Phoenix: rise from death. **COMPLETED**

#10 the city

I made ot to the city just as the sun was setting. I was exhausted and hungry. I shifted and dressed quickly making my way through the streets until I saw a small diner. ducking in for a bite of food and hopefully directions to a decent place to sleep. the city would be a great place to hide. all the different scents would definitely help to hide mine. I sat in a booth waiting for a waitress to take my order. it was a cute little place. not fancy by any means but the hustle of the place mixed with the different smells of the delicious food mingled and peaked my interest. while I was alive I would never have been allowed in a place like this. Christopher expected the best and to always be my best. I was to be perfect at all times. I had my hair tucked under a hat and jeans on. I definitely did not look the way Christopher would have wanted. I didn't look up at the waitress. I guess years of not being allowed to look others in the eyes still lingered. "what can I get you?" her voice was sweet like honey.

"may I please have a cheeseburger with fries? thank you." I just stared down at my water glass cupping it in my hand. it was as though that one glass was my life line. my support keeping me sane. she walked away after taking my menu and I just sat calmly watching the people coming and going from the diner. I had always watched people. I would imagine their loves and how happy they were. it was the closest to most people I was allowed to be.

"you look like someone from my past." the waitress placed my plate of food in front of me. I still hadn't looked up yet to see her face. I knew I was leading a new life and needed to embrace it so I turned my head to her. instantly I froze. my body went stiff and I'm sure my face gave away some hints to my sudden fear. there before me was Carla. she was beautiful just like I remembered her. her long hair was pulled back into a ponytail and her eyes were soft and kind.

I gave a small smile to her unsure of what to say. would my voice give it away? the fear she would recognize me crept into my mind. then I took in a deep breath and let it all go. even if she did put it all together she was my best friend in my previous life. "why your past?"

Carla held her pad of paper tightly as she looked at me longily. it was like she was willing it to be me. that if it were her friend, the Angel from her past then somehow her life would have a new meaning. a new purpose. there was a sadness all of a sudden in her eyes as she looked away. she shook her head slightly. "she passed away three years ago. it's your face. she had the most beautiful fire red hair I had ever seen. anyways enough about that. you enjoy your food miss...." she paused realizing she didn't know my name. the name of the girl who resembled her past.

I decided to use it. to give her my actual name and see where it would go. I missed Carla. she was the light in such a fork world for me. "Angel. my name is Angel."

Carla starred at me in shock. unable to form another word she turned and walked back to the kitchen and through the doors. I sat there for a moment longer then decided to eat. I was hungry and I knew she needed to process what she had just heard. I took my scarf off my head exposing my red hair and bit down into my cheeseburger. I waited briefly after paying the bill but she never came back. maybe I had pushed it too far and she couldn't handle it. maybe I had changed just too much and the soft Angel from before was gone replaced with half a monster hell bent on killing her old mate for what he had done to both of us. either way she was overwhelmed and dealing with feelings that confused her. I pushed my way back to the street and continued walking into the city to look for a place to stay. getting a shower and sleep was on the top of my priorities now. I had hoped I would have seen Carla again. I supposed it was for the best that I didn't. Carla had a way of talking me down from bad ideas and what could be worse than seeking revenge on a man like Christopher. he was dangerous and I was already killed once by him. as I walked I started to feel a weird sensation creep up my neck. the hairs started to stand up. I looked around and saw nothing so I kept walking but kept a diligent eye out for anything creeping in the shadows. I made it to a run down motel. it was decent enough and was better than a cave like I was used to so I decided it would do for a few days. walking inside to the small lobby I looked around the run down place. a woman sat at the desk rummaging through papers. she looked to be in her mid fifties and her hair had long since gone grey. she had it pulled up on her head into a bun and thick glasses on her face. "evening. what can I do for you?" her voice was soft and she smelled like fresh linen.

I smiled at her."I need a room for a couple of nights please." she nodded at me and I reached into my bag to pull out some of the cash I had stashed there. I felt a tug at my hand amd I looked down into the eyes of a small girl with beautiful sand hair amd brown eyes that looked like amber. the eyes looked like someone's. eyes that haunted my dreams."why hello there. what's your name?"

"Angel, " her little nose wrinkled at me as she spoke. "my mommy says her best friend used to be Angel and now she is one. I like your hair. it looks like fire."

shock washed over me like a tidal wave devouring a city. those eyes and that face suddenly painfully came to me. this was Carla's daughter and this was Christopher's daughter. alpha Christopher had a child and he had no clue about her or else he would have burned the city down to get to her. he would have stopped at nothing to claim his heir. his only child. I knelt down to her and tucked a strand of her curls behind her ear.

"what a beautiful name." it was like staring straight into the purest form of Christopher. the priest part of him that he could never be. this sweet little girl had no clue the power that she held. I felt a surge of need. a need to make sure to protect her and keep her safe from Christopher. the need for revenge grew deeper knowing what he would do to this beautiful little soul that stood before me. I paid for my room and said goodbye to her. this little girl would drive me. she woukd be the reason I would never give up. Carla deserved to be happy and to feel safe. her little girl should feel safe in a world that was turning upside down by the minute. when I got to my room. I put my key in the door and pushed it open. there was two beds in the room. amd a small chair to one side by the window. it was clean and for my needs it would be perfect. I closed the curtains and started peeling my clothes off to get into the shower. being clean at that moment seemed to over take all my other needs. letting the water fall down my body as I took in Carla's little girl. everything from today swirling in my head. I wondered if I would ever see her or Jacob again. my wolf was stirring anxiously in my head. she was disturbed by something. a feeling that we were being followed. the feeling would normally make her stand ready to take over but she wasn't. it was as though whoever it was might be a good thing. I fi ished cleaning up then got out of the shower wrapping a towel around my body amd using another to towel my hair dry. I wasn't paying attention to anything as I made my way to the mirror and wiped the steam away to look at myself. my eyes darted to something behind me. the face starring at me through the mirror. "what the hell!"