Mistreated and Rejected

11.) Climbing in the Past

Chloe P.O.V

   I couldn't climb this tree. What were they thinking? Chase's words rang through my head.  “You can do this. I know you can.  "If he thought I could then I could, couldn't I?

   I reached up for another branch. Images flashed through my mind. My brother helping me make chocolate chip cookies. He brushing off my first burnt batch of chocolate chip cookies. Laughing at all the flour on me.

   I reached for the next branch with a slight smile. More memories came rushing by.  My parents coming home to a messy kitchen. That shake of the head,and them trying but failing to hide that small smile.

   A little wider my smile went. Grabbing the next branch, I pushing myself up. I remembered, my Mom driving me to my dance rehearsal. She clapped the loudest at my part. She had been the one to get me into dancing. It was always her and me. After she died I couldn't bring myself to start again. Instead I drew pictures of what she looked like. 

   My smile faltered at the mention of my Mom. Putting my foot higher up on the tree, I let the images take me.

   Dad running around chasing me. Always finding me. Once he did he would always say  “I never left Clo, I never will. Even if you can't see me, I will always be there. “

   Next branch up. Alex, Dad and me going swimming. Alex teaching me how to swim for the first day. I had been terrible. But, by the end of the day I was great.

   Lifting my hand up, I put it on the one above me. Me getting sick. Alex had stayed home to help me. He had slept on my floor, right next to me. Then he got sick. I had done the same thing.

   I had on the biggest smile, I think I have ever had. I went higher and higher.

   Alex's jokes, Mom’s courage, Dads wisdom. I laughed out loud. But you can't have happiness without knowing sadness.

   Me running as fast as I could. The wolves right there. My parents death. Their blood on my hands, the tears staining on my face. The hollow feeling I had, and still do.

   A single tear fell from my eye. I couldn't do this. I couldn't, could I ?

   My brother slapping me across my face. The pack hating me. My mate rejecting me. The numb, nothing feeling. The pain of James sleeping with some other she wolf.

   I had tears running down my face. I couldn't do this! I am a slave! I am beaten! I am killer! I am NOTHING! I had a hand on the next branch. I couldn't. I couldn't do this anymore.

   My moms words came to me.  “You will always have family Clo bear. Weather they are by blood or not. If they stick by you. They are family. “

   My Dad had said once  “You can do anything, the only thing stopping you is yourself. You just have to trust yourself first. Without that then how do you expect to others to do the same?”

   They were right. The only person saying I couldn't was myself. I could do this. I just had to trust myself. I could do this!

   I reached for the next branch, then the next, the one after that. I kept going all the time whispering  “I can do this“  and remembering the guys. Matt's and Mike's face when I made them cookies. Luke's charm and power. Zoe’s calmness. Chase's trustworthy personality. The love I felt for my new big brothers. The kindness of Zoe. Luke making me laugh. Chase being there. Whispering those words to me and me only. I liked him the best. I felt like I had a connection to him. I would risk my own neck to save anyone of them. They were my new family.