Hunted

Chapter 3: New Home

It took another hour to pass into pack territory. I noticed only one at first, wolf running alongside the car in the woods. Usually we would have been stopped right as we crossed but for some reason, they let us pass. Then another 30 minutes before I started seeing houses and driveways. The closer we came the more wolves I saw surrounding us from the woods. We turned down a long plantation looking driveway. It looked straight out of a southern comfort magazine.

“Is this it?” I asked the Beta staring at the giant house coming into view.

“I believe so, they must have been expecting us since we got a lovely escort since we drove onto their land instead of being stopped.” The Beta gave me a smile and went to pat my shoulder before moving his hand to unbuckle his seat belt instead. I let out the breath I hadn’t realized I was holding and did the same.

“Yeah I noticed that. I was a bit surprised myself.” I mumbled stepping out of the car. I wanted to say this place felt familiar, but it didn’t. My mom never told me exactly when she ran away with me, but I know I was young when it happened.

“Beta Charles. Welcome to the Palmetto Pack!” A voice came from the front stairs. A large man made his way towards us. He had the longest blonde hair I had ever seen on a man before. Normally shifter males kept their hair short. At least in most of the packs I had ever lived near did.

“Beta Matt, how wonderful it is to see you again.” The Beta…who I guess is named Charles walked towards the man and shook his hand.

The house was giant, all other pack houses that I had seen were nothing compared to this one. It looked like it was built in the 1800’s or something. It was stunning. There were several buildings around probably contained medical buildings, training facilities, and lodging for all the pack members.

“It wasn’t a bad drive. I had Emmry to keep me company. Emmry…” The calling of my name brought me out of my head. I saw the Beta was calling for me to come over, so I obliged.

“So, this is Emmry huh?” The Beta named Matt smiled brightly at me. “We’ve been waiting a very long time for you to come back little one. I wish it was for a better reason.” The next thing I knew he was trying to lean down and give me a hug.

I flinched and tried to take a step back to get away from him quickly. I missed the step and wound up falling right on my bottom. My hand had gone out to help cushion my fall, instead all I got was two scrapped palms, a sore butt, and very nervous expression.

“Emmry…I didn’t are you okay!?” Both Betas immediately tried to help me up off the ground. Of course, I flinched again and looked away trying very hard not to panic.

“I’m fine. I promise. I can get up.” Slowly I picked myself off the dirt and started to brush myself off.

“You’re not hurt right?” Beta Matt’s concern was evident on his face. Something about him seemed familiar. I couldn’t pinpoint it just yet.

“I’m fine, just a scratch. It’s nothing.” I assured him before sending a small smile his way. My gaze didn’t go above his chest so I’m just hoping he took me for my word.

I could tell that the two Beta’s were having a conversation that I was not privy too due to the silence. I lifted my gaze slightly just to confirm my suspicions. The two men were staring at each other like they were talking but there were no words coming out.

My mother told me that when I shifted, I would be allowed to mind link with other shifters.  I always wondered what that would be like.

“Can we go inside please?” My voice was barely a whisper. I didn’t want to interrupt them, but I also wanted to just get this all over with. The two Betas nodded and gestured for me to go with them.

We went inside and stepped into the most beautiful house I had ever been in. The floor was stone or marble and it shined like nothing I had ever seen before. Everything about this house screamed lineage. It made me wonder who was living here. There was a wall that had a picture or paining of every I assume Alpha of the pack with their mate.

“This way.” Beta Charles called for me standing in the doorway to the main hall. I followed him into a giant room that looked like it would be perfect for a Cinderella themed ball. There was a large table with 3 people sitting at the far end. There were pack workers wandering in and out completing their duties for the day.

I followed the Betas to the side of the room where the people were. I could feel the stares on me; I tried to hide behind one of the Betas, but they simply moved to the side.

Beta Charles spoke up. “I, Beta Charles from the Keystone Pack have brought you, your daughter as promised. She is completely unharmed.”

