Chapter 3

SASHA

Was I upset about moving again? Kind of. But honestly, I was more let down.

Let down that she-wolves could be so cruel to one of their own. Even if my dear Livi was different, why should that matter? It’s not her fault she is the way she is.

I’m set on finding a place where Livi will finally be safe, accepted, and loved for who she is, not feared because of the unknown.

I’ll keep moving until we find our safe haven, our sanctuary. I hope that Livi will find her mate. I know Livi isn’t big on being around people; I get why.

She stopped trusting her own kind long ago, lost hope that they could change and accept her. Now all she sees is the downside of being near others, of opening up to others.

A lot of damage has been done, damage that I can’t fix. Only her mate will be able to fully heal her heart, to show her that there is light and love in the world.

Ever since she turned eighteen, I’ve been hoping he would show up somewhere and mend her broken heart. But so far, no luck…even with all of the moving!

I’m not even sure she’s open to meeting her mate. I worry she’ll reject them out of fear of being rejected herself.

Her walls are up. It would take someone incredibly powerful to tear them down, brick by brick.

I get why she’s lost trust with werewolves, she-wolves in particular. It’s been hard on her to have pack after pack exclude and shun her.

She doesn’t show it though and she still puts on a smile every morning. She’s a strong girl, my Olive, both physically and spiritually.

I’m not ashamed that my daughter is different, but I do worry for her. I worry about how the pack will react when they learn the truth.

I worry about my daughter and how she’ll handle the abilities she might have; I worry about how she’ll feel if her abilities reveal themselves.

But most of all, I worry about what she’ll think of me for not telling her the truth sooner.

Everything I’ve done for Livi, right or wrong, has been out of love and a desire to protect her. That’s my only goal—to protect my daughter and keep her safe from any threat.

If that means moving a million times over, I’d do it in a heartbeat.

I worry for Livi. She’s the sweetest girl with the biggest heart, but if you push and push and push her, she’ll snap. That’s what I’m trying to prevent.

I want to keep Livi safe from any fallout from her actions, because if Livi hurt someone, I mean really hurt someone, she’d be shattered.

So now we’re on our way to our new pack: The Dark Wood Pack. I know Livi will like it. She loves being outdoors. She spends most of her time—when she’s not with me—outside, exploring pack lands.

We’ve been driving for six hours. I’m wiped out already. I hate driving for long stretches.

~Ugh, my neck,~ I think as I rub the back of it.

~Pull it together, Sasha. This is for Livi.~

Honestly, I’d drive to the ends of the earth if it means finding the pack where Livi is finally accepted with open arms, stiff neck and all.

The sun is shining through the car window, warming my face. I let out a content sigh. The forest is surrounding us; we can’t be too far now.

I glance over to see Livi is grimacing and shifting in her seat.

“Are you okay, sweetie?” I ask.

“Yeah, I-I’m…just really nervous,” she responds, eyes darting.

I squint at her but turn my attention back to the road and smirk.

~I bet this has something to do with Raven. She’s always been a fiery one!~

I know Livi won’t appreciate it if I press more about the conversation she and her wolf just had. I decide to play dumb instead.

“Well, you’ve got nothing to worry about. I’ve got a good feeling about this one!” It’s true, I really do!

Livi clearly isn’t convinced, but I plan on doing my best to make this the best pack yet.

We sit in silence for the next ten minutes, both lost in our own thoughts. I get an idea. This has always cheered her up since she was little.

“I know what will cheer you up,” I blurt out as I rummage in the glove box, desperately trying to find what I’m looking for.

~Aha! There it is!~

I pull out the CD and notice Livi smirk.

~Ahh, see! My plan is working already!~

I pop the CD in and press play. ~Hey Jude~ by the Beatles plays. Livi chuckles and slowly but surely starts to sing and shout the lyrics as loud as she possibly can.

Each verse gets louder and louder until we’re both screaming the lyrics at the top of our lungs, no doubt sounding like a bunch of dying cats.

After another half an hour, I spot the town coming up near the end of the dirt track. Excitement fills me, and I start to bounce in my seat.

“Eek! Look! We’re here!” I exclaim.

Livi sits up in her seat, mouth slightly agape. If I didn’t know better, I’d think she was almost excited. I pull up to where two male wolves stand on guard and roll my window down.

The wolves approach the car. “Name and reason for visit,” one asks.

“I’m Sasha Dubois, and this is my daughter, Olive Dubois. We’re new transfers.”

“ID and documentation, please,” says the larger of the two males.

He lowers his head so he can see in the car. He takes a deep breath and stares at Livi, eyes roaming all over her. He must think I’m stupid if he thinks I can’t see him checking her out.

Livi knows she’s not ugly, but she also seems completely unaware of all the male wolves that drool and gawk at her.

