Finding Home

Chapter Four-Paige

Sophie and Paige were quiet on the way to the pack house. Sophie, because her coffee hadn't kicked in yet and Paige because her mind was filled with memories of Nathan. Though, why she was thinking of him, she couldn't say. There was no way her Nathan was Alpha Nathan. She knew that, but her mind kept wandering back to him.

"You okay?" Sophie asked from the driver seat.
"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?"
"Your scent. It's doing something weird."
"Weird how?"
"I don't know, it's just something I've never gotten from you before. What are you feeling right now? Sometimes emotions can cause your scent to change."
"I'm not feeling much of anything. I was just lost in some old memories."
"Huh." Sophie said giving her the side-eye. Before they could say anything else they were at the pack house.

It was bigger than she imagined it would be. The Summit Pack pack house had been tiny compared to this. This looked more like a hotel than a house.
"Soph, just how big is this pack?" She asked looking up at it.
"It's pretty big. Moon Wind was the strongest in fighting the rouges a few years back. A lot of other smaller packs fell and Moon Wind took most of them in. This pack house was just completed last year."

They entered what must be the business entrance of the pack house and went over to reception.
"Hi Holly! This is Paige, she has a meeting with the Alpha." Holly looked at her with surprise.
"Paige? Your sister Paige? Your human sister Paige?"
"Yep!" Sophie said with a big grin. "I told you she was coming for Micah's binding."
"I know but I-" Paige raised an eye at Holly in question. Almost daring her to say what she really thought. "I've just heard of you for so long but never seen you. I was beginning to think you didn't exist."

"Well I do, and I have an appointment with the Alpha so if you could let him know I'm here and direct me to his office that'd be great."
"Oh of course. Right this way." She clicked a few buttons on the computer and led them down the hallway. "He should be out in just a few moments. You can wait here."
"Thank you."

The waiting area was cozy while still business like. Paige anxiously pulled at her blouse and looked around. She was wearing her nicest jeans and blouse. She knew she should probably be in a dress or something more business-like for a meeting with an Alpha but she didn't pack anything. And she really didn't care. She looked presentable enough.

Paige stood looking at the paintings on the wall. They were the last thing she expected to see in a pack house. Most pack houses had big imposing paintings of wolves, if they had any paintings at all. These were impressionist paintings. She didn't know there were impressionist paintings of wolves. She was completely engrossed in one of a wolf and a young woman with their foreheads pressed to each other that she didn't hear the people arrive behind her.

"Paige?" She stilled. She knew that voice. Turning she saw the face of the man who broke her heart.
"Nathan?" Rage surged through her.
"What are you-?"
"You son a bitch!" She quickly closed the space between them, and before anyone could react, punched him square on the jaw.

Sophie screamed and the other wolves that were with him moved to grab her. "That's for Bali! You bastard!" She tried to swing at him again but the wolves had already grabbed her arms and were pulling her back. She knew she wasn't strong enough to actually hurt a wolf but Nathan's head had jerked back like it had hurt. She had probably just caught him off guard but she still hoped it hurt like hell.

She had been struggling against the wolves who held her but stopped when she saw him right himself. "Still got one hell of a right hook I see." He touched his lips where her fist had made contact. "It's alright, you can let her go."

"But sir, she attacked you!" One of the men holding her said. She assumed it was his Beta.

"That's just how Paige says hello." He said looking at her. "I said let her go." She shook out her shoulders as the wolves let go of her arms but they still stood in front of her, as if they were worried she'd attack him again.
"Come on in Paige, let's talk."

Paige stood seething with anger. "I have nothing to say to you." She spat. She turned on her heal and started walking to the exit. Sophie ran after her.

"Paige, you're supposed to present yourself to the Alpha!"
"Consider myself presented!" She called over her shoulder and marched out the door.  She started to walk towards the car before remembering Sophie had the keys so she just kept waking.

She made it back to her parents house in fifteen minutes and was relieved when no one was home. She quickly went upstairs and changed into her hiking clothes and took off for the mountains. One good thing about living so remotely was that nature was always close by. She didn't have to drive hours to get there like she did in the other places she lived. She could just start walking and be surrounded in less than 20 minutes.

And that's what she did. She had enough wilderness experience and common sense to know its landmarks and which direction she was going. She had grabbed a map and compass on her way out, along with a few bottles of water and some granola bars. Even if she was human, she was not a weak one. She learned how to survive in the wilderness just like all the others kids in her pack. On her way out the door she sent her mom a text letting her know she'd gone hiking and would be home in time for dinner. She made for the nearest mountain and started up it. Getting up above everything always made her feel better. She climbed and climbed, letting her thoughts wander as she did. They were too jumbled to direct into any coherent thought.

When there was no more mountain to climb she sat down and stared at the landscape. Nathan, her Nathan was here. And he was the Alpha. She was completely lost. She had tried so hard to leave all that, all of him, behind her. To move on with her life. But here he was, bringing up all that old pain and hurt.

She sat on that mountain until she felt she could face people again. She had come up with a plan to survive the next two weeks. She was going to avoid him at all costs. Focus on her work, see her brothers binding and then take the first plane back to London. Back to her life and the family she had made for herself there.

She repeated the plan to herself over and over as she climbed down the mountain. It was full dark by the time she made it home. "I'm back!" she called as she entered the house. "Sorry I'm late," she grabbed another bottle of water out of the fridge as she passed it. She saw that they still hadn't eaten dinner. The lights on in the living room and she made her way there. "My phone died or I would have called. You didn't have to hold dinner for me. I-" She turned the corner to see her family sitting with the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma.