Heiress by law, mate by fate

Mom's note

***Lucinda’s POV***

After I had cried in my car for hours, Cele finally coaxed me into moving on. I had to find some place for the night. I could not stay here at the roadside in my car forever. Still my heart ached. I have lost everything but still did not understand how this could have happened. I was all alone now. I have never lost control before like this.

It’s not your fault, Luc. It is our alpha blood.

What good is it, if it only causes us pain, Cele? I am nothing in my pack and now, I am even less. There is no place to go.

You are wrong, dear. You are a true alpha.

I am not, Cele. And you know that! My father was no born alpha.

Believe me, dear, I can feel it!

Stop this non-sense, Cele. Being born to the Alpha and Luna of Shadow-Woods doesn’t make me an alpha. Mom being an alpha’s daughter didn’t mean I am. You know this well. So please, I don’t want to hear anymore of it.

As you wish.

With this Cele blocked me out. Today, it seemed everyone was leaving me. I drove the car to the closest mall and pulled up in the parking lot. I was still on neutral territory and I knew I couldn’t go back to Shadow-Woods but where was I supposed to go now. Father’s words came back to me: “You may keep your car and everything in it”. This was a good start. If she were to build a life on her own, she had to start with some money. I could sell the car. It was old but the pack’s mechanics always made sure to keep it in good shape. I had no idea how much it was worth though, but I could find out. But for now it could serve as a home and shelter at night.

Who was I kidding? I had no idea how this s**t worked. I had heard of the life of rogues and had encountered my fair share as well during training, after all I was considered expandable in the pack as my father’s daughter, so mom made me train with the guards to be of some value to the pack. And I was strong. My wolf counterpart, Cele, was bigger and stronger than regular pack warriors. She could easily outrun them during morning and evening training. I had planned on becoming a border guard at some point, or a messenger. Some job within the pack that would bring me away from the pack house and my role as unneeded child. And although I have wanted to leave, I would have never dreamed of being banished.  Stopping myself, I pushed away the thoughts. I could not afford to fall into despair. “A werewolf is responsible for both her behavior and the behavior of her wolf,” I recited the fundamental law of our community. I couldn’t blame Cele for attacking that Ashley girl, I was furious as well. Tired I closed my eyes for a minute. I had to think this through.

I got the car so I could leave, I could just drive away until I ran out of gas. A quick glance at the gas gauge left me disheartened – almost empty. I wanted to refuel this morning but when I finally left the house, I was running late for school, so I postponed my visit at the gas station – s**t, I thought to myself. That’s when my stomach growled. I hadn’t eaten since breakfast. I had another 20 bucks on me, and my credit card but I assumed that Jared would have canceled that one already. He was very thorough with pack’s money so he would not allow a rouge to have access to any of it. But I had to check. I knew that there was an ATM at the mall, so I’d check just in case. I inhaled and exhaled again then I left the car and found my way to the mall. I decided to get some bread and some bottled water to keep me sustained. Nothing expensive in case the twenty-dollar bill was all I indeed had left. After I at the bread, my stomach stopped growling and my brain started to keep working smoothly again.

My attempts at the ATM were in vain. The card was canceled – I figured as much. It was this little thing that almost broke me – suddenly everything felt more real. With 15 bucks left I returned to the car, head hanging. I decided to comb through my things again. There had to be something that could be of use or give me an idea where to go. I opened the trunk and a gray duffel bag fell out the car. Intrigued, I picked it up. I had never seen the bag before, but it smelled faintly like my mother. Carefully I looked around. It had grown late and there were only some cars left in the parking lot but from my vantage point it seemed as I was all alone. So I opened the bag and stopped dead.

It was full of dollar bills. The sight reminded me of movies in which the hero or villain opens a bag full of ransom money. Stunned, I briefly scanned the bills. I estimated that the bag held about 10.000 bucks. What the hell did this bag in my trunk? When I wanted to close it, a rose-colored sheet of paper caught my attention at the back of the bag. I plucked the sheet from the bag and carefully unfolded it. What I read brought tears to my eyes.

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Dear Lucinda,

I know that when you find this bag, things will have turned bad – or good? I am no longer sure what is best for you, love. I have kept secrets from you but more so from Jared. Secrets that would make him kill you if he were to know. I paid Ashley and Chad a great amount so that they’d get in a fight with you. A fight that you and Cele would not be able to resist. I am sorry that I couldn’t let you in on my plan. My plan to get you as far away from Jared and Shadow-Woods as possible. I have staged your exile, aware that all I had to do was plant the idea in Jared’s head and give him an undeniable reason and he’d follow through without a second thought. I know it hurts to loose a pack and for that I am sorry, sweetheart. But with you turning 18 and stepping into your full powers, I saw no other choice.

Take the money and leave for good, love. Leave for New Orleans. Find Ava!

Love,

Mom

P.S.: Happy birthday, love. I’ll make it up to you one day. Promise!

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Taken aback, I eyed the bag again. What the hell was the meaning of this and who on earth was Ava? New Orleans? That’s where mom met father but why would she send me there after staging my exile. What secret of my mother could be so delicate that it would make Jared kill me, his only child?

Lucinda, we should go. Cele suddenly stated in my mind. Why? I don’t know but I have got this feeling that something is waiting for us in New Orleans. Can’t you feel it? 

Without further thought, I threw the bag into the passengers seat, closed the trunk and started the engine.