[I]The Way Home

I checked my phone to see what time it was. I had just pulled into a gas station to fuel up. I've been driving for a good five hours, dead set on only stopping to get gas. I was headed to my hometown. I still had another hour until I'd be home. I was going to be late. I checked the price of gas and almost snarled. "That's almost four dollars, you got to be kidding me," I hissed sourly through my teeth. Did gas get more expensive as I drove home or what? My phone buzzed with a text from dad, call me. I rolled my eyes but hit the window on the car to see Mal practically jump as I woke him up. He had been resting in the back with drool getting on the window. I opened the door to give him the phone. "Here, call dad while I pump gas."

"Huh? Where are we?" He asked grogily but took the phone from me. 

"We're an hour outside of town. Just let him know we're ok," I told him.

"Are we running late? What have you been doing this whole time, Viv? Driving like grandma?"

"I told you if you wanted waffle house it would put us behind by one hour. And, Im not driving like a maniac to get us there on time."

I bit my bottom lip in slight aggravation. I pulled out my wallet from the front seat and took out my gas card- one of my credit cards stricktly for gas and sighed heavily. I'm ready to be home... but, I don't like these gas prices... I'm starting to feel spoiled from being away so long. 

As I begun pumping gas I could hear Mal telling dad we were ok and just running behind schedule. That we would still be going to the pack's 'welcome home' party for the college graduates. Mal, he's my brother. Younger by a year. But he excelled early on and skipped a grade- which caused him to be in mine. We went to college together too. But, that doesn't mean I hung out around him the whole time we were away. Nope! In fact this is my first time seeing him since that one time we bumped into each other on accident durring summer vacation. Well... one of the reasons we never were close was because- I looked in at him. 

Mal's dressed in a girl's cardigan, skinny jeans, a red band shirt from some band I don't know, converse, and his hair is long... pulled up in a man bun and black as night- his whole closet is nothing but dark colors. He had on dark circus clown make up- and all kinds of goth jewlery. 

Listen, I don't judge him...

But we're completely different asthetics to be siblings.

Is- is he wearing platform shoes?

He is.

As for the cardigan I doubt it's from a girlfriend's. He's always been a closet gay. 

Mal's just a nickname. His actual name is Malakai. Something to do with angels. He's dad's favorite child. And, he had to pull teeth to get dad's permission to go away to college. CAN you believe it?! This is dad's favorite kid? He looks like a cute little clown just sitting there.

I could hear the pump click as my thoughts jumped away from my brother. I pulled the nozzel out and put it back on the holster before shutting my gas tank. I got back in the car and put my wallet away as Mal hung up on dad and gave me my phone back. "Dad said, 'he's not going to be at the party since he's scheduled for patrol. The door is unlocked to the house so we can let ourselves in when we get home tonight'." He cleaned off the window with his sleeve. He crawled into the front seat and buckled up. Looks like he wants to sit and stay awake the rest of the way.

So, to explain why we're not aesthetically matching... My eyes landed on the native american beaded bird hanging on my rearview mirror. I caught my eye reflection. They were green- but flashed gold as my wolf wanted to look at us as well. Mal called me Viv earlier... But my full name is Vivienne Blair. I much prefer being called Blair. But he doesn't know that since we don't hang out outside of family conditions. Viv started when Nena was born. Our baby sister. She couldn't say Vivienne but she could say Viv. And no one corrected her. They just started calling me it. I mean.. Imagine a six year old trying to argue about a nickname? 

Anyways... I had on my comfortable blue jean shorts with rainbows on them. They were my favorite pair of shorts because my mom use to wear them. I found them amongst her things! And I fit them! I had just a normal pair of tenis shoes- pink. My shirt was this cute tank top, a burgendy color with a dream catcher on it. My hair- well I was a red head myself. But I surprisingly didn't have the freckles that most did. They were lightly across my nose a cheek. My hair, french braided over my shoulder. I had star earings in that had glitter. Every time I saw them the light caught my eyes.

Enough about me.

I adjusted the rearview mirror and looked around at my surroundings. Mal helped me put the coordinates back into the gps and we were on our way... to the pack house. The whole time we shared two different genre's of music. 

I never said we didn't get along when we were together. We had enough respect after all the share the same car there and back.

When we arrived at the packhouse, my wolf howled inside with joy. I could feel her presence by my side. Her head resting on my shoulder as her celestial body seemed to be in the backseat instead of deep inside me. This was a werewolf's gift. An inner wolf is like a guardian and instructor. I can't see her in human form... But in my wolf form its a whole new story. We had been away for so long- from the pack- it was going to be very difficult to adjust back to these new feelings. Especially since... When I left for college, I was still waiting on 'the change'. I had transformed for the first time away from home. This would be my first time back, as a 'turned' wolf.

