Chapter 7

Sitting in the back of the car, with the window wide open and the cool summers breeze blowing gently through my hair, I felt at ease and happy. Sighing contentedly, I slumped back against the cool leather seats and stared blissfully out the window, as the car raced along quiet country lanes. Yesterday had been an emotionally charged day. I had now left college for good with full grades in hospitality and tourism and I now had the rest of my life to live, whatever that was.
Beth still wasn’t talking to me after our fall out at the cinema and Sam was keen to get our romance up to the next level. Telling him that I was moving out of my parent’s house and out into the forests was tough. The look of confusion and pain on his face was hard to take but he seemed to accept my decision of moving in with long lost ‘family.’ He begged me to move in with him and his parents, so that we could start looking for a place of our own, but for obvious reasons, I quickly declined. Sighing sadly, I thought back to our conversation while we were sat in the dining hall.

*“What do you mean you are moving away tomorrow?” whispered Sam slowly. “You have never mentioned this before. When did you decide this?”
“I am not going far. Honest,” I replied smoothly. “I’m just moving out of my parents’ house and moving in with family for a bit.”
“But why? Where is this family?” Sam stuttered while looking at me sadly. “I’m guessing your finishing it with me then?”
“No! No, I’m not. I promise!” I cried quickly. “Look, I’m only moving out into the forests. We can still see each other. I just need to get away for a bit and spend some time with my family.”
“Well, who are these family then?” Sam asked bluntly. “You have never mentioned then before? And you don’t have to move away!”
“Oh, there just a couple of cousins, my aunty and an uncle,” I blurted out, beginning to feel panicked. “I just need a change of scenery and to get out of my parent’s for a while.”
“Then move in with me and my parents!” Sam urged. “You don’t have to move 7 miles out of town! We can look for our own place away from Carlsden City if you want.”
“I’m sorry Sam but I can’t,” I pleaded, reaching across the table, and grasping his hand in mine.
“But we won’t hardly see each other if you move away!” Sam croaked, looking annoyed. “Are you seeing some one else? Is that it?”
“Yes, we will. I’ll come back often. I promise. Of course, I’m not seeing someone else! I’m yours and always will be. I love you Mr McCarthy!” I soothed gently, stroking his hand in mine. “It’s really not that far away and I’ll be visiting my parents every weekend so we can see each other then….” *

Seeing the hurt and the pain in Sam’s face only made me feel more guilty about what was coming. I knew that sooner or later, I’d have to either break up with him for good or choose him, lose my wolf, and live our lives, knowing that we could be both hunted down for me being a traitor to my kind. The easiest thing for both of us would to be just let him go. Feeling another pang of hurt ripple through me, I pushed that thought to the back of my head to where I had been blocking my wolf out. All week she had been urging me to end it with my human counterpart and help her in her quest to find her mate. Suddenly My mum’s voice rang out through the car.
“We have arrived honey!”

Sitting up gently from the seat, I peered out of the window and gasped in shock at what I could see. I watched as the car slowly turned left through a pair of large wooden gates, held up by sandy coloured brick pillars. A tall brick wall surrounded the perimeter of the house blocking our view. As we continued slowly up the gravel driveway, a large cream coloured house soon came into view. Everything was neat and tidy, with not even a blade of grass out of place and not a sound could be heard. Slowly, we crept towards the house and stopped outside. Infront of us was a large garage with three arched brown doors, with 2 silver Mercedes cars parked outside. Beside us on our right, was four tall stone pillars, holding up a fancy ornate roof. Peering in between the pillars, I could see a large set of brown wooden doors, with fancy panes of glass in the middle. Glancing across to my left, I could see a vast lawn, trimmed to perfection with lines mowed in artfully. Every tree and bush was pruned expertly, and brightly coloured rose bushes lined the flower beds. The cherry blossom trees were in full bloom, filling the air with their sweet sickly scent and tall leafy trees provided shade across the lawn and helped make the whole garden look elegant and regal.

Unclipping my belt, I opened the door and slid out of the car, with my parents following behind me. Slowly, we walked towards the doors, feeling the gravel crunch underneath us. Out of the blue, the doors opened to reveal a beautiful woman standing there smiling. She was tall and slender, with her blonde locks styled into a posh looking updo. Her green eyes twinkled at me as she eyed me up and down carefully, before walking over to us, her arms wide open in greeting.
“So glad to see you again Mr and Mrs Roberts. It has been a while. Welcome back to the Red River packhouse. And you must be their daughter, Rosalie!” the mysterious lady sang, enveloping my parents into a hug before shaking my hand enthusiastically.
“This is our Luna. Luna Jenny,” My mum explained, before bowing her head, respectively.
“Oh, so you must be Jace’s Mum then?” I quipped up, while shaking her hand. “And yeah, I’m Rosalie.”
“Nice to meet you, my dear. Yes, I am Jace’s Mum,” Jenny replied, looking at me carefully. “Have you been told about Jace? And why do you carry the stink of a human boy on you?”
Nervously, I glanced across at my Mum, who nodded gently before looking back down to the floor. My Dad stood beside her silently, also bowing his head. Looking back at Jenny, I stood up tall and smiled gently.
“Yes, I have heard of Jace. Not been told much about him though except that he is the soon-to-be Alpha. And that I might be his Fated mate. And that scent you can smell, is my human boyfriend!”
“Human boyfriend!” screeched Jenny, looking aghast, before glaring across at my parents. “This just won’t do! Jace and Julian will not be happy! Explain yourselves!”
“She only found out she is a werewolf last month or so. Up until then, she had been living a normal human life, which unfortunately led to her getting a boyfriend,” Mum explained. “We tried to stop her, but she was having none if it. We didn’t think it would hurt. She can always get rid of him if Jace chooses her.”
“Does the boy know about you?” Jenny asked slowly, swivelling her head back towards me, her green eyes now burning furiously.
“No. Not at all!” I breathed, while shaking my head. “I’ve not told anyone. Keeping our secret is paramount. I know that! I’m not stupid!”
“That’s good at least. Well, we will have to deal with this boyfriend at another time, even if Jace chooses your or not,” Jenny muttered. “We’ve got too much to worry about today to think about it now!”
“That is a point. Where is everyone?” Dad asked, looking around the large reception hall.
“Follow me. Most of the new-borns are outside in the garden all ready and waiting. We are just waiting for the Alpha’s to turn up,” Jenny replied, waving her hand, and walking away from us.

Silently, we followed her through the hall, past a large stone staircase and into a large bright and airy kitchen. One whole wall was nothing but windows with a set of large glass doors opened to reveal a sprawling garden outside. Following Jenny outside into the bright sunny garden, the stench of a hundred wolves suddenly hit me.
Breathing in hungrily, I felt alive. I was finally home.