Pride, Mates, and Past Mistakes

The Horrors I Must Face for a Ride Home

*Sierra*

I smiled to myself. School was over, and Casey could drive me home, and my mom was making brownies today and I-

"Bye! See you tomorrow," Casey called over her shoulder, shaking me out of my blissful reprieve as she started to head off in the other direction.

"Casey, wait-the doors are this way." I called back, confused. Where was she heading?

"Yeah, I know," She said matter-of-factly, pausing to squat over and make sure her high top shoelaces were tied.

"Then why...?"

"Oh, didn't I tell you?" she asked, looking surprised. "Play auditions are today after school, remember?"

I blinked at her for a moment. "You're auditioning for the play now? What happened to the Dance Club?"

Casey, was in one word: Spontaneous.

She loved change, and never remained with one activity or sport for too long.

She would get either annoyed, kicked out, or bored in a month and move onto another club or activity.

"Yeah, I thought, why not, y'know?" she replied, shrugging. "I mean, I don't have any objection to theater or anything. So I might as well give it a shot. Also, Deanne's on the dance team. I obviously can't do anything productive with her in the same room, so I quit."

I stared at her. "Um, have you ever been in a play?"

"Nope."

I smiled wearily. "Good Luck, Case."

She winked. "Bye!"

I gasped, remembering a less-than-pleasant audition not so long ago. "Wait, Casey," I called. "What if this ends like the time you auditioned for chorus and Sally Georgeson ended up with gum all up in her-"

But she was gone.

Smiling to myself, I turned and continued walking outside, where my smile was wiped right off my face the minute the school doors closed behind me.

Casey was my ride home.

I didn't have a car.

The buses had already left.

I couldn't wait for Casey's auditions because I'd told my mom I'd come right home after school to help her with cake for Cody's birthday.

Which ultimately meant that I had to get a ride from my brother.

My brother, Nolan-the popular, good-looking, bullying, co-alpha.

My dad was Alpha of my pack unwillingly, only because his older brother-the original alpha- was killed in a car accident because the glass from the windows cut deep into his skin and his werewolf instincts tried to heal with the glass still intact in his body.

My father wasn't sure if he was ready for this position, in the state he was, grief stricken and shocked. To make it worse, he hadn't even trained for it his whole life like his brother had, but since he had no choice but to accept the position, my dad asked his best friend, Samuel Rogerson, to co-alpha with him. And because it didn't break any rules, my dad became a co-alpha with Mr. Rogerson.

When it finally came closer to the time my brother had to accept the role, my father asked him if he wanted to co-alpha with Samuel Rogerson's son, Cody. My brother, not wanting the entire burden of being an alpha on him, gladly accepted. After all, Cody and Nolan were best friends, and they did everything together anyways.

I groaned, contemplating the hour long walk home. There my brother was, surrounded by his group of elite-status friends, other alphas and betas from other packs and a few others.