Her Pack's Loophole

“I would rather die than let you leave Crimson Clawers Pack, Mia!” Craig yelled as he banged his right palm against the door. I backed away from the door while I shuddered from his harsh tone. His chocolate irises were gleaming with nothing but anger, and his breaths escaped like a storm. His hair was basically standing on end, and his huge stature towered over me in an imposing manner.

My eyes twitched repeatedly, my lips parted slightly, trying to process the words aching in my heart.

“It was my mother’s last wish, Craig.” My voice came out almost in a whisper.

“And so what?” He growled at my face. I gasped. This side of him was always going to be something I dreaded.

“Is—is that what you’re going to say? Really?” I stuttered, scared he might lash out even more. But I was angry too.

“You think I’m happy that I’m breaking the pack rules? You think this is of my own accord?” I continued. “My mother was everything I ever had in this pack. She was the only person who treated me like an actual being. Hell, I doubt the majority of our members even knew I existed until she died.” I closed my eyes, trying not to let the tears show, but they did regardless. “She begged me to leave this pack, to explore life out of this place—this is the only thing my mother ever asked of me for as long as I can remember. She knew doing this would be breaking the rules, yet she still asked that of me.” I stared at him deeply while a tear trickled across my cheek, but he didn’t show any signs of wavering. He still retained that angry look. “I don’t have powers that rival yours, and I know this decision comes with deadly consequences, but I’m going to do it regardless. She was the only person I ever had. She least I can do is honor her wish.”

He scoffed, his hand dropped from the door and back to his pocket. “You talk like I am not in your life, Mia. Do you have any idea how much that hurts?”

I exhaled deeply; my heart thumped like it was going to explode from my chest.

“Let’s be honest with each other. Are you?” I asked, and his eyes twitched for a split second. “You don’t say it, but we both know I’m like a burden to you, and the only reason you’ve been keeping up with me is because I’ve been betrothed to you since birth.”

“You’re not a burden, Mia,” he said in a gentle manner, but I shook my head in denial.

“You don’t have to lie, Craig.” My voice almost broke as tears encroached my eyes once again.

“You’re not a burden, Mia.” His tone hardened.

“I see you with other girls, you know. The way they flock around you, the way you smile around them.”

“I am the Beta of the pack; it is normal to be in relations with the members of our pack,” he defended sharply.

“But you don’t do that with me. I can’t even remember the last time you smiled or had a normal conversation with me besides pack duties. It’s evident that you don’t want me; you’re no different than the others.”

“Don’t try to change the subject, Mia. This conversation wasn’t about us in the first place,” he said through gritted teeth. He couldn’t even look me in the eye, but I knew he was irritated and further talk on the issue would only attract his wrath.

I sighed deeply again.

“You’re not leaving this pack, and that’s final,” he declared, and I shook my head.

“I promised my mother, Craig. It is not up for discussion.”

“Are you trying to get yourself killed?!” he barked, inching closer to me again. “Our pack is the only one left in this country. We are on the brink of extinction thanks to the werewolf hunters out there!” His voice rose to another level. “No pack member is authorized to live outside the pack, under no circumstance should we have any relations with the outside world. These laws were made to protect us, to ensure we don’t die out as the last of our kind. And yet, you want to break these laws that have stood for years, before we were even born, just because your mother made you make one last promise to her?”

I gulped.

“Honestly, that is stupidity of the highest order. All because of some promise you’re going to get yourself killed out there. I won’t allow it!” he asserted, and I frowned.

“Craig, this issue isn’t negotiable. I’m leaving this pack no matter what.”

He gripped my arms suddenly. His eyes had morphed into his werewolf eyes, an intimidating golden yellow color. His veins bulged on his head, and his warm breath roughly grazed my cheek. I whimpered, trying to break free from his iron grip.

