Unfamiliar Surroundings
The woman kept rambling on and on as she drove us to her pack, well…my pack now. The thought of being in a pack that wasn’t Night Stone weighed heavily on my heart. I didn’t belong to any other pack but the Night Stone, even if all the members were long gone and dead from this world.
She kept talking about people I didn’t even know. None of the names sounded familiar to me. She was complaining about someone named Nora and how she was some spoiled rotten child that had everything given to her. She turns to me and pats a hand on my thigh.
“I know she’s a real handful, but don’t let her get to you Hazel. In the end she’ll get what’s coming to her. That boy only thinks he loves her, but it’s her beauty on the outside that he’s in love with, not the rotten core that she hides from everyone.”
Again, I have no idea what this lady was going on about. Apparently, this Nora chick was an enemy to Hazel. Maybe a bully or some sort? If that was the case, they were all about to have a rude awakening. I don’t deal with bullies, never have and never will.
I may have had the privilege of being the Alpha’s daughter, but in our pack bullying our own kind and family members was not okay and against the moral conduct of our laws. We treated each other with respect, loyalty, and kindness. I soon learned that not all packs thought the same way though. When I was thirteen my father held a banquet for a pack he was planning to sign a treaty with. The Alpha had brought his wife and daughters with him, along with his Beta and his family as well.
I wasn’t expecting to be snubbed right away by the girls and was a bit thrown off by it. I lived with a pack family who loved each other unconditionally and with a whole heart, no matter what station we were in. Seeing as how my best friend Myron was an omega they thought it was a disgrace by that fact. He may have felt the hurt their words evoked in him, but I was livid.
The night ended in disaster with the guests daughters hair, face and clothing completely covered in pig slop. To save face my father had to ‘reprimand’ me in front of the other Alpha and apologized profusely for the disrespect I had caused them all.
I may have gotten in loads of trouble, but it was well worth it to see a smile return to my best friend’s face.
Now to learn that this Hazel girl had bullies of her own made me a tad angry. Bullying was a disgusting trait that no one should display. But I guess we all can’t be saints.
It took only twenty minutes to get where we were going. I stiffen when she pulls up to a massive metal gate that was adjoined to giant massive concrete walls. On top were dozens of sentinels that coasted up and down with guard uniforms.
“I’ve always thought these gates were so ugly. It makes this place look like a fortress of war.” She mumbles.
A man walks up to her window and peers inside. His eyes wide in shock. “You found her?” He asks the woman next to me.
“Sure did, now open up Gerald. Her momma is already sick enough with worry for her.”
He walks away and yells up to the men to open the gates. The loud creak of the iron hinges made the hair on the back of my neck and arms stand up. How the hell did Hazel ever get the chance to leave this place?
Passing the gates and straight through the small tunnel my mouth gapes wide open at all the luxury of this place. It was huge to say the least. I look over to see dozens of homes looking near brand new, standing at least two stories high. Each had their own yard with abundant trees. The street we were driving on was sleek and smooth. The stores buildings were freshly painted, and their signs were done beautifully. The place looked clean and well kept.
It was seriously a hundred times better than that of Night Stone. She makes a left turn, going down another street showing a massive high school with a front yard that was well maintained. Dozens of teenagers were scattered around talking and goofing off.
I stare as she goes down another turn and I’m met with a huge, gigantic mansion three times the size of my own home. That had to be the main pack house. Nearly plastering my face to the window, I watch as that too disappears.
“You act like you haven’t seen this place before, Hazel. What’s with the jaw dropping expression?” The woman asks in bewilderment.
I instantly sit back in my seat, forgetting myself momentarily. I couldn’t very well tell her that I actually have never been here before. That wouldn’t go over too well. Suddenly the road turns into gravel, making the ride a bit uncomfortable. Just as the place was beautiful and neat this next part was its complete opposite.
At first we hit a couple of streets of nothing but warehouses, barns and trailer yards holding goods and whatnot. It became less clean and less green. The grass slowly fades into weeds that were dry and dead, then into nothing but dirt with trash here and there. The houses that came into view were one stories and looked ready to give up on standing. Some were still sturdy enough, but others looked like safety hazards.
I was confused by this part of town. Why wasn’t it like the rest of the place? Looking at the people, they seemed torn down and exhausted. Their clothes weren’t in the best shape and their hygiene could use some good body wash. There were children helping their parents with laundry as they hang them out on lines, others were pulling crates of covered goods.
Then we finally come to a stop.
“There you go sweetie. I’m sure your mother is already home from the warehouse, so go on ahead inside before it’s too late.” She starts pushing me to get out of her car. I watch as she looks around with a bit of disgust on her face, but when she turns back to me she gives me a tight little smile.
“Go on.” She waves at me.
As soon as I shut the door she was gone. Uh, what now? She just dropped me off in the middle of this dump without a backwards glance. Looking around I see people beginning to stare at me, but they don’t come close or try and talk to me. I give a small smile before turning around and stare at the sad little house I was now in front of.
The paint was completely chipped and faded. The top step was crooked and slightly caved in, looking like it was about to break. The yard was uncut in small places while others was just packed dirt. There was metal and broken-down appliances shoved in one corner on the side of the house, dirty and covered in dust. The small porch that was there, could use new boards and sitting on top was a lawn chair that didn’t look any better than the rest of the house.
Was this where Hazel lived? Was this depressing, pathetic little building to be my new home? My heart sinks to the bottom of my gut. The small chain linked fence no longer held its purpose as half of it was torn out and pretty much anyone or anything could crawl right into the yard. I stare at the gate wondering why it was even there as the fence attached to the swinging door was completely missing.
Not bothering to open the damn thing, I just simply move to the side and step right on through. I walk up the three steps that was there, skipping over the top one and nearly fall to my ass as the boards beneath me wobbled unsteadily. Catching my balance, I let out a relieved sigh.
I didn’t want to touch the doorknob; afraid all kinds of germs and diseases were just waiting to attack my semi clean hand. Taking a deep breath, I clasp the knob and a sudden vision slams into me, completely unprepared of its invasion.
Not in control of my own body I watch as my hand clenches the doorknob tightly. There was a man yelling on the other side of the door, followed by a loud crash and a woman whimpering. I can feel the real Hazel wanting to leave and never look back. Just as she was about to do just that, the door bursts open, revealing an angry man, who was clearly drunk.
“Where the fuck do you think you’re going?! Where the hell have you been huh?!”
He reaches forward, grabbing the front of her shirt and roughly pulls her in. Throwing her against the floor he slams the door shut, releasing me of the vision.
I stare at that doorknob with dread. Was I really ready to stumble into that hellhole of her life? What was waiting for me on the other side of this door? Gaining my composure, I turn the knob and step inside. What I find wasn’t what I had first expected.