In This Life or Another

Chapter Three: The Cresthill Pack and The Sorrento Twins

Sarah's POV

I knocked on my father's office door.

“Come in Butterfly ''

I walked in and sat across from my father.

"Good morning, father. You wanted to speak to me?" I asked him with a quizzical look on my face.

"Butterfly, you are turning 18 in six months, and I am certain you will find your mate and blah, blah blah."

We both smirked because we both knew I had no desire to be some little mate. I want to go to university in the fall. Move to the city and live like a normal person for as long as I can. I wanted to be a pack doctor and wanted to make a difference to the ones I love. My father was all for me, traveling and getting a world experience whereas my mother, on the other hand, being the Alpha female that she is thought this adventure was just a waste of time. Always saying,

"Sarah, you're one of the last pure-blooded female Alphas in the realm, going to the city will taint your virtue, and you are destined for the greatest adventure this family has ever seen."

You see, Mother had the gift of foresight and although her visions were vague and spotty at best, she always said the Moon Goddess would come to her in her sleep and tell her stories of how three pure-blood Alphas were destined to produce the first elemental wolves in 500 years. Wolves were charged with saving the supernatural realm from the darkness that seeks to consume its light.

"Butterfly, I would like you to join me in three days to travel to the Sorrento pack for the twins' 18th birthday celebration."

"But father, you know I am not good company when it comes to pack politics and the Sorrento twins... really. One is an arrogant man w***e and the other one is a stuck-up snob who hates everyone. Please, Father, can't I just drink a glass of borax, it would be less painful and 100 times more interesting?"

He laughed and stood up, walking around his desk in my direction. "Butterfly, borax...? Really"

" Yes, Father, at least I won't have to endure the boring and sexist company of those entitled brats. I pity their mates and pray the Moon Goddess spares her the long and monotonous life they are for certain to give them."

" Sarah, I will make you a deal. If you accompany me to this celebration and survive the wrath of the evil twins..." He waves his arms around in a crazy manner while laughing. "... then I will allow you to go to university a month earlier unaccompanied."

"But father... why, why won't my mother be enough company?"

"She will be with the other Luna and I find myself wanting to make as many memories with you as I still can. You're going to be all grown up soon and then my little butterfly will fly away."

I hugged my father as he swung me around in circles as if I was 5 years old again. " Ok Father, I will go but wherever I fly to, you will always be my home."

I stood and headed for the door. I looked at my father, and he smiled at me.

"Sarah... let's not tell your mother about our deal. You know she will not respond well knowing her only daughter is in a big city all alone."

"Yes Father, I know how she feels, but I fear for you if she finds out knowing you allowed it." I smiled and left his office.

"She's going to rip him apart when she finds out," My wolf Rynn says in my head.

“Maybe so, but if I have to dress up and be a lady for the sake of the entitled brats, then she can have him. Besides, I'll be long gone when she finds out."

"Sarah, you know becoming a doctor is an amazing goal to have, but why must we live like the normies, why must we leave our pack?"

"Because Rynn, to become a doctor and get the knowledge, we have to go to college, and we have to see how all forms of life live, heal, and love." Rynn hung her head and retreated into the back of my mind, knowing she could not change my decisions.

I arrived in the foyer to meet my mother and father.

" Good morning mother, good morning father."

"Sarah, what in Goddess's name are you wearing?"

My mother asked as she waved her perfectly manicured hand around.

"My dear, I believe it's called jeans and a sweatshirt."

My mother rolled her eyes and turned to face me. "My darling, I will not allow you to represent this pack dressed as a hoodrat. Now go change into something more fitting of an Alpha."

My father looked at me and mind-linked me to "Butterfly, if you want our deal you need to keep her happy. Please"

I looked at my mother and simply said "Fine mother".

As I stormed off, all I could hear was her scolding my father.

"Why do you enable her to act so unbecoming of an Alpha?"

"Beverly, my dear, she is still just our child. Why not let her be one while she still can be."

"Because, Conner, you know what I've seen. You know she is destined to be mated to an Alpha and what Alpha is going to want our daughter looking like she just went to a neighborhood block party?"

