Piper
I decided that it would be the perfect time to call Thalia. I got the backpack from under my bed and dug through it, looking for the burner. She said to do it when we were safe, and we're joining a pack. Brenda took Zeke and I back to her house after the pack asked me a few questions. We're supposed to get ready for tonight, then go to the pack house for dinner and the ceremony. I still have enough time to have a quick conversation with Thalia.
I gave up digging and just dumped the contents of the bag onto my bed. I pushed around the pile and found the gun, which I quickly covered back up with clothes. I honestly do not even like looking at it. I don't think I'll ever use it. I grabbed the phone and found the jeans that I wore when we ran away.
I dialed the number on the paper and waited as it rang. "Hello?" Thalia answered.
Her voice brought a smile to my face. Its only been a few days, but I miss her like crazy. "Luna Thalia!" I chirped happily.
"Piper? Thank god you're alright. Are you guys safe?" she said in a rush.
I nodded, but realized that she can't see me. "Yeah. We're safe" I informed her. "We got a few states away from the pack. We stayed at a hotel for a couple of nights"
She sighed in relief. "Where are you guys now?" she asked.
"We met another pack. Zeke and I are going to join them" I said excitedly.
Thalia squealed on the other line. "That's great! I'm so happy for you guys"
Her voice was strained. It worried me. "What's wrong?" I questioned. Waves of terror washed over me. What if they found me? What if they are at the pack lines as I'm speaking to Thalia? What if-
"It's Nick" she said, unknowingly making my worries worse. Nick is Alpha Terence's and Thalia's son; the one that I was supposed to mate with. We went out a few times, since our fathers wanted us to 'bond.' He's actually a really nice guy. I can tell that he will be a great mate, which is another reason I had to get out of this twisted deal my father made.
Alpha Terence didn't care about other people. He just wanted to be the strongest pack. And a strong pack needs strong leaders. The plan was for Nick to mate with a high-ranked bloodline, but Alphas always have sons. There is never a female born with Alpha blood, which is why Alpha Terence picked me. Stupid, sexist bloodlines. I have 100% full Beta blood. Both my parents had Beta blood.
If Nick and I mated, we would be the strongest couple. Our children would be the strongest werewolves because they would have Beta blood and Alpha blood running in their veins. There would be no regular werewolf genes. That is what Alpha Terence wanted. He never cared about what either of us wanted. He just wants the strongest leaders and the strongest pack. He just wants power, but I'm not letting him get the power by using his own son.
Nick deserved to be with his mate. He shouldn't have to mate with a girl because his father told him to. He should have a chance with the person that was truly made just for him, and that person just wasn't me. Sure, there would be no way of knowing for sure who my mate is until I turn 16. When I'm 16, my wolf fully matured, so it can create the connection between me and my mate. But even without being of age, I could tell that Nick's not my mate.
He's amazing, but I just didn't have feelings for him. When we held hands, or shared small kisses, it didn't really mean anything to us. I didn't feel anything, it was all actions. It was just a show for our fathers and some pack members. We have a connection, I'll admit that. But it's not anything romantic. He's more like a big brother, a protector. Plus, Zeke absolutely adored Nick.
I just hope he didn't get hurt. "Is he alright?" I asked, voicing my thoughts.
"He's better than alright!" Thalia squealed. "He found his mate!" she announced.
A smile spread across my face. "That's great!" I said honestly. Maybe Alpha Terence will stop looking for me now that his son has a real mate. They won't need me to mate with Nick.
"Piper!" Brenda shouted from inside the house. "We're leaving in twenty minutes!" she informed me. Crap. I have to get ready. I said a quick good-bye to Thalia and promised to call her once a month. I just have to figure out how to put more minutes into this phone.
I sorted through the pile of clothes, my hands once again found the cold metal of the gun. I pulled it out from under a few shirts and saw the safety was still on. I don't want to keep looking at this every time I dig through my stuff. I went into the closet and put it on the shelf at the top. Now that's out of the way, I looked for appropriate clothes for tonight.
