A Tale of Two Opposites (Stryders #3)

Chapter 4- EDITH

Before going to school this time, Blaine told me Rosie wanted to see me off in the morning.

Being in the pack house left me extremely unsettled. I never used to feel anxious whenever I was at the pack house until my father passed. Bad memories surround this place, but there are happy ones. Silas destroyed anything that resembled my father or anything that made it known we were here first.

He alienated me from my own pack and I was a stranger here.

"Blaine! Eddie!" a young girl's voice called out, having me smiling uncontrollably. Rosie was running towards us, her rosy cheeks amidst her brown skin, and her big innocent eyes sparkled with happiness. She's only the reason why I'd come here, risking seeing Silas. As long as I could see Rosie with my own two eyes being happy, I could breathe a little easier.

I knelt down so she could hug me. For a 6 year old, she could hug really tightly. She could also cling to me like a leech. Rising up with her iron clad grip around my body, I laughed as she pulled her small head back to look at me.

"Are you going to eat dinner with us tonight?" Rosie asked me. Innocent enough question. Blaine was watching Rosie and our eyes met. You can't tell a pup that her father is a psychopath and would beat me if I came to dinner uninvited.

"Er, no, I have a ton of-of- homework to do," I half lied to her. Rosie frowned.

"What homework?"

"Math- you know, numbers," I stick out my tongue. "Gross."

Rosie giggled, "Ew that is gross! Can you play tea pot with me?"

"Some other time, Rosie," I promised her. "I have to go. Love you so much Cuddle Bug." Rosie looked defeated and my heart melted as I set her down. Silas didn't allow his daughter to play with anyone else or make any friends, so Blaine and I are the only actual ones to play with her. A 6 year old needed to have someone there. I can't wait until she gets put into school so she could make actual friends.

"You always have to go," Rosie pouted. I kissed both of her cheeks. It wasn't fair that she looked so cute. I ruffled her hair, and Blaine told her to get her nanny to come so we could leave.

Stepping outside, the weather scorned us with it being cloudy and not sunny.

"A group of random strangers have been here recently," Blaine suddenly told me. I furrowed my eyebrows. "I don't feel comfortable leaving Rosie alone with her nanny with them around."

"Any idea which pack they come from?" I asked. Blaine shook his head.

"See, I don't think...they have a pack." My gut was telling me something was really wrong. "It could be nothing though." Blaine's voice was weak when he said this. He didn't believe his own lie.

XXXX

"Tomorrow we are definitely going to try out for the cheerleading squad," Penelope was telling me as I grabbed my books in our locker. Courtesy of Penelope, our locker is decorated with a mirror and flowers everywhere. She's been keeping me up to date in who is who at this school. So far, I think I got the gist of which people to avoid. I wasn't planning on making friends or joining any clubs. Especially cheer leading. I can't be that happy all the time. It'd be exhausting.

"P, how many times do I have to say-"

Penelope sighed as she finished my sentence, "You won't join the squad. Yeah yeah, whatever. That's cool and you can have your opinion, but you're so cute in thinking you have an option."

"Har har," I deadpanned Penelope.

"We can shake the status quo," Penelope grabbed my shoulders and playfully shook them. "Just think about it."