“I’ll have a strawberry milkshake with a plate of fries.” I ordered off the menu, Mark had taken me out to a small diner to get me out of the house. It was part of my rehabilitation from the crash, I was to return to school on Monday, that was four days away, but I was still only capable of been out for a couple of hours. A silver scar about my right brow was the sole physical evidence remaining of the accident.
I hadn’t seen Caleb since the day he came to play video Call of Duty with me. Keri who visited with me regularly informed me that Mark had given him an order to stay off Holloway territory and to stay away from our pack. If Caleb violated the orders he’d be given a Holloway escort until orders were followed. Apparently he hadn’t broken any orders yet, but I wouldn’t be surprised if his rebellious side appeared soon, it was more than obvious Caleb enjoyed breaking rules.
“Lana,” Mark called snapping his fingers in my face to get my attention as I day dreamed, “You phone is ringing.” I shook my head as if to rid my head of Caleb, before checking my phone. My stomach dropped guiltily when I recognized the number and ended the call.
“Honey, you know you’re going to have to talk to them eventually.” Mark said taking my hand from across the table and rubbing his thumb gently across the back of my hand and leaning his head down trying to capture my gaze.
I looked up at him and sigh, “I know, I just don’t know what to say to them.”
“Lana, its Carl and Stan they’re like your older brothers. I think they’d be glad to hear anything from you at this point, you haven’t talked to them since the race.” Mark offered and I had to agree with him, I was thinking selfishly. I didn’t want to see them because I wasn’t ready but, I forgot that they may need their own closure.
“I’ll go tomorrow then, I guess.” I reluctantly decided as Mark gave me an understanding smile.
“I know the past month has been hard Lana, but there are so many people who care for you and want to help you! If you ever need anything there is always someone who is close to you to talk to.” He promised kindly and I felt the butterflies flutter in my stomach, what did I do to deserve this Alpha?
“Thank you Mark. I love you.” I said as I leaned across the table and he met me half way for a kiss.
After we ate we decided to go for a run in wolf form. It wasn’t just my human for that needed rehabilitation; the crash had taken its toll on my wolf as well. I followed a few strides behind Mark, letting him set the pace. His strides where long and allowed me to push my wolf, helping me to begin regaining my toned muscles that most wolves had.
“This feels so nice.” I comment to Mark through our link.
“What does?” He responds slowing the pace
“Just running, no worries, nowhere to be, no Caleb to ruin it.” I sigh in content rubbing against his side affectionately. He licks my the side of my face soothingly.
“Enjoy it while it last, you never know what is going to happen.” He chuckled I grumble my agreement ever since Caleb first rejected me my calm, easy life had taken a drastic turn. Believe me I’d never been physically hurt as much as I had in the past months then I had my whole life. I wasn’t sure how much longer I could take this beating Caleb seemed to deny he was doing to me. Of course it wasn’t directly him that hurt me but everyone knew he was the main reason behind it all.
Although my body was exhausted from my “workout” earlier in the day, my mind would not shut off as I tried to sleep. I was freaking out about seeing Carl and Stan, about school, and to top it off I think Caleb was messing with some girl because those odd headaches were back. I growled in frustration and threw the sheets off, I wasn’t just going to sit there and do nothing. My parents had hidden the car keys from me so I couldn’t drive anywhere, I was banned from holding the car keys or even sitting in the driver’s seat of a car. I had disobeyed them by continuing to race and it had nearly cost me my life. So my other alternative was to shift, I packed a bag of clothes to change into when I arrived at my destination then as silently as ever I exited the house. If my parents found out not only would I lose my driving privileges but I would probably be put on house arrest too.
Just like before running felt amazing, the chilly night air felt refreshing as it sifted through my blue-grey fur bleached silver by the moonlight. I took me a bit longer to get to the racetrack as I avoided patrols and the odd wolf out for a night walk like me. I wasn’t doing anything against pack law, it just wasn’t in the mood to answer questions.
The racetrack appeared to be empty as it would be expected at this time of night. I walked across the track my heart quickening as I approached my garage my body rigid with nervousness, I wasn’t even sure if my car was still there. I could only hope they had kept it. I fished my keys from my pocket and jammed them into the lock with shaky hands. I struggled to unlock it the first few times so I took a step back and took a deep breath before releasing it, “Lana you psycho just relax.” I mumbled to myself before reaching for the knob again.
The door swung open and I stood in the doorway for a moment staring at into the pitch black room. “Here we go,” I whisper stepping into the room and reaching to my right for the light switch. The lighting in the room reveals my car…under its cover. Even without a full view of my baby I knew it was bad, my hand glided across the tan cover preparing myself before gripping the material and pulled the cover off.
My heart shattered at the sight of my car, all those years of saving up money, all those months of practicing and the car was finished, totalled, finite. The front from the front fender until the end of the hood had compacted to a third of its original length from the first impact into the retaining wall. The roof had also caved in and the windows had shattered from rolling. My paint job was ruined as well; I couldn’t tell if the original colour was red or the grey of the metal.
I walked around the car to the work bench, I pulled the switch that turn on the naked bulb above the bench. The light illuminated that on the desk that the ceiling light did not. My suit and helmet for one were on that desk. The suit was dirty and had countless holes that were created by the shattered glass, many of the holes were stained red from my blood where the glass had scrape through my skin. The most noticeable thing about the outfit though was the tear down the middle that someone had made to remove my body with the least amount of movement.
