This chapter is complete as of 11/24/2015.
I know I've been MIA for the past few months, but no more hiatus like that, I promise.
If I do not update in a timely manner (holy shit I sound pro) feel free to contact me via any social media to remind me- like seriously, I need it sometimes.
ATTENTION HARMINOZERS: I wholeheartedly recommend you check out @smilelovato . Her work will make you cry. (I'm not just saying this cos she's my roommate either *shrug**shrug*)
The tension that hung around all of our stunned forms made the air thick.
So thick, it was hard to breathe.
"Oh my baby!" came the sweet coo from my Grandma Carol. She stepped out from behind Grandfather Gregory and ran to cup my fathers face between both her hands.
My father stood there, looking perplexed as his mother coddled him.
"Your... granddaughter?"
"Yes," Grandfather stood taller, "Venus and Andromeda are my only grandchildren."
Nick ran a hand through his hair, looking at me with astonished eyes, all while mouthing out a very long 'shi-it'. I glanced at Alpha Henry and saw his hand enclose into tight fists.
You see—this is a really big deal.
There is a small group of Elders. These Elders supersede all Alpha law. They are not corrupt. Nor rash.
They are intelligent. They have strength. They are the wisdom of an entire pack.
Each pack has an Elder (plus mate) and each of these Elders constitute a council.
Consider them the Supreme Court of sorts. Except, that there's no one to keep them check. Elder's are never wrong and hardly ever meddle in pack affairs unless the situation is dire and calls for it.
I don't remember if we have a King, but they would be considered his advisors and comrades. All equal. (Minus the fact that the King has royal blood.)
Even then, becoming Elder wasn't easy. It was bestowed upon you and considered the highest honor.
But its like someone from the Supreme Court decided to show up for dinner at your house.
Everyone in the room was speechless.
"Who-" Alpha Henry began to ask which one of us two had called him when my grandfather raised a hand to cut him off.
"I would like to speak with both in my son's study."
"Oh! Constance! You look so lovely!" Grandma had moved on from inspecting Father to complimenting Mother.
Unlike the rest of us Grandma was a very, very, cheerful person. An optimist, if you will.
"Of course." Alpha Henry said breathlessly. He was probably trying to contain the anger from showing in his voice.
"This way father." My father lead grandfather into the foyer.
"Wait, son, could you give me some water?" Grandfather then turned to look at us, "Girls just wait for me in the study, I will join you shortly."
I didn't bother looking at Alpha Henry as I tailgated Andromeda into the soundproofed room. I was so close behind her; I wouldn't be surprised if I accidently stepped on the back of her shoe—causing it to slip off.
Andromeda closed the door behind us and whipped around so quickly I wouldn't be surprised if she complained of whiplash later. Her glare though, it could kill. Now that surprised me.
"You!"
"Me?"
"You—you!"
"Me, what?"
"You! You aren't as fucking innocent either ya' know!"
I stared confusedly at her angry glare, "what?"
She let out a loud 'UGH' before she sucked in a loud breath, "do you know why we left to the city? Do you?"
I gritted my teeth, "they were ashamed of me, no need to rub in my face."
"No." she said shaking her head, "we left because... Because—well you made everyone think Mom cheated on Dad with a human!"
My jaw dropped, "that's impossible!"
"No!" she shook her head vigorously, "no! It wasn't! She worked around a couple humans with the other ladies at the packs Law firm."
"We have a Law firm?" I asked in a daze.
"NOT ANYMORE." Andromeda spat out angrily. Once she saw my questioning look, she continued, "once word got out, mates started to pull out their mates and people started leaving willingly. The entire firm collapsed."
She angrily raised her hand and dropped it in a swooping motion to signal the firms demise.
"But it's impossible," I shook my head, my dark hair slapping me in the face, "She couldn't go against a mates bond."
"She couldn't, but so many things were happening that people didn't understand. Mates weren't going to take that chance."
"They believed it?" my face felt cold.
Andromeda was breathing heavily, "What else were they to think? You were the proof."
"A fucking paternity test maybe?!"
