The Red Diamond Dragon

Real Friends?

Madeline

I followed the directions to the famous Guardians Pack, I had some concerns about my car making the trip, it was getting old and worn but I was not allowed to travel with the family or pack. I wasn’t upset about it, at least I would have my car if I was able to make an escape. Since I had time to dwell on the information I had overheard, I bounced between fear and anger. The primary emotion was becoming anger which was fueling me to decide before the end of the mating ball. I realized there may be no way for me to return to the pack, not that I really needed to for anything I left behind. I arrived at the tall ornate iron gates noting the cameras on either side, fancy, I thought seeing it all. I opened my car door and stepped out since the window did not always roll back up once it was down. The patrol guard politely greeted me and asked for my pack and name, he flashed me with a dimpled smile before marking my name off the list and motioning me on. I wasn’t sure how that felt for a moment, it was almost like he was flirting but that couldn’t be, I am sure they were polite and friendly to all the packs arriving. The same thing happened when I arrived at the pack house, a young warrior offered to park my car, and another escorted me to my room while carrying my suitcase. They were all so very friendly, I thought as I set my suitcase down near the closet and hung my dress, I did not dare unpack or choose a bed since I knew I was sharing a room with Jessica and that would only cause a fight. I walked back to the packhouse where people were mingling. The patrol warrior from earlier must have recently changed shifts since I saw him walk in as well. He approached me and offered to show me around, I politely accepted hating the idea of getting lost and ending up somewhere I was not supposed to, I did not want to offend the pack my Alpha was trying so hard to impress. I learned his name was Liam and he introduced me to several others; all were so nice and friendly that I found myself laughing and having a good time. I wondered if this was what it was like to be fully accepted. I had never known since our pack members were discouraged from being too friendly with those of us who were deemed st the bottom of the barrel so to speak. I smiled and listened to how hopeful they were about finding their mates. Several of them were older like I was, I’m not old by any means but most werewolves mated and had kids young so at 29 I was single longer than most. I had never really held out hope of finding a mate like all these people had. While we were talking, I had several men ask me to save them a dance at the ball. I feel like they were kind to include me. They were all extremely large warriors who I am sure could have any girl at the ball to dance with.

We ate a light lunch outside by the orchard trees near the packhouse. This was the freest I had ever felt. It was perfect until a dark cloud descended over me. Jessica stood glaring down at where I was sitting on the grass near Liam and the others. "What the hell are you even doing out here in civilized company and eating like that? You know better, Mother would be so disappointed in you breaking your diet."

I stood quietly excusing myself while the others looked on in shocked silence, setting my plate in a nearby garbage can I quickly exited the area. I would have gone to the room but did not want to face Jessica if she came in, so I went behind the building. I sat with my back against the stones staring out into the forest along the mountainside. My joy for that brief time I would cherish but now the pain of knowing I would be nothing next time I saw them all hurt. Jessica would tell them what I was or rather what I was not. The pain wasn't worth it, never really was. Kyra was my only true friend, her don't give a f*ck attitude allowed her to see past what everyone said about me. I leaned back wanting to cry but holding it back. Tears did nothing, I wish I had an escape from reality. I usually found my escape in books making use of the local library. I wish I had brought something with me but didn’t want to risk a book being lost if I found my escape. How silly of me to worry about a single book from the library.

I heard a motion to the side of me turning my head. I saw Liam standing there looking disappointed. Of course, he would be, I essentially lied not telling them I was wolfless. He quietly sat next to me.

"Are you alright?" His soothing voice washed over me with...... concern.

I felt uncertainty roll through me as I looked at him not saying anything.

"Look, I don't know who that b**ch was, but she had no right to treat you that way or interrupt a group of warriors in a hosting pack." He said and I felt confused, he wasn't being mean. Did she not tell them about me, I'm sure she would have.

"She’s, my stepsister," I whispered.

"Oh, wow. None of us would have guessed that from how she was acting." He said, rubbing his hand on the back of his neck.

"I can't shift," I said, once again in a whisper.

"So? What does that have to do with anything?" he asked sounding genuinely confused.

