Gentle Predator

Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Stella's POV

It was a few days before Christmas, and I just couldn't shake off the feeling that something was wrong. I don't remember my last few Christmas' but I sure as hell know that you're not suppose to feel this way. I can't put my finger on it, I can't express what the feeling was, but I knew that something wasn't right.

At first I thought that it was because I didn't feel like I belong. I can't see myself living here at all. The money, the cars, the big house was all too overwhelming. To walk around this big house that was always empty is not what I expected coming back home. I thought I would be surrounded by loving arms and a warm and welcoming home, but that's not what I received.

My father was barely home. His job was so time consuming that I never get to see him. Was that the way it always was? How can someone be alright with such a situation? My mother doesn't have a job, but that doesn't mean she's the normal stay at home that makes freaking cookies and watch daytime TV. She, as well, is never home at all. It's always a club meeting, or lunch with that person, or dinner with this couple. It's been that way since I got back. I'm not saying that they should drop everything they are doing and tend to me... You know what, that's exactly what I am saying. I've been gone for a couple of months with no explanation, and you can't drop one meeting to tend to me? Am I not your daughter? I can tell they loved me, but how much do they really love me. I guess this is how it was before, but now...

Now I want more than a kiss on the forehead then a, "I'll see you later." It's been bothering me for a while and I've only been here for a weak. I thought that was the feeling I was getting, but now I realized it was more than that. Either something was wrong or something big was going to happen to me. But what can be bigger than finding yourself in a wolf pack that kills humans on contact?

For some reason I laughed at the thought as I sat there on the couch of my big ole house. A cup of hot chocolate in my hand and my cellphone in the other. I sat there for the whole morning as a couple of workers puts up the Christmas tree and decorates it. It would make sense since a lovely family doesn't live here. I sighed running my hands through my hair as I took a sip of my chocolate.

They've been at it for most of the morning. They just finished decorating the front yard and to moved to in here. There was nothing else to do around here, so this is the next best thing. I watched as one of the men stood on a ladder and began added bright lights over the white tree. The other one on the bottom was removing light bulbs from a large box, and putting the white and blue ones in a different one. As I sat there the only thing that was running through my head was how much fun that would've been if it was with the pack. A small chuckle left me as I imagined the whole thing. Liam would be the one that would sit on the ground and try to untangle lights for like an hour, I can already hear Alyson and Louis arguing about everything like they always do, and Noah and I would try to actually get this thing done but we all know it's not gonna work. No matter how stressful the situation may sound, we would've had so much fun.

I smiled again thinking about all my friends. Out of no where I sighed, and held the phone tighter in my hand. For the whole day I wanted to call Noah to see if he was alright, but I fought against it. He doesn't need me bothering him right now. I shook my head at the thought of him and stared back up at the workers. My gaze locked with the one on the ground and instantly a small smile formed on his wrinkled face.

"Does this happen every year?" I asked in the quiet room. Now I had both of their attention. The one on the floor gave a small chuckle and turned back to his work.

"Every year for the past 10 years, Ms. Alycia. You can call it family tradition."

I gave a small smile before sighing again. I looked down at the cup in my hands before staring back up at them.