Chapter 2
“Did you find what you needed in the book I gave you?” Ms. Day ask.
“I am not sure but it is ok though. I did have a question for you though. It is ok if you do not know the answer.” I respond to Ms. Day’s question.
“Ask and I will answer if I can.” Ms. Day says.
“Ok, So yesterday when I was doing my people watching I over heard a lot of talk about a law getting changed and how it was going to make our pack so powerful and that we will give the King a run for his money with how much power we will have. What I want to know is what kind of law could be changed to cause such a significant change in power status in our pack?” I ask.
Ms. Day looks like a ghost after I have finished and it does not look like she is going to answer. But then she snaps out of it and says, “If what you heard is true then we are all doomed. Christiana I want you to be very careful on who you talk to and are around. It seems there is a lot going on that should not be. I need to go and speak with the Elders immediately though. Will you be all right if I lock you in til you are done? You know how to get out. Just please promise me to be safe and if you hear anything else write to the King immediately. Do not hesitate. This is a matter of life and death. Do you understand Christinana?” Ms. Day says.
“Yes you are fine to leave, and yes I promise I will do what is necessary to stay safe. How do I get in touch with the King though?” I respond.
Ms. Day is already on her way to the door when she stops and says, “Your carrier birds, specifically your special one.” Then she leaves and locks me in.
I stand there wondering how she could know so much about what goes on and know the Elders too. No one knows them personally. They only appear for a swearing in and when a pack changes Alpha’s or gains a Luna. They never stick around and no one knows their names. It is almost like they are not of this realm. With those thoughts in mind I check the clock and see I have a few hours left before I need to head home so I browse around and grab a book I have been eye balling for awhile but was too embarrassed to read. Karma Sutra. I sit down and start to read. The beginning talks about becoming one with your partner and the flow of each body. Then it goes into graphic detail on different sexual positions and it includes pictures. All of a sudden I am jumped by the front door being slammed shut. I slam the book shut really quick and put it behind my back.
Ms. Day comes running over to me panicked. She is white as a ghost and wide eyed. I stand up really quick and run over to her. I bring her over to my reading nook and make her sit down. I let her calm herself before I start questioning her. By the looks of her I am not going to like what she is going to say.
“Ms. Day what happened?” I ask.
“Oh, Chris it is awful. They are all dead. I do not understand how they can all be dead though. Nothing of this world could kill them. They are not like us. Chris we are not safe. YOU ARE NOT SAFE. You need to flee to the King. He will protect you. I will send a carrier and make sure he knows you are coming,” Ms. Day says, “Go Now.”
“Ok, Ok, but I do not know if I can get away. But I will try my best,” I reply to Ms. Day.
I looked at the clock on the wall and jumped up. Crap I am late, moms going to kill me. I quickly put the book back and said goodbye to Ms. Day. I paid attention the whole way home that way there where no more incidents like earlier. I am not sure how I managed to pay attention the way I did with all the thoughts running through my head. As I neared the house I started getting a really bad feeling about tonight’s dinner. But mom made it clear that I had to be there no excuses. Maybe what ever is going to be said tonight at dinner I will find out about what is going on. But I do not like this dark feeling I have. Between the vibe I am getting from the house and what Ms. Day said I am sure there is darkness coming. With a deep breath I walk up the front path and go inside. Here goes nothing.
Moms in the kitchen. I can hear her cooking. Dad is no where to be see, so I head up to my room and decide to take a shower hoping to clear my head. I think over everything from yesterday and today and decide once I am done with my shower I will pack a suitcase just in case it is as bad as Ms. Day said. Something tells me it is going to be way worse.
I finish up in the shower and get dressed for dinner. Then I pack all my necessities and a few extra things just to be safe. I zip the suitcase and stuff it in the back of my closet under a bunch of old clothing that I have out grown. Then I check my watch and see it is almost time to go down stairs for dinner. I decide to take my stationary set out from under my bed and put it under my pillow. I have a feeling I will need it tonight. Once I place my pillow back in place I head out of my bedroom and down the stairs and straight for the kitchen.
“Hey Ma, Do you need any help?” I ask
“No, your father has already brought most of the food out to the table. Just go sit and I’ll be out in a minute.” She replied.
I went to the dinning room, pulled out my chair and sat down. I looked over at my dad but he would not look at me. I was getting that really bad feeling in my stomach again. So I looked at the table and noticed that my mom made all of my favorite foods for me. Huh. I thought she was going to make this stuff tomorrow for my birthday. Mom brought the last dish out and set it on the table. After she sat she asked my dad to serve. Once all of our plates were full we started to eat. Even though the foods are my favorites I could not enjoy it. Everything was turning to ash on my tongue and I was having a hard time swallowing it. The more I tried to eat the worse I was feeling. I ended up just pushing my food around my plate while looking between my mom and dad. The tension in the room was so high that you could not even cut through it. Finally I had, had enough.
“Ok, I know I am not the only one that feels the tension. So what is going on?” I stated.
Mom and dad looked at each other for several minutes before deciding to answer.
“I know tomorrow is your birthday and we are supposed to celebrate it together but we can not.” Mom stated with finality.
“What do you mean you can not?” I asked confused.
“We have to report to the Alpha’s home tomorrow along with all of the other unmated females for the swearing in of you and everyone else,” She stated simply as if there was no problem.
“But I do not get my wolf til tomorrow night at the ceremony for transformation. I can not be sworn in til after I receive my wolf.” I relied.
“Well the Alpha changed the rules, so you have to be sworn in tomorrow wolf or no wolf.” She spit the words at me with so much venom.
