Promise of the Wolf

Exhale out, and keep your eye on the batter. I lifted my arm to throw the smooth baseball in my hand. I took a deep breath in and slowly let it out before I threw the ball, aiming for the catcher. Something I’ve done for so long, and I already know the batter won’t hit it, and we will win the championship game. Everything seems like it’s in slow motion when the ball reaches for the first base, and the catcher reaches for the ball. “Strike 3,” the umpire yells. That was when I knew. My teammates started after me out of the dugout, and I gave them a wide toothy smile. We had just won the championship. It's my last championship before graduation. “Viki, we won!” Says Ajae. “I’m proud of you, Callum,” adds the coach. My eyes water in pure joy. “You just made it possible for us to go further; are you ready for that journey?” Coach keeps on. I look at him. “What? Like regionals and nationals?!” I ask. I walk into the coach's office after we get back to the school. “ so.. yes, Viki, we will be going to regionals, but it won’t be till after grad.” he explains. My heart falls, and I feel my stomach twist. “Which means I can’t play?” I ask him, concerned. Baseball has been my life since I was 4. My dad would bring me out to batting cages and the fields. We started a journey to go to every Major League Baseball field ever. Coach looks at me, chewing his gum. “ no,” he says, deadpan. “Because you got us this far, you have to play still. As long as you are willing to play still when they happen,” he sits in his chair and watches me. “ there are a few other teams still playing before regionals start. Graduation should be before or after they start,” he continues. “I thought you just said they are after?” I ask him. “I want you to prepare in case the games are after. That way, you can still be at the practices after graduation,” he replies. “You can go home now, Viki, and take this with you,” he says, handing me a giant gold trophy and pin. I put the plug on my hat immediately. “Yes, sir,” I answer back. I get up and walk to the locker room. I shower and get dressed in my clothes before the game. I start walking to the cave I’ve been living in. My father died in an accident about a year ago, and nobody would take me or help me stay in the house. New pack members pushed me out of the house as soon as the new pack members came. I took a bunch of stuff with me and made sure to grab all the emergency cash my dad stored around the house before I left. I wasn’t rich, but I made it through, but my cash funds were getting low. “All pack members, please report to the Rec center” I got a mind link from the Alpha Lewis. I sighed. “ Great, now what!?” I huffed. I put my belongings in the private part of the cave and began my walk to the pack rec center. After I got there, I stood a little ways away from the pack and stared at the ground. I had already lost all my friends within the pack. The occasional people would talk to me, but other than that, I distanced myself, and they stayed away. Alpha Lewis only made us join the rec center only for certain occasions: alphas coming to our territory, beginning the mandatory pack runs or meetings, or for the mating ceremonies that were somehow also mandatory. I used to be best friends with his son, but he stopped being friends with me when we were younger. We had an argument over which Transformer would be a better baseball player. I said Bumblebee because he was yellow, and it’s my favorite color. I was supposed to agree with him. Alpha Lewis stood on the stage, looking at all of us. He smiled like he was happy to see an audience like he was on tour. “I have an announcement to make,” Lewis says, still smiling. He puts his hands together and rests them in front of his upper stomach. “ Alpha Tristen McCallister will be here in a few hours,” he explains, making eye contact with everyone. “ he may be here even sooner. So with that, we need to work together and clean up nicely. I also want to congratulate our girl's baseball team.” He says as he stares at me. “ that should be all for the time being; now let’s get to work!” He says. Alpha Lewis walks up to me as the last few people are leaving, and I am gathering the thing I set on the ground. I looked up at him as he got closer. “Hello, sir,” I say politely. “Viki,” he addresses me. “Congrats on getting the girls' baseball team to the next level,” he says. “Thank you, sir,” I reply to him. “ I want you on the team to help Alpha Tristen. Make sure he gets everything he needs or wants. That means I’ll need your number since nobody knows how to get ahold of you.” He gives me a look. “ that’s because I don’t want to be gotten ahold of or found. I will come here when needed. I know when I’m not needed.” I say quickly. “ it’s not like I didn’t have a house I was pushed out of after father passed or anything,” I remind him gently. “ you got pushed out of that house?” He asks with a confused look. “ I was informed at the time you wanted nothing to do with it after I instructed that nobody was to mess with that house,” he continues looking angry. “ where have you been staying all this time then? You look like you’ve also lost weight?” “ why would you care so much? I was told it was under your order for