Rejected by One Loved by the Other

17

Chapter 17

"This is my old stomping grounds, we are near home." Charley is beaming I think he is happy to be back.

The woods and mountains there are just breath taking. The only problem is I don't have a coat and it is twelve degrees outside. Charley parks the truck in a large yard filled with other trucks and a car comes to pick us up. "I am a little nervous. Do you think this is going to work out Harmony?"

"I told you things will be fine. Charley would never let anything bad happen to you."

Kody is driving the car. "It is nice to see you again." I walk over and give him a hug, "I missed you, Mr. Kody." He gets a little grin and takes my bag.

Charley smiles at our interaction then tells me. "Silver Lake Pack here we come."

"Charley, I'm nervous. What if they don't like me?"

"They will like you. There is nothing to not like." He holds my hand to help me calm down.

"This may sound corny, but I wish you had been my dad. You are a great dad, Charley."

Charley clears his throat, holding back his emotions. The car pulls up to the pack house and Alpha Cameron comes out to greet us. "Good to see you made it safe and just under the wire."

"I told you we would make it." Cameron puts his hand out to shake Charley's then mine.

"I told you she liked me more than you I got a hug." Kody teases.

"You can't hug an Alpha like that." I correct Kody.

"Who says you can't?" Then Alpha Cameron hugs me and I hug him back. "Charley, your house is ready for you. It is fully stocked. And the heat is on."

"Little one, this is where we part company. You will stay at the pack house. I will see you soon."

"I can't stay with you? I don't mind a couch."

"Haven't you had enough of me by now?"

"Never! I meant what I said in the car, and I don't want to lose what I haven't had in a long time."

Charley looks at me and I can see his warm eyes that make me feel safe. "Well, brother, me and my daughter are going home."

My face lights up, "Thank you."

"You don't say thanks to your father for taking you home."

Kody and Cameron smile at the two of us. "This is what he has needed." Kody says.

"This is what they both need."

Charley's house was like a log cabin, done in rich dark wood trim and the logs were natural. It has three bedrooms two had ensuite bathrooms, all three had walk in closets. The kitchen was all white cabinets and marble counter tops along with a huge center island. There is a small dining area off of the kitchen, it has a round table that could hold six comfortably. The living room was a nice size with a sectional couch that faced the fireplace. Above the fireplace is a sixty-inch flat screen. It is cozy, feels like a real home.

"Melody, take the bedroom at the end of the hall. It has a bathroom attached to it. Mine is the first one on the right. There is food in the fridge if you're hungry. We can go out for personal supplies after we settle in. We have to get you your school supplies too."

"That sounds good. You are going to have to show me where the school is sometime today, so I know where I am going."

"We have to go to the Alpha's office to get your school records to take with you in the morning. I'll show you where it's at then." Charley says as he yells through the house.

"Do you want to do the running first and then we can unpack later. It might be faster."

"Yeah, little one. Let's get all the running done. We will go to the Alpha's office at the pack house first."

"I'm on my way down. The room is beautiful, that is a nice color on the walls. What do you call it?"

"Rose teal. My wife picked it out for the baby girl we were having. I never had the heart to change it."

"I'm glad you didn't. It is now my favorite color."

Charley was getting his coat when he reminded me. "Put on a warm coat. It is getting windy out there."

"I don't have one, I'll buy one when we go to the store. That reminds me here is the change from shopping I didn't spend it all. I put it in my suit case and with everything that happened I forgot about it." I handed him almost a hundred dollars.

"You keep it. Use it for your school supplies and a coat. You are going to need more clothes."

"I don't need any more clothes, that is plenty for me. I don't want you to pay my way, I have been paying my own way for years."

"Well, not anymore. I am paying for it now, isn't that what fathers do?" I don't know what to say. "Ready? We have a lot to do."

The pack house has a large living room that opens to a dining room that is just as big as the living room. The kitchen has all stainless-steel appliances, there are two stoves with double ovens and an island that reaches from one side of the kitchen to the other. The one thing that catches my eye is the piano in the living room. "Let's go the Alpha's office is down the hall off the kitchen. I mind linked him he is waiting for us." Charley knocks on the door.

Alpha Cameron yells, "Come in. Are you here for the class schedule and your supply list?"

"Yes, Alpha. I can't wait to start school in the morning."

"We have your school classes and grades. You are a very smart little girl, straight A's for the last three years. Three semesters in college courses in wolf anatomy, you will finish your fourth semester here. Does that sound good to you?"

"I would love that. I had set up a summer class that allowed me to start college during the summer break. Do you have that here?"

"We do if there are enough students that sign up for the program. I will put your name on the list."

"Thank you very much."

"This says you set up a tutoring program at your last school, you volunteered at the orphanage, and held two jobs. You, young lady have some drive in you." I just smiled at him. "School starts at eight in the morning and here is your schedule. There is a young man who will show you to all your classes for the first week. His name is Jose. Do you have any questions?"

"Just one, the piano in the living room, can anyone play it?"

"Do you know how to play?"

"Some."

"On the way out, you show me you can play it, then by all means play it." I smile from ear to ear. "If that's it then let's head out."

"Thanks Cameron, talk to you tomorrow."