The Strength to Love

The Aftermath

Brooke’s POV

               I woke to a loud crash, or rather the sound of mother coming home and passing out again. I sleepily looked at the clock. The red glow reading 4:48am were too bright to look at longer than a quick glance. Wow, she must have had a bad night to home this early. I laid there debating whether to go check on her or get another hour of sleep before my day started.

               I groaned as my daughterly duties nagged me to get out of bed. I tiptoed to the door and opened it. It appeared she made it into her bedroom. I crept over to her doorway. Her clothes were a wrinkled mess and she had lost one of her shoes somewhere. However, her steady breathing told me she was knocked out and would remain so long enough for me to clean since we no longer have any staff, get ready for school, and go. I silently closed her door and crept back to my room. Maybe I can get another half hour of shut eye. I got under the covers and snuggled up with my pillow. I felt like I blinked before the demon clock screeched and jolted me awake.

               I walked into the bathroom and looked at myself in the mirror. There were dark circles under my hazel eyes, and my ivory skin looked dull. If it were not for my unruly knap of golden curls, I would have skipped a shower that morning. After hopping out, I dressed in some baggy jeans and a pink tank top. I made a bagel and threw some cream cheese on it and reached for the doorknob.

               “Where the hell do you think you’re going?”

Crap. I was so close to having a good start to my birthday. I turned around with a bite of bagel still unchewed in my mouth, “Good morning mother. I’m going to school.”

“Not before you make me breakfast,” She hobbled over and down at the table, pretending to be helpless.

“What happened to Olivia?” I said slightly annoyed. Olivia is the last cook left in our pathetic pack. Slowly but surely, everyone has been leaving in search of a new life within a more stable pack.

“I had to let go of the cook yesterday. Now make me breakfast you selfish b***h. I AM YOUR LUNA!”

I sighed and missed dad. It had been two years since he died in the rogue attack. Our pack took a hard hit that day. We lost our Alpha and Beta in the blink of an eye while dad and Chuck were going out to fish. Mom got hurt trying to defend them she said. Her leg was broken in 3 places the doctor told us. Why she didn’t shift was beyond any of us but that’s how she said it happened. Usually, the Gamma would take over the pack, however Dave and his wife just vanished, and no one had the nerve challenge my mother. Over the last two years our pack dwindled from a solid 350 members to a measly 34 members. You would think we would get picked off by a stronger pack or the rogues would just finish us off, but no one bothered us.

After making her eggs, toast, and bacon, I went to leave again and she looked at me, eyes dancing malevolently, and said, “I know it’s your 18th birthday. Tonight, I’ve got better things to do than deal with your first shift. However next weekend, I have something special planned for you.”

“Awesome,” I toss over my shoulder as I step out the door. “I’ll see you tomorrow then mother.” Knowing very well she will be out tonight drinking and living the bar life.

7:28. Great I am going to be late. Even with my speed, I would never make it to the human school by 8. Since our pack members dwindled to nothing, the minors left were instructed to go to the human school 10 miles away.

               “Brook!” I turned to see Josh driving up in his car. “Get in!”

               “Thanks Josh,” I gladly opened the door to reveal a neat little present on the passenger seat. “What’s this?”

               “Well why don’t you open it and find out?” He grinned.

               “I told you not to get me anything, dork.” I grinned so hard at the fact that he remembered my birthday. Josh was a week younger than me, and for the longest time we thought that we would be mates. I opened the box and pulled out a beautiful white gold necklace with a rose pendant. “Oh Josh, it’s gorgeous.”

               “Anything for you princess.” He said giving me a wink. He brushed his chestnut hair out of his face. His green eyes caught the sun just right, so you got lost in the emerald pools he called eyes. He was muscular but not super built. He reminded me of Andrew Garfield.

               “I’m not a princess,” I sighed. “Home isn’t home anymore, and we don’t know if the Luna will see me as a threat. Maybe I’ll be the next to vanish.”

               “Don’t talk like that Brooke,” he tried to cheer me up. “Besides, you get to shift tonight and see your wolf. That has got to be exciting. Then next week when I have my first shift, we can just leave and start our own life with each other.”

               While that did sound amazing, getting away and starting a new life, I was not sure Josh was my mate anymore. Everything I had ever been told was not happening. The Earth did not stand still, my heart did not skip a beat, I felt more about the necklace he gave me than I did him. Do not get me wrong, he was my best friend, my only friend. I loved him but it was not the heart in your head, floating on air love. I did not know how to tell him. Maybe it will happen next week, when he comes of age?