Zeke and I never planned on joining a pack, so we didn't have any nice clothes. I settled for a clean pair of light blue jeans and a plain black shirt. Not exactly nice, but that's all I had. I walked out my room and to the living room, where Brenda and Zeke were waiting for me. Brenda had some of her grandson's old clothes, so she gave them to Zeke. He's dressed neatly in a white button-up and black jeans.
I went over to him as he tried tieing his black shoes. "Here. I'll do it with you" I said while grabbing the laces on his other shoe. "Make an 'x.' Then go under and pull" I instructed. "Do you remember what's next?" I asked. I taught him the steps to tieing his shoes, but I wasn't really creative. I didn't come up with a song or a little poem, I just broke it into steps.
Zeke nodded his head. "You make a bunny ear" he said while showing me the small loop. I nodded and did the same to the lace. I waited for him to say the next part. "Now... uh... You go around and under the bunny ear?" he said, though it sounded more like a question.
"Yep!" I said. "Then you pull it really tight" I said enthusiastically. Zeke nodded and finished the knot on his shoe. "Good job" I said with a bright smile on my face.
"Look Grams!" Zeke shouted. Grams? "I tied my shoe!"
Brenda smiled at him. "That's great, honey. Now we can go to the pack house" she chirped. Zeke looked up at her and nodded with a huge grin on his face.
Zeke ran to the car, but I trailed behind with Brenda. "How'd he go from 'Aunt Brenda' to 'Grams?'" I asked curiously.
"Well the whole pack calls me 'Grams.' I am the oldest woman here, and I'm the Alpha's grandmother, so the name just stuck. I guess Zeke picked up on it" she explained. I nodded in understanding as we slid into the car. Maybe I should start calling her 'Grams.' I would feel odd if I'm the only one calling her 'Brenda.'
Zeke was pulling on the seatbelt and fiddling with the buckle. "Turn the metal part around" I told him. He twisted the seatbelt, then I heard the click as he buckled up.
"Thanks, Piper" Zeke said happily. I smiled at him before turning in my seat and buckling myself up. The ride to the pack house was complete silence. Zeke fell asleep, again. I don't understand how he can sleep so much. Its ridiculous.
After she parked, Brenda and I got out the car. "Do you want me to get him?" she offered. I quickly shook my head.
"I got him. Thanks" I said before opening Zeke's door. I figured I could let him sleep for a while, since he would have to be awake for the ceremony. Honestly, I'm a little nervous. For Zeke and I to join the pack, we have to mix our blood with Mason's, the Alpha. I'm fine with getting a small cut, I just don't want it to hurt Zeke. As quietly as I could, I got Zeke out the car and into the pack house.
I heard lots of commotion. Everyone was talking, dozens of conversations were going on. All it took for everyone to freeze was me stepping inside the house. The pack all glanced at me for a few moments before going back to their conversations. A man stepped forward, and I found myself afraid of him. His power was radiating off of him, but it wasn't strong. Every step he took forward, I took a step back. I looked around for Toby or Brenda, but none of them were in sight.
I panicked as the man kept getting closer. I was backed up against the wall, trapped. It was happening all over again. I would get hurt, and the pack would just watch helplessly. I hitched Zeke higher, so he wouldn't fall. The man stepped forward again until we were a foot or two apart. "P-please. D-don't hurt me" I stuttered.
The man put his hands up, showing me that he wasn't a threat, but I didn't buy it. His power was familiar, too familiar. He was a Beta, an old one. I felt it. It's a natural reaction for me to get scared when I see an older Beta. A reaction that I've grown accustomed to because of my father. I felt my neck getting hot as I started sweating. My body was shaking. I slid down the wall, waiting for the panic attack to end. I was tightly clutching Zeke, using him as my anchor. I always need an anchor, anything solid and real to touch. It tells me that the world is still here, that it's not just panic surrounding me.
Somehow, Zeke was still sound asleep as I hugged him to my chest. My breaths started coming out in pants while my chest was constricting. I couldn't breathe. The air felt like acid in my throat. It burned with every inhale. I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to make the pain bearable.
