8 - Gate

My mom moving around downstairs was loud enough to stir me from my dreams, but when I moved to do my typical stretches, my muscles were stiff. Groaning, I pushed them past their limits and could've sworn I felt them all snap.

But, if that were the case, I wouldn't have been able to move anymore. Clearly, I could, and I needed to get up.

Leaving the blankets tangled around my legs, I swung my feet over the edge of the bed and carefully made my way down the stairs like a depressed caterpillar with only two legs.

My mom was in the kitchen again, just like when I'd left her, and was heating up the leftover steak from last night.

When I entered the room, she glanced over her shoulder to find me and smiled. "Hey, sweetheart. Feeling better?"

While sitting down at the table, I sarcastically muttered, "Sure, if feeling like I got hit by a truck is better,"

"Well, Emmet took what the Moon Goddess meant to be and tossed it in the garbage. That's pretty much the same. He was your truck and left you in the middle of the road, a pancake that used to be Em," Arden mused from the couch. "You don't even seem like you. You know that, right?"

"I don't feel like me either," I whispered.

"Yeah, I guess you wouldn't," my younger sister whispered.

Pity hung in the air, and I choked, "Can we stop talking about it?"

Trying to forcefully change the conversation, I asked, "What's on?"

Arden turned her full attention back to the tv, and casually said, "Some new vampire show."

For the first time in a couple of days, I laughed. "What's with you and vampires?"

Arden's cheeks turned pink. She snapped her head away from me and back to the tv. "I don't know. They're just hot."

"You know if you met one..." My teasing stopped abruptly. I'd met my mate, and that had gone terribly. Maybe if Arden met a vampire, it wouldn't go any worse than what I'd been through.

"It'd all be fine," Arden snapped. "I wouldn't even make him promise not to bite."

I rolled my eyes. "You're such a freak."

"No, I'm not."

"Yeah, you are."

"Did you forget I was here?" My mom rasped from the kitchen. The color had drained from her face, but a smile was awkwardly plastered on her lips.

It wasn't uncommon to be open about more carnal pleasures as a werewolf, not even in front of family, but I guess she didn't want me teasing Arden.

"Sorry, mom. What are you making?"

"Steak and potatoes. It's one of your favorites, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I guess so." Even though that was true, my stomach still hadn't growled once, but maybe some comfort food could entice me into eating more than a few bites.

With a nod, my mother placed a plate of food and a cup of water on the table.

After dinner, I shut myself in my room again. It wasn't anything new, but it felt different.

Again, games disappointed me.

Sleep was filled with nightmares, and no matter what I did, I couldn't stop hearing the laughter in Holland Hall as Emmet rejected me.

I couldn't stop hearing his words.

What kind of Luna could I be?

Useless.

Worthless.

Weak.

It wasn't true. Not all of it, anyway. I wasn't worthless or useless.

But it didn't matter, and I fell asleep listening to the imaginary Emmet tell me that I didn't amount to anything.

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The following day, I stayed in my room until after lunch, and when I finally plodded down the stairs, the overwhelming scent of coffee made me gag.

Usually, I liked how it smelled, but even the thought of having a sip of water made my stomach pang.

"Coffee still? It's almost 1 in the afternoon," I said as I peered at my mom.

She was sitting on the couch with her laptop on the coffee table in front of her.

Maybe she didn't feel comfortable leaving me at home alone.

I wouldn't.

"Well, I have a lot of work to catch up on," she admitted. Leaning back into the couch, she pointed to the fridge. "Leftovers are in there. It's mac n' cheese with broccoli."

"No meat?"

"That steak you didn't finish is in there, too."

Microwave steak was an abomination, but I didn't feel like preheating the oven or standing over a skillet. So, everything got nuked, and I put the dishes in the sink when I was done eating.

It was time to do something other than mope in my room.

From an organizer near the front door, I grabbed my purse.

"Where are you going?" My mom asked.

"To apply for jobs." I wanted to get the heck out of Goldcrest city, and I couldn't wait until college started in the fall.

"Good luck!" Arden called from her room, again proving that no conversation could go unheard in our house.

She wasn't the only one listening.

Harper snidely remarked, "Yeah, you'll need it! What skills do you have besides gaming? You should've been a streamer, you know!"

Maybe she was right, but I didn't want to deal with the trolls.

Finding a job outside of the city was perfect.