"I can smell you're nervous," Mal said as he grabbed my hand. "It's because your wolf never met the pack, correct? Well, don't worry about it. I'm sure nothing bad will happen tonight," he assured me before letting go. "So, I think I'll catch a ride back with Cole. Don't worry about me and go have fun tonight. Get drunk for your first time around the pack and just enjoy it. We can unload everything tomorrow."

"O-okay," I said as I dropped Mal off by the front entrance before finding a parking space for me. It looked like everyone was here. The moon was already out and everyone seemed like they were having a good time in the backyard- thanks to my hearing I could sense the amusement. The pack house was a huge manor. 

I tucked my phone, keys, and wallet into my pockets and locked up the car. I had to park a good distance away from the pack house but, I didn't mind. The walk would prepare my nerves. I remembered this party was special because it represented wolves coming home from being away for four years. And, usually that's when a lot of mates met. Here are this party. I was also one of the late bloomers… so odds are- and I'm completely aware of this, I would meet my mate tonight. He would tell me he loves me- and confess his desires to mate with me.

The thought made me blush, because truth be told… I'm ready. I completed my degree in college- and I've got jobs lined up for me. Now would be the perfect time to find… the one. 

As I walked up to the double door entrance I was hit with the realization I hadn't opened these doors since I was a teenager. Back then I trained with my father. I was only able to train in human form- thanks to my wolf not coming to me until after I left for college. My pack duties now, would be asigned to work beside my father on boarder patrol. Along with my three older brothers. I had six siblings in total, me being fourth eldest. The other three were Niall, Calcifer, and Innath. Which, I'm not close to any of them. 

This pack house was like a home to half of the pack members. Because they all worked for the Ramirez family. Who were currently the alpha family to The Scarlet Nightwalkers. I didn't know a whole lot about Alpha Brendon, except he lost his mate, Aaliyah while I was gone. It was a tragedy for our pack since she was our luna. The manor was well kept by the pack members that were also paid servants to the alpha's family. We call them- Omegas. Because their main duty to the pack was keeping the pack house in check. It had to be presentable at all times. They were mostly unmated and weak werewolves. Living in the pack manor wasn't manditory- unless you were a servant. My family lived nearby. Our manor was just like this. Yes, my father owned a manor of his own. Because long ago, one of our decendents was an alpha that merged our pack in and together the two {rivalling packs at the time} made a treaty and the pack was then called Scarlet Nightwalkers. One of the conditions was that my family would get to keep their home and remember where they came from.

A boring lecture my father once taught me durring training.

Which, is why my father was like a beast at keeping boarder control under his supervision. Long ago, the two packs formed an alliance because vampires were trying to take over and ruin everything the packs were working hard to build... But that's not very important anymore.

I could hear the main event being outside in the garden area. It would be directly ahead of me. I could smell barbeque like they were smoking it. The scent made my mouth water. 'I want some,' Arwen would think to me. I could feel her body brush by my legs like she was right beside me. My wolf's scent guided me towards the smell of the party. I followed after her as my anxiety kicked in at the thought of going around more people. I'd have to calm down. I walked out onto a padio covered by a light wired tent. This was where all the coolers and kegs were for drinks. Around me people were having a good time, drinking out of red solo cups. I barely reconized any of these faces... But the scent told me they were my pack members. I still couldn't help but feel on high alert thanks for being far away for so long. 

'Blair, try some of that,' Arwen suggested as my eyes landed on a punch bowl. I decided to take her advice as I got a red solo cup and filled it with ice from a cooler before making a cup of the punch. I walked away with it- just following a group down a set of stairs. They lead straight into a crowd. Just goofing off and enjoying the night. Music was loud the farther I walked into the gardens and suddenly I found myself where the real life was. There was a bonfire in the center as the old Alpha Ramirez roasted a full pig. There were other grills set up as some servants were helping grill. The crowd was dancing and eating here. I tilted the cup up to down it quickly. The punch was rum tasting and went down my throat only to leave a firey sting afterwards. There must've been two bottles of rum in that punch! My head throbbed in pain when I finished it off and found a trashcan to toss the cup into. 

The punch helped take the anxiety off my shoulders. I felt better. Like I could now be here comfortably. Talk to these strangers and try to make my own friends.

'Blair! Do you smell that!' Arwen asked somewhere from near me. I smelled the air to see what she was talking about. Her excitment only had me curious. I found myself looking past the scent of barbeque to find the most... attractive scent of my life... that I could only wrap up into one word. 

Mate.

He's here somewhere.

I glanced around to try to look for anyone that might be aware of this. Was anyone trying to find me? There were already coupling mates in the crowd- wrapped up in passionate kisses. They were making me jealous I had to admit. My body followed as I used my high senses to track down where that scent was coming from. The stronger I picked up on the scent- the quieter the crowd got as it took me into a more private maze. I tracked the scent- my heart dropping as I could smell two other scents with it. My heart began to panic as I kept following like a blind dummy in love.

I came across the three of them. 

My heart sank.

Arwen's heart howled to me in pain. 

Why did it have to be him?