Caine

Picture of Charlotte on the side. You can imagine your own, that’s just my image of her:)

Charlotte POV

“Mom! I’m home!” I yelled after walking into my house.

I heard her yell something back, but I didn’t catch the words.

Most times than not, she forgot that I wasn’t a Werewolf.

I lazily made my way up the stairs, wanting to extend the walk as much as possible. I had a pile of homework that I was really not looking forward to.

“Are you running with the girls?” My mom asked, poking her head into my room.

“What for? They’re all going to shift and leave me to run alone,” I shrugged.

I was sixteen years old and my Wolf had yet to make an appearance. The runt was sure taking her sweet time to show up.

Everyone was supposed to shift when they turned thirteen, or so was the custom. My mother was a Werewolf. My father- he was a human.

I didn’t really mind not having my Wolf. I was happy with how things were and it made it a lot easier to fit in with the humans.

I didn’t have to pretend to be as weak as a human- I already was. I was a human with the Werewolf gene running around in my system.

My only problem was when I had to socialize with the pack. She-Wolves weren’t exactly the nicest people to be around. In my opinion, they had too much fun when it came to shifting and leaving me behind.

I had grown used to it. Three years of being the misfit in the pack had given me that.

“Come on Char, you know you want to run with the girls. You’re really fast,” my mom told me, trying to give me the push to join the girls who were gathering.

She was right though, I was really fast. But I didn’t compare to their speed or their strength. Not shifting made me want to be better. I didn’t want to be left behind.

I thought that if I tried really hard, practiced more, ran more laps- I’d be able to compete with the rest of the shifters.

I didn’t.

I was in great shape, but in the end- I was still a human.

“Mom, I really don’t want to go,” I whined.

“Yes you do, I know you do,” she said, smiling at me.

I really didn’t.

“I have a load of homework,” I told her, pointing at the stack of books I had in my desk.

“You’ll do it later,” she said, giving me a pleading look.

My mom was giving me that sad expression that usually got me into things I didn’t want to do… and she was going to do it yet again.

I groaned, but nodded my head in consent.

“Fine, but you owe me. I really have a lot of homework and I don’t want to go,” I stated, just to make sure it was clear that I was going unwillingly.

She clapped her hands in excitement, which I considered a slight exaggeration.

“Gosh, you act like if I’ve just been accepted to Harvard,” I told her, rolling my eyes.

“You’re not going to college. You will shift someday, find your mate, and live pack life happily,” my mom said, going on one of her trips.

I rolled my eyes, and decided to reserve my comments.

I honestly doubted I would ever shift. Sometimes I felt her, my Wolf that is. Either that, or I was going crazy and had created a very smart and snarky subconscious.

“Great,” I agreed with my mom to get her out of my room.

‘At least one of us is optimistic’ I told myself.

I had long ago given up on ever getting a Wolf. Maybe it wasn’t meant to be. There was a chance the gene had skipped a generation. I just thought it royally sucked that I had to be the one it skipped.

While everyone in the pack had their Wolf, I had… myself?

I was hardly allowed to hang around humans. Even though I wasn’t a Werewolf, I was part of the pack. Rules and our Alphas said I had to be cautious.

I knew what the Alphas thought of me. I was betting that if it was up to them, I’d be given the boot. It made sense. What use could I be to the pack?

I got straight A’s, which was my sad way of trying to make up for the lack of my Wolf.

I rarely let it get me down, that was, until my mom forced me to hang out with the pack She-Wolves.

“Hey Charlotte,” Sara greeted me with a grin.

I nodded, not feeling in a talking mood.

We were at a clearing. I was hoping I could sneak off while they ran. I only needed to stay out of the house for my mom to think I spent the time hanging out with the girls.

“You came to run with us? Interested in being our water girl?” Martha, one of my cousins, asked me. I so badly wanted to wipe that smirk off her face.

I rolled my eyes at her. She thought that having a Wolf excused her lack of brains.

“My mom wanted me to make sure you didn’t get lost. She knows you’re more on the dumb side.”

Just looking at Martha’s scowl over my words was worth it.

“You better watch your mouth Charlotte. Don’t think I won’t hurt you just because you’re a stupid human,” she said.

The other She-Wolves were arriving, and a crowd was starting to form around us.

