The Lonely Wolf

17

Roderick

I stood there in shock as my dad continued arguing with Ronnie’s mother until the dean came up to intervene. They hadn’t even noticed that Ronnie left. When they were finally calmed, her mother finally noticed she wasn’t around, then began looking for her.

My dad, realizing that I was there, decided we just needed to get to the scrimmage. I didn't want to go. I can't concentrate like I need to. I had too many questions. He gave me the look like he didn't feel like talking, but I just had to ask.

“Just one thing for now, dad. Were you with mom when that happened?” I asked.

“ No son. That was a mistake way before your mother. Don’t you worry about any of that. As for now, let’s focus on your scrimmage. You know lacrosse was my sport when I was your age.” He says like none of that happened beforehand.

The scrimmage was my worst yet. My mind definitely wasn’t in the game. My dad left right after without saying much.

“Man, what is going on? You’re out here making a lot of rookie mistakes,” Bass says in the locker room.

“Does Raider feel like going for a run?” I asked.

“He’s always ready to go for a run,” Sebastian answered.

I didn't feel like talking about it yet, so we ran through the woods for a few hours before hunger caused us to head in. After changing, we headed up to the cafeteria where some of the pack omegas were preparing a meal for us. Ronnie looked like she was just making her way back also. I wonder if she knew this whole time and didn't say anything.

“Are you hungry? We’re about to have dinner," I say. She's been gone for hours and looks absolutely exhausted. Things just make so much more sense now. The connections because we are siblings.

She looked up and shook her head no. I could tell her mind was elsewhere. I just want someone to give me some information.

“Are you okay? Did your mom find you?” I asked, causing her to look alarmed.

“Is she still here?” she asked.

“No, I don’t think she came back after running looking for you,” I said.

“Good. Maybe she’ll actually forget about me forever," she said, running off.

“What was that about?” Bass asked.

“ Don’t say anything to anyone, but I found out why we have our connection.”

I know I can trust him not to say anything. I just need to stress this is not to get out.

“Oh yeah?” His ears perked up.

“She’s my sister. Apparently, her mom and my dad hooked up. They just had a blow out earlier," I tell him.

“You think that’s why her mom sent her here?” he asked.

“I think that’s what my dad thinks. He was concerned about her trying to sabotage our family. He didn’t want to talk about it, so I didn’t press the issue. He just said it was a mistake before he got with my mom.”

“Well, I guess it’s a good thing he rejected her when she was little. Otherwise, she’d have a place to legally challenge you as alpha of the pack,” he says.

“Yo! I didn’t even think about that," I said, walking into the cafeteria.

Veronica

I got to my room after my shift at the café and saw my mother had slid a folder with a note on it saying to read the file, and we’d talk later under my door. This lady has drafted a legally written agreement.

My proposed fiancée, Orion Dampier, is a 45-year-old human vampire hybrid bounty hunter. He is handsome for an old guy. There are three pages of terms and conditions. He has a schedule for when he expects me to perform my ‘marital duties.’ I will get an allowance from him and my trust will be dissolved back to the family. He has agreed to allow me to pursue my education as long as I meet my quota regularly. I really don't like this.

I hear a knock on my door, and I am hoping it is not my mother. I cracked the door and peek out.

“Hey, I bought you some food,“ Roderick says through the crack.

“I ate already,” I say and try to close the door, but he pushes it open and comes in.

“Here,” he says, handing me a food box. “ I just want to know what your mom sent you here for," he demands. This is the first time he has been rude towards me.

“ I honestly don’t know," I replied, putting the papers back in the folder.

“Does she think you can challenge me as alpha? Is she trying to take over my pack?” he asks. I laugh. She doesn't think that highly of me.

“No. She just told me that she sold me! I don’t think she cares about me being alpha or part of a pack.” I threw the folder at him and began to tear up again as I walked towards my bed.

“What do you mean? What’s this?” he asked. Picking up the papers that fell out.

“The bill of sale. Information on the arranged marriage. She left that for me to read. So you don’t have to worry about me challenging you for anything. I’m supposed to get married next month on my birthday,“ I said, pacing the floor. I wiped my tears and walked to open the door for him to leave.

“Wait. That’s what you two were arguing about when we walked in?“ he asked, walking to sit down at my desk.

“Yes. Now I really just want to be alone. It’s past golden time, so I can’t have a male in my room,” I say, trying to get him out.

“The rules are different for family. I’ll tell them you are my sister. You shouldn’t be dealing with this alone,” he said. Standing to walk towards me.

“We're not family. You can’t tell them I’m your sister. Your dad won't let you,” I said, stepping back hoping he would just leave.

“Our dad,” he tried to correct me, now softened up.

“No. He will never be a dad to me just like my mother will never be a mom to me. She should have just allowed my grandfather to kill me,“ I say, taking the folder out of his hands. I throw it back down on my desk and lay on the bed cocooned in my blanket.

I thought he would leave, but instead he grabbed the envelope and sat on the bed reading.

“I’m sorry. I didn’t realize. Do you want me to call my dad and see if there is anything he can do?” he asked.

"Didn't you hear them? He doesn't want anything to do with me, he probably would be mad if he knew you were here now and talking to me," I replied, through my cover.

Roderick

She’s right. She stopped replying to any of my questions. So, I sat next to her reading the file. Her mom is making her marry a man that is old enough to be her dad. And a bounty hunter at that. I wanted to look this guy up some and find out who he really is.

Since she shut down, I left and went to my room. I grabbed my laptop and went to work looking this Orion guy up.

“Woe, you’re going to send a bounty hunter after her. You think she’s going to challenge you?” Bass asks, looking over my shoulder.

“What? No. She's not here for that. Her mom came to tell her she'd been put in an arranged marriage with this guy. Look, he’s been married like 4 times one wife is deceased. He just looks like a shady dude. I can’t believe her own mother is doing this to her,” I say scrolling.

“That’s messed up,” he says, not really caring and going back to his video game.

“She can’t marry this guy,” I say, outraged.

“So what are you going to do?” he asks, half paying attention.

“I don’t know. Maybe my dad can help,” I say, picking up my phone.