Tale of the Werewolf Alpha and His Mate

Chapter Two: Welcome to Wolfden!

BECCA

"Get your butt up, Becca! We have to leave soon!" my mother yells.

I roll my eyes and scoff before I drag myself out of bed. I look over and find Aria sleeping soundly.

I smile and then march into the bathroom to freshen up.

Dressed in a pair of dark wash Hollister jeans and a baggy grey t-shirt paired with white sneakers, I walk out and pull my dark blonde hair into a messy top bun. I look around the room and begin to pack.

I then head downstairs with the luggage, greeted by an overly excited mother. She dares to step in to provide me with a hug. I drop the bags and turn back around into the room. I don't care if she is disheartened.

I find myself by Aria's bed. Because of the morning rays, she squirms. I kneel and block them with my hand. I draw the curtains and see her subconsciously smile before I head back to chat with my mother: to berate her for getting her s**t together and better being an improved version and making no more false promises.

For Aria, if not for me.

Later, I carry a sleeping Aria in the dining room, and my mother calls me, "Sweetie!" and clears her throat, "I put the bags in the U-Haul outside. I'm going to go and hand over the keys to the landlord. Make sure you don't forget anything because we're not coming back…"

I roll my eyes and notice my mother exuberantly walk away before I turn back to finish my breakfast of two PB&J sandwiches. I then pack two for Aria to have once she wakes up.

The U-Haul is attached to our car, and I find my mother talking to our landlord, former now, before she turns to look at me. I calmly place Aria in the backseat and tuck her neatly. I then slide into the passenger's seat and fasten my seat belt as I wait. Minutes later, my mother gets in and grins at me, "Sweetie, you have no idea what a nice place Wolfden is."

Wolfden?

Is that the name of the town we're moving to?

What the heck is wrong with the name?

I scoff and then look out of the window.

After several attempts to start it, the engine roars to life, and we finally hit the road. I plug in my earbuds and turn the music loud enough not to hear my mother before I doze off.

***

WELCOME TO WOLFDEN

Pop: 4400 Go, Wolves!

I look up and see the statue of big black wolves with glowing eyes, known famously to reside in the nearby forest as we arrive in this unknown town in Minnesota in an almost two-day drive.

Aria is pleased. So is my mother.

I mumble a groan and look out of the window. We pass a drugstore, a hardware store, and a clinic by the street when my mother senses my presence. "Oh, good, you're up."

I glance at her and stretch a bit.

"Yeah, I guess so…" I yawn.

My mother notices and laughs at me.

I roll my eyes when she takes a final turn and exclaims, "Oh, our new neighborhood, here we are!"

"We are?" Aria says back. My mother nods over at her. Their eyes gleam. Like, what the heck!

I shoot a look at the house: a two-story, small but cozy. There is a garden, and the gravel path leading to the porch. The house is on the edge of the neighborhood, leading off to what seems to be that deep, impenetrable forest.

We pull over on the street, and my mother hops out first. "The house comes furnished, anyway. Come on. We need to get everything back inside quickly." I grunt under my breath and hop out of the car as well. I walk to my sister's side and help her get out too. "You happy?" I ask.

Aria grins, "Yup!"

I clear my throat. "Take these and go inside, okay?" I pass light items to her and Aria giddily walks into the house. I begin to empty the U-Haul when I hear a laugh and stop. I turn my head and narrow my eyes when I find my mother flirting with some guy in a creepy walking outfit.

I groan. I guess some people can never change. I roll my eyes and look away. Before I resume walking in, I hear a growl and stop in my tracks.

What was that? I also have a gut feeling that I am being watched. I frown and then look around, only to lock eyes with the dense bushes tangled up in vines.

A pair of red glowing eyes bore into mine and a growl resonates again.

I stumble backward and someone catches hold of me. I gasp and look over, and it's just some other guy with a creepy toothy smile. I pull myself out of his grasp and mutter a “thank you” before walking away.

Not before I glance back into those bushes.

It can't be a human, right?

It must be a dog. A dog, right?

Or wait, do those black wolves exist?

That's when my mother calls me, "Becca, sweetie!" I blink and turn my head toward her. She waves a hand and says, "C'mon, it's getting dark. Let's not venture out at night." Then I watch her walk inside.

Yeah, right. Look who's giving the lecture! I snort.

Seriously, though, Welcome to Wolfden!

***

The house is smaller than it looks. Maybe that's why my mother could afford it. The first floor has a living room space divided by a kitchen counter and the stairs leading to the second floor, which has two bedrooms and a bathroom.

I enter my room and find Aria drawing with crayons, and then she beams at me. "I love this house, Becki," Aria chirps as she sits straight, already in her pajamas. I put the plate of pizza in front of her and she thanks me.

I grin and ruffle her head lightly. "I know, little angel. I know." Awww, I love this little person and can do anything to see her smile and be happy. I move to my desk. It looks like my mother has been planning this move for a long time since she already got me transferred, and tomorrow's my first day.

Ugh!

I study so I do not lag behind, but it doesn't mean I like school. I scoff. My timetable doesn't look complicated – basic subjects with psychology and media arts as electives and mandatory gym classes.

Aria blurts out, "Why are you smiling?"

"Am I?" I ask.

Aria nods and pouts.

"Oh, it's nothing." I distract her by pulling her into a back hug and murmur, "I'm just happy that you're happy." I tilt my head and ask, "Are you excited about your school, little angel?"

"Very!" Aria beams. I chuckle at her cuteness and give her a peck.