“You’re a Wolf who gets lost in our territory. Are you sure I’m the stupid one?” I taunted, although I knew she really could hurt me.

Damn Werewolf strength I thought to myself.

She laughed at my words, looking ready to add her input.

“Martha, Charlotte!” One of our trainers waved us over before Martha could say anything.

“I don’t want to see you two fighting. We’re running and then training. If I see you two even looking at each other, I’ll make you run extra laps,” Thelma, our trainer, said to us with a strict voice.

“I’m not staying. I was just looking for Theo, but he’s not here,” I told her.

She looked at me suspiciously. I usually used excuses to not train with the pack. In all honesty, I did a whole lot more when I worked out on my own.

I was always put down when I trained with them. They were faster, and they lasted longer. The more I tried to keep up, the more tired I grew.

I had noticed about two years back that I easily ran more when I didn’t have the pressure of keeping up with them.

“Does your mom know that you’re not training today?” She asked me.

Martha was looking at me smugly, with her arms crossed across her chest.

“Yeah Charlotte,” Martha sneered my name.

“Does my aunt know you want to go skipping,” she mocked.

“Martha, you’re dismissed. Start warming up,” Thelma told her, giving her a pressing look.

Once we were alone, Thelma began walking me further away from the girls.

“So? Does she know?” Thelma questioned.

“My dad knows. He told me I could practice with Theo from now on. I went home with a few bruises last time and he didn’t like it.” I only half lied.

My dad had been angry, claiming the Wolves were rougher with me on purpose because I was more fragile. But, he hadn’t told me to not come to practice. I was sure though, that he wouldn’t mind.

My dad mainly lived in pack territory to keep my mom happy.

But what did he know? He spent most of his time working or at the house with my mom. He hardly ever socialized with the pack.

“Alright, I’ll let you go. Charlotte I-” Thelma began to say.

She stopped talking, but her gaze was concentrated on me.

“You know that your Wolf might still come. Just because she hasn’t appeared yet, it doesn’t mean anything. I’ve seen you. You’re strong. You work hard- a lot harder than most people in the pack.”

Even though her words should’ve made me feel proud, they didn’t. I heard the pity behind them, and that only made me feel bad.

I hated hanging out with the pack. If my mom hadn’t insisted, right now I would be listening to music and studying for my Math test, which I had during first period.

“I know. It’s why I’m training with Theo from now on,” I told her, keeping a smile on my face.

My answer must’ve satisfied her, because she returned my smile.

“Okay, just- we’re going to keep training every day. Come over whenever Theo’s busy. I don’t want you getting slow or anything,” she teased me.

“I will Thelma,” I told her, feeling my grin widen.

I liked Thelma. She was one of the few people in the pack that I could stand. I only hated her sympathy toward me. It made me feel weak and I didn’t like that.

“Good,” she told me.

I was surprised when she pulled me in for a hug, but I returned it either way.

“Skipping again?” Theo asked as soon as he caught sight of me.

“Na, I came to practice with you,” I told him, as I took a seat on the ground, beside him.

We were sitting down in his back yard.

“I’m not shifting today. I had to do a round last night and a few hours ago. I’m beat,” Theo told me.

“Good, I’m tired too,” I lied.

“You wanna play fetch?” I teased him, as I stared at the small blue ball he was throwing up in the air.

“Wanna get chased by a Wolf?” He asked.

It was easy to rile up a Wolf- too easy. You could start World War III with a pack simply by implying they were dogs. Not that it ever really took much to get a Werewolf mad. They had short tempers.

I usually liked to pick fun at that.

“You didn’t go to school today,” I told him.

“Alpha Tristan called a few of us early in the morning. We’re still on lock down- probably for a few more days,” Theo told me.

“Why? Rogues again?” I curiously asked.

“Rogues and the Locus Pack. You know the Alphas are still trying to get some of their shifters.”

“I don’t like the Alpha,” I said, scrunching up my nose.

“Which one?” Theo asked, laughing.

It had been a while now that Alpha Tristan and his son, Alpha Derek, had been leading us. Alpha Derek was old enough to take over, but Alpha Tristan didn’t want to step down.

He claimed it was because of the Rogue attacks we’d been having. Now, there was also that feud our pack was having with the Locus Pack.

