Ebony wants to belong more than anything.
The daughter of a beta, she has never fit in with her easily intimidated pack mates. She has been isolated, ignored, avoided. So she does something crazy, something fully out of character... She transfers...
"No." A thick voice breaks through, as a wide boned man several inches taller than my five foot seven stands to block the doorway. "I will not allow this. You take those bags back upstairs this instance!"
"Daddy..." I break free of my mum's hold, instead wrapping my arms around my dad. Five years my mother's senior, his cropped black hair is getting specks of grey barely noticeable to the human eye. His mouth is etched with deep lines that speak of severity and unrelenting authority. As I sniff him, he smells of old spice (which he probably 'borrowed' from my grandad) and deep seeded power. My wolf hums steadily as she senses his guarantee of protection.
His torso is so wide that my hands only just touch on his back. As he torso constructs and he wraps his arms around me to return my hug, his muscles tighten and I feel like I'm hugging a wall of solid brick – albeit a loving one.
"My baby is not leaving this house unsupervised for some strange pack with a hoard of city boys." Internally, I want to giggle at his endless obsession over my romantic involvements, but instead I pat his back like I would a puppy. The man deserves some slack, considering he's letting me move transfer half way across the country. Not many Dad's would be okay letting their technically underage daughter moving so far away, and the fact that he's 1) a wolf and 2) the beta of one of the most restrictive packs in the country, makes this feat all the more impressive.
The higher the rank of a wolf, the more dominant their instincts to protect and claim become. It makes me glad my parents are the beta pair and not the alphas; I doubt I'd be going anywhere if my dad ever decided that being in a secondary position of authority wasn't enough and became alpha to his own pack. I shiver at the visual – Dad having that much power surely wouldn't be a pretty sight. He struggles enough with controlling his domineering wolf as it is.
"Clayton," My mum rubs his arm gently, coaxing him into relaxing. I'm not sure whether it's their mate bond that causes his shoulders to sag a little in relief, or mum's calm affection. Either way it works and she releases her soothing hold on him. "We've discussed this."
"Well, we'll discuss it again." He tilts my head up, staring at my face with the sternness of a general. I wonder if he sees a reflection of his determination and drive; If he looks in my eyes and can truly trust that I'll stand by the words I say. "Are you sure you want to do this? Because transferring schools may sound fun on all these TV shows you kids watch," - I decide not to bring up the fact that the only TV we have is one with an antenna the size of a small fridge and that it can barely get the news, never mind some teen series - "But it's different for wolves. It's not only a new school, but a new pack. Are you really up for that?"
I think about it. I think about not having the connection to my parents that tells me when they are near, of not having the reassuring presence of my alpha and luna in my head when I'm upset...
But then I think of the opportunity to have bonds with people my age: to make friends that like me for me instead of my parents position in the pack and that continue to like me even after they realise that I'm not a way to an easier life. I think of the freedom in the MiddleEast that our pack traditions will never accept, from the classes to the culture.
A pack is like a family. We are supposed to respect and love each other above all else. But I don't see such acceptance happening here anytime soon. If a pack is a family, then my moon-mates disowned me long ago. A pack born under a different side of the moon may be just what I need.
Maybe it's reckless to base such a huge choice on something as uncertain as my hopeful expectations. The people in this school could be intimidated by me too. I might not connect with the pack. I might not find kinship amongst the human. But the possibility, no matter how small, drives out the fear that I'll wake up one day and regret it.
"I'm sure."
It's time for me to stop feeling sorry for myself and start anew. There's so much more to Ebony Reed than this. I just need to show it.
****
A/N
Here is chapter three of Bounds of Love! It seems Ebony is definitely set to leave her pack. I wonder what awaits her?
So what are your thoughts? Likes? Dislikes? Suggestions?
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