Chapter 2

"Miss Rose, I am sorry to have kept you waiting, but you must know that we have to be sure of who we have walking on our land. I am Alpha Julian Salvatore," he said. I was confused at the moment because the person I spoke with was not an Alpha Julian. This man was very handsome, with salt and pepper hair, piercing blue eyes, well-built but not as big as the gorilla behind me. Still, you could feel the power he possessed. "I'm sorry, I talked to Alpha Nicholas. Are you...?" "That would be my son. He is Alpha but he is away on travel at the moment and won't be back for a couple of weeks, so I am filling in on his behalf. He has informed me of your request, so if you will follow me to the office, we can discuss this further." I nodded with agreement and walked with him into the house. It was just as beautiful on the inside as it was on the outside. Everything was marble-gleaming and elegant. I followed into the office that he led me into and felt just a little nervous-for both my sister's sake and mine. "Take a seat Miss. Rose," he motioned. He himself sat behind a huge wooden and ornately carved desk, and his blue eyes regarded me closely. Again, I was reminded of the power he exuded. This is for Dahlia, I reminded myself. I had to ensure her safety. I took the seat opposite him, and folded my hands in my lap. "So, explain to me your request. What is this about?" I glanced behind me, and the gorilla was standing at the door. I didn't know if I was comfortable telling my life story with him there, but it didn't seem like I had a choice, but there was something about him that irked me. Turning back toward Alpha Julian and asked. "I...ah, Alpha Julian is it required to have your guard here?" "Well, thats Nathaniel here is Beta, so you have nothing to worry about." he said with a smile. Okay, this was going to be hard. I didn't like reliving my past, but I here I was in front of strangers letting it all out. If I was going to live here until Dahlia finished school, then I needed to let this pack know and assure them I meant no harm. She was depending on me as I was her. "I am from the Moonshine Pack, well was. I was thirteen years old, my mother was baking cookies with my sister and I, and some guys came walking in with my father up in front leading them to his office. I assumed that it was just my father's business that he did in his office. I was too young to notice anything different or something wasn't right. I looked up at my mom and the look on her face I will never forget-- it was like she almost knew that it was the last time she would see my father. I didn't understand. My father gave a quick nod to my mother as if they were sharing some secret code. Once they walked out, my mother grabbed my sister and me and hauled us to her bedroom. There was a secret passage behind the wall book shelf. "Alexa, baby, you have to help mommy. I need you to listen to me, okay baby girl? Those are some bad men in the house and I need you to hide underground. I have anything you will need down there. You have to be brave for mommy and for Lia. You stay there until I come and get you. Don't come out at all until I come back to you, do you understand me?" I nodded. "And if mommy doesn't come back and you feel in your heart a strong force being sucked out of you, then I want you to press this button and follow this path underground. It will lead you to the clearing and you run and don't come back. Remember everything you need is there for you." I looked at her with wide eyes. It was not often that I saw my mother this frantic and frightened. "Mommy, I'm scared. Stay with us, please. Don't go, mommy! Don't leave me..." She hugged me and Dahlia for the last time. "Mejita I love you and your sister very much. I have to make sure Papa is okay, and then I will come, ok mi amor?" I nodded my head. With that she stepped back and the wall closed. The last thing I heard was the man yelling at her, asking her where we were and then a scream I will never forget. And that feeling she told me that I would feel in my heart when she wasn't going to come back, I felt it. I stayed underground with my sister for six months before I decided to push the button leading to the clearing. I have been taking care of my sister ever since. We lived underground because I had nowhere else to go. I had no idea what I was doing-- I was just thirteen. Then it was time, we left the underground passage, because we couldn't stay there forever. I started looking for places to go to, to escape from whatever unseen danger my mother had asked me to run from, and I met a very nice older woman one day. She would see me buying peanut butter and jelly with a loaf of bread and milk every Sunday with Lia and one day she came up and asked us about our parents and where we lived, because she'd never seen us around before. I told her that my mother was sick and I was just helping. However, she followed me home I felt her presence so I started to run but she was fast. She was a she-wolf rogue who lived on her own in the woods in a little cabin and to make a long story short, she took care of us. I went to high school when I was sixteen. She was with us until my graduation. After that, she fell sick and passed away. I found out that the land Ms. Brown lived on was not hers, so I headed out. I was eighteen by then. I moved to New York, where there was less chance of anyone finding us. Up until now I have not shifted like a normal werewolf should, but at times I do drive out to land to let her out. I want Dahlia, my sister to be able to use her wolf, not keep her locked away like I had to. I also want her to finish high school, go to college, have friends and make memories, and most of all be amongst wolves. I don't want to keep running with her. I still don't know who it was that killed my parents, but I do remember his scent." With the last words leaving my mouth in a whisper. I looked up at Alpha Julian, his face masked with pity and something else I couldn't understand. "Alexa, I am sorry that you had to go through that, I truly am. But where was your pack? Your Alpha? What I don't understand is, why wouldn't they help?" he said. "I'm not sure," I whispered. "Alpha Julian, I need you to know that I loved my parents very much. But from what I understand, my father got into something with another pack. Something that had to do with a lot of money. We lived well; we did not without. After mother and father... died, Lia and I were left alone with no one until I met Miss Brown and she looked after us, Miss Brown did try to find out what she could and from what she heard my father brought problems to himself, and the pack did not need to carry his burdens. They burned our home, nothing was left but ash. I just want my sister to have something. I heard about Crescent Falls and decided this was that place that would be good for us to live. You run the only school for werewolves only, and my sister needs this. I have no intention of causing any harm to you or your pack, and it is the truth. Please," I begged. "Please, let us stay." The Alpha looked at me, regarding me closely, and his expression hadn't changed throughout the conversation. I swallowed, wondering what the verdict would be. Panic and nervousness filled me. "Okay," he said finally, "I will grant you and your sister temporary residence, but your alliance to the pack will be to work on the grounds as help. If you and your sister choose to stay here, you will take the rank as an omega." he stated. I gasped. We would be living as the lowest ranked wolves. I closed my eyes knowing this is what I had to do. Finally I looked up. "Thank you Alpha Julian, but ..." This would make Lia's life a living hell, they would torment her. I couldn't let that happen, could I?