Purity [Abiding Royalty Book 1]

Chapter 10

            “Well I do, if mom and dad don’t want us then so be it, but I will not be tossed around like a little puppy.  I can’t stand how they just left us, and all the other werewolves in the manor to rot.  All of them should be starting their own packs by now.”

            “That’s just it Teresa, they are making a pack,” Samantha retorted, keeping her voice calm even if she was spitting mad at Teresa.  “They’re gathering a bunch of teens to create a giant pack.  Since the uprising of Vampires, the packs in the States split, and everyone is trying to put it back together with the next generation.  Right now, they’re creating nine.  This pack just hasn’t found an alpha because of all the differences the pack hasn’t sorted out.”

            “And how do you know this,” Teresa snorted, her shaking fists clenched with anger.  I sighed, my interest in everything gone.  Will’s kiss popped into my head and I pressed the tips of my fingers to my lips.

            “Vicky told me,” Samantha replied.

            “Why didn’t she tell us,” Teresa shouted, more irritated than flabbergasted.

            “Your ranks are too low.  There is no way you guys will become the alpha of this pack.  I’m the only one in this family that is high enough in rank to become the alpha,” Samantha shot back at her boiling sister.

            That’s what you think, I almost retorted, but I kept my mouth shut, my interest more in the conversation than making my sister even angrier.

            “Well, that you know of,” Annalisa whispered to herself.

            “What,” Samantha asked, raising her voice.  I panicked, knowing what Annalisa wanted to say.  My heart beat faster, guessing her exact words before she said them.

            “Selena is growing in rank,” Annalisa stated almost proudly.  I never heard Annalisa speak that way.  “I can’t tell her to do anything, and she can ignore Teresa.  Soon enough she can refuse you.”

            “I’ve never even though of that.  Not since” Samantha paused for a moment, her face paling with shock.  Her breath cut, and when she looked back up, she looked straight at me before refusing to look at anyone. “…never mind,” Samantha cut off , her voice lowering.

            “Since what,” I asked, my curiosity growing.  I sounded urgent, needing to hear the rest of her sentence.

            “It’s nothing,” Samantha said, almost to herself.

            Teresa kept arguing about our new home arrangement, cutting our previous conversation off completely.  I ignored her and focused on the sounds of the forest.  I slowed down, unnoticed by anyone.  I walked myself through a list of everything that happened to me ever since we arrived at the wolf manor.  Samantha’s alpha grew out, and she realized what that type of control was for.  Teresa grew in rank as well, but it didn’t teach her anything, instead it made her more arrogant.  Annalisa opened up to some people. Logan made new friends, and recovered from losing his father figure, Angus.  I gained many friends, I gained back an old friend, my rank skyrocketed, and I found a mate.  I smiled, knowing everything would only get better.

            As soon as Teresa’s voice grew soft, I turned off the trail and deeper into the woods.  The trees grew dense, the murky smell wafting my nose.  I sighed, knowing all would be bright.  Annalisa’s premonition had grown into a good one.

            In the distance, I heard the back of a truck opening. Someone shrieked, and I ran after it.  I stopped, coming into view of a UPS truck.  Someone shoved a smaller person inside the back.  I hid behind a tree, squinting to see a tall burly man shoving her into the back.  As he shut the door, I took one last look at her pale, lifeless face.  Her sleek brown hair flowed down to her thighs, and her sleek skin blanketed only bone, but her slender face, green eyes and lean body reminded me of someone I knew too well.  She looked just like the face I saw in the mirror every single morning.