The Alpha's Lie

Chapter 5-Replanted Hope

Selene's POV

I stand on shaky legs, taking a deep breath as I try to steady my racing heart. Miss Amelia's advice echoes in my mind: push your emotions aside. But right now, that feels impossible. I need to be strong. I need to hold myself together long enough to escape Oak Fur alive. Looking around, I realize that besides Simon, I have no one left here. I open my eyes, allowing a strange calm to wash over me, and I get to work.

“David said we have room in our trailer for a bed for you. Do you want us to take yours apart?” Miss Amelia’s voice startles me as she walks into the room, and I drop the tape gun in surprise. She quickly bends down to pick it up, her brow knitted with concern. “No. I don’t want my bed; it’s too small for me now,” I manage to whisper, taking the tape gun back with shaking hands.

She nods, her gaze scanning the empty room. It lingers on my parents’ bed—something I haven’t dared touch since they died. The thought of losing them forever weighs heavily on my chest, but it stings less when Miss Amelia suggests, “How about we bring theirs, then? It’ll add another piece of them to your new life.” Her grin, wide and comforting, softens my heart a little, even if just for a moment.

A warmth spreads through me as I beam back at her. I love this idea and agree immediately. Together, we move through the house one last time, lingering in rooms filled with countless memories. In the garage, I spy remnants of my mother—her seed packets tucked away, waiting for spring. I can’t help but wonder where I’ll plant her beloved lilac bush. “I loaded her potted plants into the bed of your pickup truck. I told David he has to dig up her lilac bush before we leave; I refuse to leave that beautiful bush for these goddess-forsaken wolves,” Miss Amelia grumbles.

At her words, I burst into laughter—a sound that feels foreign yet freeing. It lifts my spirits as I double over, realizing how desperately I needed this moment of joy amid my overwhelming grief. A sense of relief washes over me, and I glance at Miss Amelia, whose brow still knots with concern. Maybe I am losing it, but laughing feels better than crying right now.

“We will not let them have your parents’ hard work,” David's voice cuts through my laughter as he appears in the garage doorway. His two pups, Lace and Henry, peek out from behind him. I can’t resist opening my arms as they rush in for a hug, and my heart swells with warmth. “Daddy told us what happened. You deserve better,” eight-year-old Lace states earnestly, her sincerity wrapping around me like a warm blanket. I smile through the tears that threaten to spill, and Henry bounces on his feet with boundless energy, exclaiming his excitement about this new adventure. That joy seeps into my heart like sunlight through clouds. Adam, David's fourteen-year-old son, stands quietly beside his father, his gaze steady and supportive.

“So, are we all packed?” David asks, wrapping his arms around Miss Amelia, who offers him a soft smile. “We are. Selene and I did a final count of what we’re taking, so I’ll show you what to move.”

With a shared sense of determination, we all dive in. The six of us work tirelessly to load my belongings into the trailer hitched to my truck. David mentions how Miss Amelia cared for my wounds while I was unconscious, and gratitude blooms deep within me. We spend three long hours packing away my life, the last item being my mother’s wedding dress. As I stow it carefully in the cabin of my truck, tears prick my eyes at the thought of leaving behind such precious memories.

Time slips away, and my thoughts drift to Simon. He’s been like a brother to me, and I recall the years we spent together with Marcus. A pang of sorrow gnaws at my heart. I write him a letter, pouring my feelings into the words to explain why I had to leave so suddenly. I tuck the deed to my house inside, knowing how much it will mean to him. I trust Simon to take good care of my childhood home.

A heaviness settles in when David asks, “We have three hours left before the deadline. Do you want to say goodbye to anyone?” I close the door to my childhood home for what feels like the last time, leaving it unlocked. “No. As far as I’m concerned, the pack turned their backs on me. I left a letter for Simon, and I told him I’ll reach out when I get a new phone number,” I reply, trying to sound strong, even as doubts gnaw at my heart.

The truth weighs heavily on me—the pack abandoned me when I became an orphan. In my darkest moments, only the five wolves leaving with me and Simon showed they cared. Even Marcus seemed too lost in his own life to check on me.

“Good. Let’s go.” David’s voice offers a sense of purpose, cutting through my melancholy thoughts. Lace looks up at me, her innocent excitement shining like a beacon. It reminds me that new beginnings can spark hope, even in the darkest times. When she asks if she can ride with me, I smile and agree, feeling that her childlike enthusiasm might distract me from the ache of loss.

After making sure she's buckled in, I slide into the driver’s seat of my trusted Ford. The weight of everything I’m leaving behind presses down on me like a heavy cloak. “Any music requests?” I ask, turning to Lace, who’s bouncing in her seat with eagerness.

“Something happy!” she replies, her eyes shining with excitement as I reach for the playlist I’ve created over the years. I press play, and the familiar melodies fill the cabin, their bright notes rising to meet the heavy air.

As I drive away, I steal a glance in the rearview mirror at Oak Fur, the place that holds both my best and worst memories. The trees begin to blur into the background, and I focus on the road ahead. New beginnings shimmer faintly on the horizon, like distant stars waiting for the night to fold into dawn—filled with anticipation, hope, and the promise of brighter days ahead.