Excuses after excuses were helping Alpha Tristan not give up his title. It was slightly chaotic sometimes, but we’d been managing. Alpha Tristan said that having two Alphas was better than having none.

Although his logic hardly made any sense, we all knew better than to question him.

“I don’t like either of them,” I replied.

My words made Theo laugh. I laughed along with him, until he flicked my nose.

“Don’t say that too loud, someone might here you,” he told me, but he was still chuckling.

“Umm, I don’t have that crazy mind link thingy. Talking is the only way I can communicate, you know, the normal way,” I told him.

He chuckled again. My words sounded playful. That didn’t mean I wasn’t slightly jealous of the mind link between all pack members. It was another thing they all had and I didn’t.

I shrugged the thought off, and lied down next to Theo.

“You’re lucky. Sometimes I wish they didn’t have an easy way into my mind,” Theo said, sounding bothered.

“It’s a perk and a curse,” I told him, trying to lighten up his mood.

“More a curse than anything,” Theo said.

He stretched out his arm so that I would move closer to him. His arm wrapped around my shoulder while my head rested on his chest.

“You’ll get your Wolf one day. She’s just a little slow, like her human,” he teased.

I slapped his chest, but I couldn’t keep the grin away.

“Whatever,” I told him.

“I’m leaving in a little while.”

“You’re doing another round?” I asked him with a frown.

I knew Theo was one of the strongest Wolves in the pack. He was only eighteen, but he had proven himself time and time again.

Lately, both Alphas had been calling him more often. Theo didn’t mind. He hated being at school and doing rounds usually took him out from any other pack duty.

I guess I mainly hated him leaving because it took Theo away from me.

“I have to. With how tight things are right now, the Alphas aren’t risking anything,” he said, as he ran his thumb over my frown, smoothing over my skin.

“Fine, I guess I’ll go and run alone. I still need to train and to sweat. My mom won’t believe me if I don’t get home sweaty, stinky, and dirty,” I told him, sitting up from the ground.

He chuckled and messed up my hair.

“Hey!” I playfully snapped, as I slapped his hand away.

“Go home and tell your mom I sent you. I don’t want you running around alone,” Theo told me.

He outstretched his arm to help me stand up from the ground.

“I want to go run,” I complained, crossing my arms.

“Do you want me to take you to school? You can run laps around the track. Soccer practice is running late today. I’ll call you when I’m done and I’ll go pick you up,” Theo told me.

Fine,” I said petulantly.

My tone only made Theo laugh.

“Will you be long?” I asked him after we got there.

I was already wearing shorts, a t shirt, and running shoes. I only regretted not carrying a bottle of water.

“I’m not sure. But just run for about an hour. Besides, don’t you always say a longer work-out is a better work-out?” He asked, cocking an eyebrow.

It was my motto, yes. I just didn’t feel like being alone.

“That’s true. I’m taking your iPod,” I told him, as I snatched it from the dock.

“Go for it. It’s charged,” he told me.

After I pecked him on the cheek, I jumped out of the car and headed for the track.

It was still light out, and I could see others running in the track. Some guys, probably from the soccer team, were working out in the center of it.

I dumped Theo’s iPod and my phone in my pocket and headed for the track. Right after plugging in the ear buds, I began warming up.

With the music blasting in my ears, I felt pumped up for my run.

I had been running for a while when my phone started vibrating in my pocket.

“Please tell me you’re still at school?” It was Theo.

“Where else would I be? It’s where you left me,” I told him, rolling my eyes.

I finished the lap I was doing and headed for the bleachers.

“Don’t go anywhere. I’m going to pick you up right now,” Theo said.

I could hear the purr of his car from where he was turning it on.

“Uh, are you okay? Why do you sound worked up? And why are you yelling at me?”

“Sorry, I just want to know you’re okay. Charlotte, we’re getting attacked,” Theo told me.

I was just about to say something, when he interrupted me.

“Just stay there and don’t go anywhere alone. It would be a lot better if you stay surrounded by humans. I’m almost there,” he told me before disconnecting the call.

We were getting attacked?

His words left me confused and scared.

Why was he coming to get me instead of trying to protect the pack? I’d probably be in more danger if I went back home than if I stayed here at school.

