Running Free [COMPLETE]

5. The Clearwater Alpha

Liam pulled up to Eliza's house at around half past six, feeling a bit nervous. He had spent the last couple of days tailing this girl, whose name he later learned from another classmate. Eliza had done what he had asked and kept her nose clean of brewing up any more trouble, so he spoke with his father, the Clearwater Alpha. He explained the situation and added his impression of Eliza.

"She's harmless, right now, but unchecked, she could bring rogue wolves smelling around. And that could mean trouble for the pack," Liam had told his father. His father had agreed and asked him to bring her to the pack house the following evening. Dutifully, Liam told Eliza to be ready, that he would be by to pick her up the following night at six-thirty.

Eliza didn't ask how he knew where she lived. She had smelled him the last few days trailing her around school and town. She wasn't offended or creeped out. Somewhere inside of her, she understood she was being let into some secret club that had all the answers she needed, and that required a little checking into who she was. So, when she got word Liam was picking her up, she was excited to know that she had passed some unknown test.

She was on her front porch, waiting for Liam to pull up. She was a little more than impressed when he pulled up in a suped-up vintage Charger. But what else did she expect from Liam? He fit the classic mold of high school jock, but she wasn't going to hold it against him.

"Hi," she cheerfully chirped as she got into the car.

He greeted her with a smile and returned with, "Are you ready?" She nodded and he pulled onto the road.

They didn't speak much for a few minutes. Liam was the first to break the silence when he offered some rules to help Eliza when she got to the pack house.

"Should I be making notes," she half-joked after Liam began listing things like: don't look anyone in the eyes unless they speak to you directly, do treat everyone very respectfully, don't enter a room unless you are specifically invited to do so and make sure to call the Alpha by his title, never Mr.

Eliza felt bombarded with rules and began to feel nervous as he continued to add one rule after another. She finally interrupted him, "I'm sorry, Liam, but can you start over again. I'm sure I missed a few." He gave a slow chuckle and nodded.

"Sorry, Eliza. I guess I did give you too much at once, but as I told you, this is all stuff you would have learned growing up in a pack." He gave her a sideways smile and continued, "Don't worry. You'll be fine. Just relax."

She tried, but she was anxious. She decided to keep to herself and look out the window. They finally arrived at the pack house after taking a dirt road for a while. Eliza was impressed with the looming stone and log structure that rose to greet them. "Wow. I wasn't expecting this," she pointed upwards as she got out the car once Liam parked up front.

"I'm pretty sure that you don't know what to expect," he said grinning, teasing her. He closed his door and walked around towards her side of the car.

"You're pretty right about that," She laughed at herself. She was nervous, but Liam's relaxed demeanor made her feel more at ease.

"Just stay behind me and let me do the talking," he beamed before leading her up the front steps and through the front door.

At the threshold, Eliza was hit with a strong scent that was very much like Liam. She made a note that off of each person they passed by as they walk through the house, wafted the smell that was so similar to Liam's scent. She made sure to follow closely behind Liam, keeping her gaze down to the floor. She wasn't trying to walk out of there in pieces. No one warmly greeted her and she could feel the hostile energy billow out of each and every individual in their wake.

When Liam stopped and knocked at a door, she let out a breath that she didn't know that she was holding. A voice on the other side told them to come in. Once inside, a huge towering man closed the door behind them. Eliza couldn't tell how tall he was since she didn't want to risk looking to high and offending him, but she could tell from the three-fourths she did see that he was ginormous.

"Thank you, Dane," a deep voice called out from behind a desk. "So, this is the girl, Liam?"

"Yes. This is Eliza Baker." Liam stepped aside to spotlight Eliza hiding behind him. With her eyes glued to the floor, she heard the man behind the desk get up and walk over to her.

"Hello, Eliza. It's a pleasure to meet you. My name is Elijah Clearwater. I'm Liam's father and the Alpha in this pack. I can see Liam has taught you some good manners," he said as he used his rough fingers on her chin to tip her head up. He looked just like Liam, but only older and somehow different at the same time. Taking a deep breath in, she came to the realization that this pack didn't smell like Liam. No. Liam and this whole pack smelled like this man, with his easy smile and graying blonde hair.

"Nice to meet you, too, Mist- um, Alpha." She was glad she caught her mistake. He smiled at her correction before leaning in and breathing in deeply. His eyes closed then his brows knitted.

"What… are you," he asked as he opened his eyes and stepped back.

"Its weird, right," Liam asked, happy that someone else validated his thoughts.

"Hmm. Liam. Dane. Could you both give me and Eliza, here, a moment to talk?" Elijah spoke casually, but there was weight behind his request. It didn't feel like it was a question, but more like an order. Without saying a word, Liam stood and walked out of the room. The hulking man behind him carefully shut the door.

Elijah motioned to a nearby chair and Eliza took it. She sat in the chair like a small schoolgirl in a Sunday school pew, her back ramrod straight.

"Liam tells me that you're adopted? That you shifted recently, but your adoptive parents are human?"

"Yes," she took a quick breath to calm her racing pulse. She was so damn nervous. "I was adopted when I was about one. I never felt like there was something different about me until a few days ago when I shifted while I was on a run. I didn't know what had happened. I had barely come to terms with my change when Liam made it clear that I didn't understand it at all. I would love to have somewhere to turn for help." She dared to look at Elijah in the eye and was welcome with an engaged listener.

"I see." He sat back in his chair and after a few quiet moments, he continued, "Eliza, I have no clue what you are. You don't smell like anything I have ever come across. I mean, you have wolf in you, but you also have something else that is absolutely…" he looked like he was struggling to find the right word, "intense." At hearing that word, Eliza picked up the collar of her t-shirt and gave it a whiff. Elijah chuckled then continued, "So, with not knowing what you are, I can't just LET you in the pack. I could be inevitably setting myself, and my whole pack, up for trouble."

Eliza could feel the disappointment spread out over her body. Slowly starting in her stomach and reaching out to her fingers and toes. "I'm no trouble. Really, I'm not."

"Oh, of course. I'm not implying that you are. You seem like a lovely young lady, but I have to protect my pack as their Alpha. You surely understand that?" Eliza nodded, her gaze going down to her hands. "But…" he continued and she quickly looked at him again. "I would be willing to have you as a pack guest. You would be welcomed to all our festivities, learn our customs, and get down pack rules. You just won't have a voice in pack matters."

"Deal," Eliza almost shouted without hesitation. She felt like a weight had been lifted off her shoulders. She didn't have anyone to talk about her change and she knew that the only way she was going to master her new self was with a good support system. And she was pretty sure she found it in the Clearwater Pack.

Elijah let out a chuckle at her enthusiasm. "You're more than welcomed to go let Liam know if you'd like," he said, pointing to the door. She beamed and said, "Thank you. So, so, so much, Alpha."

"You're welcome," he said as she walked out of the room and closed it behind her.