Suddenly, I heard loud footsteps coming towards me. "Piper?" Brenda said softly. I felt her touch me, but I flinched away. "Honey, you need to breathe"
I quickly dismissed the idea by furiously shaking my head. I heard a groan next to my ear as Zeke awakened. He shifted in my arms. He must've seen my face because he stopped moving and gently brushed my hair out of my face. "In and out, Piper. Slow, deep breaths" he instructed. "Come on. In and out" he repeated while doing the breathing exercise. I slowly inhaled air and exhaled, the burning now disappeared.
I continued to steady my breathing as I heard more footsteps. Zeke once again slightly moved in my arms. "Grams?" he called out. I heard Brenda hum in response. "Can you get some water, please?" he asked kindly. I listened as her footsteps faded away in the distance.
I slowly opened my eyes and blinked a few times to adjust to the light. I loosened my hold on Zeke and he made himself comfortable in my lap. "Thanks, bub" I said to Zeke after kissing his head. I looked up and saw that the pack cleared out. All the people from Brenda's picture were in the room with me, including the old Beta.
"Piper" Toby said as he carefully approached me. I didn't back away, but I didn't move towards him either. He stopped a few feet away from me. "What happened?" he asked softly. My eyes immediately glanced at the Beta. Toby followed my line of vision and walked to the man.
The Beta put his hands up in surrender. "I was just gonna talk to her, but she kept moving away. I didn't mean to scare her" he told Toby. His voice was full of honesty and a bit of guilt.
Deciding that the Beta wasn't a threat, I stood up and went next to Toby. Zeke followed me, hiding behind my legs. "His power is like my father's" I said quietly.
A look of understanding crossed everyone's faces. "No one's gonna hurt you here" Mason informed me.
I nodded in response as Brenda handed me a cup of water. I quickly thanked her and sipped the drink. "I just have to get used to all this" I said with a small smile. I felt a tug on my shirt and I turned around. Zeke looked up at me with his blue-green eyes.
"We're staying with Grams?" he questioned. I nodded and a huge smile spread across his face.
After putting my cup down, I picked him up and held him on my waist. "We're gonna join Mason's pack" I told him.
"Who's Mason?" Zeke whispered. Everyone heard him and chuckled a little.
Mason stepped forward and bent down so he was face-to-face with Zeke. "I'm Mason" he introduced himself. "My pack is the Crescent Fall Pack. I'm the Alpha" he bragged. I guess he expected Zeke to be excited, but he was the exact opposite.
Zeke flinched away. He buried his face into my shoulder and clung onto me. Mason looked hurt at his reaction. Zeke knows that Alpha Terence wasn't safe. Since last year, he's been afraid of anyone with power, whether it be another Alpha, a Beta, or a Third. The only people he trusted were the ones that I trusted. If I told him that the person was good, he would trust them. I shrugged Zeke's head off of my arm and lifted his chin to look at me. "Mason's a good Alpha. Remember, Grams' family is good. Safe" I reminded him.
Zeke turned around and looked up at Mason who was a good six inches taller than me. "H-hi" Zeke said shakily.
Mason gave him a small smile. "Hey little-man" Mason greeted him. "You don't have to be scared of me. I'm here to help you. Imma be your new Alpha, and I'll make sure you and Piper won't get hurt" he said softly.
"Daddy won't hurt Piper anymore?" Zeke questioned. I know that I should be glad that my little brother cares about me so much, but I honestly feel guilty and crushed. I feel like I turned Zeke against our father. I'm not saying that our father doesn't deserve it, but what if he could change. What if we gave him another chance and he actually got his shit together. What if he acted like the father we need.
I mentally slapped myself. Our father had over a year to actually be a father. If it didn't happen then, it won't happen now. The man that Zeke and I used to know, the man that took us to the park and held our hands while crossing the street is gone. Physically, he is still here, but his soul is gone. There's just a cold-hearted monster in our father's body.
Mason's voice pulled me out of my thoughts. "No one will hurt Piper anymore" he said determined. "I promise"
Zeke relaxed in my arms. Kathleen, one of the twins, came towards me. "Hey. I'm Kathleen- Kat for short" she chirped.
"I'm Zeke" he said quietly. I smiled at his shyness.
