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Once a fresh round of drinks came, I lifted mine to propose a toast. “Here’s to showing Sam who the real alpha is.”
The others cried out their agreement as they clinked their mugs against mine, and a sense of deep camaraderie consumed our table.
Even if Sam had taken my claim and shifted my trajectory, he unknowingly pushed me toward the most incredible friendships I had ever known. I had allies in my corner and didn’t dream of trading that for anything.
Chapter 2 - Jane
There was something beautiful about a small town. The more remote setting, the coziness of a slower lifestyle, and the general calm. It should’ve been perfect. It would’ve been if things didn’t feel like they were going to implode at any given moment.
I loved the breathtaking scenery, especially on warm, sunny days like that one. My favorite walk was always to the nearest coffee shop, followed by a visit to the park to soak up the sun and read a book.
It would’ve been the best day if only I hadn’t heard their whispers in the coffee shop. Felt their eyes on me while I walked through town.
They usually tried to be discreet. They would keep their gossip to hushed tones, letting me hear enough to let me know I was the target of their ridicule but quiet enough not to cause a scene.
I tried to ignore them and go about my day, but even in the park, I wasn’t safe.
“I thought being a shifter meant having the perfect physique,” One of them murmured as they walked by, huddled in their group like always.
“Surely another latte will do her in,” another said with a laugh, words lashing at me like a whip.
They were supposed to be my pack mates. People to lean on for support. Allies and friends. Yet, they were anything but.
Feeling the sting of their gossip, I couldn’t help but look up at them.
Riley, the nastiest of them, looked at me with unrelenting pity in her eyes. “What are you looking at?”
Before I could say anything, the others chuckled.
“I think the freak is taking notes on how to be normal. It’s a shame she never will be.”
“Be careful!” One of them said, feigning fear with a hand over her mouth. “She might maim you with her psychic abilities!”
My ears were burning as I tried to keep myself together. Lashing out never did any good, and crying in front of them would be even more humiliating. I could never win with them, no matter what I did.
Riley snickered and approached me, forcing my heart into my throat. “What a crock of shit. What’s this?” She asked, bending down and pointing at the book in my hands.
“It’s nothing,” I managed, hoping they would leave. “You wouldn’t care anyway.”
She gave me a pout. “I wouldn’t? Let me see.”
Without a choice, she yanked it out of my hand and skimmed through the book, pretending to be interested. “You’re right. I don’t, and you shouldn’t either.”
She put her hands on either cover and ripped the book down the spine, causing a tearing sound that made my heart squeeze. The others laughed hysterically. A satisfied smirk spread across her lips, and she dropped it on my lap. “Run a few miles, and maybe you’ll look how you’re supposed to. Just a suggestion.”
I could feel myself wavering despite the hardened mask I put on. I didn’t want to give her the satisfaction, even if the emotions threatened to break me. Riley and her posse weren’t worth it. I knew that.
With a final snigger, she turned on her heel and swung the closest leg to me, catching my coffee cup with the toe of her shoe. It tipped over, spilling into the grass, and she didn’t bother to fake her shock. “Oops.”
When Riley decided her fun was over, she returned to the others, who all laughed and encouraged her as they finally left.
It took everything in me to keep it together. To stave off the tears threatening to spill down my cheeks.
What had been the start of a beautiful day soured because of them. The people who were supposed to treat me like family but instead chose to use me as their target.
I didn’t know the exact day everything went wrong, but I had a rough estimate. Even as a kid, I wasn’t the most popular, but the ridicule only escalated when I hit puberty. When my body started to look different from everyone else’s, my psychic abilities first began.
It was true that most wolves in our pack were slender and athletic or completely bulked up with muscle because of our blood. But for whatever reason, I wasn’t granted the same outcome.
