The Sterling Wolves Club

Chapter Two

Michael drove me to Estella’s office after a very tiresome hour at the dining table. Breakfast and every meal was always the same when we dined as a family. My brother, Quinn boasted about the deals he closed, employees he fired and how much respect he is bringing to the family businesses and himself. My sister didn’t have to do much, she just had to accept praise for her good grades, good looks and hear how much faith our parents had in her future.

My only job was to observe and eat the three course meal slowly to avoid getting my mother’s hand.

“You must never forget, a boring life is exactly what you need. Intense emotions provoke your wolf. No getting angry, no getting excited.”

Estella was speaking without even looking at me. She said this to me every single session like she really wanted the words to stick in my head and never leave.

“If you do feel intense anger or excitement, remember the breathing techniques. Breathe! Slow deep breaths. Count from one to ten. Pinch your skin. You are in control, you are in control.”

I was basically mouthing the words as she spoke and she didn’t even notice.

“I hear you will be seeing me everyday now because you think you are getting into Sterling.” She barely stifled that laugh before she adjusted her glasses and finally gave me her undivided attention.

“What happens when I move to Emerald Heights? Can I stop the sessions? I want to start anew. I feel like I know everything about controlling my emotions now. I don’t want anyone asking me why I have therapy sessions and monthly psychiatric assessments.”

I suppose everything that I was saying to her was a joke because she was reminding me of my mother with how she was laughing.

“Let me remind you of something.” She pulled a document out from her shelf.

“Weekly therapy sessions, monthly psychiatric assessments, consistently taking meds to keep her condition at bay. You can stop the therapy sessions and go straight to prison for attempted murder, sweetie. Whatever you want. Let’s not forget about the fact that you were in and out of court just a year ago too.” She smiled sarcastically.

I felt my heart sinking to my stomach. Not what happened last year. I didn’t want to think about that.

“That face again. You never want to talk about what happened last year, what happened with that boy, Brandon. You will invoke the strong emotions that summon your wolf this way.” She was giving me that intense gaze that I hated.

“Enough. Just, enough!” I took a deep breath and shut my eyes.

“Breathe, Slow deep breaths. Count from one to ten. I have it under control, no need to talk about it.” I finally opened my eyes, feeling more calm. As long as I did not start feeling dizzy, I was still in control.

“I will do it then. I will see the therapist you refer me to in Emerald Heights. ” I just wanted this session to be over already. I didn’t bother to tell her that I was accepted because she would report to my mother immediately. My mother needed to hear it from me.

By some crazy miracle, time flew and soon, the hour with Estella elapsed. I was happy to leave her office but I didn’t have much to look forward to.

I got home and found Emma’s car parked outside. I wasn’t sure if it meant she was home until I saw her as soon as I opened the front door.

“Emma!” I hugged her and she barely moved. This could be my chance to ask her for advice since she has been at Sterling for two years now and will be starting her third.

“Listen, things are not looking good. Go inside and just apologize after they yell at you.”

Emma was vague but her words made me really nervous.

As soon as I made it to the dining room where both my parents were, my mother slapped me across the face.

“What’s wrong with you? Aren’t you tired of embarrassing us?” My father was furious. Glenn Hutton was the kind of man you never wanted to anger. He scared me even when he wasn’t looking at me or saying anything to me so with him yelling, I was terrified.

“I’m sorry.” I apologized even though I had no idea what I had done.

“Oh, so you already know what you did? Why are you trying to get in between Cody and Sophianne? Hasn’t the girl suffered enough because of you?” I was confused. Of all things I expected to hear, this was never one of them. I never did anything to Cody or Sophianne.

Before I could question her, she showed me a picture, a provocative picture I took for Cody a year ago when I thought he cared about me. The embarrassment hit me hard and I quickly shut my eyes to avoid seeing how pathetic I was.

“Her mother sent me this. Have you got no shame?”

I was freaking out. How many more did he still have? I couldn’t even remember.

After I trusted him, how could Cody do this to me?

“That’s an old picture mum, I sent it with the others last year. I promise…I-”

I didn’t get to finish that sentence before my father slammed the table and told me where to get off.

I didn’t leave right away. I was desperately hoping they would calm down so I could tell them that Sterling accepted me, but there was no way it was happening.

“I knew we should’ve stuck to two children. I don’t know why we bothered with you, disgraceful little girl!” My mother looked so angry.

I had to hold back my tears again.

I was watching her every movement, looking deep into her eyes and hoping I would finally see something. A sign maybe, something to show me that she loves me deep down and is really saying such hurtful words because of that.

