Chapter 28 - The mall

***Hopes pov***

After Callum left for his meetings, the room felt quiet and empty. Fortunately, Cathy showed up about thirty minutes later to accompany me to the mall.
We started at the cafe. I just felt I would like to know more about her.
She told me about her time at the boarding school in Scotland.
“It was like living in an old castle with all modern comforts, it was so beautiful!
I didn´t care much for the school uniforms though..but I really love Scotland” I loved taking Frisspi for runs, over the wild heather moors or trough the pine forests…Good times..good times indeed..”
I could see the color in her eyes shifting, showing her wolf longed to return as much as herself.
“Freespi?” I asked.
I know the name is given based on character traits but I didn’t quite get this one.
“ Yeah..” She chuckled “ Freespi is short for Free spirit..I was so pissed when Zandra called out the name. To me it sounded like a card game or a fast-food burger..but she loved it, she was howling in my head and growling at me for sulking so after a while there was no question about it, it was who she was.”
Cathy continues telling me about her walkabout as Callum called it.
After Scottland she went to London, where she worked at a bed-and-breakfast for a couple of months before racing away to Italy. There she found a werewolf pack, she stayed for six months before she went up to Scandinavia. Denmark, Sweden; Norway and Finland. She visited packs and human cities.
“Wow, that’s incredible. How do you find other werewolfs in the first place?
“Well, if you meet another, you know, your wolf will tell you. Then there is the chatrooms, gotta love the internet. Of course, the chatrooms can be risky.”
“Risky how?”
“The Vampires are not our only enemies, there are human hunters as well”
“Really?..How can a human be a threat? You are superior in every aspect.”
“Human hunters has been around since the beginning, since Aayla.”
“You know about Aayla?”
“I do.
I was listening to Zandras stories around the campfires when I was a pup. About the fierce girl who fought humans and vampires with an army of wolves…she was our idol you know, all the kids use to play and imagine they were Aayla, fighting the evil of the land…Also, Callum filled me in yesterday. It’s awesome, you being a real descendant of Aayla…and you have her wolf..I mean..thats mind-blowing!! Your wolf is the first wolfspirit born into a human!!” Her hands went up to her head as if she was preventing it from exploding.
“So, anyway..The human hunters have evolved over time. Their weapons, their tracking capabilities. They have both wolves and vampires at their side, working with them.” She continued
“What?!” How can someone do that? Turn on their own.”
“There is always a reason for betrayal, rogues become rogues for a reason.”
“Rogues?”
“A rogue wolf is a wolf without a pack…When you belong to a pack, it’s in your blood. Others can smell it on you, for an example. You are stronger in both body and spirit. If a wolf gets banished from its pack, the Alpha severs the bond between the wolf and the pack. It’s painful, a punishment worse than death. Many become insane, but some becomes vengeful and are easy prey for the hunters to recruit.” She sipped her coffee watching me, making sure I was up to speed..and I was.
“Does anyone make it out ok? I mean, does anyone become a rogue and still get to have a decent life?” I had to ask..Luna wanted me to ask..bad or not, they were still her children and I could feel the conflict inside her.
“Sure..if a pack member leaves by his own decision, if he or she asks to become a rogue based on personal shit..heartbreak, death of a mate..you know, the heavy stuff..then it wont hurt as much..well it will hurt like bloody murder but still, it wont come close to being banished..then maybe that person can live a full life. Ive never met one though..”
That said a lot..just hearing about Cathy’s traveling, how many people, packs and wolves she met..but never ever did she came across a rogue that was living a happy life..
I feel Luna fighting to stay awake, she is sad about what she is hearing and I understand her and decide to close the subject by finishing my coffee and let Cathy know I’m ready to leave.

After we left the cafe we went to one store after another. Cathy picked out dresses, jeans, blouses, shirts, training clothes, shoes in all forms, ballerinas, sneakers, sandals, high heels. I didn’t get to pay for anything. She just said to the clerks to put it on the Alphas tab. Everywhere we went, they bowed their heads to her.
“Are you an Alpha to?” I asked.
“No, a pack can only have one Alpha, or an Alpha couple. But I have Alpha blood in my veins and I’m the sister of the biggest and baddest wolf and they know it.” She grins.
I can easily see the facial features she and Callum share. Their cheekbones, their upper lip with a peaked Cupid’s bow, the twinkle in their eyes and the twitching of the corner of their mouth when they tell something extra ordinary.
Looking at Cathy while she is going on about this and that I feel a sudden warmth spreading in my chest, she was my family..as of twentyfour hours ago, she was the one I wanted dead..but now…, I smiled for myself, thinking about the turns life could take..here I was, shopping with a new sister..