I internally laughed at my mother's reaction because I do like a good cookout. Dressed in a little yellow sundress and my long brown hair pulled up into a messy bun showing off my full back tattoo of the most beautiful blue-ish green butterfly, I sat in the back of my family's limo on the three-hour drive to the Sorrento pack.

The only promising thing about going to the Sorrento pack was, my cousins Drake and Jake were there. Drake was a warrior and Jake was the personal chef to the Alpha family. In the past, Drake would take me to the lake and parties.

.***Flashback***

That’s where I first met the man w***e or, as he is called, Alpha Henry. Most of his friends called him Hank. It was a few years ago, we went to one of their birthday parties.

Drake took me to the after-party at the lake. There was a huge bonfire. Most of the guys were devouring the keg except for Striker. He sat alone just staring into the fire. He has such a serious face for a sixteen-year-old.

"Hello Striker, can I sit here?" I said as I approached him. He nodded, not saying a word.

"Striker!! Brother!!" Henry screamed from the other side of the tree. Henry and his friends Sebastian and Duke rush up on Striker, Henry spilling his beer on Striker.

"Brother, come run with us."

"Come on Striker, we'll give you a head start," Duke says, taunting him.

"Go away... isn't there someone else you can bother?" Striker was not amused.

"Come on bro, you never hang out with us," Warren says.

"Gee, I wonder why? You guys are always trying to get some filthy omega to sleep with me or put me in some kind of position where Father will be mad at me... no, thanks I’m fine right here. Just leave me alone." Striker got up and walked away.

I spent the remainder of the party avoiding the Alpha and his friends. At some point, they find some females to distract them. Henry did not care that he was out in the open while he was balls-deep in someone all too willing to let him.

As I looked for Drake, I stumbled upon a shiny green rock that looked like an emerald. As I bent down to pick it up, I heard someone say,

"You shouldn't wander out here alone, Sarah."

I squealed at the sound of my name. I turned to see Striker staring at me.

"Oh my Goddess, you scared me." I turned toward him and he froze. "I was looking for Drake. Have you seen him?"

"He took Kennedy to the far side of the lake."

"Great, guess I'm walking back by myself. It's getting late, and my mother will not like the fact that I am at this party," I said as I looked around.

"I will walk you back," he said with very little emotion.

"Oh that's not necessary, I'm sure I can find my way back."

He raised his voice while stepping awkwardly close to me. "I told you it wasn't safe for you to be out here by yourself. What, do you want Henry to corner you against some tree while he has his way with you, or worse, some rogue finds you and ..."

" Ok, ok stop ... I get it. And to answer your vivid question, no I don't want that. I actually find Hank quite disgusting. Now would you be so kind as to ensure my safety back to the packhouse?"

He nodded, and we began to walk in the direction of the packhouse.

“What are you holding?" Striker asked, breaking the silence.

I had forgotten about the green stone in my hand. "I don't really know. I think it's some sort of green rock. I found it on the ground back behind the lake."

"Let me see it."

As I went to extend my hand to give him the rock, I tripped on a branch and before I could hit the ground Striker had wrapped his strong arms around me keeping me from getting hurt.

"You need to watch where you're walking, you could have hurt yourself."

"I didn't see it, but thank you."

He stood me up and let me go. It was the first time a boy had touched me and I didn't quite know how to react. Striker and I stood in front of the packhouse staring at one another

"Thank you for your bravery in walking me back safely," I said, and I thought I saw a brief smile on his lips.

"You’re welcome, good night Sarah, please go inside before my brother finds you all alone," Striker said as he turned around and went inside.

***End of Flashback***

That was the last time I saw Striker and Henry. They left for Alpha School after that. My mother's voice drew me out of my daydream.

"Oh look darling, the Sorrentos are waiting to greet us."

"Beverly, you are going to play nice on this trip, aren't you?" My father almost looked worried.

"Of course, my dear Conner, I wouldn't dream of tainting our good name." I think he palmed his forehead and I chuckled. Those two are such opposites.