Homecoming

It was dawn. The light was pouring in through my window, the rays of sunshine caressed my face. I sat up, my long, chestnut hair swaying behind me. With a stretch and a yawn, I slowly stood to my feet and peered out the glass to get a good look of the bayou. It’d be the last time I’d see these lush, green trees and brown, swampy waters for a while.

A smile tugged at the corners of my lips as a familiar smell wafted in my nose. Aunt Rosette was cooking breakfast and by the smell of it, it was my favorite. I quickly showered, brushed my teeth, and threw on a black wife beater and a pair of high waisted black skinny jeans. Adorning my feet were my favorite pair of black combat boots. You could definitely say that black is my favorite color.

I opened the door to my bedroom and strode down the hall to the kitchen. My icy blues caught sight of the feast displayed on the table. There were scrambled eggs, strips of bacon, sausage links, home fries, and my personal favorite, stuffed French toast. My mouth began to water at the sight.

“Good mornin’, sweetness.” Aunt Rosette greeted me with a smile and her usual cheerful tone. “I fixed ya favorites this mornin’, got a big day ahead of ya now.”

“Good morning, Aunt Rosie.” I grinned as I stepped around the table and greeted her with a kiss on the cheek. “This all looks and smells so good.” I say, licking my lips and taking a seat. She just chuckles as I grab a plate and begin to pile on the food.

“I’m sure gonna miss havin’ someone to cook for ‘round here. Fixin’ ya somethin’ to eat’s been a real joy for the last six years.” Rosette says with almost a sad smile.

I know I’m going to miss her dearly. I’ll be able to visit after I turn 18. New recruits have rigorous training and schooling schedules. I won’t have any time to visit between training and classes. I take a bite of my food and I’m immediately in heaven. I’m sure going to miss her cooking.

Just as I’m about to tell her, Julien, my instructor, walks in the back door. “Good morning, Miss Rose.” He greets as he walks over and gives her a hug before sitting at the table.

She greets him with a kiss on the cheek before giving him ‘the look.’ “Mornin’ Julien, now you know in this here house, ya wash up before ya sit down at my table, now.”

His brown eyes twinkle as he laughs and simply replies, “Yes ma’am.” After washing up in the bathroom, he sits back at the table and his eyes meet mine. A smirk appears on his bronzed visage. “So, El, you ready to go back home?”

“Home?” I ask with amusement. “The bayou is my home.”

A chuckle escapes his lips as he takes a bite of a strip of bacon. “You know what I mean. You gotta be nervous, right? I mean it’s been ages since you’ve belonged to a pack.”

I also take a bite of my bacon before answering, “Kind of. I mean the last time I was on the pack lands, the alpha tried to kill me, so.”

A heavy silence filled the room as the words left my lips. My eyes shifted from my aunt to my trainer who were both staring down with a look of sadness on their faces. I know the loss of my mother was the hardest on my aunt. They had been best friends growing up.

“Don’t ya worry ‘bout none of that now. Ya hear? That demon who stole Georgette from us is gone. The Moon Goddess gave him what he deserved.” Rosette said reassuringly as she scrubbed her pot under the hot water in the sink. Leave it to her to always look on the positive side of life. I’d never heard the woman utter a single complaint or wish anyone any ill will in my entire life. I strived to have the same attitude but it was just so hard, considering the hand I was dealt with.

“Yeah, but his son, Remy, is Alpha now. I can tell you he ain’t any better.” Julien scoffed as he finished his last piece of bacon. He would know, he’s a member of my pack, Bleeding Twilight.

However, Remy was my best friend as a child, and I knew he would never hurt me. “Remy was my friend,” I say as I look up at Julien after taking a bite of my scrambled eggs. “I doubt he’ll let anything bad happen to me.”

“I don’t know,” He said as his eyes narrowed and his voice dropped an octave, “There’s something different about him lately. Something dark. I’d be careful if I were you.”