"Everything," I stated.

"Uh, look I don't know how things work in your pack but no one here cares what you can or cannot shift into. Our Beta Female is a non-shifter. One of our war generals is a mixed-shifting wolf, our Top War General is a Bear/Dragon Hybrid, and my best friend is a fox who travels constantly. Oh, and our resident seer witch is a vampire." he said chuckling softly.

"I'm fat." I don't know why I voiced my insecurities out loud like that.

"I don't know if I should laugh or shake you. Half the guys are already in love with you and wagering on being your mate. " He said in a serious tone.

I looked at him in disbelief, opening and closing my mouth a couple of times, not sure the words I needed.

"Don't listen to that b*t*h stepsister of yours. I'm telling you she is jealous. Want to come to the waterfall with us? We were planning on spending time there before dinner." He stood holding his hand out to help me up. I looked at his hand unsure. "Don't make me beg or lose a bet with Jax about bringing you back. Meg wants to hang out with you more too." He started listing off the people I had met.

"Ok" I quietly agreed pushing myself up before grabbing his hand not wanting to put my weight on him."

"Good, let's go they are meeting us on this side of the pack." I followed him around the building into the trees seeing the group waiting for us.

"Yay," Meg cheered putting her arm around me and laughing as the guys ran ahead. She reminded me of Kyra but much calmer.

"You need to finish telling me about the book series you recommended. Don't hold out on me, I need some spicy romance to get me through the long nights." She laughed. She was beautiful, I can't imagine her having a shortage of men. She caught me looking at her and laughed again.

"I don't date often, being a warrior makes most of these goofballs more like brothers to me and I really want to find my mate." She explained. We talked while sitting and watching the boys run around. I felt peace settle in again, maybe I could confide in Meg she may know a way to help me. I still wasn't quite ready to trust so I would wait and see how the next couple of days went.

The walk back was nice listening to the trees rustle in the breeze. I heard one of the guys, Jax, call out "Where do the odds sit?"

"Three-to-one odds favor Xander of course," Liam called back.

"What is that all about?" I asked Meg.

"Every full moon we all place bets on who gets mated. Xander is our previous Alpha and Johnathan is our Top War General and previous Beta. The odds always favor Xander to find a mate because he is a pure wolf whereas Johnathan is a Hybrid. No disrespect, just wolves tend to find mates more often than other species." She explained. “I placed my bet on Johnathan, he is such a good man, like a giant teddy bear.”

Liam ran up behind us, putting an arm around each of our shoulders. I was tall, 6ft but felt average height with these warriors being so tall.

"What we should be placing bets on is which sl*ts are going to throw themselves at those two hunky men!" Liam laughed.

"That's easy, most of them. My bet is that sleazy stepsister of yours makes a pass at one or both men." Jax said joining us.

I laughed. "She has mentioned both when talking to her friends this week. I just didn't realize who they were until you explained it."

Meg rolled her eyes. "It's cringe to watch the way women are around those two. I feel bad, they are both good men who lost their mates years ago and spend most of their time training children now."

"Don't forget they still make time to beat our asses on the training field, neither of those men are teddy bears don’t lie to our new friend." Jax laughed.

"That's sad they both lost their mates. You all seem to genuinely care about them." I noted.

"We do, our pack is a family," Meg said matter of fact. I wonder what that is like? I pondered as we continued.

Meg walked me back to my room waiting for me to quickly clean up and change. She said she wasn't leaving me alone with that harpy sister of mine if she showed up.

We walked to her cabin, and I waited for her to change looking at pictures that littered the walls. I could see their group of friends had all grown up together since there were pictures of them as children. "Jax and Liam are actually my cousins." She said walking in and seeing me looking at the pictures. "The rest of those goofballs are friends. I really hope their mates turn out to be awesome so we can all stay friends."

"I hope that's true for you all. " I smiled at her.

"They are all hoping you are mated to one of them, so you stay here. You have made quite an impression you know?" I looked down not knowing what to say.

She sighed, taking my hand leading me out of the cabin. "We will work on this sh*t confidence of yours." She said leaving no room for argument.