The Baynes Legacy - Book 5 - Barking Up The Wrong Tree

Barking Up The Wrong Tree (Chapter 1)

1.

"Addie?" A male voice called out to her slightly bringing her from her dark cocoon. As she shifted and moved she could feel her muscles and bone stretching and popping. A painful groan escaped her lips as she forced her eyes open to see a few people standing around the bed. Her vision finally cleared allowing her to see each person standing nearby.

"Adaline?" The voice called again causing her to turn her gaze to Connor Baynes, the alpha.

"Sir?" She addressed him informally by not addressing him as "Alpha, sir.", still unsure if she was in fact in a pack ran hospital or a human one.

"What the hell were you and Nadia doing?" He questioned harshly bringing up the memory that her best friend wasn't wearing a seat belt.

"Where is she? Is she okay?" At that moment the room grew quiet and worried glances exchanged. A sicking feeling settled in the pit of her stomach as their glances told her everything and once again her world came crashing down around her. "NO! No, no, no, noooo." Her voiced popped and cracked with the pain that was just setting in.

"I'm sorry, Adaline. She died upon impact." Connor stated solemnly as he placed a hand on her shoulder to comfort her.

Her one and only friend had left this world too, leaving her alone yet again. Adaline found herself lost in thought and deep in self pity. What was she going to do now, who could she possibly turn too with no family left to speak of or any friends for that matter.

"Why did you do it?" Connor asked once again putting his Alpha power behind every word he spoke.

"It was... Na-nadia's idea," she choked out hiccuping back the sobs that were soon to follow. "She wanted to go for a drive, and her parents took away her car. I tried, I really did, to stop her. But she was persistent. And once the cops came..." She paused to swipe the tears that were freely falling. "I noticed she hadn't fully buckled her self in, then the car started spinning."

Holding up a hand to stop her, Connor looked at the pack cop and nodded him away. "Adaline, I know Nadia isn't here to pay for her actions, she unfortunately paid the ultimate price, but you are here. And you know such behavior will not be tolerated in my pack!" Slightly shaking his head with disappointment, Connor kept his eyes stern and hard.

Nodding in understanding of what was coming next she bowed her head as she felt the full force of the Alpha's power bear down on her. "Tomorrow afternoon you will present yourself in front of the council to receive you punishment."

"Yes, sir." She answered quietly, and a moment later the Alpha's power was no longer weighing heavily on her shoulders allowing her to raise her gaze once again. Alpha and the police were gone leaving her the only family she now had left, her two foster parents. The room was silent for a few momentary seconds where only the sound of their breaths could be detected, but Sarah's nerves soon got the better of her.

"Oh, Addie! What were you thinking?" Sarah fussed about her helping her sit up and fluffing her pillow.

"Adaline, we are sorry you lost your best friend, but this all could have been prevented. No matter what happens tomorrow we love you, but we are just a bit disappointed in your choice of rebelling." Miles shook his head looking sad the entire time.

Hearing she disappointed the only real parents she known caused her to break into deeper heart shattering sobs. "I-I'm s-sooo sorry! I-I w-wish I c-could take i-it all b-back!" She stumbled over the words as Sarah moved in to embrace her tightly.

"Shhh... it's okay. It all will be okay." Sarah gently rubbed her back as Adaline clung to her. Sarah often reminded her of her real mother before her father had so horribly beat the life out of her.