I couldn’t get myself to look up to see who he was speaking to…that was until he said your daughter. At that my head shot up to look at the man sitting at the head of the table. Though now he wasn’t sitting he was standing. He was tall...like every other shifter and had light brown hair almost blonde. He reminded me of the Beta…actually. I wonder if they are related. If this man is my father and those two are related…. maybe I have an uncle?

“She doesn’t exactly look or seem unharmed. She can’t even look at us.” The man noted as my father said I could tell his eyes were on me. I could feel my body tensing up. I knew they were going to hate me. Most packs do, they always find a reason to kick us out or suggest that we move.

“She was like this when she came to us. We did nothing to her.” Beta Charles passed my supposed father a letter and then dipped his head.

“Now that I’ve brought her, I would like to get back to my pack and family.”

My “father” nodded his head and smiled before tucking the letter into his pocket. “You are free to go thank you so much for returning my only child to me.”

I felt so lost and alone. I know I really didn’t care about the Beta but watching him leave still left me with sadness. He was the person who was assigned to watch over me after my mother died. I could feel their eyes watching me as I picked at a string on the sleeve of my shirt. I didn’t want to look up. What if they were going to do something to me? I don’t think I could handle that right now. Was I going to have to stay here? Are they going to make me live in this giant house?

“Emmry…” I heard his footsteps as my father got closer to me. My eyes were staring straight at the floor. He was wearing fancy shoes for a shifter Alpha. I guess he wanted to look nice for the occasion. “Emmry look up please.” His hand reached out to lift my chin up and I jumped back. The reaction was completely involuntary. I got a glimpse of his expression and it was not happy. Instantly I looked right back at the floor.

“I’m sorry I’m so sorry. Please I…don’t like being touched.” I whispered tugging on the string in my sleeve again. I could hear his huff. I knew he had crossed his arms even though my eyes were still staring straight down.

“That’s okay little one. I um… Can you please look up? I haven’t seen my daughter since she was a year old. I would very much like to look at your face.” His voice had turned soft like he was talking to a 4-year-old. I guess I could look at him. He’s supposedly my father after all.

I slowly lifted my chin and saw him smiling at me. Behind him was the Beta and a few other shifters. They were all looking at me with pity. My father turned and looked at his Beta, Matt and I assumed they were talking to each other because all the other wolves turned and left the room.

When he turned back to me, he was still smiling. “Come on let’s take your stuff up to your room huh? We can talk there.” He reached down and grabbed the back I had brought with me.

“Dalton go get the rest of her belongings from the Beta Charles’ car.” His voice was stern but not mean as he went towards a hallway.

“There are no other bags.” I said following behind him. I had left most things back in Pennsylvania. I only brought a bit of clothes and my mother’s most important items.

“You only have this bag?” He raised his eyebrows and frowned.

“I do not want anything that I do not absolutely need from that house anymore. Everything has memories of her…I could barely bring this.” I hated the idea of bringing all the things that she couldn’t have anymore with me.

My father froze for a second and then nodded. I never thought about how hard it must be for him to hear of my mother’s death. I know she left when I was little, and he wasn’t happy with it…but he never searched for us. He never came to help us or look for us. Maybe he really didn’t care about her after all.

We walked up to the second floor and into a beautiful room. “This has been your room since you were born.” My father smiled a little and gestured for me to go inside. I went through the door and looked around. It looked like a nursery that was quickly changed to an older child’s room. The walls were pink and bare, and there was a big 4 post bed sitting right in the middle of the room.

“I know this is probably a lot to take in…but I um. I’m glad you’re home. We have a lot to talk about…when you’re ready I’ll be down in my office. It’s down the hall 3rd door on the left okay?”  He smiled at me once again, placed my bag on the ground next to the bed and then left.

Now I was alone with my thoughts in this giant room. It was pretty much as big our entire house well the last once we lived in. What do I do now? I looked out the window and sighed. At least it was a pretty place to be.