After shutting the front door behind me, I walked onto the driveway.

The breeze picked up and sent a few strands of hair tickling my face.

It was a welcome respite from the sun, but the second I hopped into my little black sedan, I sweltered in the heat.

Blasting the A/C so loud that I could barely hear the radio, I pulled out of our neighborhood and headed towards the main road.

Feeling antsy, my foot became lead on the pedal, and the car quickly picked up speed.

Ahead, Goldcrest's guarded gates promised freedom from the stares and whispers I was bound to get if I tried to apply for jobs anywhere inside the city's walls.

Before I got there, the gas light flickered on, and I nearly missed the turn in the station.

Pressing the button to open the hatch, making the gas cap accessible, I slid out of my car, then headed for the pump. Everything was fine until it wasn't.

When I inserted my credit card into the slot to unlock the pump, the dreaded message SEE CASHIER popped up on the screen.

"Crap!"

The last thing I wanted was to see anyone. That was the whole point of finding a job outside the city, but if I wanted to go, I had no choice but to head inside.

"It's okay," I told myself, forcing a smile. "This will be quick."

It didn't help when I looked up and saw a young girl staring at me. Her mouth hung open like mine had moments before.

Gripping the handles of my purse like a shield, I made my way into the station.

The air conditioning made me shiver, and I hurried past the snacks and drinks toward the checkout counter.

Waiting in line for the cashier, I heard whispers from the people behind me.

"Isn't that the girl Emmet Larson rejected?"

"Yeah, that's her, I think. Pretty girl."

"Beauty isn't everything. At least Emmet is smart enough to know that."

"She dumb or something?"

"Are you kidding? That's Emery Turner! She's smart, but she's basically human. No one's ever seen her wolf."

"She can't shift?"

"She can't even talk through the pack-link."

"No wonder he rejected her."

They laughed.

If only they knew even half of the crippling pain I was feeling... No. They wouldn't care.

One of the many voices asked, "How can I help you today?"

"Why? You think I need it?!" I snapped. Then, I looked up, and my eyes shot wide open.

It was the cashier who'd asked me the question, and he was staring at me with his brows raised.

"Sorry. $35 on pump four, please."

Before he swiped my card, he eyed my waist, then gave me a stale look.

"ID."

"What?"

Never had anyone asked me for my ID to pump gas, but I dug into the outside pocket of my purse and slapped my entire wallet on the counter.

The cashier raised his eyebrows and waited for me to find my ID.

Once I showed him, he blew air through his lips so hard they rippled. "Look, I don't care how bad you're feeling. You're not old enough. Hand it over, or I'll report you for theft and attempt at underage purchase."

His eyes once again traveled to my purse.

Taking the bait, I reached inside, and something cold brushed against my fingers. I yanked my hand out and opened the bag wide to see a large, mango-flavored adult beverage inside.

My jaw dropped, and I quickly set the drink on the counter. "I didn't put that there."

"Uh-huh." The cashier rolled his eyes as he put the drink behind the register, swiped my card, and handed me a receipt.

Trying to ignore the snickers, murmurs, and weighted stares, I stepped out into the heat again.

After I tossed my receipt into the trash bin, I scurried back into my car.

The drive to the gate was short. In fact, waiting for the car in front of me to be let through took longer than the drive.

The gate security held a mirror under their car on all sides, checked their ID, made them pop their trunk, and had them roll all their windows down. Then, they were given the all-clear to pass.

"Why's the alarm level up?" I muttered as I drove up with my ID out the window.

The nearest guard took it without a word, and after staring at my ID for a bit, his eyes glowed a vibrant emerald green.

They stayed like that for at least two minutes before returning to their original tawny brown.

"Sorry, but you have somewhere to be soon. Make a U-turn."

He slid my ID back into my fingers, then looked at his fellow guards and firmly shook his head.

Two of them stood in the road ahead, and their eyes met mine.

For a moment, I thought about slamming on the gas pedal and leaving anyway, but they'd just pop the tire spikes.

So, I turned my car around as requested and returned the way I'd come.

As soon as I was out of sight of the gate's security, I pulled over to the side of the road, put the car in park, and threw my hands over my face.

My chest was so tight I could hardly get air in, and my vision blurred again like it had the other day.

"What is happening to me?"

For the longest time, I sat there, trying to breathe.

Then, I heard a muffled voice through my closed window.

"Em?"