FOUR

I felt like I was doing the wrong thing as I tied my hair up into a French pleat. It was not because I felt like I was doing it wrongly, I was actually acing it but my concern was as to why I was up early.

Everything seemed bizarre and I could swear that the morning had a different feel to it than most mornings I had ever experienced and that indicated something.

I could feel uneasiness in the pit of my stomach and my wolf seemed more excited to start the day, that meant something since she was not a morning person or wolf. I should know because she's constantly torturing me about how I am always awake.

'Sasha, you're giving me a headache from all that excitement.'

'would you just let me be, it's kinda rare to see you up at this time?" The excitement in her voice rang through my head and I could have experienced a mini migraine.

'Why are you so excited?'

'oh...just nothing.'

I decided to shrug her off and went downstairs straight after making sure I had everything I needed for the "event". My mother and father were still finishing up and they both turned to me when they heard me coming down.

"Wow, and here I was thinking we might need a little bit of water." My mother commented and I smiled in response.

"People change, mom," I responded and walked over to the kitchen and grabbed an apple.

I walked back into the living room and found both of them with worried looks on their faces and I rolled my eyes.

"It's not going to be a habit, don't worry," I reassured. "I just want to keep my head today," I added and walked towards the door. "Are you guys coming?" I looked back and they nodded.

I hummed softly to a sweet tune as we drove past the many houses in our pack, most of them were big and some were small but still, the whole pack was a welcoming and homey village. Except for Mrs Kamden. Damn that woman could mess up my mind even without her being in my sight.

I sighed when we pulled up at the packhouse, it was surely big but most people did not live there and most of those who lived there were unmated warriors or omegas that worked around the house. It was just there for events such as these because of the huge space and surroundings.

I got out of the car once my father had packed the car and my eyes immediately went to scanning the whole area. There were trees and trees.....and trees...more trees....oh the packhouse and yay! People.

I just wanted to be in bed and dream about sleeping. My system felt out of place and queasy for being up so early but there was a silent ring in my ears and a different type of churning in my stomach that made me feel way more anxious than when it was my graduation.

"Annabelle." I turned around to face my parents who had scornful looks on their faces. I knew where this was headed but I was not going to argue. "Don't even think of touching alcohol." My father warned and I nodded.

"Or a drink that contains alcohol." She added and I snickered. "Anna, I'm serious."

"I know Mom. Don't worry." I kissed her cheek and my father's cheek too before running off to where Vera was standing.

The "event" was outside as I had anticipated and everything was set up.....from the tables with the beverages and snacks to the stage and chairs aligned and well decorated. I walked towards Vera and grabbed one of those small triangular-shaped sandwiches from the plate on the table that was behind her.

I turned, to see my parents watching me and the look in their eyes was literally daring me to try and pick up alcohol from the table.

"Mama and Papa are watching you like a hulk ayy," Vera muttered and I nodded.

"Yours too but I think they are glaring at me too much to watch you," I said as I snapped my teeth at Mrs Kamden and she gasped from distance.

I chuckled. "You look gorgeous," I commented.

Her knee-length mustard dress was definitely a sight and the silver flats suited her well and her hair was in an updo with the right amount of makeup.

"Thanks. You look fab as well." She smiled.

Her white summer dress tainted with little colourful flowers looked amazing but I was shorter than Vera by a few inches and most importantly, she had a bigger bust and wider hips so, in summary, I could not make the dress look almost as nice as it did on her. I paired the dress with a pair of black strap sandals that added up to the whole summer look.

"You say that only to flatter me." I fanned myself and gasped. Vera chuckled. "Let's go inside, I want to have something to drink," I said and gave her no option to decline or accept because I was already pulling her into the packhouse kitchen.

I squealed when I saw two bottles of wine seated on top of the kitchen island. This alcohol was about to go down my digestive system and I was going to do it real quick before my parents noticed that I had disappeared.

"Are you sure it's wise to be drinking especially at this time?" Vera muttered silently and looked me over with an unconvinced look.

"Rubber duck," I replied and poured myself a cup of wine before dawning it down my throat.

"Oh no."

...<<<>>>....>>><<<.....<<<>>>......

"Roll roll roll your boat..." Hiccup. "Gently down the...." Hiccup. "Stream." Hiccup.

It went on like that as I emptied my bladder and went on to wash my hands by the little sink. My bladder felt abused immediately after I had finished a whole bottle of wine and now I was having hiccups.

I patted my hair as I stared at my reflection in the mirror and exhaled on my palm and sniffed my breath, only to scrounge my nose because of the smell. I rinsed my mouth with the mouthwash that was by the sink and smiled when my breath was better.

Vera had given up on me when I told her that I needed to pee and had gone back outside and now here I was smelling my breath in the bathroom after taking a pee. I finally closed the faucet and opened the door.

I was about to growl when I looked at the guy who was by the door but when my eyes met his I felt like I had known him longer than most of my friends. His blue eyes shined with mischief.

His black clothes definitely complimented his dark and mysterious look, and his blonde hair was unkempt but either way still looked good. My eyes kept gazing up and down his body until I felt as though I was getting drunk on another drug.

"Are nursery rhymes necessary when you are urinating?" He smirked and raised his eyebrow only to mock me and I gulped at a loss for words.

He was not from my pack and I knew it, members of each pack had a different scent to differentiate them from other packs and that was how we usually knew if a rogue trespassed because they had an entirely different scent.

I figured that he was probably from one of the other packs and according to the amount of power that emanated from him...

...he was probably a Beta.

"Call it a tradition," I replied with a smirk and he chuckled.

"I like you, too bad the end is near." He muttered under his breath and walked away without another word.

I looked over at his disappearing figure and squinted my eyes and tried to come up with every reason as to why he said that.

'What a weird guy.'

Sasha did not respond with any cringe-worthy reply and that worried me more than anything. She was naturally a noise-making wolf but she had been oddly quiet which worried me.

I started walking back downstairs and that was when I felt it snap. I held my chest as an excruciating pain hit my body and I felt like a needle had just speared through my head.

I quickly increased my pace and ran back outside...

Oh no!!