Painful memories

Hazel P.O.V.

‘Please come to the woods and meet me tonight at 8pm. I’ll be waiting by the old oak tree’. The memory of the note popped into my mind when I see a couple come into the store hand in hand, all smiles. They are wolves as I can see their matemarks. They look at each other like no one else exists. 

It made me think back to that memory, thinking of what could’ve been.  The note I had received  was from my Alpha, Grady Starwood. 

I woke early, even before the sun had even come over the horizon to the sound of purring in my head. I smiled to myself. This could only mean one thing. I had actually gotten my wolf today. Mom and dad were dead sure I would never be important or strong enough for the Moon Goddess to bless me with a wolf, let alone a mate. They kept threatening me with kicking me out, which I knew was an empty threat because that meant a bump in their flawless pack reputation. The summer holidays began today and I was graduating with honors, much to my parents' horror.

‘Hello Hazel!’ My wolf says in a confident husky voice. I close my eyes to enjoy her even more. 

“Hi! What is your name?” I ask her, wanting to know everything all at once. She barks a laugh. 

‘My name is Ebony, and I’m very pleased to be paired with a kindhearted human such as you.’ She answers, sitting with her tail wagging in my mind. 

‘Can we shift?’ I want to do it already so no one can hinder me. Rumor has it that if a wolf does not shift on their actual birthday, then their wolves will go feral and kill themselves. Ebony barks again but nods eagerly. 

‘That would be a pleasure if you are sure?’ She says, and I’m already getting dressed in my tiny little basement room. 

Outside I hurry to the treeline and pull my clothes off again. I close my eyes and let Ebony do her thing. I feel my bones snap and reshape. It hurts, but not as much as I would have thought it would. Ebony tells me to open my eyes and as I do, I get the distinct feeling someone is watching me. Looking around I see no one, so I look down instead. My paws are dark brown and I shake out our fur. 

The day goes back with many issues except my sister Josie trying to stir her usual attention seeking troubles. I manage to dodge her most of the day. Some time during classes the Beta came to me with a note from the Alpha; Please come to the woods and meet me tonight at 8pm. I’ll be waiting by the old oak tree’. I found it weird, but I was also curious. I have had a major crush on Alpha Grady since forever with the rest of the female population of the pack. He is a tall muscled greek god walking amongst us just being absolutely gorgeous and amazing. Ebony stirred while I held the note, saying she smelled something amazing but didn’t know what it was.

Dinner was a disaster as I knew it would be. Mom and dad were scolding me for graduating with honors, humiliating my siblings, because it made them look bad, especially Josie. I just internally rolled my eyes. None of them congratulated me on my birthday, but they definitely knew it was today because mom asked casually if I had gotten a wolf or not. I said I had and she scoffed. 

“Yeah, as if!” As proof I called forth my fangs, earning a hard slap on the face from her, and my father for disrespecting my elders. I just sighed and apologized before moving to the front door. 

They immediately asked where I was going? I said I was going for a walk and would be back later. I should have known it was way too easy to get out that night. 

In the forest I walked along the paths, enjoying the quiet night as a scent invaded my senses. Ebony perked up in my mind, her tongue hanging out. As we got closer, the scent got stronger. 

‘Our mate is there!’ Ebony said, and I wondered who it could be. Could it really be the Alpha who I had crushed so hard on? I walked through the last grubs and branches, only to stop dead in my tracks at the sight in front of me. 

There by the old oak tree stood Alpha Grady and the scent definitely came from him, but that was not what made me stop. With him stood my sister Josie - but fucking naked. She was unbuttoning his shirt for him, her arousal strong enough to reach me and make me gag. 

“Hazel!” Alpha Grady says, his eyes wide and concerned. I don’t answer as I turn around and leave the scene. Ebony is howling in my mind from the pain of seeing him with none other than that skank to Josie. 

At home my parents are waiting for me. 

“Happy birthday, Hazel. This is an envelope with money for a plane ticket. I’m sure you can go somewhere else and be a disappointment. We already told the taxi driver to take you away.” Mom said coldly, throwing a duffle bag at me and handing me the envelope. I snatch it, looking at them both with undisguised hatred at that moment. They knew! They knew she was going there. Josie must have seen or got told about the note and gone through my stuff. “Josie is going to be Luna - she is the fitting person for the position. Not you.” Dad says with a scoff pointing to the taxi. 

I left without looking back. He could take her as his chosen mate if he wanted the pack to burn to the ground. I just left. No rejection, nothing. Just pure heartache and sorrow.  

“Yo, earth to Hazel?” My best friend and roommate Kaia says, waving a hand in front of me. I smile at her, grabbing her hand and giving her a high five. She laughs, but I see the worry in her eyes. “You okay, babe?” She asks, following the young couple she notices must have been the trigger for my zoning out. I nod with a smile.

“Yeah, sorry about that.” She waves a hand dismissively. We met in the bookstore a few weeks after I moved to Blue Cove. I came here because this is where I knew  Hope, my sister, lived. She was an outcast like me, only worse. She is the sister my parents refused to recognize solely because she was born from an indiscretion of my father. I called her from the cab and she immediately told me to come here and live with her. 

We were happy together, especially when we found out that she was pregnant with my niece. Unfortunately, the happiness lasted shortly. Her ex-husband, who had gotten her pregnant by raping her, murdered her just before Lily turned 1. 

We were sitting at home, and had a restraining order on Taylor because of his excessive behavior. Even for a human he was very controlling and possessive. He kicked down the front door making Hope push Lily into my arms ordering me to run away with her while she distracted Taylor. I did as she asked, running to the neighbors and telling them to call the police. Suddenly shots ring out from our home and I remember screaming for Hope, while three grown men had to hold me back. One of the wives has taken Lily at this point to protect her. Taylor comes out from the house with blood all over him and I see red. Ebony loses all control, throwing the three men off of us and running after our sister’s murder. We tackled him to the ground and got a few good punches in before people dragged me off him again. 

He got sent away for life, and I adopted my niece as per Hope’s will.

“Are you sure you’re good? You have the thinking and reminiscing face on.” Kaia presses on. I smile and nod. 

“Yeah, I’m good. It’s just the 5 year anniversary of my leaving the Starfall pack is coming up and right after that it's been 4 years since Hope was murdered. I miss her terribly.” Kaia hugs me close. 

“I know, babe. I’m sorry.” I kiss her cheek. Kaia and Lily are my family now, and I couldn’t wish to have more than those two in my life.