the newer pack members. I was told nobody wanted me around. And yes, I have lost weight. I live in a cave, and I don’t get much food.” I angrily say, not realizing my voice is getting louder. He looks at me, stunned. “Viki. I would never have if I.. “ alpha Lewis stutters out. He’s speechless. Maybe it has to do with the fact he and my dad used to be super close. I used to call him uncle Lewis before he became the alpha. I stare at him a bit longer and then turn and storm out. I didn’t realize I was holding my breath or that I had tears staining my cheeks. I walk up along the driveway to the rec center and pack house. I stop and hold my hands up to my face to stop the tears. Suddenly I hear a vehicle stop in front of me. I look at its sleek black side and dark-tinted windows. I hope that’s not Alpha Tristen. I hear a rock behind me, and I turn to look and see Alpha Lewis. “Hey, are you okay?” Says a man from the back seat of the SUV in front of me. Panic starts to set in, and I look in both directions at the alphas. My heart starts to race, and before I can decide, I bolt for my cave. I was hoping nobody was following me; I didn't want to look behind me. I got to the shelter, slowing my breathing down. I sat on the cave floor and leaned against the cool wall. When I heard footsteps coming closer to the cave entrance, I started to hold my breath. “ Viki? Are you in here?” I listened to the voice call for me. “ you can talk to me; I'd like to help. Please, if you would let me.” I looked down at the floor and had mixed feelings. “ please leave Alpha Tristen,” I begged. “ I want no more problems from anybody anymore,” I continued. “Babe, that's not happening with me, trust me,” he replied. He was suddenly beside me. “ is this where you stay?” he asks. I nod my head as tears fill my eyes. He gently wipes them from my face and pulls my face up to look at him. “ baby, nobody should be living like this. What happened to your parents and your house? How long have you been out here.” he asks me, looking very concerned. I put my hand over his that's still on my face. “Why are you calling me that? Why do I feel a pull towards you, and why are there electric shocks between us?” I asked in reply. He gives me a small smile. He looks at me, and I notice he keeps looking at my lips. “we're mates, my love. If you would, please let me take you home.” he responds. My eyes widen, and I finally understand why I have this weird attraction to him. “ how can I tell you are my mate when I haven't got my wolf? My birthday isn't for another month or so,” I ask him. “ I also can't go anywhere. I have graduation, and I also have the championship games” I started to get irritated thinking of it. “ I don't understand!” I raise my voice a little. “ baby, baby, calm down. Let's get through one thing at a time. I can stay here for a little while until those are finished. For now, let's gather your things, and you can come back to the suite with me.” he says as he rubs his thumb over my cheek, and I lean into it. I nod and get up and go to the secret part of the cave where all my belongings are. I pick up the bags and turn towards him before I go to a spot and grab another bag. As of right now, anything is better than this cave, and if he's right that we are mates, I would rather be with him and not here where everything gets soaked. “ I'm ready,” I say as I walk to the cave entrance. “Is this all of your things?” he asked, concerned. “ yes, Alpha Tristen, it is. I don't have much since being kicked out of my house by new pack members. I guess Alpha Lewis is now just finding out about it as well,” I say. “ call me Tristen, please. And let me carry some of that.” he grabs a few bags I'm carrying. “Did you say new pack members kicked you out of your house”? He asks with a growl. I tell him the story as we continue to walk to the pack house. I bite my lip as I look at him and wait for his response. I'm suddenly against a tree. Tristen's close to my face with his own. “ I should be the only one biting that baby,” he says in a husky voice. He leans in closer. “Unless you want me to take you here and now.” he takes his thumb and pulls gently on my lip from between my teeth. My heart is beating fast from having him this close to me. He lets go of me, and he looks like he's trying to keep in control of not only himself but his wolf. I grab his hand, hoping it'll calm him. He looks at me, and we continue to walk. “ you said your birthday is in a month or two?” he asks, trying to distract himself. “Yes, it's May 26,” I smile. “ so it's very close.” we reach the pack house, and he takes me to his room for guest alphas. I didn't realize I was tired until I put my stuff down and sat on the couch in the small living room. Each of the alpha rooms is like a mini apartment. I had asked uncle Lewis about it once before, and he said it's how he had redesigned the pack house. He had it completely remodeled after parts of it started to fall apart. I curl myself up on the couch and watch Tristen make a few calls. He looks at me and smiles before I smile back and close my eyes. When I wake up, I'm in bed, and I look around. Everything is dark. I gently tiptoe to the bathroom. When I come back out, I notice the balcony door is open. Tristen