“You’re weak, Mia!” he yelled, and I stopped struggling at that point. As much as I hated to admit it, his words shattered me. “If you go out there, you’re only going to get yourself killed. You’ll be putting the pack in danger; hundreds of lives are at stake here, and it will be all because of you and your selfish desires. It’s exactly because of this pathetic weakness of yours that I can’t stand you,” he blurted out, and I felt a strong pang of pain rage in my chest. He inhaled deeply. “You’re not leaving this pack, Mia. I’m not asking. It’s an order.” He released me from his firm grip. I just remained fixed to the door like a statue. My insides were burning like brimstone fire, and more than ever, those tears wanted to gush out, but that would only make me look more pathetic than I already was.

“You’re lucky the Alpha didn’t hear of this nonsense you’re spouting. He would have killed you on the spot.” He paused while he looked around my small room. “Pack your things now. You’ll be living at my place henceforth. Your mother is gone now, and you need someone to keep you company.” He brushed me to the side before sauntering out of my room. As the door shut behind him, I leaned against the wall and slowly sat on the floor. I began to reminisce on the moments I spent with my mother in this room. She was my light; she always gave me a reason to smile and push forward with my dreams. She was my world, and now, with her gone, how was I supposed to survive in this pack? A place that felt like a cage.

“Took you long enough.” Craig remarked nonchalantly as I brought my luggage to his car trunk. And rather than help, he simply sat in his car, waiting for me to finish. As I closed the trunk, the winds howled in my ears. It gently breezed past me, causing a petal of tulip flower to get caught in my long dark hair. I smiled sadly as I held it. My mother loved flowers and not a day went by where she didn’t talk about them. Back then, I used to wish she could just stop talking about them, but now, I would do anything to hear her voice again.

The drive to his home was nothing more than a haunting silence eating me deep. For the first few minutes, I wondered what was on his mind, but that thought soon faded away. I stared at the tall trees we drove past along the tarred road, choosing to take comfort in the birds tweeting till we arrived at the magnificent mansion, a house deserving of the Beta of Crimson Clawers Pack. As I alighted, there they were, his family: his mother whose grey hair shone and his adorable little sister, Alisha, who just turned sixteen. Both of them had an endearing look on their faces one, but this was exactly what I was avoiding. Their pities and sympathies would only hurt me more. One of the guards took my bags in while Craig simply brushed past his family and headed inside too.

“Oh, my dear child…” his mother said in a sweet voice as she embraced me. “I am so sorry for your loss.” She held me tight yet in a gentle manner. “May the moon goddess comfort you,” she whispered while she pulled away from our embrace.

I turned to Alisha who smiled just to cheer me up.

“Welcome to our home, Mia. You’re one of us now,” she said, and I nodded with a tiny smile. “Come, let me show you to your room.” She hurriedly pulled me along into the building. Although it wasn’t my first time there, it always managed to amaze me every time. And after several hours of being with Craig’s family, the evening had finally dawned, and I was back to my queen size room. So here I was, staring at the ceilings. As beautiful and spacious this room was, I didn’t take a fancy to it. I preferred my small room with my small creaky bed and the sounds of the birds tweeting by my window. I closed my eyes, trying to get some sleep, but then came a gentle knock on my door. I sighed deeply; I would be lying if I said I haven’t had enough of Alisha’s antics. Yeah, she was trying to cheer me up, but I preferred to be alone at least for today. The knock came again, and I clutched to the pillow tightly, hoping she would go away but then the door opened, and his scent filled the air. I immediately sat up, dragging the sheet to my chest, but he didn’t flinch. It was like he had no interest in me at all.

“Y-you,” I stammered. “You shouldn’t have entered without my permission.”

He scoffed as he stood by the door side.

“This is my house and drop the bed sheet. It’s not like you’re naked or I’m going to touch you anyway.”

My grip tightened instead. Indeed, I wasn’t naked, but I was only wearing my bra and panties.

“Why are you here?” I dared to ask.

“To see that you’re not entertaining any weird ideas. I spoke with the Alpha, and the date of our marriage has already been set. We’re getting married tomorrow.”

“What?”

“You heard me. You’re already eighteen. It’s about time we sealed our marriage promise,” he stated icily, but my frown only got deeper. I just buried my mother two days ago, and now, I was going to get stuck with Craig for the rest of my life, a man I had no feelings for whatsoever. I pinched myself hoping this was a dream, but it wasn’t. I was living a nightmare!