Rosette stayed quiet for a moment before changing the mood of the conversation. “If y’all is done, I can take ya plates and wash ‘em up now. Is ya all packed, El? Better make sure everything’s in order now so Jules here can pack the car.”

On cue, I finished the last bite of my food and stood up with my plate, grabbing Julien’s cleared plate in the process, and brought them over to the sink so Rosette could wash them.

I placed a kiss on my aunt’s cheek before heading back to my room. Julien began to pack up the bags I had placed near the door last night. I rechecked all the drawers and areas of the closet, making sure that I had grabbed absolutely everything I needed.

After checking off everything on my mental list, I grabbed my gym bag and closed the door behind me. I wasn’t taking all of my belongings, just enough to sustain me until I could return to the bayou. I headed out the back door where Aunt Rosette and Julien were already waiting for me.

I hugged Mama Rose, as I sometimes called Rosette, holding back the urge to cry, knowing that this was only a temporary goodbye. However, she already had tears streaming down her face.

“I’m gonna miss ya sweetness. It’s gonna be real quiet around here without ya. Feels like I birthed and raised ya myself.”

“I know,” I replied, trying my best to keep my composure. “I’m going to miss you, too.” I stepped back. “I’ll be back soon, I promise.”

“You betta’,” She laughed, wiping her tears and releasing me so that I could get into the car.

Julien was silent as he got into the car after me. He rolled down the window so he could speak with Rosette one more time before we headed to the other end of the bayou, towards the pack lands. “I’ll take good care of her, Miss Rose.”

“I know ya will, Julien. Ya always have. Take care now. Be safe. Call me when ya get ‘er there.”

“You got it,” He said as he waved to her one last time before pulling out of the driveway.

I remained silent as we traveled away from the house I had grown up in. There was a lot weighing on my mind. I was nervous about being back on the lands where my parents were murdered. I imagined that many things had changed from the last time I was there.

As if on cue, Julien asked, “You thinking about how different everything’s gonna be?”

I smiled and quietly replied, “Yeah... I mean it’s been a long time. A lot can change in six years.”

“It hasn’t changed too much, promise. I mean a few things are different... like leadership.. and we now train everyday. Also, we’re are no longer allowed to use our special abilities because of some witch mumbo-jumbo a few years back.”

I stared wide-eyed as he spoke. “Witches?” I asked incredulously. Nobody had even seen any for over a decade. We’d believed them to all be extinct. As far as special abilities went, well, select few werewolves had them. Some could bend fire, others water. Some could read minds, and even move objects with their own. Nobody in my family had any special abilities. At least that I was aware of.

“Yup, I know. Crazy, right?” Julien laughed playfully. “I mean they haven’t bothered us in years.”

I laughed with him. The pack’s borders were slowly coming into sight. I could see the huge sign hanging from the trees that said ‘Bleeding Twilight pack borders.’ Many of the wolves were out patrolling. Julien nodded to them as he approached and continued driving down the entrance into town. It was mostly just houses lining up the Main Street, further down, there were shops and down a long side street was the pack house. That’s where we were headed.

Many of the pack members stared at us as we drove by, before turning down the side street to the pack house. It unnerved me. I wondered how much some of them might remember of my parent’s death and how many of them knew exactly who I was.

‘We can take them if they give us problems,’ Stella growled in my mind.

‘Calm down, Stel. I don’t really want to fight anybody on my first day back.’ I bit back in response.

‘Fine. I was just saying,’ She laughed.

I shook my head silently. It wasn’t long before we pulled up to the pack house. My eyes taking in the sight of the large building made mostly of glass. Many of the pack’s army were standing in the windows keeping guard.

As Julien and I got out of the car, two of the pack members stepped out of the house and came down the front steps to greet us.

“State your names and business.” The taller one barked as he stopped about six feet from us.

I spoke first. “I’m Elodie Laroux. By mandate of the new Alpha, I was ordered to return to finish out the school year here.”

