Sorry for this being such a late update but I had to do some major editing on the last two chapters and this one.
If you see any mistakes please tell me so I can edit it again
Thanks and enjoy
Chapter two
The two large doors stood in my way between the Beta of this pack and me. I swallowed the lump which was forming in my throat. The old lady turned to me “If you need me just call for Georgina.” She knocked on the door and then patted my hand lightly. The door was opened by a large man who only looked a couple of years older than me.
His glare was hard and demanding. His eye’s swept over me once before looking at Georgina. “Who is this?” He snapped. The woman next to me sighed and shook her head.
“Did your mother teach you no manners?” She asked back and his glare softened.
“Come in.” He muttered and opened the door wider for us both to step in. “It’s nice to meet you…” He waited for me to say my name but I could feel my legs begin to shake and only just be able to hold me up. I was terrified of large men like him.
It reminded me of when I saw six and went to a pack meeting with my mother. I remember what seemed like a small space we had all been squished into. I remember staring up at the tall men as they laughed when they shoved me hard enough so I would fall on my butt while my mother stood there doing nothing but look at me and shake her head in disappointment.
I felt a shiver go down my spine as I remembered the memory. His stare became inpatient and he crossed his arms over his chest.
“Don’t keep me here waiting. I could be with my mate right now.” He barked out at me making me tug a little at Georgina. She tried to calm me down with a soothing rub on my arm.
“Kent.” She scolded “Can you see she’s terrified?”
“She should be. Rogues are not welcome in this pack house.”
“She’s not a rogue.” She argued back. Kent snorted and went behind the desk.
“If she’s not a rogue then what is she doing in our land without our permission.” Georgina narrowed her eyes at him. The room started to feel as if it was getting smaller as both of their eyes landed on me. I glanced around the room. There was a window and a door. Both aren’t easy to escape from. I felt my body start to shake again.
“Why are you here dear?” Georgina asked and I looked at her. My gaze went from her to the bete and then back to her. “Are you trying to find someone? A friend? A parent? Your mate?” I nodded my head at the last one and she smiled. “Aw it’s nice to see a young lady cross our land in search for her mate. See Kent, she’s not here to kill us all. She’s here to find her mate.”
“Well there is only one male who is unmated and he’s not here.”
“Not true-“
“We are not counting the boys under the age of sixteen. They are yet to go through the ceremony.” Georgina’s eyes narrowed.
“I’m not letting her leave with her still afraid of us. She’ll probably go home and never find her mate.” My bottom lip trembled at the memory of my parents basically disowning me until I find my mate. Georgina turned to me “First we must know your name dear and then you will have a private discussion with Kent here. He’ll be nice, won’t you Kent?” She hissed the last bit at Kent with a glare. He nodded slowly before Georgina grinned. “Great. So what’s your name?”
“L-Lauren.” I stuttered and she patted my shoulder.
“Lovely name. Here take a seat.” She sat be opposite the Bete who was studying me closely with his hands clasped together on the large desk. “I’ll see you soon.” Georgina said as I watched her open the large doors and then shut them quietly. I stared longingly after her.
“Let’s start this conversation.” There was a pause before a cough and I whipped my head round to face him. “As my Alpha isn’t here at the moment-“
“Why?” I asked suddenly interested. His eye’s narrowed at me.
“Personal reasons.” He told me “Why so suddenly interested?” he asked me and I clamped my lips shut. I hated being one of those people who have to ask a question. It doesn’t fit my other side at all. He grunted before shuffling through files and placing them neatly in one pile.
“As I was saying, the alpha isn’t here at the moment which means that you cannot leave this alpha house without being classified as a rogue.” I nodded lightly. I knew the rules. I basically read all the history of my own pack to save me from going outside and getting attacked by something.
“Therefore we must keep you in this house and for that reason we can’t possibly let you laze around the pack house like you actually live here so instead you’ll be one of workers who work in the pack house. You’ll do what your leader says and if not then I’ll have to kill you.” He said it so casually that it actually scared me. He stared at me for a few more seconds before shaking his head. “Paula is the head maid here. If she says you stepped out of line in any way then…” He didn’t need to say it. I nodded my head in understanding and he nodded his.
“Good Georgina will show where everything is.” His eyes were back set on the sheets in front of him. A soft hand came down on my shoulder making me jump and nearly fall of my chair.
“Sorry dear.” Georgina’s voice said from behind me “I’ll show you where you’ll be staying from now on.” I nodded and stood up slowly before following her. She glanced back at me a couple of times before smiling “Here, we like to treat everyone with the respect they deserve. What about your pack?” She asked me. I kept my lips sealed shut. To be honest, I didn’t know.
