CHAPTER 3

CHAPTER 3

LORRAINE’S POV

Taking advantage of the chaos caused by the fire, I escaped Euphoria Pack.

I ran for hours without daring to stop, driven by the fear of being caught. Only after crossing into Midnight Pack and returning to my parents, would I truly be safe.

My bare feet struck the jagged earth over and over until the sharp stabs of pain numbed into a dull, wet ache. I didn't dare look down to see how much of the trail was mud and how much was my own blood.

The midday sun showed no mercy, scorching my already battered skin as I stood before the towering gates of the Packhouse, every breath scraping my parched throat.

“State your business.”

The guards outside the gates stopped me before I could take another step closer.

Wasting no time, I said, “I’m here to see the Alpha.”

“You and half the rogues in the north,” the first guard snickered, his eyes narrowing into a scornful squint. “If we allow everyone in, we might as well start running a charity case.”

He turned to walk back inside the gate but he was held back by his companion.

“Do you have an appointment?” The second guard asked.

The look in his eyes…pity.

I hated it, but I shoved down my discomfort as I whispered a no.

“I’m sorry miss, rules are rules. No appointment. No entry,” his tone rang out sharp and firm.

I was so sure that my parents would receive me warmly but I failed to consider if I’d be allowed passage through the gates.

Ignoring the sting of humiliation, I rushed toward him. “Please, I need to see him. Tell him his daughter is here.” With barely a breath, I added, “Tell him… Lorraine is here.”

I shifted from one foot to another as they gave me a critical once-over, their eyes dragging slowly from my shoes up to my hairline.

Their expressions screamed one word.

Liar.

But I couldn’t blame them. If a lady with messy hair, covered in soot claimed to be the Alpha’s daughter, even I would have a hard time believing.

“If you could just let me in for five minutes,” I pressed, refusing to give up, the moment they began walking inside.

Grasping the second guard’s arm I said frantically, “ Or you can tell my mother instead, Iris.”

Hope surged through me as he stopped to face me. Was he finally willing to listen to me?

“The Luna?” he growled as his expression hardened.

Confused by his sudden hostility, I nodded repeatedly, “Yes the Luna. Tell her Lorraine is here.”

Without another word, he pried my fingers from his arm and strode back toward the gates.

Determined to stop him, I stumbled after him. My exhausted legs gave out beneath me and I crashed onto the concrete, my elbows scraping against the rough ground before my hips hit with a painful thud.

The first guard scoffed as he spat out, “the least you could do is do your research before pretending to be someone you’re not. Now scram!”

My plea died on my lips as the gates shut me out mercilessly.

The plan I’d laid so carefully shattered in an instant, leaving me at a loss.

What should I do?

I had no money, no phone. There was no one I trusted enough to turn to.

I couldn’t afford wandering too far either, the risk of Conrad’s men finding me was too hard to bear.

Before long, I began attracting unwanted stares from passersby.

Fueled by the determination to meet my parents, I huddled up beside the gate, burying my face between my knees.

There was a ninety-nine percent chance of my father driving out of the Pack house. As far as I remembered, he spent most of his afternoons attending council meetings.

Surely he’d have to leave eventually and I’d be right here waiting.

But as the shadows stretched across the ground, I lost count of the number of times I rushed to the gates whenever they opened for another vehicle, foolishly hoping the next person would recognize me or…let me in.

Each one crushed my hope a little more than the last.

It went on until the sun slipped below the horizon, leaving me to face the bitter evening cold. Then a black SUV rolled to a stop outside the gates.

One last time.

I forced myself to my feet. Every muscle trembled in protest as I dragged myself toward the gates.

Getting closer to the car, I could see the silhouette of a man at the backseat but the tint of the glass made it hard to recognize the figure no matter how hard I squinted.

I would have gone back to my spot as usual but I had a gut feeling that I would regret it if I missed this car.

As the gate opened up, I decisively stood at the front of the car with my arms stretched wide. If anything, this would get the attention of the owner.

The driver honked repeatedly but I remained still, I had nothing to lose. The worst that could happen was losing my life.

Who could guarantee I wouldn’t lose it anyway if I spent the night outside?

The commotion caught the attention of the second guard and he strolled out.

His expression turned grim as he noticed me blocking the car. Not a second later, he hurled me away as if I weighed nothing, dragging me to the side.

Not again.

He groaned against my kicks but his grip tightened instead. “Can you just stay put?”

Fortune finally smiled on me as the driver lowered his window. I stopped struggling as I puffed, mustering the best smile I could offer.

He looked down, his gaze condescending. “The Boss is not taking any visitors at this moment. Send her away.”

No. No.

The driver started rolling the window up getting ready to drive off.

“Please sir, help me speak to the Alpha, I need to see him!” I screamed at the car, struggling against the deathly grip clamped around me. “Let me go! Let me go!”

“Lorraine?”

This time the backseat window finally rolled down, revealing the very face that occupied every space in my head. He looked just the same as I remembered but the bags under his eyes held a different story.

Was he overworking? Mom would never let him overwork himself.

“Dad! It’s me! It’s me!” I called out excitedly, taking a step closer, but the guard held me in place. I scowled at him before turning to face my dad again.

“Let her go,” he barked, his eyes locked on mine, afraid to blink as he stepped out of the car.

The guard grunted, his grip finally loosening.

I barely took a step before my dad closed the distance, pulling me into his embrace.

“Raine… you have no idea how much I missed you,” his grip tightened on my arm, till he pulled back. His eyes met mine, they were red, glistening with unshed tears. “What happened to you?”

No matter how many times I’d cried in the last few hours, the dam opened up again as his pain tugged deeply at my heart. Knowing my disappearance had carved those wounds into him .

The little pats on my head made me break into an ugly sob. I didn’t care about what people thought of me.

He carried me into the car, shutting the door behind us. He continued patting as I released my pent up feelings, until my sobs faded into quiet sniffles.

I finally lifted my gaze to his, he opened his lips to say something but he hesitated, clamping them shut.

“Where’s mom?”

His arms that held me securely loosened, gawking at me as if I said something unbelievable.

“Conrad…” he paused, his gaze searching mine. “He didn’t tell you?” He asked carefully.

“Tell me what?” An unsettling feeling I couldn’t push off rose in my chest.

“Raine, your mother…” His lips trembled as his hand squeezed mine gently. “Iris is dead.”