The boys in high school and college were always trying to get her attention, but I think maybe she felt it was a trap the she-wolves had set to further her humiliation.

I hand over our ID and acceptance documents. He gives me the nod and we pull away.

I sneak a peek at Livi. She’s blushing.

~No doubt has something to do with that wolf of hers again!~ I smile.

Our cottage comes into view, and it’s a sight to behold.

~Please, Goddess, let this pack be the one.~

Livi’s face is clouded over again. I give her thigh a playful slap, trying to bring her back to the moment. “This is going to be a fresh start for us, Livi.”

She offers me a smile, but it doesn’t quite reach her eyes. She’s just playing along.

We pull into the driveway of our stone cottage. It’s even more breathtaking up close. My eyes immediately land on the empty flower beds, and my mind starts to fill them with blooms.

~Carnations? No, Leucanthemums! Perfect.~

I lead the way to our front door and swing it open, letting Livi in first. She stands in the doorway, taking it all in, before heading back to the car to grab our things.

I take a moment to look around, imagining how we can make this beautiful space our own.

I grab some boxes from the car and quickly unpack my clothes. I’ve had plenty of practice, after all.

Next, I find spots for our belongings. My beloved plants find new homes on end tables and in room corners.

Before I know it, everything is in its place. Livi and I collapse on the sofa, letting out a collective sigh.

Suddenly, my stomach growls loudly. I’m surprised when Livi doesn’t tease me about it. We need food, and fast!

“Okay, that’s a sign we need takeout!” I declare. “What are you in the mood for?”

Livi scrunches her face in thought, a habit I find endearing. “Hmm, maybe…Chinese?”

I place the order, and once it arrives, we settle on the sofa with our food and an episode of ~Bridgerton~. I didn’t realize how hungry I was until I’ve devoured everything.

Around eleven, we start to head to bed. Livi says goodnight and starts up the stairs.

“Oh, Livi, I almost forgot to tell you. I got you a spot at the local college. You start on Wednesday!”

Livi spins around. “But that’s in two days?!” She’s clearly panicked.

“I know school isn’t your favorite, but focus on your studies. Who knows, maybe you’ll make a friend this time?”

~Or find your mate,~ I silently hope, crossing my fingers.

She rolls her eyes. “I highly doubt that, Mom. I’m a freak, remember? And why do I need friends when I have you?” She gives me her best puppy-dog eyes.

She knows exactly how to get to me.

“Okay, okay. You flatterer, get to bed!” I laugh.

***

The next morning, I’m in the kitchen when Livi rushes down.

She demolishes a bowl of cereal, pecks me on the cheek, and bolts out the door, shouting that she’s going to explore.

I smile as she leaves, but I can’t shake my worry about how the new pack will react to her. I continue my silent prayers to the Moon Goddess for this pack to be the one.

With Livi gone, I have my own to-do list to tackle, starting with my job. I was a pack doctor in our last pack.

My profession makes it easy to transfer. Packs always need more doctors!

I head to the pack house—or rather, the pack house grounds. There are three large stone buildings, which is unusual for pack houses. They’re typically one large building.

They’re built in the same style as our cottage, from stone. One building has a sign: “Dark Wood Hospital.”

I assume the other two are communal spaces and living quarters for higher-ranked pack members.

I enter the hospital and ask a nurse to direct me to the head doctor. He points me toward an office at the end of the wing.

I knock on the office door.

“Come in!” a male voice calls.

I open the door to see a man, probably in his mid-to-late forties. He has graying hair and a clean-shaven face, highlighting his strong jawline.

“Hi, I’m Sasha, the new pack doctor. I just wanted to introduce myself and finish up the paperwork.”

His smile widens. “Ah, Sasha! Good to meet you.” He extends his hand, which I shake firmly.

“I’m Callum. I must say, your file has piqued my interest.” He looks at me as if trying to solve a puzzle.

“Oh? How so?” I pretend to be surprised.

“Yes. It says here that you’ve transferred ten times in the last six years. That’s quite a few moves,” he says, crossing his arms over his chest.

“Uh, yes, it is. I guess we just haven’t found the right pack to settle down in yet. And my daughter and I love to travel!” I start to fidget with the hem of my T-shirt.

I notice Callum watching my nervous hands. He gives me a reassuring smile.

“If you ever feel ready to talk about why you’re moving so much, I’m here to listen.”

I smile, feeling a bit awkward and embarrassed. It’s becoming more obvious that we’re running from something.

“Thank you. I appreciate that.”

Callum hands me the paperwork, and I fill it out quickly, eager to leave before he can ask more questions.

Back at home, I keep busy by doing some laundry.

When I hear the door unlocking, I dry my hands and head out of the kitchen to greet Livi, a bounce in my step.

I take in Livi’s appearance. She looks worn out, like she’s fighting an internal battle. I rush to her side.

“Livi, is everything okay?”