Chapter 17

                                    

                                          
A/N: Hey, another long chapter! This occurs just a little before Ch 16, sorry for the previous cliffhanger, and that this chapter doesn't immediately follow after. 
                          
Since the time jump was a bit confusing, Simon is currently 29, Vince is 33, Sarah is 31, and Xavier is 27; 13 years after Simon was kicked out. On a positive note, Simon will be seeing some happiness soon, in the next pair of chapters in his point of view :) 
                          
Thanks for the 20k  views btw! I never thought I'd hit this milestone tbh, and it means a lot. Don't forget to vote, and comment what you think so far! I appreciate any and all feedback :) 
                          
Enjoy!
                          
Chapter 17
                          
Simon's POV
                          
Call me a coward, but I couldn't give Michael a proper response. However, when I had given my half-assed "maybe" response to Michael three years ago, I hadn't expected complete silence. A part of me had expected him to go through with the plan on his own and I'd magically be given keys to a home and be reinstated as a pack member. I even dreamt of living with Aspen and Cedar in a quaint home on multiple occasions.
                          
When Michael had sounded so urgent and sure of this plan, I was certain he'd attack the pack within a week, but it was like he vanished in thin air. Months after our discussion, none of the rogues I knew had any clue where he was and it didn't appear that an attack on the pack was imminent. So soon after, the dreams and hopes had nearly been forgotten, and my life with Aspen and Cedar had gone on like nothing happened.
                          
Sadly, our situation was getting worse. Motel rates were rising, and renting an apartment was out of the question. Aspen struggled to keep his part-time jobs, Cedar was fifteen, uneducated, and he was still too young to have a job. All the kid talked about now was finding his mate, and it was getting on both of our nerves. Aspen was struggling to cope with his newfound bond with Sarah, and I had been resorting to making money the only way I knew how. Aspen hated it, but I refused to quit. We needed the money, and I wasn't going to let Aspen work himself to death. I made sure to keep it in under wraps from Cedar, despite his curiosity. But the kid was too bright for his own good. He knew something was up, but for our sake shut his mouth about it.
                          
When I wasn't out looking for money, I'd try and teach Cedar some basic education. He could read and write, but his education level was that of a fifth-grader at best. Even division was difficult for the kid. I knew it frustrated both of us, but I was determined to at least try and give him the best possible chance of being normal. Maybe it was a sense of obligation, but I didn't want to fail him the way I had failed my younger siblings.
                          
"Si," Cedar said, reaching for the peanut butter sandwiches I was making. "What's a mate like?"
                          
I paused, before setting the butter knife down, refusing to meet the kid's eyes. He was a curious fellow, always questioning the world, asking random questions. It took me almost a minute to collect myself before I forced a smile and looked up at him.
                          
"They're...your other half," I started. I hated lying to him, but I also didn't want him to know the truth that I had to learn, even though I highly doubted he would have the same experience. "They complete you, like the filling and the bread. Just eating the bread on it's own can be boring, but with the jelly and peanut butter, it completes it."
                          
"And makes it better!" He grinned before chomping down on the sandwich. He chewed on it before looking up with gleam. "So when will I know?"
                          
I wiped some of the jam off his cheek before pointing to his heart, replying, "You'll feel it right here."
                          
"You'll feel this magnetic pull towards your mate, and so will they," I continued. "Then when you touch, that warm feeling here in your chest spreads all over. Your wolf will know and tell you that's the one."