“Get ready for tomorrow. You’re going to be the Beta’s wife,” he said in that icy tone again before leaving.

I stared at the pillow I was hugging before, in anger, my eyes turned golden yellow, claws extended from my fingers, and I ripped the poor pillow. Why did my life have to come to this? Why did I have to exist in a pack that was basically a hell hole for me? Why did I have to be with someone I didn’t love? Those words kept blaring in my head till the tears gushed out.

Only a few minutes had passed, but my bed had already become a complete mess. I wiped the tears that dried on my cheek and laid fully on the bed. Venting my anger wasn’t going to change anything, and so I chose to sleep, dearly hoping this whole thing was a dream.

“Mia…Mia…” her silky soft voice called, and my eyes lazily awoke to the sun’s beautiful rays coming from my window. The birds were tweeting by my window, and her hand was gently patting my hair.

“Mom…” I looked up to her smiley face, and I hugged her immediately, holding onto her like my life depended on it. “I thought you were gone…” I cried. “I thought you left me.”

“I was right by your side the whole time.” She chuckled.

“I missed you. So much. I want you to talk about your favorite flower. This time, I’ll listen. I promise.” I sobbed.

“Not today, my love,” she whispered, silence reigned between the two of us for a while. “Our pack is blessed with so many birds, and not a day goes by that they don’t sing for you by your window.” She chuckled, and I smiled. “Look at them, look at how happy they are.” She beckoned, and I sat up on my creaky bed, staring at them tweeting. “You’re special, Mia. You’re just like them.”

I faced her with a slight frown.

“These birds are free and happy. They’ve seen the beauty the outside world has to offer, and that’s why they keep coming to you every morning, tweeting. Isn’t that what you always wanted, to be free? To see life beyond the borders of your pack?”

“Yes…” I whispered. “But…”

“You have a beautiful light in you, Mia, and it can only shine when you’re free. The world needs your light out there, Mia. Spread it.”

“Can I really do that?” I asked, teary eyed. She smiled deeply.

“You can do more.”

“Mom!” I yelled in fear as she started fading from me. “Mom!” I screamed, my eyes jolted awake to the dim lights of my room, my chest heaving up and down with sweat across my body.

She was a dream after all. Tears filled my eyes, and as I was about to wallow, a bird came by my window side, tweeting. Strangely, I recalled my mother’s words. Was this a sign that I didn’t belong in Crimson Clawers Pack? That I needed to leave? I was still pondering on that thought when my phone beeped beside me. It was an email for Tulane University in New Orleans. My eyes widened, and my jaw dropped as I read the congratulatory message. I got a scholarship!

What was it going to be? I asked myself as I kept staring at the email gleaming from my phone. I had already been sitting here for about half an hour, unable to make a decision. The scholarship I had long applied for finally came in, but I couldn’t take it. Perhaps it was my thumping heart or the fact that my thoughts kept getting louder, making my head a perfect mess. But if anything, I was scared. One part of me pushed me to go for it, but I couldn’t. Whether this was a sign or not, my fears wouldn’t allow me. But if I stayed, my life was only going to get messier. Tomorrow, I would be getting married to the greatest jerk I know.

My palms curled into a fist, my teeth gnashing against each other, but my fears only increased. I ran my fingers through my hair in a frantic manner while taking deep breaths. Yet, it was still the same thing. My thoughts soon turned to the bird tweeting by my window. I paused, staring straight at the small bird. It was the same one I saw in my dream, and in a strange way, I felt a connection to it. It began pecking my window’s glass with its beak, and in that moment, my thoughts became clear. I made a promise to my mother; I had to fulfill it. I was going to leave Crimson Clawers Pack today, no matter what!

I stared at the wall clock which displayed twenty minutes past six. There was no way I could leave this building without getting caught at a time like this. And so, I waited till midnight. I gulped down my saliva, hoping my racing heart would slow down a bit. My anxiety was growing to a choking extent, and I almost lost the courage to leave my bed.

