Resisting Fate

Chapter 1

If there's one thing Carmelo is not, it's depressed.

How could he be? He had friends who loved him, a lovely place to live, and attended a great school. What did he have to be depressed about?

At least, that's what he told himself.

No one judged him for not having a wolf. No one cared that he was clumsy and dropped things. He got along with everyone. He was happy.

He repeated these thoughts to himself as he dressed for college. Some jeans, a random T-shirt that was tight across his chest and shoulders, and some converse. He was happy.

The smell of bacon drifted upstairs to his room, and he inhaled deeply. Carmelo was never very hungry in the morning, but he loved bacon. The clock read 8:00, and he knew that he had to rush downstairs before the rest of the school-aged kids ate it all.

The pack he belonged to wasn't extremely large- only about 50 members, all led by Jamie Collins, a 30-year-old alpha with an adorable little boy. There were many families in the pack, and each one had the opportunity to live in their own house. Some did. Others lived in the packhouse with Carmelo.

The packhouse was large, and split into five floors, six if you counted the basement. The first floor consisted mainly of common areas; living rooms, game rooms, kitchen, and the dining room. The second floor was for guests of the pack or pack members that wanted to spend the night. The third floor was designated for family suites, and the fourth was for higher ranking pack members, like the Alpha and alphas. The fifth floor had slanted ceilings, and resembled more of an attic. There was a cozy library and study rooms up there, along with the Alpha's office and other members who worked for the pack.

Carmelo lived on the second floor. He wasn't a very high-ranking member, nor did he have a family. But he lived at the packhouse.

"Carm! Hi!"

Carmelo turned around and found himself face-to-face with Laura, a sixteen-year-old pack member who he helped with homework sometimes. She lived on the third floor with her family.

"Hey Laura! What's up? You heading down for breakfast?" He asked, grinning at her.

"Yup!" She popped the "p" and grabbed his wrist. "Now come on! I want some bacon!"

He could relate to that.

She dragged him down the stairs and into the kitchen where the smell of bacon originated from. They looked at each other when they realized Sam and Jack were still cooking, and nodded. There was no pack link or mind reading between werewolves, but the familial pack bond between everyone allowed people to pick up on thoughts and feelings when they wanted to. Laura and Carmelo both knew what they had to do: steal some bacon.

Normally, this wasn't something Carmelo would do. He didn't want to trouble Sam and Jack, even though he knew they wouldn't really care. But he sensed something was off with Laura. Despite her smile, it didn't seem to reach her eyes, and her shoulders were more slumped than usual.

"Let's do this," whispered Carmelo.

He had a feeling Sam and Jack could hear them, but played dumb so Carmelo and Laura could have their fun.

Laura led the way into the kitchen, Carmelo following directly behind her. He mimicked her movements, and exaggerated his steps. He looked ridiculous, walking like a cartoon robber, but it made Laura roll her eyes fondly, and the smile she gave at his actions seemed a bit more genuine. It was worth it.

She crawling under the table in the kitchen and behind the island. He looked at her, and decided to do something stupid. A somersault. He eyed the table and the island, and decided that he had plenty of room. Carmelo forgot about the growth spurt he had last year. He finally reach 5'10, but he was still getting used to this new height.