you think.”