Chapter 7: Unraveling Jo

Silas's Point of View... I watched Jo's eyes follow my son out of the room, her interest in and attraction to him written on her face. I was amused to see how quickly he moved out of the room and heard him race up the stairs. She had the same effect on him. "Jo, tell me more about yourself. All I know is that you enjoy hiking, are studying environmental science, and your father wants you to be an environmental consultant. What other interests do you have?" I gently asked. Jo paused and carefully decided how she would respond to my inquiry. "There's not much to share. I keep to myself and don't go out much. I love to read and play video games in my free time. Hiking is a luxury I don't get to enjoy often. But I love being outdoors. It makes my soul sing," Jo shared in a quiet voice. Her beautiful hazel eyes lit up when she spoke of her love of the outdoors. I'd focus on that to try and learn more about her. "What is it that you love about the outdoors, Jo?" I asked. "It gives me a sense of peace I don't have otherwise in my life," she answered with a sadness that pierced my heart. "You were protesting earlier in the day, weren't you?" I gently inquired. Jo nodded and hung her head in shame. "I ran away when the security arrived. My father warned me that if I were caught protesting again, I would be punished more severely than the last time I'd been detained," she whispered. "What about your friends that were protesting with you? Did they realize you'd run off?" I asked. "The group I was protesting with didn't know me outside of when we met to protest. I didn't give them my real name. I kept to myself and didn't say much. I went to be another body lending support to the movement. There isn't much more I can do than that, unfortunately," Jo scowled. "Is Jo your real name, sweetheart?" I asked. "My real name is Bridget Josephine, but I prefer Jo," she answered shyly. I nodded and offered her a warm smile in return. We were making progress. Jo was starting to trust me. This was good. "You mentioned living in a dorm earlier. Would your roommate not be worried about where you are right now?" I questioned in a soft voice. "I don't have a roommate. I don't have any friends or people I associate with at school. My father won't allow it," Jo grimaced. "Jo, why would your father not allow it? Who does he permit you to associate with?" I gasped. "No one," Jo whispered sadly. What kind of a parent forbade their child to have a friend? Felix was correct in his assumption. It does sound like Jo grew up in an abusive environment and was still controlled by her father. "What does your mother think about all of this?" I asked, reaching out to hold Jo's trembling hand. Her lip quivered, and a tear fell down her cheek as she struggled to respond. "M-m-my M-m-mom died when I was young. I don't remember her," Jo whispered. "Oh, sweetheart, I'm sorry, I didn't know. I didn't mean to upset you," I said. My heart ached even more for this little, broken wolf before me. She seemed so lost and scared. Jo clearly did not know we were werewolves, much less that she was one herself. Perhaps a trauma from her childhood had suppressed her wolf? I hoped not. This girl needed love, and she needed family. Our pack could give her that if she'd let us. My wife had died when Felix was young, but he had grown up in a nurturing environment. Many of our pack members had a hand in raising my boy, and he'd grown up to be a strong, self-confident young man with integrity. Felix could be impulsive and stubborn, with a wild streak, but my boy had a good heart. I could see him falling in love with her, with or without a mate bond. Jo sobbed silently, her head in her hands as she cried. I stood up, walked over to the young girl, and gently embraced her. "It's okay, Jo. You are safe here. Your father can't reach you here. I promise you are safe here, sweetheart," I said. "He can't find me. If he does, my father will hurt you too for helping me. I'm so sorry. Felix should have just left me. I'm more trouble than I'm worth," Jo cried. That broke me. I cried with her at that point, my old heart shattering as I held her in my weak arms. "I don't know who put that thought in your head, but it isn't true, Jo. You are a beautiful young woman with a vibrant soul. I think fate led my son to find you because you needed to be found in more ways than one," I whispered. "I will call the family doctor, and rather than having him make a house call tomorrow, Felix and I will accompany you to the clinic. We will ensure that your visit is kept confidential and the test results are not added to your medical records. You will be given a printed copy of any results for you to do with as you choose," I assured her. "My father has hurt anyone who has ever shown me kindness. Are you sure you want to do this?" Jo whimpered. "Yes, my dear. Because that's the kind of people my son and I are, you are welcome to stay here as long as you want. Jo, your words tell me you've never truly felt safe, which is heartbreaking. It's not living; it's just existing. It's time for you to start living," I implored. I looked into Jo's troubled eyes, noting that she hesitated to open her heart again. I sighed deeply and patted her shoulder gently before I sat back in my chair. Jo wiped her eyes, and I decided to continue to take a patient approach with this shattered creature. I would share with Felix the little information I'd gotten from Jo and caution him about how he interacted with her. The girl was skittish for a valid reason. "Jo, your phone is turned off, right?" I asked her. "It is. If I turn it on, my father can track me. The location feature was deactivated before I left school today," Jo answered quickly. "Help us help you keep you safe, Jo. Make sure that your phone stays off while you are here. If you want to call anyone, you can use any phone here. You likely do have a concussion and would need to rest and recover for several days. If you don't feel comfortable staying here with us, I can arrange for you to do so at the clinic. You just let me know, Jo," I declared. Felix, be gentle with this girl. She's more fragile than either of us realized. Have Olivia keep a close eye on her if Jo chooses to remain in the packhouse with us while she recovers. I've allowed Jo to stay at the clinic if she feels more comfortable doing that. If she chooses that option, please support it. There was a long pause where Felix processed what I'd told him. There was disappointment in his tone when he responded. I'd feel better if she stayed here, Dad. But I understand what you are telling me. Keeping Jo safe and giving her a chance to recover are the most important things. Jo ate the rest of the food Felix had prepared while I pondered everything we'd discussed. There was something about her that reminded me of someone, but I couldn't think of who it would be. I knew that it was someone important that I'd crossed paths with during my time as alpha for this pack. I didn't want to upset her, but I needed to know. "Jo, what was your mother's name?" I asked gently.