39.
1170 Words
It had been everything she dreamed of and more was all Gatlin could think when she fell back onto the soft cushioned queen-sized double bed. It was getting late into the night by the time they returned home and despite being exhausted Gatlin had loved every minute of their little excursion. As she laid there staring at the ceiling reliving the wonderful day meeting her professors and seeing the classrooms, she even got to see the dorms and was thankful she got to live with her aunt because they were quite the little cramped rooms it would be like living in the training camp all over again. Her thoughts were interrupted when her phone let out a ring she lifted the device and staring at the screen seeing a text message from Onyx, her eyes widened in surprise in honesty she hadn't expected to hear from him at all but there it was a simple little blue bubble on the screen with three words ‘are you okay?’ Gatlin was perplexed she didn't even know how to respond.
“Gatlin” the phone almost dropped from her grip at the sound of Arro’s voice.
“Goddess, Arro knock” Gatlin huffed a hand clutched to her chest to cover her thundering heartbeat.
Arro couldn't help but chuckle at her reaction as he leaned against the doorway of the room “didn't mean to scare you maybe we should brush up on your keen werewolf instincts” Arro just had to tease her.
“Shutup” Gatlin snatched one of the green throw pillows on the bed and tossed it at him but instead hit the door.
“Need to work on your aim too” he continued to laugh at her expense but Gatlin rolled her eyes before slumping back onto the mattress her slender frame sinking into the soft covers glancing at her phone once more before tossing it onto the mattress.
“What's wrong?” Arro asked his eyebrows drawn together in a frown as he noticed the change in demeanour.
“I'm fine...”
“Clearly” Arro sauntered over his usual careless attitude in place as he dropped down onto the bed beside her “is the pain back you want some tea?”
“I’m okay” she laughed it was always funny how Arro could flip flop in attitude. Gatlin glanced from the corner of her eyes noticing Arro’s gaze on her before she relented with a sigh “Onyx messaged...”
“Ah... Only my cousin could sour the mood huh?” Arro laid back beside her “what did he say?”
“Just asked if I was okay...” Gatlin attempted to shrug it off but it wasn't a subject easily dismissed, it was obvious the situation hung in the air and there wasn't much more to say as usual the reminder of her never-ending ties always lingered.
:::
It was two days before she was starting university that they had a meeting with the new Alpha, she didn't know much about him or the pack but Gatlin was willing to give it a chance after all it was her aunts pack, her fathers old pack, her ex-luna’s old pack all of which were kind and caring wolves surely it would be okay. Nerves however played at her mind though in the past few months everyone in her old pack had been kind barely any had given her much thought since she was a child which over the years just made Gatlin feel unwelcome, unsettled and the pack turning into a place she could never consider a home but something about living with her aunt felt different and Gatlin was certainly hoping for it. “Gatlin Pryce” a deep voice called for her as she sat in the waiting room. The Alpha’s house was even different from the one she grew up in. Sure it was large and grand but it had more of a welcoming appeal.
As Gatlin got up she shot her aunt a nervous smile as Aurella remained seated. If Gatlin was a child her presence would be mandatory but now Gatlin was eighteen she was an adult and most of the time had to handle her affairs. Gatlin stepped into the classically decorated office with a lot of wood and brown leather. An older man sat behind the desk looking around in his fifties maybe almost sixties, thick greying hair neatly combed he suited his office perfectly with his own classic appearance “welcome Miss Pryce, your aunt has gushed relentlessly about you” he greeted with a smile revealing his deepening wrinkles “I already feel like I know you. I'm Alpha Tyas Reid, nice to meet you” he rose from his seat extending his hand for her to take.
Gatlin made her way across the room taking his hand “nice to meet you.”
“Please take a seat” Tyas released the hold on her hand “I just like to meet any new members of the pack so don't worry it's not an interrogation I would just like to know you a little better... I know your aunt, of course, I knew your grandparents and father--”
“Were you Alpha when my father was here?” she couldn't help but ask there had only been her mother to ask about her father before she found out the Luna had grown up with him.
“I was... I've been the Alpha here for thirty-four years now. I saw your father grow up though. You will learn this is quite a close-knit pack there is no one I don't know” he continued still with his friendly demeanour which set Gatlin at ease.
“What was he like my father?”
“He was a good kid and grew up to be a good man. Not every man would stay with a she-wolf just because she was pregnant with his pup if she wasn't his mate you know” his comment wasn't surprising she knew her parents weren't mates after all.
“Did my father find his mate even after my mother was pregnant?” the Alpha gave her a sad smile and the sympathy in his dark eyes didn't go unmissed. Her questioning about her father became obvious and desperate which caused Gatlin to sigh there were so many things she didn't know about the man who supplied half her genes and only a few who could provide the answers.
“Gatlin... Didn't I call you here to discuss you?”
“Yes but... I still know so little about my father” she sighed she hated the look of sympathy but she couldn't help it. Her father was a weak spot.
“As far as I know no he didn't find his mate. He was a great man, Gatlin that's what you should know” Gatlin nodded her head she didn't agree but it was obvious the Alpha didn't want to speak about her father “alright now please tell me about yourself?”
(Authors Note)
(Do you think Gatlin should have love interest?)
- Writer
