Wolf's Fire

Chapter Four

| Cameron |

Ms. Crowser is kind enough to point me in the direction of the nearest shopping center. She even goes so far as to offer someone to drive me. But I wave her off. The last thing I need is Eric assuming he owes something to someone... especially to another pack.

Following the narrowing winding road, I half expect the retail stores to exist. The area's so remote. But twenty minutes down the road, the trees open up revealing two small shopping centers, one on either side of the road.

It takes me about an hour to get everything on the list, and I spend enough money that Eric's definitely going to skin me. But he's chosen this for me. He wants me to go to school. So this money I'm spending is his fault. I'll never tell him that. The words will just get me thrown in the basement, or worse.

Of course, the new house has to be on the other side of town. And the area's so rural there are no busses like there are in Seattle. Normally I would shift, cutting the travel time in half. Running on four legs is faster than two and I love the feeling of my wolf. But I don't want to risk crossing into the other pack's territory. I also have no clue how hunters operate in these woods. With my luck, shifting would get me shot, killed, and skinned.

I expect that this new land Eric's magically acquired needs work. We only learned of the land about a month back. However, as I walk up the driveway, I realize the house is not old and decrepit like I'd expected. The long driveway is freshly paved and leads to a modern gray brick home with glass windows stretching the second floor. Two pickup trucks are parked out front with the third most likely in the garage.

Following the path around the side of the house, I spot an open field and surrounding where the forest meets grass are smaller houses, also made of the same brick and each with a chimney. In all, there are five homes. I'll be living with Eric. He likes to keep a close eye on us.

"Where have you been?" Nick asks, coming up behind me. He's got about five inches and roughly fifteen years on me. He's one of the nicer guys here and the only one that gives me the time of day.

"School." I answer blandly. Nick scrunches his nose.

"What on Earth for?" He mutters. I shrug. "You haven't been to one in fifteen years. What's the point with you being eighteen?" Again I shrug. While I also think it's pointless it's not my place to question or argue with our Alpha. "Anything's better than doing laundry all day though, huh?" He nudges me with his shoulder and I force a smile. With a wave, Nick heads off towards one of the houses in the distance.

Noticing the sliding glass door at the back of the main home, I enter there. The layout seems pretty straightforward. Kitchen to the left, living room to the right. My eyes are immediately drawn to Eric, leaning on the kitchen island drinking a beer. Alaric, lounges on the gray couch, scrolling through his phone.

Eric glances at the clock on the new stove, then at the bags I hold. He stretches out his hand.

"Give it here." He says. I slide the bags across the counter without a word."I've been given a list. If you got one thing that's not on it-"

"I only got what I needed," I say quickly. He picks up a piece of paper off the counter covered in black scribble and checks each item to what's on his list. He pulls out the box that contains the laptop.

"How much was this?" He snaps. I shrink back.

"I got the cheapest one they had," I tell him quickly. "350." He shakes his head but doesn't yell at me. Instead, he throws everything back in the bag and tosses it to me.

"Your room's the last door at the end of the hall." With a nod, I rush away from him before he can throw me list of chores. Upstairs, I find my own duffle bag is sitting outside the door. I pick it up with ease before entering the shockingly small bedroom. I don't know what I expected but it wasn't a closet. Honestly I'm impressed I got a bed at all.