“Cathy! I didn’t know you were back!” A female voice gets our attention.
Three girls approach us. The girl in the middle is the one calling Cathy’s name.
She has bleached hair that ends below her shoulders. She is probably cute under all that makeup.
Her brows are enhanced and shaped to perfection, her lashes painted with at least two coats of mascara too much. The eyeshadow is discreet and professionally made, the lips are in a strong dark pink shade bordering on red… the shade one’s lips would get if you had just eaten something very bloody. She is wearing a top that squeezes her tits together and shows her flat belly. Long legs in tight jeans and boots with high heels. She looks good, not compared to Cathy but still good. The other two obviously tried to mirror her.

“Tina, What are you doing here?” Cathy says with a fake smile and an annoyed tone in her voice.
“Just some shopping. I love your little mall. Thought I would buy something to impress Callum, I hope to see him again at Fusion soon. Any tips for a girl?” She said and smiled.
I was baffled. This was an ex to Callum? I feel my temperature rising. This trash thinks she’s going to put her nasty claws in my man?
“Oh, I dont think you will see him there in the near future..” Cathy replies, a smile tugging in the corner of her mouth
“Really? Why?” Tina asks, playing with a strand of her hair..God, can she be more obvious…
“I wouldn’t count on it..a lot has happened in the last few days.. For one, he is hosting a big dinner party at the pack house, a lot of plans to be made,” Cathy says.
“Maybe I can come?” Her face lit up with hope, and I can see how she is working through the possibilities to get close to Callum.
“Hrm..” I clear my voice.
“Oh, sorry, Tina, this is Hope, Hope, this is Tina. She is the betas daughter of our neighbor pack.” Cathy introduced us.
She looked me over and then turn back to Cathy.
“I’m sure he invited the ranked families of our pack..I mean, why would he host a big dinner if it only was your pack?..Is it only your pack? Did he invite others?…Fuck, If he invited Rachel I will go over and strangle her, invited or not!”..Tina kept on rambling
“Hrm..” I tried again..
Tina turned to me with an annoyed expression on her face.
“I just dont see it..” I said, keeping her attention. She looks at me questioningly.
“Sorry, but I just can’t imagine Callum with this,” I say and motion my hand up and down Tinas body. Earning a giggle from Cathy.
“Excuse me? And who the fuck are you?” Tina’s face went red with anger. I probably should back off instead of mouthing off to a wolf, but the thought of her and Callum triggered me.
“Who am I? I’m the one who can’t believe some trash Barbie thinks she has a chance with an alpha like Callum.” I say in a calm voice with a mischievous smile.
The sting came hard and fast as Tina’s hand slapped my cheek. I heard Cathy gasp and know she was about to do something, but I put my hand up to stop her.
I looked at Tina, she was furious. And I barked out a laughter.
“So, what’s next? Are you going to pull my hair?” I asked, still laughing, still knowing it was probably a bad idea to piss her off.
“ I asked who the fuck you are!” She shrieked
I looked her in the eyes, and I let Luna have a peek as well, knowing Tina would feel her.
“I’m Hope, Callums mate.”
Tinas face went paler than a paper in an instant. Her eyes widen and flicked between me and Cathy. Probably hoping to find a sign of a lie. Lunas presece made her bow her head, bearing her neck and the shock in her eyes was clear.
“How..I’m…its not possible..” she gasped and backed away before finally turning around and leaving in a hurry.
“Wow! Just wow! That was awesome!!” Cathy screamed as she jumped up and down, clapping her hands. I felt Luna yawn and go back to sleep and I was exhausted, like every time Luna comes forward.
“It was nothing, probably stupid to piss her off.”
“Are you kidding me? I would be surprised if we see her again..like ever!”
“What did she mean by, it’s not possible? Is it impossible for Callum to have a mate?”
“No, but it is impossible for an unmarked she wolf to make a wolf from another pack submit, a ranked member at that. Only an Alpha can do that, not even I can do it.” She explained, beaming with joy.
“Oh..” I furrow my brows and think about Reeces reaction the last time I let Luna through. I really need to see Zandra.
Cathy was quiet and smiling all the way.