Her Chosen Mate

Chapter 7 - The Girl from the Woods

Lucy looked around the hallway at the scores of teenagers filing out of their various classes. The bell had only just rang; but the hall was already filled to capacity. There was no sign of Brea though; she had practically stormed out of Chemistry class and she hadn’t been seen since. Lucy let out a sigh before attempting to slip seamlessly through the gaps in each of the groups that had suddenly taken over the entire hallway. She just couldn't get Brea out of her head. Something seemed so familiar about her; but Lucy knew for a fact that she had never seen her before in her life; she would have definitely remembered. Brea McIntosh was not someone that was easy to forget. At five feet, nine inches she was the picture of elegance. Her statuesque figure belonged on the cover of Sports Illustrated, her long black hair shimmered in the light and her piercing emerald green eyes could probably see into your soul. She was gorgeous and by the way she carried herself, she definitely knew it. Lucy couldn't compare to that; she was five seven, blonde with blue eyes; hardly anything special.

“How come you aren’t in any of my classes?” 

Lucy jumped as an arm suddenly slid over her shoulder. She turned to look up at the familiar face of her brother. “I don’t know, I thought you forgot about us little people.”

“Oh come on Lucy I haven’t made the team yet,” he smiled. “Give me until next week, you’ll have to be reminding me who you are.”

Lucy gave Derrick a hard smack on the shoulder.

“Ouch! Be careful Luc. You don’t want to scratch the merchandise,” he winked.

She rolled her eyes and snorted in mock disgust. “Honey those goods are expired.”

“Hater!” Derrick retorted. “So will you be coming to tryouts? You know you’re my good luck charm.”

“Since when?”

“Since yesterday,” he smiled at her. “Tyler has a crush on you.”

“You know I’m not into guys.”

“I know…But he doesn’t. Plus it would amuse me to see him try.”

“You are sadistic,” she laughed.

“So are you coming?” Derrick gave her his puppy dog eyes and she did her best not to laugh. She had no idea how girls fell for that.

“Sure,” she replied scanning the hallway again for signs of Brea. Lucy felt overcome by disappointment. She didn’t know what it was but there was something intriguing about her. Could this be a crush? She didn’t even know if Brea liked girls, she would have to find out from Tina later.

“Well come on little sister, let’s go,” urged Derrick, practically pushing her down the hallway.

“Little sister?” She raised an eyebrow at him.

“Are you conveniently forgetting that I was born first?”

“Only because I kicked your ass out of the womb” she retorted.

“How rude?”

“I try,” she smiled mischievously.

Lucy joined the rest of the girls on the stands watching the football tryouts. Derrick was not joking about Tyler. He seemed to be playing extra hard, stopping every now and then to make sure she was looking, it was almost laughable. "I think Tyler likes me," she heard one girl behind her tell her friend. Lucy smiled and breathed a sigh of relief; she would have been embarrassed had anyone noticed that she was actually the target of his affections. It took over an hour before tryouts ended and another thirty minutes for Derrick to actually leave. By the time they got back to the car Brea was the last thing on Lucy’s mind. She needed a shower and a bed after the day she had.

……………….

Caleb exited the building to find his sister leaning against his car.

“Can I bum a ride?” she asked.

“Where have you been?” he asked, not even bothering to answer her question.

“I went for a run,” replied Brea, getting into the passenger seat.

“So why didn’t you run your butt home while you were at it?” asked Caleb as he gunned the ignition.

Brea gave her brother an annoyed look as she pondered how to broach the subject.

“I saw that girl again, the one from the woods,” she stated flatly.

“Where?” he asked

“Today at school. I saw her in the cafeteria, then again in my chemistry class,” she did her best to sound nonchalant.

“And?”

“And what?”

“Did she recognize you?” asked Caleb.

“You can’t be serious,” replied Brea. “Do you really think she’s gonna look at me and figure out that I turn into a hundred and fifty pound wolf?”

“I supposed you’re right,” he admitted.

“The strangest thing happened though,” she stared out the window as she remembered her reaction to Lucy. 

“Yeah?”

“It’s like, I couldn’t think straight. I don’t know,” she shook her head as if she thought that would clear her mind. “Her name is Lucy by the way. I think she just transferred in.”

Caleb brought the car to a screeching halt and Brea had to brace to prevent her head from hitting the dashboard. “What?!”

“Dude I could have been hurt,” Brea complained.

“That’s why you should wear a seatbelt,” responded Caleb. “The girl from the woods is Lucy Hayle?”

“Ummm yeah I think that’s her name. You know her?”

“Her brother just joined the football team,” he replied.

“She’s cute don’t you think?”