The helmet was in no better shape the wolf eye visor must have shattered because it was nowhere to be found. It had many dents in it as well. See the beautiful art work ruined brought tears to my eyes, emotions that I have been capable of pushing down since I was in the hospital were resurfacing. I dropped the suit and helmet back on the bench this cause some papers to fall to the floor.
I bent over to pick them up and replace them on the desk thinking they were just some of Carl or Stan’s documents, but the colour of the page and the crooked cutting job said otherwise. I turned the papers over, my stomach dropped. “Teen Taken to Hospital in Potentially Fatal Crash”, “Girl, 17, In Race Crashes. Untrained?”, “Future Alpha’s Girlfriend Critically Injured in Crash”, article after article about the crash were in my hands. I had no idea the crash had been so big in the media. I slumped against the car and let the articles fall around me allowing me to read through each one.
I was on the third of five articles when I heard a voice from the doorway, “Hello, anyone here.” Stan’s voice said from the doorway, I didn’t answer. After the all tossing and turning in bed I had done I still hadn’t figured out what to say to them. “Carl, always forgetting to turn off the lights.” He mumbled as I heard his footsteps coming across the garage to turn off the light above the bench. I felt my whole body tense as his footsteps stopped, “Lana.” He managed a whisper.
I looked up at him, “Hi,” I managed in returning my gaze back to the articles.
“You weren’t suppose to see those. You parents have asked to keep them away from you so they didn’t bring back bad memories. Sorry.” He explained scratching the back of his head.
I stood up and stepped towards his guilty form and wrapped my arms around him. “It’s not your fault,” I tell him more than one meaning behind my words, “And I missed you.” He returned the embrace.
“I missed you too. We were so worried when you didn’t come see us; we thought that you blamed us.” He admitted, I let go of him then touch my feet back to the floor.
“Stan I never wanted that, it was Caleb, everyone knows that. I was scared, I didn’t know what to say to you or Carl. I wasn’t sure how I would react to seeing my car and the rest of my stuff that was ruined. Since the crash I’ve isolated myself. Mark, Keri and Connor, they always come over to visit and they try to help, but they all know I’m not letting them completely in, even my parents and Gavin, I’ve pushed them away and I don’t mean to, I didn’t mean to. Stan I want my life to be normal again.” I started of fine, but by the end my emotions had erupted again and I was a mess. After a few minutes I realized what I was doing and pulled back and wiped the tears from my eyes. “I’m sorry, I’ve barely slept in days.”
He chuckles and pats my back, “It’s fine, but Lana you can’t keep pushing people away, it’s not normal. Us wolves we live in a pack for a reason and it’s not because we like living alone, that would just be counterproductive.” He was right; I was only hurting myself more by pushing those who I loved away.
Suddenly there was a commotion from the door what, “What is wrong with that kid, always forgetting to turn the lights off.” Carl was complaining as he reached for the light switch.
“Hey Carl,” I greet from my spot beside Stan.
He must have jumped a foot in the air as my voice startled him, “Lana you’re here.” He exclaimed extending his arms out for me as I leaped into them.
“I’m sorry, I didn’t come sooner, I was scared.” I briefly told him.
Carl smiled at me sympathetically, “I understand Lana, but don’t you dare ever be scared of us again. So I see you saw your car.” This made me frown as I turned to look at my busted vehicle.
“Yeah,” I mumble disappointedly, “Any chances of fixing it up.”
“It would be an expensive chance.” Carl offered and the little hope I had dropped.
“Well there goes that hope.”
After covering my car back up and locking the garage, Carl and Stan drove me home. I could see lights on in the house from the end of the street. I rolled my eyes, just my luck my parents had probably come to check on me to find my bed cold and empty. “Well it was nice knowing you two.” I groan closing the truck door behind me as they say their goodbyes.
I open the door and step inside not even trying to be quiet, what was the point I was already caught red handed. “And where have you been young lady?” My mom demanded crossing her arms stepping into the foyer from the living room, my father two steps behind her.
“I was at the track.” I reply quietly hanging up my jacket then heading to the stair, I am halfway up before she stops me.
“Hold it right there Young Lady, you know you are not suppose to be racing. You’re grounded, starting Monday you go to school and come home from school. No parties, no hanging with friends nothing; house arrest.” I told you this would happen.
“Well you’ll be ecstatic then mom, because my car was totalled. No more racing for me, all my savings are gone. No need to worry about reckless ol’ Lana anymore because she’s got nothing else to rebel with.” I mock heading the rest of the way up stairs and into my room before slamming my door.
A/N: Sorry for the late chapter! The past month has been crazy busy with work and getting ready for college. To make up for it I am going to try and post two more chapters before Monday for the two weeks of updates I missed, then another update on Monday. Still not sure if I'm happy with these chapters but they have to be put out to get to where I want to get with this story! So bring things to a close I hope you have a joyous week! Thanks for all those who have continued to support this story through reading, voting, commenting, adding the story to their reading lists or library and also to my followers. You are all amazing and push me to keep putting chapters out (even if they're always late :/ ).