Chapter Two

This is what we're doing?

I'm up in and out of the shower pretty quickly. I get dressed in my favorite black skinny jeans with rips in the knees, an oversized white tank top, my black bomber jacket, and my Dr. Martens. I grab my car keys, aviators, backpack, phone, and earbuds and head down for breakfast. Before leaving my bedroom, I stop with my hand on the nob and take a deep breath preparing myself for the day. It is never easy, but each day brings me closer to my freedom, which I hold onto.

Vivianne once tried to 'make me' cook for the family, but I accidentally burned down half the kitchen on purpose. Oops, my bad. Served her right. I chuckle at the memory as I walk down the steps. One thing I'm not is a slave. She learned that day not to try and treat me like one. And we have lived in a stalemate ever since. Even though I can see it in her eyes, she's not happy about it.

I make my way into the kitchen. I try to stay out of everyone's way. I may be strong-willed and can hold my own in my own right. But why borrow trouble? That is unless they piss me off. I can handle the constant jabs they've taken at me. As long as it is just their words, I really am unbothered. As I said, when it gets physical, I get pissed off. Yes, they are annoying and make me want to throat punch them when they say things to try and be hurtful. But hurting them over words is a no-go because I'm nice like that.

Once I reach our overly elaborate and over-the-top kitchen. I head to the cabinets, grab my to-go mug, fill it with the nectar of the gawds, i.e., coffee, and put a few pieces of toast in the toaster. I wait for a few while my toast gets all nice brown and crispy. Once that's done, I butter it, and I'm out. Not one word is spoken by anyone, at least that I know of. I tend to tune them out. I decided years ago that how they treated and talked to me wasn't ok. I wasn't going to sit idly by and let people who were meant to love me continuously hurt me. So, this is the way it is. Then this is the way it will be. I won't beg for their love, respect or affection. That is just not who I am.

After grabbing everything I need for the day, I'm out. I head towards the front door when I hear Vivianne's shrill and oh-so-annoying voice.

"Make sure you're back right after school. You and Brittney need to go dress shopping for the Gala next weekend. Alpha Max will be returning, and I want to make sure you don't embarrass our family with your..." she looks me up and down, waving her hand "... interesting style".

I roll my eyes and breathe in before answering. My hand is on the door nob and tightens. If I were to look down, my knuckles would be strained from the death grip I have on it. "Sure thing, Viv" She hates when I call her that but knows not to try to get me to call her mom again. She's made that mistake before, and it's a no-go, and it wasn't pretty. The last time she did, I may have let it slip about a vision of her in a compromising position. And since then, she silently fumes when I call her Viv. Of course, I never do it around anyone because that would lead to questions. And we don't want that. So calling her Viv is my protest to her not being honest and also a reminder to her that I know.

I know many of her secrets. Heck, I know everyone's secrets.

I exit before we have any more interactions and have to force myself to keep it together longer than necessary. I close the front door behind me. I don't wait for my siblings, the siblings that don't care to be seen with me. Two of them ride together. Once upon a time, we rode everywhere together when Lee and I got our licenses. And the shocker is that only Lee was afforded a car that was apparently promised to him in eighth grade by our 'parents'. Of course, when I found out, I fumed about the apparent favoritism for a long time. And when I spoke up about it, I was told, 'according to my parents'. I'm not responsible enough to have my own vehicle, and they wanted me to prove to them that I was, which is bullshit, but whatever. I wasn't and didn't follow in it for long.

Push comes to shave; where there is a will, there is a way, and in the end. I have me to thank for my beauty.

I hop in my baby, my 2020 Ford Mustang. I worked three summers straight doing odd jobs and night shifts at the dinner to afford her. I was lucky the pack allowed us to work as early as 13. And no, we don't do things like humans. We are considered 'mature' when we reach our teen years. Which ultimately worked in my favor. When I started working, I didn't know what drove me to want to save money, but I figured it out quickly. I wanted them to see and understand that I am absolutely responsible and driven.

My baby is life. She's beautiful with a matte black paint job, black leather seats, purple lights, and accents. I couldn't love a car more than I love my Betty. Yep, I named my car. Don't judge me.

Once in Black Betty, I crank up the music and make my way to school, rapping loudly and very animatedly to Cardi B & Megan The Stallion's "WAP." That song is sooooo.... inappropriate for a ride to school but Y.O.L.O.

As I pull into the parking lot, I find a spot and park. It's always fun driving into the lot; people always stare and watch me, it's creepy, but I ignore them. Turning the radio off, yes, I always do that. I've scared myself half to death more than once because I forget I play my music so loud, so now I turn it off before getting out. Shutting off my car, I grab my bag and coffee. l continue to ignore the stares and whispers. I am a chill person, and my outward appearance reflects that. So, life is... great. Note the sarcasm. Even if I'm looked at like a two-headed lion at the zoo. I just keep on keeping on. There isn't much that I can do about it other than survive. And that's precisely what I'm doing.

Walking towards the main entrance, I continue to receive a few stares and glares and hear my name whispered. I wonder if they ever get tired of this same old thing every day. I know I am. I hear more whispering, and I can guarantee it's about me. It's always about me. I also receive some choice 'complements' from the mean girls. I pay them no mind because they're idiots. Like 1.0 GPA idiots.

Making it to my locker, I get what I need and store what I don't. Once that is done, I make my way to my first period with no issues. If I am honest, more often than not, this is the case. It's when the jocks and mean girls are together and emboldened enough to approach and harass me that I have an issue. So walking into first period, I know. I just know it's going to be one of those days. I can feel it, and so can Yasmin.