Andromeda scoffed as if the mere mention of it was stupid, "You really think Uncle Ralf was going to allow anymore testing done on you, his precious pup? I was a kid and even I knew that Uncle Ralf would save you first, then me."
I was shaking my head. "Did he—did Dad believe it?"
Andromeda didn't look me in the eye, "he did."
It explained why he never stood up for me. He thought I wasn't his—but I was his mates kid, so he would put up with me. He only started to realize that I couldn't be human when Alpha Henry stuck his claim on me.
Alpha's can't have human mates.
I mean they can, but its never been done before.
"It was a good move, to take his mate away from the temptation." She huffed, "what did it matter though? The human in question was fired anyways, and shunned into leaving town."
"How do you even know all this?"
"After I went through the Eldon Ceremony, I had to attend basic pack training. And let me tell you, if you think the old bitches in the hair salon are gossips you have not met the mouth of a she-wolf."
"You're lying." I whispered.
"You single-handedly destroyed Moms rep, and Dads trust." She continued.
"You're lying!"
"Do you know how fucking hard it is to be placed on a pedestal the moment you could fucking walk! Unlike you, I couldn't afford to fuck up!"
"You didn't need to!" I shouted. I actually shouted. "All their attention was on you, their precious pup that could shift! And what about me? I was tossed aside like a dirty, used up, old rag!"
"How bad would it look if Mom showed you favoritism!"
"The same way it looked while she was neglecting her child!"
"You destroyed her life!" Andromeda said making her voice even louder.
I shook my head, "LIAR!"
Suddenly the lights went out and we both shrieked. The lights flickered back on and our Grandfather stood hunched over by the light switch, a hand on the flip and another holding . He had a serious look on his face.
"Now that I have your attention, Andromeda please leave your sister and I to talk alone." He began to slowly hobble over to the sofa.
"But Grandfather..." Andromeda's voice trailed off.
He stopped walking and turned only his head to look at her, "Are you questioning your grandfather?"
Note how he did not say elder. Andromeda would have been in some real hot water if he had.
Andromeda snapped her mouth shut and shook her head. She then turned around and walked out the door. Gently closing it behind her.
"You know," He swaggered around the room, it wasn't a smooth swagger but the one an old man makes when he's walking without a cane. I knew I would get a punishment if I tried to help, "the reason this pack shunned you?"
"I was different."
They thought I was this illicit child because I was different. I could feel the anger flaring up in me.
He nodded and sank down into the plush leather armchair, "People fear what they do not understand. Then because they fear, they are angered."
"What are you getting at?" I sighed.
"Usually, at a very young age, you can tell whose going to be mates. You begin to see the signs." He paused to drink from his glass of ice cold water, " you had all those signs with dear old Tristan."
I made a confused face at him.
"Everyone, yes everyone, thought you were going to end up being the one to unite the two packs after the incident that tore them apart. You were to be the one to not only unite two packs and bring peace, but also you were to bring prosperity. You were to be perfect." He shook his head once.
"Look at where we are now" he muttered before taking another thirst quenching gulp.
"What?" I was beyond confused, "was there some sort of damn prophecy about me I didn't know about?!"
He chuckled, "No. Don't be so pretentious Venus you aren't that special. It was merely everyone's pride and ego getting ahead of themselves."
That seemed like something the pack would do.
"They placed such a high demand from you at such a young age that imagine the blow they took once you came out to be different." He looked at the bottle in his hands, "The Thunder Bird pack are quite a prideful lot, the Pavone's are too, but of course due to the Pavones rashness they are known for making mistakes as well as fixing them. The Pavones know how to learn and forgive. The Thunder Birds, however, were known for being level headed, perfect—never wrong in their ways."
He glanced back up at me, "then you came along."
My heart began thumping in my throat; I couldn't speak.
I was the one to take a hammer to their pride. No wonder they never wanted to forgive. I made them look like fools.
"Speechless?" he hummed, "so was I."
So what if I wasn't that girl that fixed everything? It wasn't my fault I couldn't meet up to their ridiculous standards! Ones I didn't know about!
It angered me. Everything angered me.
