Chapter 3 Stupid Decision Number One

October 10th

"And you're definitely going to this party, Ella?" Connor asked as we ate dinner.

"No I spent half an hour trying to perfect winged eyeliner to stay home," I said pointed at the masterpiece I had created on each eye.

He rolled his eyes, "You know what I meant."

"Chill. I can handle Cameron. He's not a threat and I'm over him," I said.

"Okay if you're sure." Connor replied in an 'okay clearly you know best' sort of tone whilst rolling his eyes eyes.

I ruffled his thick brunette hair as I walked to the sink with my empty plate.

Connor had been blessed with our Mother's genes. His hair was shiny and curly and his complexion tan and smooth. His eyes were a beautiful warm brown and even his smile was like Mom's.

Me however, got my father's genes.

My hair was a dull blonde and my skin pale. My eyes were an uninteresting blue and I didn't even get the Goddess-like, strong, tall physique of my mother. Instead, I was short, small and in no way, remarkable looking.

Biology is a bitch.

Later on, Abi and Charlotte were awaiting me in the hallway of our tiny house. I'd chucked tomato down my top and was frantically finding something else to wear as Abi tapped her foot impatiently.

"Ready!" I announced running down the stairs, my only pair of shoes in my hands.

They were a battered dirty pair of converse that I'd had for years. Connor and I had serious money issues. We worked at a cafe five shifts a week and Mom sent us the odd cheque which was just enough to cover the bills and basic necessities but new shoes were certainly not on the cards.

"Looking lovely ladies," I complimented as I shoved them on my fet.

"Thanks, but we need to go. We're in danger of going over the fashionably late category." Abi exclaimed before hustling us out the door.

Connor waited outside with a bottle of what looked like vodka in his hands.

"Connor..." I groaned, "Please don't get wasted tonight."

"Relax, Mom," he said unscrewing the lid and tilting his head back, "Not like I'm gonna drink it neat or anything."

He swigged some and grimaced before holding it out to Abi and Charlotte, "Ladies?"

They both giggled as they drank from the bottle, gagging and squirming as it burnt down their throats.

"No pressure, Ella. But you can have some if you want," Connor said holding the bottle out to me.

"Just a little," I replied taking the bottle.

Neat spirits were disgusting. Dangerous too but I thought about the fact that if Abi, Charlotte and I had already drunk some, that was less for Connor to be a moron with.

So I took a swig before handing it back to him, only 3/4 full.

"Be careful with that," I warned.

By the time we could hear the music of the party thudding, the bottle was only 1/4 full and we were all very giggly.

It was the happiest I'd felt in a while as I walked arm in arm with my friends, Connor on one side and Charlotte on the other.

"Okay," I said as we reached the door, "I'm tipsy and not a single part of me misses him. That's a good sign right?"

They all agreed.

"And before we go in, Connor for the love of God. We have a shift at 7am. At least make sure you're sober by then."

"It's adorable how lowly you think of me, sis," he said chubbing my cheeks, "Now stop worrying and have some fun."

We then joined the hoards of teenagers flocking inside and danced and chatted and partied for hours.

It was a great night...at least it was until I saw Cameron. It was remarkably I'd avoided him for so long so as I turned around to see him leaning against a doorframe staring at me I was not hugely surprised.

He was an ass, even if he was pretending to be innocent now.

There was guilt in his eyes along with a discomfort and sadness but I ignored it. He was an ass, even if he was pretending to be innocent now.

I turned back and continued to dance with Abi and Charlotte who were screaming the lyrics to 'party in the USA' at the top of their lungs.

A few moments later, I felt a light tap on my shoulder and I groaned.

"What do you want?" I grunted turning to see Cameron.

"To talk outside," he said.

"No," I replied.

"Ella, please," he begged, tugging on my hand. "Just a few minutes."

I finally nodded and followed him outside. The party raged in his front yard too but the music wasn't deafening out there.

