Carter's Savior

Nine

Carter's POV

It had been two days since I left. And I pretty much drove nonstop unless I was stopping for gas and pee breaks. I hadn't eaten anything other than what I could get at a gas station, which was barely anything. Because everything looked like it was made to kill me.

I also hadn't slept. I felt heavy, dirty, and overwhelmed. 

But it was all worth it for where I was now.

Now that I was standing in front of the home I knew all too well. The last place I was truly me. 

I grabbed the extra key that was hidden under the plant pot by the front door and as it clicked I could feel every single emotion I had been running from, rushing like a flood. Almost completely knocking me off my feet.

I was home.

My eyes grazed the small two-story place. It smelled the same and looked the same from what I could remember. But now I was faced with every little detail that I had forgotten over the years. I hadn't realized until now, but this was the last time I had felt safe. Protected. Special. I closed the door and I dropped my bags in the living room.

The house was still clean and kept, Aunt Danielle and Aunt Rena take care of this place since they are the alphas. It was strange coming back to my home pack. It had grown so much since the last time I was here. Now there were upward of five hundred members. Before there were just forty.

I slowly walked through the house and up the steps but I took my time. The walls were littered with pictures of Dad and me, from when I was a kid. I should have known things were changing when he hadn't wanted to bring them when we moved. When I didn't even know we were moving to be specific. When I just was taken to Dieter's pack we never left. The first time they forgot my birthday.

Moments later I was pushing open the door to my childhood bedroom. A wave of nostalgia hit me and I was brought to tears. It looked the same.

The queen bed was covered in a red comforter, with lightening McQueen blankets and pillows all over it. My toys were all still lined up against the wall. My cars, dinosaurs, and my Lego sets. My dark blue bed frame and bedside tables with Spiderman lamps on them.

It was strange. It was almost as if I could see baby Carter lying in the corner of the bed cuddled up. My only friend is Tatty, and me being completely okay with that. 

But what really caught my eye was the framed picture beside my bed. I gently grabbed it and a deep sob came out of my mouth as I looked at the beautiful woman. My mom.

I opened the drawer and pulled out the photo album that was given to me. That was filled with pictures of her. But the one I had framed was one of the only ones she and I had ever taken together. It was right before she passed away.

She was holding me, tears in her eyes and she was smiling. So happy that I was here. I could see it in her eyes that she loved me. Even though I was only around for mere minutes. She was already in love with me. It's been a long time since anyone had looked at me like that. Part of me thinks no one will again. I grip the frame tightly one more time before I set it down.

I want nothing more than to slide into bed but I need to shower. I ran back down grabbed my bags and I was in the bathroom before I knew it. I didn't want to waste time.

I showered quickly, threw on some sweats, and grabbed the picture of my mom. I also grabbed a pillow and one of my old lightening mcqueen fleece blankets and headed to the living room. Dani and Rena kept this place up to shape. So much so that they got a new TV for the living room and it was huge.