Before I was born, Mom and Dad lived in a different pack. I vaguely remembered the jagged mountains in the distance, and the sticky humid air. We hadn't lived here long, not nearly long enough for me to gain any substantial memories.
The house I stood in looked familiar yet completely foreign. It was a small house, but the inside was pristine and new. A large navy sofa sat against the far wall, cluttered with old dolls and toys. Coloring books were scattered along the floor, broken crayons tossed throughout the house. A small kitchen sat to the left, and a narrow staircase sat to the right. The sound of enthusiastic giggling drew my attention outside. I pulled open the front door and was met by a small concrete patio.
Just out front of the small house was the younger version of myself. I wasn't sure how old I had been at the time. This was the youngest I've seen myself yet. Years before my Dad had died, years before we moved to Atlas's pack. I sat in the ankle length g
Dad lifted my shaking, sobbing form into his arms and hugged me closely. His grip never slackened, even when we stepped back through the portal and into the human realm. The sun was vacant from the sky, leaving behind the moon. Hours had passed since we walked through the portal, that much was clear. What I couldn't understand, was how the portal had stayed open for so long and how the three men who took me seemed to create one on command.I was back inside the house, watching as the child version of myself eavesdropped on a conversation between Mom and Dad. They were sitting in the master bathroom. Dad sat on the edge of the tub; his shirt removed as Mom fretted over the shoulder wound he had. I could make out each jagged cut from the creature's teeth. Dad's skin was pale and clammy, his knuckles white as Mom cleaned out the wound."I don't know what kind of creature it was. I've never seen anything like it." Dad groaned, wincing in pain as Mom dabbed a wet cloth agai
Irritation flashed in Atlas's eyes as Liam's rough knock sounded. He must've seen the relief on my face and stiffly turned to open the door. I wasn't sure how much Liam had heard, or if he knew what he interrupted but his hard face gave nothing away.“I wanted to make sure you were alright.” Liam frowned, his eyes flickering to Atlas for just a split second. That quick gaze lasted long enough for me to read the suspicion in his eyes, along with begrudging disapproval.“I’m fine. Better than last time.” I grimaced, stepping away from the two of them.Atlas’s scent danced in circles around my head, and I found myself desperately needing a breath of fresh air. His scent, his presence—it all distracted me from my thoughts.“Nicki and Dustin are going to take over training tomorrow.” Liam replied, “I think it might be good for you to take it easy tomorrow.”I didn’t argue with him a
A few minutes later, we all parted ways. Liam was staying at a local Inn with Lydia, who insisted on tagging along to Atlas’s pack. Even now, I felt no animosity towards her. She was timid in a way that reminded me of myself. I had once been shy and afraid of the world. Losing Atlas and my Mom had ripped the fear from me, leaving me with only anger. That anger seemed to come in waves lately. Ever since I lashed out at Atlas and told him how I felt, I couldn’t muster up that same red-hot rage.My mind fought against the mate-bond relentlessly, but my body had a mind of its own. My heart seemed to sense Atlas’s presence, and would speed up anytime he was near. My fingers would tremble when he stood too close to me, the heat from his body washing up my spine. I gave myself those few moments to think on our bond, and what I might do once this was all over. I couldn’t see myself forgiving him—nor did I want to, but he made it hard.‘Give
Nicki had been withdrawn the rest of training, but did a good job keeping it to herself. Atlas had left shortly after, heading in the direction Dean had went. I kept my eyes on Nicki, and knew her mind must be whirling. Nicki and I had only ever talked about mates once. She was eighteen and hadn’t ever been pressed to find her mate. Nicki had always been incredibly independent, and knew she’d meet her mate when it was time. I knew she hadn’t expected it to go this way. To find her mate, just to have him run away. None of us ever expected it—these things just seemed to happen. Once the damage was done, you’d sit there wondering where it all went wrong.I had an hour to clean up once we made it back to the house. I took a quick shower and changed into a pair of jeans and a long sleeve top. I opted for comfort rather than style, as Atlas and I would be stuck on a plane together for multiple hours. As I brushed out my overgrown hair, a light knock so
I woke up as the sun just began to set. The earth had gotten much closer in my time asleep, and I knew we would be landing soon. I jumped when I looked up, noticing Atlas’s eyes on my face. He sat with an ankle on top of his thigh. His fist rested under his chin as he stared at me with unwavering strength. His lips twitched and just as I thought something snide would come out, he smirked.“You talk in your sleep.” Atlas remarked, turning his head as one of the attendants came into the cabin.The middle aged she-wolf announced that we’d be landing in just a few minutes. She turned and left the way she came, the navy curtain fluttering behind her. I grimaced at Atlas’s smirk, shoving the poetry book into my duffel bag.“I do not.” I snapped, feeling the heat rise to my cheeks.I pulled my bag onto my lap and turned my head away from Atlas. I grabbed some of the winter gear Atlas had laid out on the seats and walked
"Here's some extra blankets for the two of you." The human woman smiled, setting the bundle of old quilts down on the bed. "One of you can come down and grab some dinner. The shower works, but you gotta give the hot water heater a few minutes to wake up.""Thank you, Ma'am. It'll be perfect for the night." Atlas nodded at the woman, giving her one of his frigid yet polite smiles.I held in my snort at the politeness of Atlas's tone. It only further proved how little I knew the man. I had gone to school with him for years, but made it my mission to ignore him and his indifferent attitude. The only time I actively noticed Atlas was when his friends were bullying me. Even then, I knew little about the man and even less about his family. I had seen the Alpha and Luna of his pack a few times, but had never spoken to either. From what I gathered, Atlas's Father was a strict man and an even stricter Alpha. I shook off my budding curiosity and looked around the small bedroom I
Guilt, sadness, exhaustion, hope.I missed the Atlas who exuded confident indifference to the world around him. I missed the Atlas that never let anything show, that stuck to his little friend group above anyone else. It was easier to hate that Atlas, easier to dehumanize him into the cold-blooded enemy that rejected me. This Atlas was different, was that much harder to hate. While his alabaster skin and platinum hair made him look cold, the emotion in his eyes was anything but—emotion reserved for me and me alone.“What’s the point in giving in?” I found myself replying, fighting to keep the hurt and anger from my words.
The memory crept up on me without my notice. There were no telltale signs that I would soon be sucked into the past. My head felt pain-free, better than it ever had. As I slipped into unconsciousness, an explosion of color appeared behind my eyelids. The colors churned and swirled until I felt my very essence being pulled far, far away.I drifted even further, into the colors that now surrounded me. My sight sharpened, as did the colors and shapes lingering on the outskirts of my vision. The large splotches of green and brown became thick tree's, a million emerald leaves dangling from thick branches. The spattering of black became the main road in Atlas's pack. The road sat through the middle of town. Thick, healthy grass grew underneath my feet and the scent of something sweet lingered in the air. The sun was bright and warm, but I couldn't shake the lingering sadness that held me in its grip."Mommy, how long are we going to stay here?" A familiar voice whined. "I wa