Brothers

I stood frozen for a minute thinking about how he looked similar but different to Bruce. This stranger was so nice and worked in a hospital compared to his younger brother who assaulted me only yesterday. I felt sick instantly and moved quickly in the opposite direction AJ went and away from the business he pointed out.

Walking until it became dark I finally found a sleazy looking motel and went in. My first red flag should have been the extremely dirty clerk who asked if I was renting by the hour, over night or weekly. When I said weekly he had looked me up and down making me feel like prey. I paid in cash and gave a fake name after getting the address from him to put on my job application. I went up to my room on the 4th floor. It wasn't as big, clean or nice as Kats place was but it would do until I started getting a fulltime income. 

I showered and sat on the bed thinking about how I could run into Bruce's older brother. I knew he had 2 older brothers. Twins that were born causing our first Luna to pass away in childbirth. The alpha never seemed to treat his two sons differently according to everyone in the pack until he married the new Luna. They were not mates both had lost their true mates but bared the pain to give the pack what seemed like the best. Then 7 years ago on the twins 17th birthday Alpha Garry banished his elder sons declaring Bruce would be his successor and the one true alpha once he turned 16. Jamie his oldest son by minutes left without a word but AJ apparently had a verbal fight with his father and step mother outside the pack house resulting in him being dragged out of the territory but 5 guards. 

So this is where they ended up. It seems like they are doing well for themselves. I mean AJ seems to be some sort of doctor or something related to the hospital here and Jamie obviously owns at least one business. I shook my head flopping backwards. I don't care if they are no longer part of the pack they still share a father with that monster who violated me. I want to forget about the past and focus on my future. Closing my eyes I drifted into a restless sleep. 

I awoke to sun shining in my eyes since I forgot to close the curtains last night. I groaned and sat up, my body still stiff from recovering from the other night and the 7 hour bus ride yesterday. I rubbed my head, standing and headed to the bathroom. I stripped off and jumped in the shower after checking the water temperature. 

After my shower I dressed in my only black skirt and a light blue top that matched my eyes. I sat at the small desk in the room and filled in the job application. I put my old manager as my only reference and put on my only pair of decent looking shoes. Leaving I made sure to lock the door after hiding my envelope of savings. Taking only $50 to get me through the day. 

I wandered the city and ended up being able to find my way back to the hotel. I went inside and saw the same lady who gave me the form yesterday. She smiled warmly at me again.

"Back again already I see someone's very eager." She said taking the form from me. 

I nodded in response returning her warming smile. I stood nervous as she looked over my application. I began to fidget and she took notice. 

"Don't worry honey I'm just making sure we have everything. You can go take a seat over there while I give this to the manager if you want." She said in her chirpy voice. I smiled and went to take a seat. 

It had only been about 5 minutes when she reappeared with a man who seemed to be only in his early 20's he walked over to me after she pointed me out. I sat up straight, partly out of nervousness and partly out of politness. 

"Ms Neilson, I'm Gary the manager. Scarlett has told me you only asked for the form yesterday and yet you are back already. You are very eager to began a job aren't you." He said in, what I assumed was, a slightly mocking tone. 

I looked down at my hands and nodded. He cleared his throat and gestured for me to follow him. I stood and followed behind him into the back behind the reception area. It went into a hall lined with doors and I followed, beginning to become a little nervous since I hadn't been alone with a man since the nice Bruce attacked me. Gary opened the door at the end of the hall stepping in and motioned me to sit in a chair. I sat and he closed the door walking around the desk to sit. 

"So you only arrived in the city yesterday what made you leave your pack territory?" He asked catching me off guard. 

How did he know I was from a pack.

"I wasn't accepted there and needed a fresh start." I said honestly. 

He nodded and jotted something down. We spoke for about an hour and he continued to write things down, nodding then moving on. Until he got to the question I was dreading. 

"Who was your pack and why were you not accepted?" He asked looking up at me when I didn't answer right away like the other questions.

I sucked in a deep breath before starting. 

"I was Blue Crescent Moon pack. I was born wolfless and the adults always treated me like less than a human. The children would be friendly to me until they turned 16 then they would realize why the adults hated me and begin to hate me too. I couldnt take it anymore and two days ago something just snapped in me and I decided I had to leave. So yesterday I got on a bus traveled as far as it was going and ended up here." I finished and looked up from my hands which I had been focused on the whole time to see sadness in Gary's eyes.

"You will be able to start right away I take it?" He asked clearing his throat. 

I nodded and was sitting on the edge of my seat. 

"Very well come back tomorrow and we will sign the contracts. You will be working with Veronica who is the lady you've spoken with thus far. Kitty I just want you to know you may deal with wolves as this is a pack friendly hotel and we often host wolf events with packs from all over the world. All of our staff are aware of that world and will be supportive. If you have any issues with anyone due to you being a half wolf come and talk to me." He said standing and opening the door for me. 

I nodded and thanked him. Half wolf? I've never heard that before it must be something humans use to describe wolfless. I like it. From now on I am a half wolf. 

After I finished at the hotel I would soon call my work I wondered back down to the bus station and across to the little burger joint. I stopped to laugh at the name Diablo's. I found it ironic since her name is Angel. 

"Hey wolfless girl is back." She said loudly as I entered making me cring. 

I smiled and approached her. "Hey Angel thought I would come back and try a different burger. Yesterday's was so nice." I said trying to be as happy and unbeat as I could. 

She laughed and waved toward the table I sat at yesterday. I went and sat down and waited. Angel appeared with two plates of burgers and fries. She placed on in front of me making my mouth water and sat opposite me again. 

"So how'd your first day go?" She asked looking me up and down. 

I shrugged and told her I found a place in the shady motel. How I ran right into AJ making her face light up a little bit. 

"So you met one half of the twins." She said grinning before taking a massive bite of her burger. 

I cocked my head to the side questioning her while having a mouthful of food. 

"The twins, Jamie and AJ. Ones a business tycoon, the others a doctor. They are pretty much the cities royalty and you ran into one of them. Girl you are something special." She laughed taking another bite. 

We sat in silence as I didn't respond choosing to focus on my food instead. So I was right AJ's a doctor. How can someone who helps people for a living be related to a monster like Bruce? I sat stuck in my own head as I finished my food and Angel cleared the table. She left me to stew in my own thoughts. My head continued to betray me and wondered constantly back to AJ's face that messy hair and those piercing eyes. 

I shook myself out of my own head to in time to see Angel walking towards me again. 

"Hey you don't have to stay at the shitty motel. I have an apartment upstairs I can rent you. 100 bucks a week and you can eat here whenever you need." She finished with a wink. 

I sat still shocked with my mouth open. Why is everyone being so kind to me? Is this how life is supposed to be instead of being destroyed everyday by everyone. I saw her head lean to the side with a puzzled look on her face and quickly nodded. 

"That would be amazing thank you." I said getting excited. 

"Cool you can bring your stuff over anytime." She said making me smile wide. 

"That would be great but I paid for a week." I replied as I stood up. 

She nodded and watched me leave. I wandered back to the room I grabbed some more money and headed to the stores. I decided to buy jeans and skirts that coupled with some colorful tops and dress shoes. I made myself look like an adult instead of a scared little girl. This is the start of my new life as a half wolf and I am no longer anyone's punching bag. 

"Happy Birthday to me." I said to noone as I blow out the candle in a single cupcake. 

I'm 17 and am starting a new job today. I looked at myself in the mirror I had chosen the black A-line skirt, black stockings, a light red shirt which I tucked in to the skirt and flat black shoes. I smiled as I pulled my hair up into a high ponytail. I left my room knowing today is the start I always needed and deserved.