What about my mom and my dad? My dad was already out of work. He had to be at home.

As soon as those thoughts came to my mind, I grabbed my phone once again.

I called my mom’s phone, my dad’s phone, and my house. No one answered. Getting sent to voicemail only worried and irritated me more.

By the time I spotted Theo’s car, my heart was already in overdrive and my mind was sick with worry.

“You’re okay,” Theo’s voice breathed into my ear as he held me tightly in his arms.

“What about the pack? My parents, are they okay?” I asked.

I felt Theo’s body go rigid, but he didn’t reply.

“We need to go back. The Alphas already contained the danger,” Theo said, but he ignored my question.

“That’s good. Did anyone get hurt? You didn’t tell me anything about my parents,” I told him.

“Charlotte, your parents are fine. The attack happened far away from your home,” he replied.

For some reason, his voice sounded strained. Theo never lied to me, and I honestly doubted he’d lie when it came to something so serious.

Instead of taking me home like I expected him to, he took the road that led to Alpha Tristan’s house.

“Where are we going?”

“The Alphas want to see you,” Theo said, running his hand through his dark brown hair.

Again his voice took that strange tone.

“Is everything alright?” I asked him.

He took his eyes of the road to look at me for a second.

“I’m not sure,” he replied honestly.

“Alpha Derek” I said, bowing respectfully.

“You’re dismissed Theo,” Alpha Derek said, walking Theo out the door.

Theo looked reluctant to leave, but he still had to.

We were in an office at Alpha Tristan’s home. Although I was sure Alpha Derek had fought today, neither his clothes nor his hair looked disheveled.

He looked like he’d just showered though, and his hair was still damp.

“You needed to speak with me?” I asked.

My voice sounded soft. Oh how hated the way the Wolves with higher ranks made me feel. Even though my Wolf was absent, their power still got to me.

“Yes, take a seat Charlotte,” he told me, motioning to the couch in the study.

Alpha Derek was twenty-one years old. He should’ve taken over the pack after his eighteenth birthday. He didn’t. Sometimes I wondered if he resented Alpha Tristan for not handing over the Alpha position.

“I called you in because we have a problem,” Alpha Derek told me.

I was hardly ever around him. I wasn’t sure what color his eyes were, but right now they were looking dangerously dark.

I wondered if he was mad about me skipping my trainings with the rest of the She-Wolves. No doubt it must’ve been Martha who told him I’d been ditching.

I was probably going to get in trouble for that.

“We do?” I asked, with the most innocent voice I could muster.

After all, I could deny any accusation. It wasn’t like it would really affect Alpha Derek with who I trained. I could train with Theo and get a heck of a lot better than when I was with the rest of the pack.

“Theo told you we got attacked by Rogues today?” Alpha Derek asked.

“He did,” I said, and looked down at my hands.

I breathed a sigh of relief, feeling happy that my parents were alright. I didn’t know much about Rogues, only that they were feral dangerous Werewolves who hated packs.

With how much Rogues enjoyed attacking our pack, I was sure that all the rumors were true.

“Your mother is a shifter and your father is a human,” he stated.

I nodded, not knowing where he was headed with that.

“Most of the time, the kids born out of relationships likes those are left midair. You don’t know if they’ll shift and if they do- it’s usually late. You will probably shift when you turn eighteen, if you ever shift at all,” he continued.

His voice made a shiver run through my body.

“I don’t mind,” I told him.

“I do,” he said, focusing his dark stare on me.

His jaw was clenched, and he was looking at me angrily. His calm demeanor only made him scarier.

“The Rogue that attacked today is popular- Liam. He’s one of the strongest mutts I’ve seen. I’m not the first pack he attacks either. A few years back, he attacked Blue Bloods and New Elite Pack. Other packs have seen him around but he always escapes before anyone can kill him.”

He was now pacing around the room, looking like he was talking more to himself than to me.

“What about him?” I asked, swallowing loudly.

I felt intimidated by Alpha Derek and I was sure he was very aware of it.

“Liam’s grandmother was a human,” Alpha Derek said.

“Oh,” I mumbled, now understanding where he was going with this.

“Marcus, the Alpha from New Elite, told me Liam shifted when he turned eighteen. He held a grudge against his pack, like most of the Wolves in those special circumstances do.”

