Broken Threads: Curse of Mates

three

“I’m partly somebody else trying to fit in and say the right things and do the right thing and be in the right place and wear what everybody else is wearing,”

Beatrice Sparks, Go Ask Alice.

Luckily, or unluckily for Moira, there was plenty of space on my table, giving her somewhere to sit during Art. Moira chatted with me about herself, telling me she moved here because of her parents and how she had to leave her dog behind. Moira asked me questions, and she sounded genuinely interested, but I felt guarded. I don’t want to indulge her in too much information about myself just in case she uses it against me.

Thankfully, Moira and I split ways as I had Science, and she had something else, so I didn’t have to pretend to be interested. Which makes me sound terrible, I know… but I don’t want to become friends with her if she’s going to turn around and stab me in the back, like Catherine. Since Catherine and I stopped being friends, it’s like I’m contagious and have Ebola or something. No one wants a bar of me, and I know Moira will feel the same.

The bell finally went for lunch, and I entered the cafeteria to eat lunch. The cafeteria is a big room filled with tables and chairs, like the food court in the mall, but plainer. There’s a canteen where you can buy food, but the food is overpriced and poor quality. They sell party pies, small pies about four centimetres in diameter, for a dollar each. And I know these pies. You get a box of twenty-four from Woolworths for six dollars fifty. See? Not worth it.

I scan the room, and I am happy to see that my table is free. My table sits flush against the window that looks out into the garden. I sometimes spend my whole lunchtime staring out the window and zoning out. I walk across the room when I hear my name being called. Because I don’t think it’s for me, I keep walking.

“Sera!” I hear again. This time, I turn and see Moira standing at a table waving to me. She’s sitting with the popular group.

“Sit here,” Moira says, indicating that I come over with her hand. I shake my head slightly and return, looking at the ground before my feet as I walk toward my table.

Taking my sandwich out of my lunch box, I think while I eat. Moira looked disappointed when I shook my head at her, but I didn’t want to taint her with my presence. I can see the way everyone looks at Moira. She radiates beauty and is like a magnet. I noticed in Art that the boys in the class were eyeing her up, and I can tell Alpha Zach and his hoons are also captivated by her. I couldn’t ruin her reputation by going over.

I shrug my shoulders at this thought. I tried to make friends with others when I started high school. Unfortunately, when Catherine turned her back on me, she somehow created a following. Everything Catherine said was gold. I watched on the sidelines as she would go through phases of picking her friends off one at a time, isolating them until they apologised for their petty wrongdoings before accepting them back into her group. I couldn’t understand how she did it. What was it about her that made them keep coming back?

Shyly I turn and watch Moira eat her lunch with the Alpha Zach, Catherine and their friends. They all sit there, laughing and sounding like they’re having fun. I wonder what Catherine really feels about Moira. It would be interesting to know.

The next couple of days continue, like the beginning of the week. I wake up to an empty house, walk to school, learn, come home and chill in front of the television before I have to go to bed. Rinse and repeat. Moira sits with me in English and Art and sometimes joins me for lunch. When that happens, people follow her to the table, and suddenly, I’m surrounded by a group of people who have previously wanted to have nothing to do with me. I’m also beginning to hold conversations with some of them. Yay to me!

I walk home from school with a slight skip in my step. Besides the shit beginning of the week, it’s gotten better. Moira is nice, and the friends she hangs around with are friendly. Sometimes, Moira will sit with Alpha Zach and his friends during class breaks, but I feel included on the days she sits with me.

I did warn Moira that hanging out with me would damage her reputation, but she defied the norm and hasn’t shown that she cares… yet, or that her reputation has decreased. Of course, I feel a little wary that she will turn her back on me, but now I’m enjoying riding the wave of her giving me the time of day.

But that’s not the only reason I’m walking home with a skip in my step. Tonight, my parents are taking me to the pack house named after our pack, Clevedon House, for dinner. Clevedon House has three restaurants that we can visit, but the one we're going to tonight has a buffet. I'm excited because we don't often go to Clevedon House since I finished pack school. Growing up, I've been to all the restaurants, but the buffet is my favourite. It has a sushi train, noodles, soup, roast vegetables and meat, salads, seafood, desserts, and freshly baked bread. Hmm! My stomach growls just thinking about it.

The high-ranking wolves get to eat at Clevedon House whenever they want, but common pack members, like my family, get a certain number of meals free per month. I’m unsure how much we get because, as I said, we rarely visit, but I'm sure it’s not much. Which is why going out is so exciting!

I’m sitting in the living room folding washing when my parents arrive home.

“Thank you, Sera,” Mum says when she notices what I’m doing as she walks in. I nod.

“We’ll leave at six; you’ll need to get ready,” Dad reminds me... like I need to be reminded! When I got home, I stripped out of my uniform and showered. I then changed into skinny brown jeans paired with my powder blue knitted jumper. I blow-dried my hair, planning to leave it out. I don't need to get ready; I am ready!