It was like a wildfire, quickly spreading through my body and consuming me whole. The flames were licking up my insides.
It forced me to find my voice, "This, this isn't my fault. It's theirs! For holding such ludicrous expectations for a little girl from another boy taking a liking to her! It's shit! Complete and utter bullshit!"
He smiled at me, "I see. You finally understand."
I tersely nodded.
"Too bad your mother didn't."
I felt my knees give way and I drunkenly latched onto the back of one of the chairs to stay upright. I looked towards the ground and tried to regulate my breathing.
In.
Out.
In.
Out.
"I can't believe it."
"You know," Grandfather spoke, "neither did Ralf. He and his mate thought it was all nonsense, and a silly thing to blame a child."
I covered my mouth with a wavering hand, I didn't know if I wanted to cry or faint.
Or scream.
"I think—s" I took in another deep breath and looked at my grandfather, "I think I need to take a-a run."
I needed to get away.
He looked me directly in the eyes—something a wolf of a higher rank would rarely do. It was a sign of respect. "I understand. I will cover for you."
I bowed slightly to show my gratitude and opened the window closest to me. It was heavy—double-paned to keep the sound from escaping outside.
"I have a favor of my eldest grandchild."
With one foot raised, I froze.
"Yes?"
"I may've not been present in your life. But you can confide in me. Any kinds of your problems, I will solve them. Like how I now need to solve Andy's problems and make sure Alpha Colt doesn't kill her." He sighed and shook his head. "Can you do that for me?"
"Yes Grandfather." I said and slipped out the window.
I needed to get away.
There was only one place I wanted to be.
**
I wasn't sure why I thought a cemetery would be a good place to hide out but as I stood there, breathing heavily from the run. I knew that I didn't want to be anywhere else.
"Hey Tio," I whispered, letting my fingers lights touch the top of his tombstone. It was cool against to the touch of my fingertips. I did the same with my Luna's gravestone.
My fingers were still shaking from the large distance I had sprinted. I heard load roars the moment I stepped off my parent's property and I knew that Alpha Henry had figured out I slipped away. Nick hadn't followed me so I assumed that my grandfather had handled it after all.
I was breathing so heavily that my lungs actually hurt. The area around me was quickly blurring. I felt the waves of emotions threaten to flood the gates
To flood me.
I crouched down and hugged myself. I slowly rocked myself back and forth.
"Tio, Tio, Tio," I kept quietly chanting over and over again, "I need help."
I didn't know if I wanted to cry and rip the grass out from the ground—or rip my own hair out from its roots. I felt so lost.
My head whipped up at the not so distant sound of gravel crunching under tires. Slightly turning backwards, I rolled into the closest bush. My hands were trembling as I heard the car park and one, two, three doors open and close.
Please don't be Henry, please don't be Henry.
Instead a voice I didn't recognize spoke out, "Why is their grave at the top of this huge fucking hill?"
I curled myself into a small ball by hugging my knees
"Because," the soft voice who spoke did sound familiar to me though. "Alpha's and Lunas are always at the top." It sounded just like Kelsey.
"Whatever. Put the flowers so we can go."
"Show some respect ass wipe- we're doing this for Tristan," their doing what now for who now?" —wait. Did you hear that?"
The voices immediately stopped and I hugged my knee's closer to my chest. I held my breath in hopes that they wouldn't come over. I tried shrinking into my own body to avoid being seen.
But the footsteps kept coming forward. Slowly.
One, by one.
The bush I was crouched in rustled, I knew they had found me. Kelsey's voice softly brushed up against my ears, "Venus?"
I turned to look at her; still hugging my knees and trying to hold back unshed tears. "Please don't tell them I'm here."
I could feel her presence right beside mine. She had crouched down to be eye-level with me. She was careful to make sure her floral patterned pants were not touching the dirt.
Her eyes quickly went from confused to wide with realization, "you're the one the Thunder Birds are looking for?"
"Kelsey-"
"We saw them running around, but I didn't think they were looking for you." She was speaking more to herself than to me.
"Kelsey-kelsey," I regained her attention, "please don't tell them. I need time alone right now."
