4 - Good-Bye

“Tyra, phone for you,” Vanessa yelled at the top of her lungs.

“Fuck Vanessa I don’t think they heard you in China,” I laughed.

It was just after breakfast and I’d been out training early this morning. I was tired and ready for a nap already.

I stared at the phone laying on the counter, knowing full well who was likely on the other end. My heart began to race and I desperately wanted to hang it up. I sucked in a deep breath and slowly exhaled. I couldn’t put him off any longer, or just my luck he would show up.

“Hello,” I said, finally picking up the receiver.

“Tyra? I don’t appreciate hearing you cuss baby, that’s hardly the perfect girl I remember,” a voice said.

I immediately balled up my free hand in a tight fist. 

“Well you’ll be surprised to find I’m not that girl anymore,” I said, stiffening my back.

“Oh I already know you have turned into a beautiful, strong she-wolf. I’ve had eyes on you for years. Did you think I could wait to see you baby? I’ve been very patient. You should have been here with me long ago. My beta, Ryan, is actually coming for you. He should be there in about half an hour. I strongly recommend you be packed and ready for him, he doesn’t like to wait,” he said, firmly.

“I thought I had until tomorrow,” I said, hating the whimper in my voice.

I was caught off guard and I hated that I sounded weak.

“There is a lot still to be done, many people for you to meet. It’s also quite a drive, nearly five hours so I thought it better that it be done today. Ryan has a lot on his plate tomorrow and I want you to be part of my ceremony so you should get here and settle into your new pack,” he said, as if it should be obvious.

It was pointless to argue. This was it, my fate was already sealed.

“Fine,” I said, hanging up the phone.

I stared down at it, convinced he would call right back to yell at me for hanging up on him. I waited about three minutes, staring at it hard, daring it to ring … but there was nothing.

I huffed and dragged myself to my room, pulling out a large duffle bag I’d used for summer training camps. I wasn’t a typical girly girl at all, I certainly didn’t dress like one. I had the inkling that Zachary would likely dress me however he wanted anyhow. My wardrobe was extremely basic, and if I needed a dress or something nice I just raided Vanessa’s closet.

I threw together some things in a rush and after about ten minutes Vanessa came in, gawking at me with her hands on her hips. 

“What are you doing, crazy girl,” she said, laughing.

“He’s apparently sent his Beta to get me, today … like now … literally going to be here any minute,” I said, dropping to the bed.

“You can’t be serious, we were going to stay up all night tonight and-”

I couldn’t hold it back. I considered myself tough as nails but looking at Vanessa, I was seriously wondering if this might be the last time I saw her, and it broke something inside me. I began sobbing on her shoulder and she wrapped her arms around me. She was two years older than me, and already had her wolf but hadn’t yet found her mate. This pack would never dare keep someone from finding their fated mate, and she would never have to know my struggle. I was jealous, but glad for it. I wouldn’t wish an arranged mate on anyone.

“Do mom and dad know,” she asked. 

“No, you should mind-link them,” I said, wrapping my arms around her too.

She was quiet for a moment and I sniffed her hair, never wanting to forget it. She smelled like wildflowers and I loved it, she smelled like home. The only place I really considered to be my real home. Blood Claw certainly never was anyhow, nothing but horrible memories there.

A minute later I heard my parents running up the stairs, my mother Dolores already in tears. 

“Ohh sweet girl,” she said, opening her arms to me.

I jumped into her arms without a moment’s hesitation. I remembered the day I first came here. They had a cute little house just behind the packhouse. It was a little slice of heaven and it was home in every way. 

They had all been so welcoming, so patient and understanding. I’d had nightmares for months. Only they weren’t dreams, they were memories. Flashes of my father, my brother, covered in blood returning from some conquest or another. Memories of right at the end when we were invaded by the Shadow Warriors and they had to teleport me to a safe place. I shuddered.

“Are you really just going to accept this, you’re not going to let us try and intervene,” my father Gene said.

“No, I can’t ask you to and I won’t. This is my fight, my burden. I’ll be fine,” I said, totally not even believing it myself whatsoever.

“I heard a car door outside,” Vanessa said, jumping up to look out the window.

“People get their mates and leave all the time, change packs,” I said, really to no one. Maybe I was talking to myself, I wasn’t even sure.

“They do it by choice, there’s a big damn difference,” Vanessa said, joining the big group hug we now had going on.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

Everyone pulled back and we all looked at each other.

“I know it’ll be impossible but try not to let him see you cry okay, don’t give him that,” Dolores said.

“It’s only the Beta but yeah, I’ll do my best,” I said, wiping my face. 

“We’ll stall him for a couple of minutes and take your things down to him,” Gene said, kissing my forehead. 

“That would be great, I love you both so much,” I said, joining for one more hug.

KNOCK KNOCK KNOCK.

“Coming,” Gene yelled through the open bedroom door.

My parents turned to leave and Vanessa grabbed a tissue and started wiping my face. I was glad I didn’t wear make-up since it would likely be all over the place. 

“All right girl, deep breaths, calm down okay,” she said, making a grand gesture out of lamaze-like breaths.

I mimicked her, sitting down on the bed for a moment. I instinctively stroked my gold necklace, it was a paw print that had been my birth mother’s. My father gave it to her when she joined Blood Claw and it was the only thing I had of hers. I didn’t even know what she looked like, even though my father always told me I was her twin.

“Promise we’ll stay in touch okay, whatever it takes,” she said, hugging me from the side.

I could hear the voices downstairs, the Beta seemed impatient and I knew I needed to get up but my feet didn’t want to move. If he had to come up here and get me it would be a bad scene, and I couldn’t let that happen.

“Of course we will,” I said, kissing her cheek, wondering if I could keep that promise.

I rose to my feet and left her there, sitting on my bed.

“All ready,” a large man said, meeting me at the bottom of the stairs as I descended. 

He was about 6’4 and a solid mass of 300lbs but probably had no body fat on him at all. He had dark brown hair and eyes and I quickly noticed no mark on his neck. He wasn't mated. 

“Ohh shit,” he said, laughing, now fully taking in my appearance.

“What,” I said, already knowing what he was thinking.

“Zach’s gonna love all this,” he said, gesturing at my head.

“Good,” I said, turning to hug my parents once last time.

Some secret part of my brain thought that if Zachary saw what I’d done to my body he wouldn’t want me anymore. But I knew it wasn’t likely.

“Call us, sweet girl,” Dolores said.

They both kissed my cheeks and it took every ounce of restraint to hold back my tears, but I managed. Vanessa didn’t come back down and I knew if she did I would have lost it again.