Chapter 7

Collins

I bopped down the stairs of the new cabin in our new pack. I loved the sound of my family downstairs getting ready for the day. Dad, getting his coffee, ready to walk out of the door to go train.. mom singing quietly in the living room to my brand new baby brother, who was only a few weeks old. And my other brother Cristoff, who was ten.. playing some handheld electronic game at the dining room table while eating breakfast.

My good mood could possibly be because in just a few days, I was off to college, again…

A new college in a new town…. far away from Garrett. I suppose I ought to be nervous, I don’t know anyone there, and I was going to have a brand new roommate. And it was most likely going to bring all the horrible memories to the forefront of my mind. But I was still excited… this gave me purpose and meaning. It was what I wanted to do, what I NEEDED to do.

I had two years left before I got my degree.. and I hoped they’d be the best two years of my life. I had loved college and everything it ensued… before all the bad stuff happened. Immersing myself into the human world had made me happy .. and I wanted that feeling again. I yearned for it.

Things had gotten better ever since we arrived in the Crow pack. First I met Lorenzo.. who ended up being my second mate. And even though nothing ever came from it.. I had made a friend and I knew he would always have my back, unconditionally.

Then the craziest thing happened not long afterwards .. I met my true mate, what some referred to as a first mate— Alan. I was immediately taken with him - obviously from the bond and the pull but it was more than that. It was his soul. He was good, to the core. He was funny and crazy and wild, a free spirit.

Of course things got a little crazy when it turned out that his sister happened to be the mate of Lorenzo, who was my second. But it all worked out. And now Emily and I were great friends.

We both had shared trauma. The things Emily had gone through were very similar to what I had endured. Although Emily’s plight had been going on for years and years. I don’t know how she had made it through. But she did. And she was stronger for it.

I had found it difficult to talk to people about what happened … but with Emily it was easy. Because she understood.

Still, I missed my best friend from my old pack Rachel. And my friends from college. But I had met a girl here that was close in age named Lauren and we had hit it off quickly. But now I was about to leave and go to the towns and I would be leaving both Rachel and Emily behind.

And Alan.

One thing about leaving I wasn’t looking forward to.

We’d held off doing anything physical… which hadn’t been easy. But my going away to college kind of prevented it. No way could we stand being away from each other if he marked me. It was hard enough now.

I wasn’t sure how he would feel about it— the waiting and my leaving. Some wolves were overly territorial.. marked or not.. and would never allow their mate to go off like that.

But Alan had been so understanding about the whole thing. Truthfully? I knew I hit the jack pot in the mate department. I thought of Emily and her ex, Nick… and all the horror she had gone through. And I knew I had gotten lucky with the most understanding wolf in the world.

Ever since we’d met , we had been spending time at each others packs. But Alan was the beta of his pack .. and he was busy. However he still made time for me, and he still came here to see me, and to help Lorenzo and dad with the training.

I was hopeful for the future. And I hoped that he would wait for me … although it hadn’t been discussed…. not really. But it was a conversation we needed to have, and soon. Possibly today.

I made some coffee and patted Cristoff on the head as I walked by him. He swatted me away so just to aggravate him a little more I reached down and hugged him quickly.

“Get offffff” he told me as I laughed, patting his head again.

I walked into the living room to see my new baby brother, Cade. My parents were insane about keeping names with the letter ‘C’. I guess since both their names started with the letter… they just couldn’t stop themselves. Mom smiled up at me as she rocked him to sleep.

“Everything squared away?” mom asked her. I knew she was referring to college. I had to fill out tons of paperwork and get transcripts sent over. I had to send in tapes of my dancing in order to audition for the team. If I didn’t make it, there went my scholarship.

But luckily I had… the instructor had called me personally to give me the good news. I had decided to forgo cheering this semester. My plate would be full enough. And I didn’t love it in the same way I did dance. But my classes were sorted… and I had a roommate, though I didn’t know the girls name. Now I just needed to find a part time job and I would be set.

“Just about.” I told her. “I’ve still got tons of packing to do.. and a job to find… but the paperwork’s all done.”

Mom smiled softly as she rocked Cade in her arms.

“Collins you know you don’t have to work. Your dad and I will give you mon……”

But I cut her off.

“I know mom but I like it.. it makes me feel useful and I don’t want to constantly ask you and dad for money.”

Mom nodded.. slightly frowning now.

“Are you absolutely sure you want to do this? You could take a year off…. You’re going to be leaving your mate ….” mom was saying.

But I knew she wasn’t too concerned about me leaving Alan. Her concern spurred from deep and painful memories of what had happened the last time. And she worried…. That it would happen again.

If I was being completely honest, so did I.