“But why would he do that?” I asked confused
“He is going out of town for a little while and he wanted to get this all out of the way before he left. He did not want any of you untethered to the pack lest something happen to you,” Mom explained calmly.
That sounded reasonable but I still could not understand how he had the authority to change a law that was put in place by the King to protect us. At least that is what we are taught. We were never told what could happen if we are sworn in before our transformation is complete. But I have this gnawing feeling in my gut that it is bad if this happens.
“So the King aloud him to do this?” I asked perplexed.
“No you imbecile. Why the hell would he need to ask the King for permission. He is an Alpha.” Dad yelled at me.
“Well first of all, No he can not change a law that the King himself put in place. I would appreciate it if you gave me a lot more respect here. This is my transformation that is getting messed with,” I say calmly.
They both looked at each other and you could tell they were mind-linking because their eyes glazed over. They sat there like that for ten minutes. Just as I was about to get up and leave they both turned back to me.
“Well, he did and no one will go against him. Not even the King will.” My mom said snidely.
“Impossible. The King would never allow an Alpha to just up and change a law that is put in place to protect us. What have the Elders said about this?” I say.
“The Elders have agreed with the Alpha and helped him change the law.” My dad says calmly like we are not discussing something heinous.
I just sit there staring at them like they are nuts. The Elders were murdered so how could they have helped to change a law. Even the Elders do not have the authority to change a law like that. I just keep thinking and pushing my food around on my plate til someone clears their throat.
“You need to eat to keep your strength up. Tomorrow will be strenuous and then you have your transformation tomorrow night. The Elders will be here for it,” My mom says trying to act all concerned.
“I am not very hungry. Maybe I am coming down with something,” I say.
“Well you need to try, then you will go straight to bed and get a good nights rest. I need you looking your best tomorrow.” Mom replied.
I had, had enough with her and dad. They can not make me go anywhere with them. I will not put my life at risk for them or anyone else for that matter. None of this makes any sense but neither does us not having access to our laws and not knowing what will happen if we are sworn in before our transformation.
“No. Also I will not go tomorrow. No one can make me. The King makes the rules not the Alpha. He can’t just change them. SO HELL NO. GO TO HELL.” I was screaming by the end.
I stood up from my chair so fast it went flying into the wall and shattered in to little pieces. My dad stood up and came storming towards me and slapped me across the face.
“YOU WILL ATTEND WHETHER YOU WANT TO OR NOT. I WILL DRAG YOU THERE, IF I HAVE TOO.” He screamed in my face.
I have never been hit in my life and for the first time to be my parent I knew this was only going to get worse.
“Who is going to stop me from leaving then? Huh? You can not, you walk around here all big and bad but in all reality you are nothing but a little peon that does the Alpha’s bidding. Do not think I am blind to what goes on around here or not hear what is going on. I know you guys are trying to overthrow the King. You all are stupid if you think you can just get away with this and nothing will happen to you,” I sneer in his face with so much hatred for him.
At first he is caught off guard then he goes to raise his hand against me again and mom stops him. She shakes her head and they stand there staring at each other eyes glazed over again. Once they look back at me I pretend that I will abide by their wishes. Which surprises them both.
“Mother what time is the swearing in? Also when did the Alpha change the rule?” I simply asked my mom.
“It got changed today and it’s at 10am tomorrow.” She replied smugly.
“No it did not but that is ok. Do not tell me when it actually got changed it does not matter,” I say as I look at both of them with a smirk on my face.
They both are shocked but, oh, if they only knew what I have planned for tomorrow, they would not be looking so smug. They are in for a reckoning, they all are. I simply walked away without another word or glance and went straight to my room. I locked the door behind me and put my ear up to the door. My parents were talking but I could not really make out what they were saying. I heard words here and there like Power and Steal, but that was it. Then I could not hear any more talking and then the front door slammed. I continued to listen but after a few minutes and still no sound I figured both my parents left. I went and grabbed my stationary set and sat at my desk, and began a letter to the King himself.
King Fenrir,
My name is Christiana O’Dea, I live in Paisley, Scotland. Tomorrow is my 21st birthday, as you know I will not receive my wolf til the transformation ceremony at midnight tomorrow. This is part of the reason I am writing you. My parents just informed me that our Alpha Sean has changed one of your laws and is making all of the unmated females, everyone under 21, and myself go to a swearing in ceremony before we get our wolves. We were taught about the law in school but were never told what could happen to us if we were to swear in early. But I have a really bad feeling that it is nothing good. I was also informed that the Elders helped Alpha Sean to change the law. I questioned them for a while and they seemed really shocked that I knew the law was changed prior to today and that they are trying to overthrow you. It really is amazing what people will say around you when you just blend in to the background. I heard about everything yesterday, I just did not know which law was changed til tonight.
When I told my parents I would not go because it is against the law my parents were furious and my father hit and threatened me. I did try to listen to their conversation after I left the room but I only could make out two words. Power and Steal. I am not sure what it means but I can assume that it is nothing good. So now I am writing to you to please be here before 10am tomorrow to stop Alpha Sean. I have a bad feeling there is something more to what is really going on and I am afraid that I am unable to stop this by myself. Please help.
Also I know Ms. Day the librarian is supposed to send you a letter. I hope she followed through and nothing bad happened to her. She told me she would give you all the details and for me to run away tonight. But I am unable. I have this feeling that if I leave things will be worse then if I stay. I hope this reaches you in time.
Sincerely,
Christiana