Shattered Ascension

Chapter Four

She decided to drive to the house and give her rusty 1999 Pontiac Grand Am a little bit of TLC. She didn’t often use the car and if she didn’t leave pack territory to shift and run as a wolf, she would had sold the car years ago. If she were only human, she wouldn’t have a need for it. Her job was in walking distance as was the mart, where she bought her groceries.

The car screeched to a halt at the pack house gates. Her head whipped back into the headrest. The gates opened at a snail’s pace and it took her off guard. She gritted her teeth and counted the seconds it took for the gate to open. It took ten seconds before she could squeeze her car between the black metal bars. She gunned the old car down the paved road. Soon she’d need permission to do everything or to go anywhere.

She parked the car out front of the mansion. It was the biggest house in town and the pack prided themselves on it. They owned most of the land here and were working on the rest - it was difficult for them to convince the people to move. They’d succeeded many times, but humans were stubborn.

When she stepped out of the car, she took a deep breath. This was going to alter her life. Change her freedom and strip her of her normal. She closed the car door and walked up the white house. It was a testament of their wealth. The large columns surrounded their house and the land on their estate was extensive. The front of the house was home to large black double doors. She couldn’t imagine how grand the inside looked.

The front door opened and Brom stood in the doorway, a smirk on his lips. “Welcome to your new family,” he said as he moved aside. She stepped in the house. It reeked of the wolves. “Follow me.” He turned and headed toward the left.

The house was bigger than she imagined. There was one large staircase in the middle that separated to the left and right. The floor was marble, the stairs were marble, there were columns on the inside of the house. She tore her eyes away from the staircase and chased after Brom.

The first room she entered looked like a living room. There were leather couches and plush carpets. The walls were adorned with photos of men and women, they were in twos on the wall. Sawyer assumed they were the previous alphas. Brom led her through large wooden doors at the end of the living room space. It wasn’t the only walkway either. To the right of the wooden doors was a hallway. When she stepped into the room, it was the smallest one she’d seen so far, but it could still swallow her apartment several times over.

The walls were wood, as was the floor. Bookcases full of books covered the right wall. Straight ahead was a fireplace, that was probably was just for show. Wolves hardly ever grew cold. On the left was a long brown desk with windows behind it. There was a small carpet in the middle and across from the desk was a dark leather couch.

Brom turned to face Sawyer. “Sit.” He motioned toward the leather couch. “Corinne will be here shortly.” He stood in front of the fireplace with his arms crossed. Sawyer slowly moved to the couch, knowing his eyes were on her every move. She sat and crossed her arms.

Her discomfort was steadily rising. Brom watched her closely and the silence was making her heart race. “Is she as pleasant as you?” Her parents always dealt with the formalities and left her at home. However, now that they were dead, it became her job. She briefly met the alpha at their funeral when she was eighteen, but she dealt with Brom more than anyone else. She had no reason to see Corinne.

He furrowed his brow at her before the door opened. The tall slender woman stepped inside. Her caramel hair cascaded down her shoulders and her ice blue eyes looked passed Sawyer. She strode by and stood behind her desk. Her naturally narrow eyes always made her look angry. When they rested on Sawyer she paused before giving her a small smile. Her wide oval face made her eyes seem smaller than they actually were.

“Welcome, Sawyer,” Corinne said, her voice deeper than she remembered. “You have breached the contract and were given two weeks to decide your next move.” She slowly sat in the large leather chair, it seemed to swallow her thin frame. “I was surprised by your quick decision.” She placed her hands on the desk in front of her.

“As am I,” Sawyer said. Two weeks. She glared at Brom. He lied. He said twenty-four hours. Slowly her attention turned back to Corinne.

“We will begin training tomorrow, five AM, sharp,” Corinne said, grabbing a black binder on the desk before opening it up. “First, you will learn to secure the border.” Her blue eyes focused on the paper in front of her. “You will be assigned to work with Shayleigh, and she will meet you at the front.” She motioned toward the front door. “You will be given a pack apartment with two other house mates. We’ve taken the liberty to provide the funds to break your lease.” She looked up at Sawyer. “Your boss has given you tomorrow off,” Corinne paused. “Do you understand?”

“Yes,” Sawyer’s voice was quiet as she spoke. Everything was overwhelming. They literally took care of everything. They talked to Ruby, gave her money for the landlord. Two house mates? Sawyer didn’t even want one.

“Bring an extra set of clothes tomorrow. You will leave your key with another pack member and we will move your belonging into the pack apartment.” She closed the binder. “The apartment complex across from yours will be your new home. Tonight, will be your last night as a lone wolf.” She stood. “I would advise an early night. You have a busy day tomorrow.”

Sawyer stood, her heart pounding as she processed the information. Five AM. New apartment. Break lease. The only upside was she didn’t have to move her belongings. It was hardly a bright side, but it was better than nothing. “Yes, Miss Lobo.”

“You may address me as Corinne.” She wasn’t cold, but she was calculated. Her straightforward and inscrutable manner was startling. The woman emanated power and authority. She wasn’t comparable to Brom. He may have been an obnoxious vile person, but he didn’t hold a candle to the strength this woman possessed. Everything she said was specific.

“Yes, Corinne,” Sawyer said.

“Rest well tonight, Sawyer. More information will be provided tomorrow.” She pointed her hand toward the door. “I believe you can show yourself out.”

Sawyer nodded before exiting the office. She heard talking nearby. The members were surprised to see her inside the pack house. Their whispering was loud and their shock at the news echoed inside her. She felt hollow as she made her way to her car.

Her eyes rested on Reece, his large stature was leaning against the Grand AM. The car seemed to shrink next to him. “I wanted to be the first to welcome you to the pack,” Reece said with a large smile, any wider and his face would split open.

“You’re too late.” She pulled her keys out of her pocket. “Your mother beat you to it.” Her tone was hard.

He chuckled lightly. “She doesn’t count. She’s required, as alpha.” His hair was pulled back into a small bun and it made his high cheek bones more pronounced.

She opened the car door and looked at him over the roof. He towered over her short vehicle “Thanks.” Her voice was thick with sarcasm. She hopped in her car and started the engine.

“Sawyer,” Reece said as he bent down to look at her through the window. “I’m sorry that things happened this way, but it was inevitable.”

Her green eyes darted over to him. “Your sincerity is greatly lacking.” She turned away from him and drove away from the mansion. Inevitable. She’d heard that too many times.

She leaned against the windowsill and looked at the studio apartment she’d called home for the last five years, since her parents died. She moved in here at nineteen. This was the place she mourned her parent’s death. The place she’d given everything to the man she thought she was going to marry. The place she mended her broken heart after he dumped her. She’d been through a lot with this place and wasn’t ready to give it up yet.

Pushing off the sill, she stood. It was just a place after all. She headed to her dresser and pulled out a few items of clothes. After stuffing a few into a bag she tossed it at the front door. A shower was what she needed to breath. The tightening in her chest was a constant reminder that her life was changing. Her freedom was being stolen and she didn’t have the power to fight it. She rolled over and let them take it from her.

It was losing battle. There was nothing she could say to change Corinne’s mind. Regardless of the rogue attack, she was screwed. The pack wasn’t as forgiving as they pretended to be, at least not to a mutt. Before stepping into the bathroom, she gave the place a once over. Despite the fact is was just an ordinary brick studio apartment, she’d miss this place. She’d miss being alone and having the liberty to do whatever she wanted.