I took deep breaths before getting out of the bed. I stared around the room aimlessly before my eyes fell on the wardrobe. I briskly headed towards it, and as I opened it, the fresh scent of my clothes welcomed me. Without further thought, I threw a few of them across my bed and then I dashed to my side drawer, withdrawing my mum’s credit card. I didn’t know how much was left in there, but I dearly hoped it was enough for me to escape. Once midnight struck, I was ready. A few of my clothes and accessories were already packed into my backpack. They would at least help me to face the unknown.

I stared at the wall clock which displayed ten minutes past twelve, and my body began trembling all over again. I closed my eyes while taking deep breaths. This was the right thing to do. Staying back would only destroy my life further. Even if life outside my pack wouldn’t be so intriguing either, I was going to do it regardless. I was going to honor that promise. My eyes jolted open, and I felt a new stride of energy grow in me.

I gulped down my saliva, staring at the door.

“Okay, Mia. You’ve got this,” I mumbled and cautiously strode towards the door, but I suddenly halted. I was trying to escape, not casually stroll to the kitchen for some glass of water. Besides, what if there were guards around or Craig himself? I turned to the window where the moon’s rays gleamed brightly. I inhaled deeply, holding my breath as I strode stealthily to the window. As I lifted the glass, the cold winds hummed against me, and my skin shuddered in response. I looked down, and boy, the height was definitely not an easy one. Craig’s house was tall from a glance, but I never thought it was this worse from the inside. If I were a human, this would have been enough cause for me to retreat. I eased through the window while standing on the small horizontal wall that shot out. My entire body was now exposed to the cold winds and the moon’s beautiful rays. I gulped, hoping my fears would be allayed, but they weren’t. How was I supposed to be calm jumping from this scary height? I could literally see the gigantic forest surrounding Craig’s fence.

“You can do this, Mia. You’ve got this,” I assured myself shakily. I took deep breaths before deciding to jump. My eyes morphed into a bright shade of golden yellow while claws and fangs extended. With the surge of energy brewing in me, I jumped. The winds whistled across my ears, and my eyebrows twitched repeatedly from the speed I had taken off with. It felt like I was getting closer to the moon as I elevated in the air, and I almost screamed in fear. But that euphoria soon ended as I crashed to the ground. I groaned, feeling pain surge through my ankles and limbs. My breaths came hard against the soil as I struggled to overcome the pain. Within a few seconds, the pain had gone, and I could finally stand. I brushed off the particles that lingered on my body and backpack and then I stared at the tall fence that I just conquered. A tiny smile parted my lips slightly. For the first time, I was brave enough. The owls hooted, and then it dawned on me I had to leave before anyone noticed. I exhaled deeply, navigating through the branches with my night vision. I’d studied my pack’s map ever since I was little and so I knew the way was by marching forward. But I’ve been walking for about an hour, yet it was still twigs and branches I stepped past. I suddenly halted—perhaps I had gotten it all wrong.

“Shit!” I cursed with my breath coming out unsteady. It was official. I was lost.

“Mia!” I heard a familiar voice yell.

“Craig?” I whispered.

“Find her! She couldn’t have gone far.”

“Yes, Beta,” another voice answered.

“Mia! Mia!” I heard another person yell. I gasped,and without thinking twice, I ran.

“I found her!” one of the guards yelled. My eyes morphed into golden yellow, and my pace increased further. I brushed past the leaves and branches as fast as my legs could.

“Mia, come back!” One of them barked. I could perceive their scent. They were chasing fiercely behind me, and if I slowed down for just a second, it was going to be my loss.

“Mia Henderson!” Craig roared my name like a blood-crazed wolf. My heart thumped like it was going to explode, sweat was crawling out of my skin, my strength was fading, and I was running short of breath. My chest was burning like wildfire, pounding for me to stop, but my legs kept trudging fiercely. I suddenly saw lights a few meters before me. My eyes widened; this was it! The road to my freedom. With the last ounce of strength I had, I ran. I jumped forward, towards the light. Joy was about to fill me, but something suddenly hit me. It wrenched my right ribs, forcing the last of my breath out of my lungs as I crashed to the cold paved ground.

“Mia! Mia! Mi—” a voice kept yelling. It was familiar, but my senses had dulled greatly. The light before me blinded my hazy vision, and I felt myself losing my consciousness to darkness.