However, I saw nothing else in her pale green eyes apart from hatred. She loathed her own daughter and never failed to express it.

I hated that I resembled her so much, externally that is. We had the same eye colour, same plump, heart shaped lips, square jaws and high cheek bones. My hair was a deep chestnut just like hers was and even the shape of our eyes was the same. I was glad her beauty was passed down to me, but I never wanted to be like her. I couldn’t stand the thought of growing up to be bitter and unjust like she was.

Emma and Quinn, took after our father. Their hair was blonde and their eyes bright blue. I always wondered if my mother hated that I looked like her and that’s why she resents me even more, but I could never ask.

Only Quinn and Emma have ever known what it is like to see love in my mother’s eyes.

“I am truly sorry.” My voice cracked and I ran to my room immediately.

I sobbed till I ran out of tears. Eventually, everyone left for the Blackwood’s house and the silence in the house soothed me. Being lonely in an empty house could never be worse than feeling lonely in a room full of my family.

I looked at the email from Sterling one more time and suddenly, I had peace. Sterling International was my silver lining and a reminder that this suffering was temporary.

With that I mind, what Cody did was suddenly irrelevant to me and I could finally smile.

I only knew a few things about Sterling International. One, the tuition and housing costs are through the roof so only the children of the rich can attend. Two, the Sterling brothers, the sons of the only Alpha in the world go there. Three, Sterling is known for having properly disciplined students which means no parties, no bullying. Just perfect for me.

The fourth thing though, is the most important and why I am willing to uproot my life and move it 3000 miles away. Although Emma barely talks about the school, she mentioned that nobody from our city goes there when she started and since then, getting into Sterling has always been my life’s mission.

I did not even have an appetite earlier but now that it was 2 in the morning, I had gotten hungry.

I snuck into the kitchen and went for the fridge. I was not hungry for something random. I wanted the cake I knew we had in the fridge.

My mother is very strict about dessert. If there is a sweet treat or a cake in the house, it is for Quinn or my dad, not her little girls that she wants to look perfect and slim.

I smirked as I cut a big piece out and served it on a small plate.

The only thing I could think about is the email. It didn’t matter how many times I read the email, it was almost impossible for me to believe it was real.

I pulled my phone out and opened it once again, reading it from beginning to end.

I covered my lips to muffle a scream before I put the phone away.

“Breathe, Kiara!” I whispered to myself.

“What has gotten into you?” My sister’s voice suddenly startled me. She literally came out of nowhere.

“Emma, why aren’t you sleeping?” I asked nervously.

“Do you have a boyfriend or what? Why were you smiling with that phone?” She crossed her arms over her chest as she looked into my eyes.

“I don’t have a boyfriend.” I mumbled before I grabbed my plate and attempted to take my phone with me too.

Emma was too quick. She reached for the phone and made a run for it as she began going through it.

“Emma, stop! Give me my phone back!” I was running behind her and trying to grab my phone from her, but she managed to block me with her arm while she scrolled through the email.

She finally stopped and let out a long breath before turning around.

“Wow! Just wow, Kiara!” She huffed before she threw my phone at me. I failed to catch it and watched as it landed face first on the ceramic floor.

“Why did you do that? I was going to tell you about it in the morning.” I reached for my phone, picking up the chipped pieces of my screen and trying to shake it to life.

“Is it dead? Good! That’s how I’ll imagine you if you dare think about going to Sterling!” She spat out with rage, her words stabbing my heart deeply like a sharp sword. Her reaction caught me by surprise. I thought she would be happy for me.

“Could you be less self-centered for once in your life? You want to ruin my life, don’t you? I’m doing great at Sterling. The last thing I need is to be associated with a murderer!”

I promised I wouldn’t cry, but I broke that promise as soon as those words left her mouth.

“Emma….” I didn’t even have words for her right now.

“You said you would never call me that.” I sobbed, wiping the tears from my face.

She lacked remorse. The grimace on her face only grew worse the more I cried.

“I know. I had no plan to ever bring it up, but you leave me no choice, Kiara. I don’t want you at my school.” She took a few steps towards me and pulled me into a cold embrace.

“Go to Pine Valley and I will not send this to Detective Walls.” She pulled away from me before she took her phone out from her jeans pocket.

My heart immediately began racing as I watched the video. Blood all over the stairs, on my hands and the smirk on my face as I stared into the camera.

I looked away as fast as I could, but it was too late. I had seen more than enough.