Usually, I can maneuver myself out of the firing line with a few whispered secrets. Listen, I said I don't share my visions often, not that I don't share them at all. Sometimes, sharing juicy secrets with the ones with the secrets makes life a little more palatable. And keeps them off my back, at least for a time.

As I said, I'm not getting the warm and fuzzies when walking into English. And that in itself has me on alert.

As I make my way through the door, I hear the shrill voices and giggling coming from the Barbie Squad, as I call them. Olivia Graham, the Alpha's daughter Chloe and their minions. I make my way to my seat in the back, hoping we don't have a run-in today. I'm not in the mood for it. But, apparently, they have other plans.

"OH MY GOD, Olivia!" Everyone stops what they are doing as Chloe makes a scrunching face, "What the hell is that smell" apparently, Olivia catches on to what? I don't know, but she flicks her eyes to me and back to Chloe and smirks. I continue to make my way to my seat, not stopping or engaging with their shit. Mentally prepare myself because no doubt it has something to do with me.

"It smells like a dumb bitch, Chlo," and everyone starts to ooh and aww. Real mature, right? I take my seat, put my backpack next to me and ignore them. If I engage, it's not going to be pretty, and I'm trying to stay chill. I don't do public displays; I instead ram some truths down their throats one on one. Or sometimes when it's just the Barbie squad and me because they are known for cornering me when no one else is around. I refuse to play their game and focus my attention out of the window. Our school is surrounded by beautiful forest. That is one thing I love about our pack lands.

I hear a chair scrape against the floor, but again pay no mind to it. I will not engage.

I will not engage.

I will NOT ENGAGE.

Someone has made their way over to where I am sitting without knowing. I feel their presence. But I refuse to play into it or acknowledge them. Within seconds I feel scolding hot water being dumped on my back. I jump out of my seat from the pain pulsing down my back and rip my shirt off. 'Fucking shit,' that hurt. I'll be damned if I let these bitches know. I hear a slight whimper from Yazmin, who I know is trying to take most of the pain from me. No matter how often I tell her not to, my wolf always comes to my rescue. And as much as I love her, sometimes I wish she wouldn't. "I am you, and you are me. I protect you," Yasmine says through her deep breaths. And I nod at her in my mind's eye. " I know, Yas, and I love you for it" Sometimes, I don't think I deserve her, especially for all she does for me. "Yes, you do, you are me, and I am you. I wouldn't want anyone else." I try to hold back the tears in my eyes from her words because I don't want them to think they made me this emotional.

I look to see who the fuck thought that it was a good idea to burn me with hot water. My eyes connect with the eyes of the she-devil herself, Olivia fucking Graham the pack slut and wanna-be Luna. Yasmine's healing is much faster than most wolves, so she is ready for a fight now that she's healed me. Knowing my wolf is so close to the surface, I'm fucking pissed, but I take deep breaths, trying to calm her and me down. Nothing good would come of losing my shit in class first thing in the morning.

"Bitch, what?" She crosses her arms and smirks at me. The room is silent, and the bell hasn't rung, so the teacher isn't in the room yet. I stare at her hard. I really, really want to rip her throat out. But I'm not going to go against pack law and all that. Killing a pack member without provocation or sanction from the alpha is forbidden. You can challenge other wolves, but there is a time and place for that. And as much as I want to take this she-wolf out now, I can't. Eventually, I know this one-sided hatred she has for me will boil over, and she will challenge me. I can't wait for the day. She makes the stupid decision to do it. She's threatened to more than a few times. I send her a cruel smirk as my eyes narrow on her.

"What? You needed a bath, you sti..." before she could get the rest of whatever the fuck she wanted to say out, I punched her right in the face, and she stumbled back into one of the desks losing her footing and falling on the ground. I don't move. I know if I do, I will destroy her. But I stay steady. Okay, yes, maybe I let my anger get the best of me. Even after saying I am chill.

"You fucking Bitch. I WILL FUCKING END YOU," Olivia screeches as some of the boys and Chloe come over to help her up. I say nothing, do nothing. I don't need to lose control. They all stare at me in amusement, anger and annoyance. But me, my face stays impassive.

Right as she starts to make her way back to me, still screeching, cursing and threatening me. The door opens, and Mrs. McDaniels, our English teacher, walks in. She looks around the room, clearly feeling the tension. She ignores it.

"All right, everyone, take your seats. Let's get started."

I continue to stand with my eyes on Olivia and Chole, who are just glaring at me. I raise my brow in a 'try me' look. We continue to stand and stare at each other. Mrs. D yells. "Ladies, do we have a problem, or can you sit down so I can start the class" she looks over to me with a scrunched brow, annoyance in her voice. "Kira, why are you half-naked in my classroom?" Her eyes narrow slightly, and her brows pull together.

Braking my glare from dumb Barbie one and two, I look at Mrs. D. "Sorry, Mrs. D. There was a little accident and water was spilled, no worries though, I always come prepared" I bend over, open my bag and pull out a T-Shirt that says "Don't Play with Me, Play with yo momma." I hear a few snickers and giggles as I put it on and take my seat. Ignoring the two idiots. Barbie squad continues to glare, but they return to their seats as they were told to do.

For the remainder of the class, I silently fume talking to Yazmin, trying to convince her not to come out and play. She's far more aggressive than I am, even with me trying this new namaste attitude. I've been adapting to this because I realized six months ago that I was stronger and faster than I should be, and my wolf is far more aggressive and dominant. Lately, she's done well, but this little incident pulled us back a few steps. Yas, explained that my enhanced abilities are because of what and who I am. Of course, I asked her to be illiterate and only got a response of ' in die time.'

I'm snapped out of my thoughts when the bell rings, and I go off to the next class. As always, head held high and a blank indifferent look on my face. I refuse to give them anything, no words, no reactions... nothing.