One of the Wolves

Chapter One, One of the pack

Blood stained the dark blue carpet.

Screams filled my ears.

I sat in the closet and held still like she told me too.

I closed my eyes as I heard her loud scream. Her pleading.

But with who?

Why?

Why?-

I screamed.

My chest heaved and I felt the sweat rolling down my back. A shudder captured my backbone and my whole body convulsed.

I sat up and heard nothing but the echoing of my rough breathing, but I knew I wasn't alone.

The red mark on my left shoulder burned. My fingertips lightly brushed the mark that was just above my shoulder blade. The mark stung into my skin, claiming me.

That only meant one thing.

I wasn't alone.

"Evangeline."

I sat upright as I heard the strong firm voice from the shadows of my window. My body stiffened, but I felt that familiarity of safeness envelope me at his presence.

"Kane." I rasped out.

Kane Marrock's full form came into my view as he stepped out of the shadows from my window. His concerned steel grey eyes landed on me as my mark prickled at his glance.

I bowed my head in respect as I heard him approach. I stared at my blue bedspread and I relaxed when I felt two warm fingers grasp my chin lightly and lift it up.

I was met with firm grey eyes.

"Did you had the same nightmare?" Kane asked and I nodded quietly. I closed my eyes and tried to push away the awful memories that I seemed to remember in my dreams but not in real life...

"Are they..real? These...nightmares? They seem so real." I whispered as a lonely tear ran down my cheek. Kane wiped the tear away from my cheek and I felt his warm lips on my forehead.

"They are only images of your subconscious, Evangeline. They are not real." Kane said and I let out a relieved breathe.

The mark sizzled under my plain white t-shirt and I felt his presence relax me. He always had that affect. I was glad of it too. I had been having the same nightmares since I could remember and Kane was always there to comfort me.

Kane Marrock was more than just a comforting presence.

He was also my alpha.

Kane Marrock was a shifter- a werewolf.

My surrogate father.

"You were not at the pack gathering last night, Evangeline." 

My eyes snapped opened and Kane was now leaning against my wall, facing me with a cool and expectant look. His presence comforted me, but when his alpha-mode showed, I immediately tense.

His handsome strong stern face flashed in the shadows of the full moonlight that sent rays through my bay windows. His tall broad form fill a heavy presence in my room that screamed power. His bronze glossy skin fell into the darkness of my room making him no more than a shadow of the night. His strong and sharp feature stood out from the night. Kane had a strong jaw, sculpted and narrow cheekbones, and a thin brown scar that started from the bottom of his chin to to his mid neck. His tense grey eyes glowed through the darkness and stared right at me, making my eyes lower.

Kane was no more than forty-five with salt and peppered black hair with strands of silver, but he definitely did not look his age.

"Kane..." I started but he cut me off with a hand.

"I have requested that you attend every pack gathering with your mother, Evangeline and once again you went against my wishes." Kane said sharply and I sighed heavily.

"Kane...those gatherings are for the pack. I feel like an outsider-"

"You are a part of this pack, Evangeline and it is time you start acting like it." Kane growled, his eyes glowing through the darkness, narrowing on me. I frowned and looked hastily away from him again. Kane sighed and his eyes softened on me. I felt his cool fingers brush a golden wild strand of hair behind my ear and his eyes narrow on my shoulder.

"You may be human, Evangeline, but my mark claims you as one of us. I claimed you as one of us-saved you from he street. I took you in and marked you and claimed you for the pack. You are first and foremost my marked daughter that I claimed." He said gently and I felt gratitude sink through me.

"I know you feel like an outsider, but we are your family. You are in the pack, Evangeline."

I closed my eyes and nodded as my mark tingled, but couldn't help but feeling torn at his words- I always felt torn of who I was...where I belonged.

"Think on what I said, Evangeline." He whispered. I bowed my head and let my golden long hair cover my face as he retreated away from my bed.

"I have certain things to discuss with your mother. Go ahead and go back to sleep. School starts soon. Zev will be here to pick you up as on schedule." Kane ordered and I repressed a groan. I sunk back into my bed and pulled the covers over my body once again.

"And Evangeline? I will make my order plain and clear. Every single member of the pack is required to attend the gatherings and you will do so from now on." Kane said and his tone broke no argument. He didn't wait for an answer and gently closed the door behind him.

I sighed as my head sunk into the pillow. My tired dark green eyes moved the alarm that sat on my night stand that read 4: 45 a.m.

I tigthened the covers around my tired body as I just stared at the time.

Sleep never came.