is leaning against the railing in just a pair of black sweats. I walk up beside him. “Hey,” I say softly. “Hey beautiful, what are you doing up?” he smiles and pulls me into a hug. “I needed to use the restroom. How come you're awake?” I ask as I lean my head against his chest. We haven't known each other that long, and I already feel like I've known him my whole life, and it feels good to be in his arms. “ I have a lot on my mind; how bout we get you back to bed. I'm pretty sure you still have school tomorrow.” he kisses the top of my head and leads me back to the bed. He pulls me in close after he makes sure the blanket covers me. “ I hope you know this is where you belong from now on” he nuzzled his face into my hair. “ I know. And I feel like you won't let me be anywhere else.” I say as I fall back asleep. A few hours later, my alarm went off, and I quickly shut it off to not wake Tristen. I get in the shower and get dressed, and walk out to the kitchen to start breakfast. A bit later, I feel a set of arms wrap around me. “Is this why you're up now?” A groggy voice says. I turn in Tristen's arms. “ it is. I made coffee, and bacon is almost done." I point to the kitchen table where I placed a plate of pancakes and a plate of eggs. “ a woman after my stomach gets to my heart,” he teases. He grabs his cup of coffee and sits at the table. I bring the bacon over and put food on my plate. Tristen does the same and takes a big heaping bite. “ mmm,” he rolls his eyes and lets go of his fork. “ you cook for me every day like this, and I’ll end up the happiest fat alpha ever,” he says. I giggle at his reaction to my cooking. We sit there, eat, and then I clean up the table and put everything in the sink while Tristen gets a shower and gets dressed. “ baby, you're gonna be late to school if we don’t get going” “ okay,” I grab my phone and my baseball and school bags. We walk out to his SUV, and he drives me, himself to school. “ I heard a week left for the seniors here at this school” “ yup, just some final grades and graduation and focusing on baseball,” I say. He pulls up to the school entrance. “ I hope you have a good day, baby. I put my number in your phone, and if you need anything, call me,” he says as I unbuckle myself. “ I will. And how did you get into my phone?” I ask and look at my phone. My lock screen that once was of a random picture was now of him. “Did you do this?” I ask, not knowing how to feel. “ I did, baby. Now you better get in there before you're late.” He reaches over and kisses my temple. And I open the door and get out. “ bye,” I say after I grab my bags. I walk up the walkway that still has a few students walking toward the school entrance. I turn around and see Tristen is still there. I smile and give a small wave before slipping into the building. I go to my locker, and once I open it, it suddenly shuts. “ what the hell!?” I yell out loud. “I heard you are telling lies about us taking your house.” a voice beside me says. “I don't know what you're talking about at all. Leave me alone I have to get to class.” I shut my locker and walked away from the voices. I'm suddenly pushed into more lockers and surrounded by a couple more of the newer pack members whose names I haven't gotten. “ DON'T walk away from me. I get angry when. People walk away from me,” he says. I look up at him. “ okay and?” I say with a bored tone to my voice. I tried to walk away again, but they slammed into the lockers and punched me. I scream. “ dumbasses. I don't know what you are talking about,” I say. I get a couple more punches to my body. Before the group walks to their classes, I run to mine. With tears in my eyes, I sit in the back of my class and get my phone out. I found Tristen's number. Please come to me. I don't want to be here.. Please, I beg you. I sent the text. I wait for him to text me back. What's wrong, baby? You seemed okay just a minute ago. He responds. Please, Tristen, I don't want to be here any longer. I beg him. I'm on my way, baby. The class starts a few minutes later. “ Viki Callum, please. report to the office.” I feel relieved. I get a few aww's, and what did you do's. I walk to the office, and I pass a.few of my teammates. “Oh goddess, what happened, Viki,” they ask. “ I'll tell you later at practice. I have to go,” I tell Them. I walk Into the office and see Tristen. “ baby, what happened?” he asks, looking at my face. I start to tear up, and he pulls me into a hug, and I start to bawl my eyes out. “ shhh baby it's okay,” he says soothingly. He goes to move, and I grab his shirt tightly. He puts his hands on my thighs and lifts me, and he carries me to the SUV. When we get back to the pack house, I sit on the couch in our room. I lift my shirt, so I'm only in my sports bra. “ where are they?” he growls.” They are the new pack members that took my house. I’ll call uncle Lewis and let him know” he looks at me confused “ uncle Lewis? I thought you had no family baby” he lifts an eyebrow. “ I don’t , Alpha Lewis was my dads best friend” I told him. He crouched in front of me and gently ran his hands over the bruises. I wrap my arms around his neck. I put my forehead against his “ Just promise me you won't ever leave me?” I ask. “I promise." he replies.