Dark Moon

ChapterSix

Inara was looking forward to summer and being able to spend more time with Brandon, but it was short-lived. Within weeks of summer starting, the Gamma male ended it with Inara. She was devastated and confused and sought to hide and bury the feeling. She once more turned to Corbin. Corbin and she were getting along decently, and he was being a little more caring to her interests this time around.

When they moved in July, John was very adamant about getting everything moved from his old home to their new home. Everything had been packed over a week's time, and John had rented a U-haul the day of moving. Corbin and a good male friend of his came to help. Overall, many others helped with the move, even some acquaintances of Cheryline's. One had a son she had continued to help guide and train even after he left her grade. This was because Cheryline had a soft spot for the needy and weaker members of the pack.

John was keen on having the move only take one day. So Inara, Corbin, Corbin's friend Mike, and the strange boy worked hard. Inara didn't really recall the kid's name, but she was kind to him as he followed her around and constantly wanted to assist Inara in what she was doing. He was around her age, and Inara instantly knew something was off with him without being told. He was socially awkward, and later, she learned he was mainly homeschooled. His parents didn't want him picked on and bullied, so they kept him mostly at home, and Cheryline would check in on him to make sure he was on par with the students in his grade. With this new information, Inara understood him better.

Later that day, Corbin approached her after the strange werewolf, Alexander, left. He growled that he wanted her to stay away from Alexander. Inara was instantly annoyed with his demand and found his insecurity off-putting to her. After sneering at Corbin momentarily, she dismissed his concerns to his dismay.

Corbin and Inara spent the majority of their relationship via phone calls. They lived so far away from one another now, and they both were more into their own interests. Inara was outgrowing Corbin; she only had him as a way of having someone. An odd sense of security knowing someone wanted her but finding that she really didn't need nor want him.

Before summer ended, Inara finally got her temps to start practicing driving, and with that, Cheryline also convinced John to get cell phones. Inara was excited to have her first cell phone. A fun little flip phone.

The first day of being at the Wind Runner High School was intimidating. The whole pack was here, not just one pack. Inara did her best to observe and, where possible, try and say something in hopes of making friends and acquaintances; however, the pack's social etiquette and hierarchy were hard to decipher. There were no clear ranking groups like there were back in Still Water and Crimson Moon. Inara was overwhelmed, and when it came time for lunch, the breaking point was reached. She realized her father forgot to provide lunch money, and she went to the office to call him. He was angry and annoyed; he could not resolve the issue and told her, 'Tough luck.'

Inara immediately went to the bathroom and broke down crying for several minutes. It was the first time she had ever cried at school. What could she do? After a moment, she calmed herself. She didn't want to be heard or caught crying in the bathroom, and she knew she couldn't hide the rest of the day in the bathroom. Mustering up some courage, she went back out to the cafeteria. She looked across the sea of students. The only thing she spotted was that the Omegas segregated themselves at lunch, but all the other ranks were intermingled. She tried to find a place where she could at least sit, but she couldn't find one, so she went to the nearest wall and slid down the wall, defeated. Her arms wrapped around her knees, and she buried her head.

"Hey..."

A kind male voice broke through the crowd of voices in the room.

She saw a scrawny, dirty blonde male dressed in gothic black pants and a black tee shirt with some obscure punk band logo. He smiled at her, "Wanna sit with us?" He asked before looking over his shoulder and pointed to a nearby table.

Inara didn't say anything and stood. "I'm Cory." He offered.

"Inara," she replied meekly.

At the table, she saw a range of people. They were predominately Gammas and some Deltas with one or two Omegas. They all welcomed her, and she smiled. When they learned she had no food, they all gave her a little of theirs. She thanked them all and ate.

The last class of the day was a relief. She was excited anyway, as it was a math class. She loved math. Inara found her seat, not in the back, but not in the front. She was concerned about how the new pack saw her. Something Inara used to not give any mind to. Inara settled into her seat just as a male came in, which caused her wolf to stir within her. Her stomach fluttered, and she looked over at him alert. He was around 5'9, with curly brown hair, brown-green eyes, lightly tanned skin, broad shoulders, and a toned body. He came into the room with a jovial air that immediately washed away the bad day she was having. Inara found herself staring. He looked over at her, causing her to realize that she had been staring. Quickly, she looked away and pulled out her math and comp books.