She looked behind her. Paul, Tristans Beta and Chris, the annoying guy from class was with her. He was also holding fresh flowers and what looked like a full water bottle. They had come to refill and replace the flowers Tristan had going.
He must be too busy to come himself.
"Are you really gonna take her side?" he spoke up, "imagine the shit this will land us in?"
I struggled to keep the tears back, Kelsey glared at him but it was Paul who spoke "Shut the fuck up, Chris, and go wait in the car."
Chris clicked his tongue and muttered under his breath but he passed the flowers and water on before walking back to their car. Paul gave us a cute little smile and a small nod for us to continue.
Kelsey turned back to me.
"Go," she whispered, wiping away the few stray tears. She reached into her purse and brought out another one of those moist towelettes, "go on, I didn't see you here. The boys didn't either."
"b-but you're going to get into trouble."
She pursed her lips and looked away while shaking her a finely manicured hand in the air, "Please, Nick may be my mate, but he's not my Alpha."
I tried to wipe my face with the small wet wipe but couldn't help the small soft laugh that huffed out of me.
Kelsey slowly stopped smiling, "without you—I wouldn't have him around to scold me. So I'm going to enjoy it all I can."
I brought down the wipe and smiled at her.
"Yo," Kelsey and I both turned to look at Paul, he carefully tossed me the water bottle in his hand, "stay hydrated."
"Go on," she gently pushed my shoulder, "I'll tell the boys what's going on."
I nodded and gave her one last grateful smile before jogging down the grass. I ran past Chris, who sat sulking in the back seat of the small car. We made eye contact, his face softened and he gave me a tightlipped smile.
I continued jogging down the side of the driveway. The walk to the entrance was going good, until I heard a car quickly approaching. In the distance, coming up the drive, was a certain Alpha's flashy car.
I swore under my breath and sprinted sideways, jumping over the bushes, the fence, and into a whole separate area. I heard loud angry voices behind and made the mistake of looking back.
They weren't following me, but I wasn't watching where I was going and I rammed right into gravestone—effectively knocking me to the ground.
Except, it wasn't a gravestone.
"Ah," My face paled in embarrassment.
It was a man.
He wore an expensive suit and looked down at with me with great disinterest—I was just this girl in work out clothes, who probably just sweated off a third of her weight.
"I-I'm so sorry. I wasn't watching where I was going a-and..."
I trailed off at I saw a small body stepped out from behind the man; he was wearing a form fitted suit. Black pants, black tie, black jacket, snow-white shirt.
"Venus." Criss blinked.
"Criss?"
"What are you?" he stepped forward and stuck out a hand to help me up. I gladly took it.
"Ahm, my uncle," I nodded to the top of the hill behind me and dusted the seat of my pants, "I was just paying my respects."
Both Criss and the man he was with stared at where I had just gestured.
The man turned to look at him and said something in a very deep voice. I was so thrown off by the rich tone that I didn't catch what he was saying. His voice just seemed to rumble right over me.
Criss looked up at him, "mm—She's a friend."
Then there was a high-pitched shout from nearby. I froze, thinking it was Alpha Henry. It wasn't though. It was Criss' grandmother shouting at us. She was seated in the back seat of a mini van. Quilt in lap, she gestured wildly at us with one hand.
I blinked at her, trying my hardest to translate the words that were coming a mile a minute. I think she said something about a horse.
The man in front of me nodded his head and turned to Criss, "invite her for dinner."
Okay, maybe it had nothing to do with a horse.
"Ah," Criss turned to look at me, "would you like to come with us for dinner?" he asked, slowly beginning to blush.
"um," I thought about the flashy car at the top of the hill, there was no way I was going to get out with out anyone spotting me. I also had nowhere to go because I didn't want to go back home just yet. "I'd love to."
Criss beamed at me. His small smile was honestly worth whatever scolding I was going to receive when I arrived back home.
The man with Criss led us back to the mini van. I wasn't sure why Criss was here, or why I was even invited over for dinner but if it gave me time away from the chaos happening in my life.
I was going to welcome it with open arms.