IRENE: Daughter of the Moon

Jezebel

I can feel the tension as I enter my front door. I have just returned home from school. It was a really bad day! Tisha was in a great mood, which I immediately was suspicious of. Tisha is never in a good mood. She can not stand me, and the feeling is mutual. Despite our dislike of one another, we keep it cordial. Her father is our pack's Alpha, and my father is his Beta.

We used to be close friends. We enjoyed sleepovers at each other's houses, went places together, and hung out at school. It has been four years since we liked one another but we are forced to play nice. Today, however, Tisha was too nice.

I am usually greeted by my adoring friends once I step foot on school grounds. As I enter school, I can usually feel the heat of Tisha's eyes as she glares angrily upon me. I don't know why she hates me so much. I can't help but wonder if we were ever truly friends or if she was pretending the whole time. One day, out of the blue, she picked a fight with me and acted like I was a creepy stalker who wanted to be her and do everything she did. I thought we did so much of the same stuff because we had so much in common. I adored her and never imagined she could be so cruel to me. Her betrayal hurt a lot, and sometimes, I think I am still not fully over it.

Today was not an ordinary school day. None of my friends greeted me, and as I opened the school doors, Tisha was standing in my way with a huge smile plastered on her face. It gave me the heebie jeebies when she draped her arm around me and proclaimed, "What a glorious day! Don't you agree?"

She looked at me with wide eyes as if she expected an answer. I stared at her, my expression blank. My mind was reeling about what could possibly be going on with her. Why was she looking at me like that, and what about today is so glorious? We continued to stare at each other until she broke the silence with a giggle.

"Well then. I guess I will leave you be for now. Come on, girls," she said to her entourage. They turned their backs to me and walked away.

It took me a second to get out of my head and focus on my surroundings. I noticed no one would look at me. My best friend Emma turned the corner and I rushed to her. Maybe she knew what was going on.

"Emma! Why is everyone acting so weird today? Did I miss something?" I asked her, desperate to figure out what was going on.

To my absolute horror, Emma kept walking without even acknowledging me. I followed her and stepped in front of her, blocking her path.

"What the fuck Emma? You are suppose to be my best friend! How can you just ignore me like that?" Her body trembled for a second as she glanced at my face.

"Emma please talk to me," I begged. I tried to mindlink her, but couldn't connect. Then she turned around and sped off in the opposite direction.

I felt sick. Meanwhile, everyone around me was still avoiding looking at me, even my teachers. By fourth period I couldn't take it anymore. I left school early and went home.

Which brings us back to the tension I feel as I walk in the front door. When I arrived home I could see my mom's car and my dad's truck parked in the driveway. They shouldn't be home right now. My heart begins racing. Something isn't right and a part of me feels like walking back out the door. But I don't know where I would go and I need some answers.

I walk into the kitchen. My father jumps up, startled by my presence. He looks at me so sadly. I almost break down in tears. He pulls me into an embrace and kisses my forehead. After he pulls away he tells me he loves me, then rushes out the door. I hear the roar of his truck. I run to the window and watch as he backs out of the drive until he is gone.

My mother sobs and crumples to the floor.

"Mom! Are you okay?" I ask, panicking. I run to her and crouch down beside her. "Where did dad go? What is going on?" My mother doesn't answer. She just sits on the cold linoleum floor and cries.

My heart is racing and I don't feel well. Something bad must be happening. The energy just feels wrong today. "Mom," I plead. "What is happening? I need to know, mom. Please tell me!"

My mom cups my face in her hands and says, "Alpha Theodore has exiled you hunny. You have to leave the pack!"

No way this is true, I think to myself. "Jade? Why is this happening?" She doesn't answer. I can't breathe. The room starts spinning and I faint. Fuck this day!