The Human In The Wolf Pack
Chapter 6

I woke up and felt like I had been repeatedly punched all throughout my body. Like, a sore aching pain as if I was covered in bruises. I g*****d and slowly got out of bed, glad there was no school today. I thumped down the stairs one by one, seeing my mother cooking in the kitchen. I sat down gloomily at the bar, wishing I hadn’t woken up.

“What’s wrong, honey? Stay up too late at the party?” Mom asked. I nodded wordlessly, not wanting to correct her.

More like I found out I miraculously had a mate and he turned out to be the biggest a*s on the planet. Suddenly Ripley bounced down the steps, giving us both a sunshine smile.

“Morning family! What’s for breakfast?” He chirped.

I hissed at him like a cat.

“Please stop. You’re happiness is not welcome at this disgustingly early time,” I said, glaring.

Mom laughed before answering my brother.

“Eggs and bacon. There’s some biscuits cooking in the oven as well.”

“Awesome, I’m starving. So, Vera you left the party pretty early last night. What happened? Had enough of the guys flirting with you?” Teased Ripley.

I rolled my eyes.

“Yeah right. No body was flirting with me.”

“That’s not the way I see it. I clearly remember a few gentlemen talking with you throughout the night.”

“Well duh, Ripley, it was a social event. Doesn’t mean they were flirting.”

“I’m sure dad will see it a different way.”

I gaped at him.

“You wouldn’t!”

“I would too.”

“Mom!”

“Nuh uh! I’m staying out of it, figure it out yourselves,” mom said, returning to her cooking.

I blew out a frustrated sigh. Thanks a lot mother.

“Fine what do you want?”

“I want your serving of bacon.”

“What?” I asked darkly, glaring at him coldly from underneath my eyelashes.

No body. And I mean no body threatens to take away my bacon. He gulped as I slowly stood from the bar stool.

“Calm down, Vera. It’s just bacon. Mom?”

“You started it, Ripley!” Mom said in response, then went back to ignoring us.

I let out a battle cry and ran forward to attack Ripley, but he had the foresight to run up the stairs, I followed behind running as fast as I could. Our footsteps thumped heavily across each step as we raced up.

“Gee, Ver, I don’t remember you being this slow!” Ripley called out over his shoulder, easily evading me.

I grabbed a random object and chucked it at him. Turns out it was a thin hard cover book. He cried out as it hit him in the back of the head.

“Man down! Must find shelter!” Ripley cried dramatically, like a wounded soldier during a huge battle.

He started to open a random door to escape.

“Oh no you don’t,” I say, following after quickly, but stopped in the door way, much like Ripley.

The room was dark and smelled like sweat. Clothes were scattered across the floor and it wasn’t hard to guess what was done in there. But what confirmed it even more, was Rider, my mate, lying naked in bed with a blonde woman on top of him.

He looked at me surprised but didn’t move from under her. I felt a little part of me break that I didn’t even realize cared about him and tears welled up in my eyes. I turned and ran out as fast as I could.

“Vera!” My brother cried out, alarmed.

I flew down the stairs and burst out the front door running. I raced to the woods as fast as my legs could carry me and didn’t stop. I felt tears run down my cheeks as the burn of his betrayal tore at my heart. The look on his face when I saw him. He didn’t care that I found him with another girl.

He felt no remorse. No guilt. Nothing. He really did hate me. My legs started to burn and my breathing was coming in heavy gasps. I realized that this moment reminded me of when I was little, when I used to chase after Ripley and Rider, wanting to be able to catch them and be apart of them. Even now, I was racing, but I would never catch up.

It’s like Rider said. I’m only human. I finally collapsed against a tree, sucking in deep breaths. I looked around and saw that I had no idea where I was. For some reason, this comforted me. I was finally alone and it felt good. My breathing relaxed and I leant my head against the trunk, not caring if bark got in my hair.

Was this what it would feel like if I moved into the human world, because honestly, it wouldn’t be that bad. Why was I even surprised? Rider didn’t want me as a mate. I knew that he hated me, why would some predetermined fate change that? This wasn’t a blessing, but the last spit in the face from werewolf kind. I laid against the tree for hours, taking in the scenery, before finally starting my slow trek back home. The forest echoed with the noises of the bugs and birds who inhabited it.When I got back, the pack was in an uproar.

My father was yelling, my mother crying while people huddled around them, each talking over themselves as confusion swept through the crowd.. The door closed loudly behind me and everything went silent. dozens upon dozens of eyes turned to look at me.

“Vera!” My mother yelled, relieved, running up to me and hugging me.

My arms stayed limp by my side as she held me close. Soon my father and brother joined in too. I should have felt bad for leaving them. I should have felt happy to be back. I didn’t. I felt nothing. It’s like Rider tore my heart out when he… Did what he did. I finally pulled away from my family’s embrace, looking at each of their concerned faces blankly.

“I’m leaving,” I said without emotion.

Worry turned to shock in less than a matter of seconds.

“What do you mean, you’re leaving?” Mother asked, her eyes overwhelmed with sadness.

“Leaving?! Where would you even go, you’re still just a child,” dad said, anger filling his face.

“Why do you say that, Ver? What’s going on?” Rose appeared looking confused and hurt.

Finally I snapped. After years and years of holding it in, I was done.

“I never belonged here! Never! All anyone here ever did was criticize me or hate me, well guess what? I’m done! I’m human, I’m not one of you. I’ll never shift or lift things five times my body weight! I won’t hear thing miles away or see in the dark! And you know what? I’m tired of that being a bad thing.

So you can all go screw yourselves, just because I’m human doesn’t make me weak or stupid or small. I think putting up with this bull s**t for over a decade has to show something about my character. I’m going to the human world, and I’m never coming back!” I screamed, out of breath.

I glared at all the shocked faces of the pack, waiting for someone to

respond.

“Like hell you are,” A voice finally spoke up.

I turned to see the one person I never want to see again. My mate.

“Go to hell, Rider,” I snarled, but deep inside, it was like a knife was stabbing me in the heart. Why was he even here? What about the girl he had just spent the night with?

“You’re not going anywhere. I don’t care what you think about this place or these people,” he growled, stepping closer to me.

I poked him hard in the chest, not backing down.

“And who are you to stop me? I figured you’d want me gone the most. After all, you hate me more than anyone,” I said coldly, looking at him with nothing but malice.

He flinched slightly at this, taking a step back, my harsh glare something he had never witnessed before.

“What’s going on?” Ripley finally burst, looking between the two of us with confusion.

My parents stood huddled together, like they were trying to draw on each other for strength after my blow out. I kind of felt bad, but this is something that had to be done. I had hid all of the bullying and harassment from them. They were so proud of their pack, but I was it’s weakest link.

“You aren’t leaving, Vera, I promise you that. Even if I have to tie you down myself,” Rider stated, his eyes flashing gold.

“You must really love watching me suffer. Fine, I’ll end this since you’re too cruel to. I wouldn’t want to be an embarrassment any longer,” I hissed. “I, Vera Stone, hereby reject you, Al-“

“Stop!” Rider said covering my mouth with his hands.

I glared at him sharply, then bit his hand. He jolted in surprise, but kept his hand in place.

“Rider… What was my sister trying to say?” Ripley asked cautiously. Rider looked all around us, at the faces of everyone in my pack, including Rose, my mom and dad and finally rested back on Ripley.

“She was trying to reject me.”

“Why would she do that?” My mother asked quietly.

“Because I’m her mate.”