Inara had wondered about him on her way home, her wolf not saying why she stirred. Apparently, Alexis wasn't sure why either, but she knew he meant something. What, that was yet to be figured out. Before she could get lost in her thoughts, her cell phone rang. It was Corbin.

The Wind Runner Pack was used to newcomers and had a small program to help integrate and welcome new members to the pack. In the middle of a free period, she attended a little group with other newcomers. A way to find solidarity and kinship. Through the group, she met Bruno. He came from a big pack. It didn't have an excellent reputation, and apparently, his mother brought him here, wanting him to have better opportunity and structure than the Clear Skies Pack. Bruno wanted to be with her and date her. She agreed, mainly done with Corbin. She did find Bruno cute and intriguing, but it was an excuse to leave Corbin.

Bruno was tall, 6'2, with black hair, blue eyes, and fair skin. With time, she figured out he was very immature compared to her. He never held her hand, didn't try to hold or kiss her. Anytime Inara went to hang out with him, he played counter-strike, and Inara just sat there bored. After a while, Inara spent more time with her old friend Rosaline; they'd talk about their dating lives, and Inara vented about Bruno.

When Inara's birthday came, all her friends from Still Water and Crimson Moon came to hang out, and Bruno came. They had a great time being giddy girls. Inara got her license earlier that day and was allowed to drive Bruno home. Rosaline and the other girls syched Inara up to kiss Bruno if he didn't kiss her. She hoped he would as a birthday present. He didn't, so she made the move.

During school, Inara noticed Bruno was not attentive to her at all. Even Corbin paid more attention to her. She was beginning to wonder why they were even dating. At one point, she watched Bruno in shock as he ran ahead of her and slapped another girl's rear end. She later found out the girl's name was Josaline. Inara was losing patience with him. The last straw was nearing after she hung out with him and his old packmates from Clear Skies.

At a gas station controlled by the Clear Skies pack, one of his friends was boasting about how dangerous he was, and Inara had called his bluff, thinking he was just an asshole. Without warning, he brought out a knife and cut Inara's forearm. She was taken aback and astonished as she looked at the wound. He had stabbed her right at the joint, and pulling away caused a four-inch s***h. Bruno did nothing, but the girls in the group were astonished. Inara immediately took the 40 from one of them and drank it down.

What kind of potential mate or partner would allow another to attack her? What kind of friends was he hanging out with?

On one of the last dates with Bruno, they went to a movie theater in a neutral land predominately run by humans.

"Inara!" she heard a familiar voice call out to her. She turned and saw Brandon.

"Oh, Hey!" she called out.

"How are you?" He asked with genuine interest.

"I'm doing well, and you?" She asked out of courtesy.

He said he was doing okay before she said they had to catch their movie. Bruno didn't seem to wonder who that was or anything. Inara didn't let herself think too much about it.

Just a few weeks later, Brandon's older sibling called asking if Inara could come to Brandon's birthday. She said he had missed Inara, and she wanted Inara to be the gift, basically. Inara was amused and agreed to it.

That day, snow fell so heavily that it was hard to see ahead of her, but she made it safely to Brandon's. He was happy to see her, and Inara knew within minutes that Bruno and her were over. She wanted to be treated with care, and Bruno didn't show her this kind of attention. It was like she might as well be invisible. With Brandon, she was a part of whatever he was doing and, in some cases, the center of it. He wanted to be with her, and he showed it. Bruno didn't show it, and it made Inara wonder if he even wanted to be with her. He did ask her, so why would he act the way he did?

Inara and Brandon didn't talk much after his birthday; he'd call occasionally.

Inara gave Bruno a chance, but she finally ended it when Bruno didn't try to hang out with her much over winter break. Unashamedly, she called Brandon and the two enjoyed getting back together on New Year's Eve and made out into the New Year.