“Don’t even think about it Brea. Father would have a fit.”

“Only if he finds out,” she replied. “I’m not sure but I think we might have a connection.”

“Look, all I know is I smell trouble,” declared Caleb as he pressed the gas again.

Brea thought for a moment about Lucy, she was the most beautiful girl she had ever seen. The perfect combination of innocence and maturity. Her doe like eyes were an ocean blue that Brea couldn’t help but get lost in. Her long blonde hair was almost waist length and Brea could imagine herself running her fingers all the way through. Her petite body had the loveliest of curves, it was a shame it was hidden under that unflattering outfit.

Brea could feel her wolf stir at the thought of peeling back all those layers. She needed to see what was underneath. Her pulse quickened and she was sure her brother could hear her heartbeat rise. She made a quick glance out the corner of her eye; but for the most part he was pretending not to notice. She was so relieved when he finally pulled up to the house that she almost jumped out of the car before it came to a complete stop.

“How come you’re in such a hurry?!” Caleb yelled after her.

“I have a lot to do, thanks for the ride!” she yelled back over her shoulder as she dashed into the house.

She headed straight for her bedroom and quickly closed the door behind her, grateful that no one was around to delay her. She needed to get herself under control immediately. Brea threw her bag on the floor and sat down at her desk, hoping that homework would take her mind off of Lucy. Maybe focusing on something else would quell some of the urges she was having.

She had just finished the last of her homework when she heard a knock at her door. She opened the door to find Caleb standing there, his expression carefully neutral.

“Father wants to see you,” he stated, before turning to head in the direction of her father’s office.

Brea followed her brother down to the office; where her father was already waiting.

“Brea.”

“Father.”

“Have a seat.”

Brea took the seat opposite her father. “What’s this about?”

“Your brother tells me you saw that girl again,” informed Matias; he was never one to beat around the bush. “He also said that you might have feelings for her.”

Brea shot her brother an accusing look. She should have known Caleb would not keep a secret from their father.

“Father it’s not-.”

“Stay away from her. Humans have no place in our world and giving them even a glimpse can lead to no good.”

“But father there is something different about her. I can feel it.”

“It is not permitted Brea. I forbid it,” Matias’s words were cold and harsh; but he knew his daughter. If Brea thought there was any room for compromise she would never let the matter rest. “Do you understand me?” 

The atmosphere was tense; Matias McIntosh was not a man to be trifled with, neither as a father nor an alpha.

“Yes father,” she managed to say, hanging her head in defeat.

“Good. Now that that’s settled; if you will excuse me I have business to attend to,” Matias’s eyes never left his children as they exited his office. If they only knew all the things he had to protect them from in this world.

The door had no sooner closed behind them, than Brea turned her attention to her traitorous brother.

Caleb knew it was coming, he expected it; but he still did his best to avoid his sister’s piercing green eyes.

“You snitch,” Brea pointed at her brother accusingly.

“Look it’s for the best,” Caleb defended.

“Shut up! Don’t pretend like you have my best interest at heart. You’re always running back to father.”

“Look Brea-.”

“Forget it Caleb. This means war,” she cut him off and stormed out of the room.

..............

“So I take it you made the team?” asked Tim as he heaped more mashed potatoes onto his plate.

“Yup, Caleb said I had it in the bag,” replied Derrick.

“Atta boy,” smiled Tim. “How about you honey? How was your day?”

“Fine,” Lucy gave her father a weak smile.

“Did you make any new friends?” he pressed.

“Not really.”

“Yes you did, that girl Tina followed you around all day,” interjected Derrick.

“Only because she likes you,” retorted Lucy.

“That’s not true,” replied her brother.

“Yes it is. Is mom coming down?” Lucy didn’t like using her mother as a scapegoat; but she really needed to take the focus off of herself. There was no way she was going to tell her family she had a crush on her first day. Derrick would never let her hear the end of it.

“Not tonight hun. She’s not really feeling well today,” her father’s tone was suddenly solemn.

“I was really hoping her mood would last,” said Lucy.

“Me too hun,” replied her father.

“May I be excused? I have to finish my homework.”

At her father’s nod Lucy left the dinner table and headed upstairs. She could hear quiet sobs as she passed by her parents’ room. Her heart clenched; but she knew better than to bother her mother when she was having an episode. Her mother was never like this before. She had always been a mild mannered woman; but she also used to be full of life, especially when it came to spending time with her children. Everything had been perfect until that dreadful night. Lucy felt a shiver run down her spine as the memory of that night surfaced. She had never been so scared in her life. She hadn’t even been scared for herself as much as she had been for her mother. That night was a traumatic experience that she would have to live with for the rest of her life.