I put the towels and flannels in the manchester cupboard and then put my folded clothes away while Mum and Dad got ready. I also put on another load of laundry to hang up for when we got home.

“Ready?” Mum asks when she and Dad finally walk back into the living room.

“Yup,” I reply.

It’s a short drive to Clevedon House, which sits in front of a well-maintained lawn and backing lush forest. To the front is a golf course, giving the impression that the pack is made of money.

Humans in our town refer to Clevedon House as a Clevedon Country Club, and it is kind of. The only access to it is if you are a werewolf and a pack member.

We drive up to the entrance, where a large artistic waterfall sits at the front centre of the building's entrance. A smile spreads across my face as we approach by car. Memories of coming to Clevedon House every Sunday for pack school fill my mind. All pack members from ages six to twelve come to Clevedon House every Sunday morning to learn about werewolf life and our pack. We learn everything we need to know about shifting, mates and the moon goddess. We also learn about our pack, the founding alpha family and the pack’s history.

From coming here as a child, I know Clevedon House has a large indoor pool, spas and even steam rooms. There are separate gyms for boys and girls, with their own workout equipment, a large room with mats for sparring, a room for weapons training, and a gymnasium for team sports. The restaurants, a small hospital (for werewolves), daycare, library, computer room and theatre room are on the other side. There are a few living rooms, game rooms and even rooms with children’s toys to play with. The pack’s offices, guest rooms, and dormitories are here for the pack’s deltas. There is also an accommodation wing for pack members who want to live in Clevedon House.

I have good memories of coming here as a child. I remember running through the halls and rooms with Catherine and our friends as a kid. They were fun times.

Dad parks the car in one of the car parks, and I get out, joining my parents in the cool night air. I’ve had a better week than usual, and I can’t help but feel happy as I walk with my parents toward the pack house door.

We’re sitting and eating our dinner at the buffet restaurant when the room goes quiet. Our Alpha’s powerful aura fills the room, and my family and I immediately join the pack by standing at our tables, our heads bowed in respect.

“Thank you, Pack Clevedon. You may sit,” Alpha Lachlan says proudly, a smile in his voice. Everyone sits down again, and the noise of people talking starts again.

After about fifteen minutes, I can smell the scent of watermelon and lemonade filling my nose. It reminds me of summer days growing up as a child when Catherine and I would play in each other’s backyards, eat watermelons, and drink lemonades. I glance up and look around for the source of the smell. Alpha Lachlan and his son Zach are walking towards me, blocking my view. I frown.

“Dean and Amy Mayvic! It’s been a long time since I’ve seen you at Clevedon House,” our Alpha greets, a smile on his handsome face. Zach just looks at me and smirks when he notices me looking toward him. I quickly look back at my food. My parents talk with the Alpha before they say their goodbyes and move to talk to the next family.

We continue eating more quietly this time, and me wondering what my parents are thinking. I could look into their minds, my parents taught me that trick (which is not taught at pack school) when they taught me to link, but my parents told me it is insulting without the other person’s permission.

“Well, that was lovely,” Mum says when she finishes her meal. Dad agrees and suggests we go home, and Mum and I agree.

“Hold on, I’ve just got to go to the toilet,” I say as we pass a bathroom sign.

“Okay, we’ll meet you at the entrance,” Mum smiles, and I nod.

I have to walk through the pack house a bit, as the toilets closest to the restaurant have a line (women’s bathrooms never have enough stalls, and I want to avoid going into the men’s). Finding the restroom, I open the door, where I’m met with the sound of grunting and moaning.

I want to walk out of the room, but my feet are frozen on the ground in shock. What have I just walked in on? I don’t know what to do when a familiar smell fills my head, the scent of watermelon and lemonade filling my nose again. I turn to see an air freshener. It must be on a timer.

The moans and grunts stop, and I quickly move towards the sink. I turn on the tap as a toilet stall door opens. Zach Lachlan walks out, shoving his shirt into his pants, smirking at me as he walks past. I shudder in disgust as I pretend to wash my hands. A few minutes later, Madelaine walks out of the toilet stall and to the bathroom sink. Her clothes are all over the place, and her hair is messy. I’m in shock. Isn’t she friends with Catherine? Isn’t Catherine Zach’s girlfriend or something?

Madelaine looks at me and smiles. I don’t say anything as she walks past, keeping my focus on my hands.

Suddenly I feel the back of my head being pushed toward the sink. I’m only a few centimetres away from meeting the porcelain and cry out in pain. Madelaine already has her wolf, and she put power into pushing my head down.

“Remember not to say anything. Not that they’d believe you, camel toe,” Madelaine sneers.

I don’t reply, just listening as the door opens and closes behind her.

Tears roll down my face as I leave the stall after doing my business. I can’t help it. I wish I didn’t get all emotional, but I hate being treated the way I am and not feeling like I can do anything.

“Are you all right?” Mum asks me as I walk towards her.

“Yup,” I lie.

~ Edited with Grammarly