Chapter 4: Welcome to the New Pack

I took a couple of deep breaths to steel myself when someone rang the doorbell.

Of course, I knew who it was. It’s Alpha Diesel who doesn’t know how to leave me alone. I couldn’t wallow in pain or pity myself because he would always come and try to talk to me. He was a goofy kind of a man. He always acted silly, and sometimes he would tell some jokes.

For three months, I had endured the pain of rejection, begging him to let me go home to my mate and ask him to take me again instead of Megan.

I opened the door slowly.

“Hi,” he greeted

I held the door open for him. I was still a wreck. My eyes are probably red and swollen, with dark circles underneath.

“We need to talk,” he said.

He walked past me and into the living room. Empty tissue boxes and a trash can were overflowing with used Kleenex. I forgot to clean it!

“Sit down!” Diesel’s voice was hard.

I blinked. This was not the man I had come to know. Where was his carefree and annoying voice?

I sat on the sofa, watching him pacing in.

“Carrie, this will stop today,” Diesel began. “In two weeks, your class will start, and do not tell me you are going to attend with that kind of appearance,” he added, looking at me from head to toe. “You look like a mess.”

“I want to throw this Alpha away so bad, but he was correct. I know I might, no, I am messed up right now, but should he tell me that?

“Listen, instead of mewling about a guy, how about you stand up and let the bastard know you can go on without him? You should know your worth.”

I just looked at him. He knows nothing about my pain, but he has a point. It’s been a while since the rejection, and maybe I need to gather myself and continue dreaming, right?

“And also, there is a pack meeting tonight, and I need you to attend. Go shower and get dressed. We leave in one hour!” Diesel used his Alpha voice.

“M’kay,” I said and rose from the sofa and entered my room, slamming the door behind me. If I want to be in this pack, I should learn to follow him.

I shook my head, and with a sharp intake of breath, maybe I should really start to think about myself from now on.

I stepped out of the shower. I got dressed and started braiding my almost knee-length hair.

I finally looked in the mirror for the first time in three months. Gone was the bubbly girl I used to be. The person in the mirror had pale skin, hollow grey eyes with deep dark circles underneath, colorless lips, and gaunt cheekbones. The sight almost had me running from the room, screaming.

I couldn’t believe I neglected myself.

“What’s taking you so long, Carrie?” I heard Diesel from the other side of the door.

Ugh.

“I’m about to finish dressing up!” I yelled.

“Okay. Make it quick.”

I hurriedly dressed in jeans, a white T-shirt, and a black hoodie. I grabbed my pink Converse and put them on.

I took a deep breath and pulled the hood over my head before opening my room door and going to the living room.

“Much better. Let’s go,” Alpha Diesel said after he scanned me. I kept my head down as she followed him out the door.

I had remained quiet, huddled against the car door. I was enjoying the view as Diesel’s car entered the woods. He said that the building I’m living in is a building for students like me. It was a packed house for students. He also said that the main pack house was located in the deep part of the forest, an hour away from the city.

Diesel finally broke the silence.

“The packed house is about an hour north of the city. I think you will really like it. We have some great people in the pack your age. Two will be attending the same school with you,” Diesel said.

I did not move or respond. Alpha Diesel sighed, shaking his head. I’m not really in the mood to talk right now. I just enjoy myself in the scenery I’m looking at.

An hour later, we arrived at the pack house. He turned off the car and just sat with his hands on the wheel. I glanced at him.

Finally, he sighed.

“I am doing this for your good. When we get inside, you will socialize. You will not be rude to anyone. You will participate in the meeting,” Diesel said, using his Alpha voice. I had no choice but to Obey.

I turned to him with a glare. “Yes, Alpha.”

“Good. Alright, let’s go.”

I got out of the car and followed him inside.

Diesel climbed up at the podium while I sat in the front row, angry. He pulled me upfront when he saw me slipping into the back row. It was bad enough that he pulled Alpha on me and made me come when I didn’t feel like it.

Now, I should be where everyone could see me. I had tuned him out while I sat brooding, and then I realized someone was calling me.

“Carrie!”

I looked up to see Alpha Diesel staring at me with a frown. “Could you please come up on the platform?”

I rose slowly and walked up to the platform, grumbling.

“Everyone, I would like you to meet Carrie Mikaeli. She will be joining our pack from now on. She’s our former Luna’s daughter.”

Everyone smiled and applauded. The Alpha held his hand, and everyone went quiet as he turned to me. He reached for my hand and made a shallow cut on the palm of my hand.

He then cut his palm and clasped hands with me.

“Carrie Mikaeli, do you pledge loyalty to this pack and its people?”

No. I wanted to say it, but I took a deep breath and looked at him. I knew this was the moment that my life would change. I had to let go of the past.

“I pledge my loyalty to you and the pack from now on,” I could feel our blood mingling as the pledge was made. Then he spoke through the mind link, saying everything would be okay. I looked up at him, and he smiled.