Since I never went outside I had no idea what ‘pack life’ was really about. She stared at me waiting for an answer before shaking her head and leading me into a large kitchen. “Sasha.” Georgina asked tapping on a nearby girl. She small girl turned around to face us. Her face was smudged with flour and whatever else she’s been using. “Where’s Paula?” Sasha pointed over to a corner where a lady was glaring down at a small girl who only looked twelve.
Georgina shook her head at the scene she was seeing and marched over there. It was actually cool to see Georgina take her place as alpha female and march over to the couple. Her face seemed cold and hard as she hissed some words at the taller woman. What I presumed was the woman named Paula had black hair with had white starting to come out from old age. I could easily guess she was in her fifties and was a very hard leader.
The word leader made me look around the room at the many women who were working here. There was too many. I felt my body clamp up and I became as stiff as a board. I looked around for the exits they had here. Just one. The one behind me which had just been closed and two men stood beside them. I whimpered out lightly and someone grabbed my wrist.
I squealed as an old woman looked up at me “Better not show your fear here dear. This is the place where you must show your strength.” I stared at her confused by her words. How would she know that I was that scared? The old woman cocked her head and let go of her deathly grip on my wrist before hunching over and shuffling away.
“Lauren.” Georgina said smiling at me “This is Paula. Paula this is Lauren.” Paula looked me over, almost as if she was inspecting me and disgust grew on her face.
“What do you expect her to do here? Clean?” She grabbed my hands and inspected them before throwing them away in disgust “She hasn’t worked a day in her life.” I brought my hand up to my chest and let my other stroke my wrist trying to get the feeling of her hands off.
“It doesn’t matter. She’s a good learner.”
“You’ve known her for five minutes.” She hissed.
“Don’t you dare speak to me like that. I am your elder and alpha female at the moment.” Paula crossed her harms over her chest and started at her.
“Until your sons mate decides to show up and I’m sure she’ll be my best friend.” She grinned. Her teeth were yellow and stained. It sent a shiver up my spine. She reminded me of Sidney back in my pack. The person who hated the alpha’s and wanted them both dead. I shook my head mentally trying to shake the memory of everyone there.
“Until then, you will take care of her and you will do everything I say.” Paula narrowed her eyes but nodded. As soon as Georgina left I felt alone. I felt unsafe and I felt my hands start to shake at my side.
Paula turned to me and scoffed before turning away “Sophia.” She called into the crowd. A young girl came bounding over.
“Yes mother?” She asked before studying me.
“Take this… girl to your room. She will be staying with you tonight until the alpha comes back”
“But mother-“
“I don’t care what you have to say. Go.” Sophia sighed and moved a stray hair behind her ear. She looked at me once before heading towards the door. I followed quickly, happy to get out of that room. Sophia slowed down so I could catch up to her when she realised had put a great distance between us.
Once she was side by side she spoke “I can smell your fear.” I didn’t reply “That’s good.” I gave her a curious look out the side of my eye. “If you fear my mother it means you won’t get in her way. She’ll like you for that.” She grabbed a key out of her small pocket in her skirt and opened the small wooden door in front of us.
I glanced around the room. It was different to anything I have ever staid in. There were two beds in the room. Sophia had obviously decided that no one else was going to use the other bed and pile it up with books and other piece of clutter. Sophia smiled sheepishly at me.
“Sorry. I didn’t know that I was going to share my room with anyone. Hang on.” I watched her grab items off the bed and scatter then around the room. It was much smaller then I imagined. It was much smaller than my room and a shoe box compared to the room I first used when I woke up this morning.
“Well um… here.” She glanced down at the neatly made bed and then back to me. I stared at it before looking back at her.
“I know it’s probably much smaller than any room you’ve lived in but I’ve been living here since I was six.” She said it like she was proud. I could see right through her though. I knew that she wanted to live upstairs with the alphas and higher ranking people in the pack.
I heard her let out a small sigh and place another strand of black hair behind her ear. “What about your mate?” I asked her. She looked over at me, a little stunned at first but she slowly got used to my curious gaze.
“Um… I haven’t found my mate first. My father, well, he was killed a few years ago.” I bit my lip.
“I’m sorry.” She shook her head and sat down on her bed.
“It’s fine. My dad was only a gardener anyway. He wasn’t important.” I sat down across from her.
“He’s important to you though.” Sophia shook her head before opening her mouth. A loud bell rang and Sophia closed her mouth.
“It’s dinner time. Come on. If we get there fast we can actually have some of the good stuff.” She grinned at me before grabbing my wrist, not realising how terrified I actually was of anyone.