“Like me?” I asked him flatly.

The intimidation and fear I had felt toward Alpha Derek had dissipated with his words.

“Nothing guarantees me you won’t turn out like him, hating our pack. I’ve allowed you to stay this long- despite your disability.”

I stared at him with so many emotions coursing through my veins. The main one was anger.

“Disability?” I asked, raising my voice.

I got up from the couch, and stood in front of him.

He was so much taller and bigger than me, but I didn’t let it deter me.

“Watch your tone, I’m still your Alpha,” he warned in a low voice.

I narrowed my eyes at him, and crossed my arms, waiting for him to continue.

“To prevent you from being a danger to the pack in the future, I changed your living arrangements. You will be staying in the pack building. You will only be allowed to leave for school and trainings. You’ve been skipping them- that will no longer happen. Skipping practice will earn you a punishment.”

“I’m going to be living in our prison?” I asked.

“Yes, you will. It’s for everyone’s safety,” he said, but we both knew that was a lie.

“No,” I stated.

I thanked the Wolf spirits my voice didn’t falter when I spoke.

“What did you say?” Alpha Derek asked, taking a step closer to me.

He was standing dangerously close- I could feel his breath blowing over my face.

“I’m not doing that,” I replied.

His dark eyes focused on my light gray ones for just a moment, before a sinister smirk took over his lips.

It gave me the creeps but given the thick air, I kept the comment to myself.

“Let’s go,” Alpha Derek told me, grabbing my arm roughly.

“What?” I asked, confused by his manhandling.

I tried to yank my arm away, but it didn’t even faze him.

“I’m taking care of this problem personally,” he said.

Theo was outside of Alpha Tristan’s home. He made his way over once we came out of the house.

“I dismissed you Theo!” Alpha Derek snapped.

“Where are you taking Charlotte,” Theo asked, but he respectfully kept his gaze on the ground.

“I’m taking her home,” Alpha Derek lied.

“I could take her,” Theo proposed.

Alpha Derek growled at Theo, making him take a step back.

“We’re leaving. Go home,” Alpha Derek ordered.

Theo looked at me with a worried expression on his face. His baby blue eyes looked glassy. I wondered if he felt as scared as I did. Could he feel Alpha Derek’s lie?

I gave him a smile, not knowing exactly what was about to happen. I just didn’t want him to worry.

I knew Alpha Derek wasn’t taking me home, I just didn’t know where we were going. The whole situation felt surreal. The last twenty minutes of my life felt out of place.

Theo was left standing outside of Alpha Tristan’s home, while Alpha Derek drove us away.

“You don’t have a Wolf. It means that my orders won’t be taken seriously. You are practically a symbol of disobedience for the rest of the pack. I will not tolerate that. You miss your trainings, you don’t socialize with the pack, and you disrespect me. You are practically a Rogue. Now, I will give you the opportunity of being one,” Alpha Derek said.

I only caught half of his speech. My mind was already thinking back to my mom and my dad. What were they going to do once they found out Alpha Derek was kicking me out?

“My parents,” I mumbled, more to myself than to him.

“Your parents will be told you died during the Rogue attack. If you contact them, I will kick them out as well. If that’s what you want for your family, go ahead and call your mom right now,” Alpha Derek said with a taunting voice.

I didn’t know what to say. Getting kicked out of the pack hadn’t felt so bad until Alpha Derek said I couldn’t speak with my family.

I wasn’t sure what to do. Would they believe I was dead? Surely they’d want some sort of prove.

I needed to talk to them. I didn’t know about my mom, but I was sure my dad would understand.

But maybe Alpha Derek was right. My dad seemed happy in the pack, and my mom loved pack life. It was what she wanted for me because she loved it so much.

What did I have to offer them?

We drove for hours. It was dark outside by the time we made it to a gas station on the side of the road.

Was he seriously going to leave me in the middle of nowhere, this late at night? He gave me his answer when he stepped out of the car and came over to my side to help me out.

“This is for you,” Alpha Derek told me, shoving a black back pack in my arms.

I felt numb as I took it from him.

By now, the waterworks had started. I didn’t know what to do. I wasn’t sure if I should call my parents.

I was only sixteen years old. I hadn’t even finished high school. What was I supposed to do now?