Kathleen came closer to us and spoke quietly. "Do you wanna go to the kitchen with me?" She asked Zeke. "We have Oreos"
Zeke happily nodded and jumped out my arms. He started following Kat out of the room, but froze when Sam spoke up. "You better not be talking about MY Oreos" he said.
"Run!" Kat shouted before sprinting away. Zeke laughed and also ran in the same direction as Sam waited to give them a head-start. After about 10 seconds, Sam chased after them.
Mason cleared his throat, making my head snap in his direction. I was taught never to look into an Alpha's eyes, I looked down at the floor. "Yes, Alpha?" I asked.
"Uh... You can just call me Mason" he said, sounding quite uncomfortable. "Um... I wanted to talk to you about a few things" he said softly, like he was talking to a little girl. I'm only a couple of years younger than him.
I nodded for him to continue. He cleared his throat again and I watched his feet as he shifted his weight on his toes then back to his heels then his toes then his heels- well, you get the point. "I just wanted to say that uh... you guys don't have to be scared here. I can assure you, we won't be like your old pack. You don't have to follow those stupid rules either" he stated.
I looked up and into Mason's blue eyes. "Thank you" I said sincerely. Those rules sucked. I had to think about everything before I actually did it. I would go over every single rule in my head and make sure I didn't make any mistakes.
Everything was thought through and double-checked. Every time I was about to do something, my first thought would about Alpha Terence and my father. I would question if they would approve. If anything went against one of the rules, and there were a lot of rules.
"And um... don't feel like you have to tell us anything. If someone asks you a question, you don't have to answer it if it makes you uncomfortable. Anything that happened in your past doesn't matter anymore. You get a fresh plate here. A new start" Mason said. A smile spread across my face. A new start. I like the sound of that.
I nodded as Brenda came up to us. "Now that that's sorted out. Let's officially make you part of the Crescent Fall Pack!" she chirped. We all went into the kitchen, where Zeke, Sam, and Kat were sitting at the table. They were all eating cookies and dipping them in cups of milk. Zeke had a huge smile on his face. He actually looked happy. It's obvious that the pack got Zeke out of his shell. We've been here a day and he let down all his walls.
"Piper!" Zeke exclaimed. He ditched the snacks and ran up to me. "Kat and Sam are werewolves too" he said surprised.
I giggled and pretended to be surprised. "No way! I'm a werewolf too!" I shouted. "What a coincidence" I stated. Zeke nodded excitedly. I smiled and ruffled up his hair. "Are you ready to join Mason's pack?" I asked.
Zeke frantically nodded his head. "This pack is nice and they'll keep us safe" he stated happily. "I like it here" he informed me.
I glanced around the room, where the pack was squished together. Surprisingly, I wasn't uncomfortable. I knew that everyone was staring at me, but I didn't care. I was happy. "I like it here too, Bubba" I said with a genuine smile on my face.
"Let's get this ceremony started!" Liam shouted. We all laughed at his enthusiasm.
The pack created a circle around the table. Liam, Mason, Zeke, and I were in the center of the pack. Butterflies erupted in my stomach. We were about to join a pack. We were starting a new life. "Please state your names" Mason said.
"Zeke and Piper Kingsley"
"Do you, Zeke and Piper Kingsley, agree to be joined with the Crescent Fall Pack? To protect your fellow pack members and be loyal to your leaders?" Mason questioned.
I nodded before Zeke and I answered in unison. "Yes"
"To connect Zeke and Piper to the pack, we will now mix our bloods" Mason said while picking the kitchen knife off of the table. I took the knife from his hands and gently put Zeke's hand palm up.
I gave him an apologetic smile. "This is gonna hurt a little" I informed him. Zeke nodded and squeezed his eyes shut. I pushed the knife into his hand until a little blood poured out of the incision. Mason and Liam used other knives to cut their fingers. On the palm of Zeke's hand, they mixed their blood with Zeke's.
While the guys mixed their blood, I cut my own palm. Liam and Mason then made incisions on their other hands to mix our bloods together. I watched as the blood dried up on all of our hands and the cuts healed.
Mason grinned at me before speaking to the pack."Please give a warm welcome to our new pack members, Zeke and Piper Kingsley!" I smiled.
We're getting our new start.