He paused for a moment taking in the information. “El? It’s me, Jacques. I’m Remy’s Beta.”

I tilted my head. “Oh my goddess! It’s so good to see you.” I said as I stepped forward to give him a hug. He scooped me up in a big bear hug and held me tight before letting go. Jacques was Remy’s best friend as a child and we had often played together. Of course, he was 3 shades tanner and a few feet taller now. Also, very filled out, I should add.

“Ok Jack,” The nickname we had called him growing up. “You can put me down now.”

“Oh, right. Sorry,” He laughed as he placed me down. “It’s good to see you. Remy’s inside. You can go on ahead.”

“Thanks, Jack.” I kissed his cheek before stepping back. “We’ll catch up later, okay?” He nodded his response before I walked up the steps to the pack house. Julien had agreed to stay behind and let me handle this on my own. Opening the door, I looked around. It hadn’t changed much from when I was a child. Remy’s mom had loved the modern look and it seemed Remy did too. Except he had redecorated it with shades of red and black. The walls had been painted gray, and all the curtains and drapes in the main room were black. Modern furniture in the shade of crimson stood in the center.

I didn’t have time to explore any other differences and I continued my journey down the hallway. When I saw the name plaque that said, ‘Alpha Remy Marcel Boudreaux,’ I didn’t even bother knocking. I stood in front of it for a moment, took a deep breath, and tried to figure out what I was going to say to him. After all, I was angry. His parents had murdered mine. For what? I didn’t even know. I wanted answers.

As my hand touched the doorknob, I heard him say “Come in, Elodie.” Bastard. He must have smelled me on the other side of the door. In a rage, I swung the door open and stepped inside, slamming it behind me. “You have some nerve beckoning me back here after all this time, Remy Marcel. After what your father did to mine.”

It was only after I finished my tirade that my blue eyes settled upon him. He was wearing a long sleeved, black, Henley t-shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his elbows, exposing his muscular forearms. You could see just how chiseled he was under the material as the shirt could barely contain him. Slowly, my gaze continued to travel up his arms to his dark, caramel toned face. He was smiling. Asshole. My oceanic eyes met his deep, chestnut colored eyes, and I could see his amusement at my frustration dancing in them. Yep, he hadn’t changed.

However, I had to admit that he was incredibly handsome and I don’t know how I was going to be able to keep my composure while he sat there looking this good.

“Nice to see you too, El.” He stated sarcastically.

“You haven’t answered my question.” I kept the serious tone in my voice.

“I promise, I will explain everything to you in due time. For right now, I just need you to get settled and be at training bright and early tomorrow morning before class.”

“Why, Remy? Why couldn’t you just leave me alone? I was happy out in the bayou. Away from you,” I growled.

He sighed as he leaned back in his chair. “Listen, I get it. You’re angry. I am too, but for right now, can you just trust me?”

I stayed silent for a moment before finally giving in and just replying, “Fine.”

“Thank you,” He said as he breathed out a sigh of relief. “Matter of fact, let me take you out to dinner tomorrow night after class. We’ll catch up.”

I didn’t really trust him but I did miss my old friend and I was curious to hear what he had been up to all this time. “Okay, then pick me up after class and it’s a deal.”

“Okay,” He responded with a chuckle and a charming grin. Ugh, Jerk.

“Whatever, Remy. Don’t be late.” I rolled my eyes and turned towards the door, opening it, stepping out into the hallway, and slamming it behind me. I sighed as I leaned back against the door for a moment before pushing myself off to head down the hallway hurriedly.

As I stepped out the front door and slammed it behind me, Julien, Jack and the other pack member all turned their head towards me. I was silent as I rushed past them and got into the car. Julien got in a few moments after and started to ask if I was okay but I cut him off.

“Just go,” I barked before he started to drive us down the road toward where I would be staying. The rest of the car ride would be silent as I was still fuming at Remy for not giving me any straight answers.

Something told me that this was going to be a long month.