“You could’ve sent Theo. I don’t think this job had to be done personally,” I told him.

All the respect I once had for this man was completely gone now.

“I don’t need witnesses to know that you’re alive,” he sharply told me.

“If you attempt to come back to my territory, I will execute you. I know you’re smart enough to know better,” Alpha Derek said.

His eyes were still dark, guarded.

He looked at me for a second, nodded and walked away.

I’d been staring off at the distance. Even after Alpha Derek’s car was long gone, my sight had been concentrated in that direction.

“Hey,” someone said, making me jump in surprise.

“What’s your name?” The stranger asked me.

His tall, muscular frame stood out. I noticed his dark brown hair was disheveled, and it reminded me of how Theo’s hair would get after he shifted. His hazel eyes were concentrated on me, and I saw amusement clear in his features.

After what had just happened, I wasn’t exactly in a chatty mood.

“Go away,” I told him.

I walked towards the wall outside of the gas station, and leaned my back against it.

I didn’t know what to do. I had no one. I had lived with the pack all my life. I wasn’t sure if calling one of my friends from school was a good idea. After all, Alpha Derek wanted me to pretend to be dead.

Just like my gloomy mood followed me, so did the guy.

“I’ll go away if you answer one question for me,” he told me, standing directly in front of me- too close for my comfort.

“I’m not telling you my name creep,” I said snappily.

My body was too exhausted to put more force in my tone.

I had done too many laps at the track and tired myself out. Alpha Derek kicking me out of the pack hadn’t exactly helped any.

“It’s not that,” he told me.

“What?” I said through gritted teeth.

“Why was Derek dropping you off?”

My head snapped in his direction at the mention of my Alpha- former Alpha’s name.

“You know him?” I asked him, my tone more cautious now.

“I do,” he said, giving me a toothy grin.

“How?”

“I’ll tell you if you tell me why Derek was dropping you off out here,” he said, motioning at the desolate gas station which was surrounded by tall trees and greenery.

“Hmm… How crazy will saying the word ‘pack’ sound?” I asked him.

I had been kicked out of the pack. I didn’t have much more to lose. This guy was also distracting me from the devastation I should’ve been feeling.

No doubt the strain in my chest and the feeling of worry were another gateway for the waterworks that would come once I was alone.

“You belong to Knight Pack?” He prodded.

“You’re a Wolf?” I asked him, narrowing my eyes.

He nodded.

I suddenly felt bitterness towards Wolves. Unlike Alpha Derek’s theory, I didn’t feel like attacking my pack. I simply felt resentful towards him and what he’d done.

“Great,” I sarcastically replied.

“You don’t sound too happy,” he said, raising an eyebrow.

“What gave you that idea?” I continued my sarcasm.

I would think the fact that he could kill me with just a swing of his hand would make me back off.

It didn’t.

He shrugged, but his lit up expression didn’t falter.

“Are you okay? What happened with Derek?”

I wasn’t sure why he was so interested, but I felt in the mood to rant.

“Alpha Derek kicked me out of the pack, the bastard. If you want to attack me, I won’t be able to defend myself. But that would be a weak move,” I told him with a shrug.

“Why did he do that?”

“I’m not a Wolf,” I told him, motioning at my body.

He should’ve already known that.

“You’re supposed to be?” He asked, his expression turning intense all of a sudden.

“Who knows,” I replied.

“Are your parent’s Wolves?” He asked, sounding more interested than a stranger should be.

“My dad’s a human. I doubt I’ll ever shift,” I shrugged.

My words made him stand up straight, and his hazel eyes slowly shifted to black.

“He kicked you out because of that?’

I nodded, not liking how dangerous he looked.

I still had to worry about finding a place to go to. I was thinking about calling my parents. My dad would definitely want me back. He wouldn’t care if I ever shifted or not. It was only my mom that was holding me back.

“What’s your name?” His question snapped me out of my thoughts. I had already forgotten he was standing there.

“Charlotte,” I told him.

If he wanted to kill me, not knowing my name wasn’t really going to stop him.

“I’m Liam,” he said, no longer grinning or smirking.

Now, he was giving me a friendly smile that would’ve made me feel warm. That was, if I hadn’t remembered Liam was the name of the Rogue who had attacked my pack earlier in the day.