"I wanted to say that I'm sorry." He said. "I shouldn't have pressured you and I miss you. I was wondering if there would be a second chance?"

"Absolutely not. I presume you slept with Witney at Karen's party?" I retorted. He sighed and momentarily broke our eye contact. I had known him long enough to understand that this meant I was his body's way of admitting something.

"Yes, but I was drunk and angry and I needed something to take my mind off you. I love you so much Ella, I need you back."

"We clearly wanted different things out of our relationship. It's not going to work, Cameron."

He sighed and clenched his jaw as he stared straight ahead.

"Please forgive me, Ella," He said taking my hand.

I shook my hand out of his hand, "No. Goodbye Cameron."

I then looked around at the front yard. The smell of alcohol was rife in the air and combined with the teenagers all around me making out and groping each other, I began to suddenly feel quite sick.

So I marched down the path, through the front gate and out into some fresher air.

I needed to get into the forest and let off some steam. I needed to shift and run.

As I charged down the street, I bumped into Logan.

"How's your boyfriend?" He asked clearly sensing my anger.

"Logan you are the last thing I need right now," I spat pushing past him and out the house.

"Oooh looks like someones got their little knickers in a twist," He smirked whilst his friends who were also from the Cerridwen pack jeered.

"Fuck off," I muttered, barging past them.

"Don't you want this?" He said waving the shiny envelope in the air. I stopped and turned around.

"Please just give it to me," I asked politely with a forced smile.

"Sure," he chirped holding it out to me.

As I reached forward, he whipped it away and laughed.

"I never gave you that lift home," he said slowly circling me.

"If you think I'm getting in your car with you this drunk-" I began.

"Not now," he interrupted. "After school on Monday. I need to show you something."

"Fine," I said. "Whatever."

"That's a deal," he said deeply as he handed me the envelope "Don't break it."

He then leant forward to kiss my cheek but I smacked him right across the face. He didn't even flinch.

"I've been wanting to do that all day," I spat before marching away.

I soon found down a small footpath that led towards the woods.

That was the first stupid thing I decided to do.

Walk into the woods in the middle of the night alone could never be a smart idea...especially with the number of wolf territories in this state. I lived in Washington state and there were hundreds of packs in the vast mountain ranges and forests, sparsely populated by humans so with little risk of exposure. Cerridwen had a different pack on every border. I didn't bother to know much about them. As far as I was concerned, I lived a human life now and packs and territories didn't concern me anymore.

I was still steaming from the Cameron and Logan incident. I felt like I was in some kind of anger fuelled trance. I just kept walking and there was nothing I could do to stop. My senses seemed to be in overdrive; the deafening sound of my own heartbeat was masking any other sound and as for smell, all that filled my nostrils was the sickening smell of alcohol and lemonade. I'm not sure how long I marched for, at one point I was running fast too so I probably covered a lot of distance. My phone rang a few times but I just ignored it.

What finally stopped me was the appearance of a borderline. Even my anger couldn't override the instinct cross it.

I must have crossed through half a dozen territories already but this one was different. And my wolf just wouldn't let me go anywhere near it.

So I shifted back into my human form and changed into my clothes tied around my wrist.

Looking at my surroundings, I realised how unfamiliar they were. The trees were taller and more intimidating and a certain eerie feeling hung in the that made me wrap my arms around myself and shudder.

The borderline had an unfamiliar, but intensely powerful, scent to it too. I knew that I should leave but curiosity was getting the better of me and made me stay and step closer to the invisible boundary. Fighting the urge to step over it, I traced the outskirt for a bit. I knew that only Alpha Wilson had given us his blessing to roam freely and live our miserable rogue lives on his land, not whoever the Alpha of this pack was.

I'd paid so little attention to where I was going that I might as well have slept walked there. My phone had no signal and I had absolutely no idea where I was but it didn't seem to matter to me.

I wanted to stay.

It also occurred to me a few moments later how much I desperately wanted to read the letter...but that's beside the point because that was when I sensed the scent of someone nearby. Very nearby.