.touch.

14

At school the next day my pack made the decision to stay with me throughout the day, taking turns making sure I was okay and also making sure I didn't run away again (but they didn't know I knew that part) but to be honest I was glad. The weather was commuting with my mood. The wind was freezing across my face and the sky was a mix of grey and green. It looked as ugly as I felt. I knew that I had messed up with Lauren and now it was like the weather wanted to punish me for it as well. I sighed and grabbed onto Dinah Jane who was standing in front of me as we made it to the car. This time Allyson was driving so Dinah and I sat in the back and I rested my head on her shoulder as she began to sing to me.

Everyone in our pack had a special talent. I could dance, Allyson could practically manipulate you into feeling whatever she wanted you to feel, and Dinah could sing. Her voice was so soothing and relaxing Dinah Jane could cox you into healing.

So as I laid against her shoulder she sang "All of Me" doing her own attritional runs and changing the time frame of the song and I enjoyed every second of it.

When we finally got to school Dinah pulled me out of the car and Allyson came around to our side so we could all walk in together. My stomach was practically screaming with explosions and I tried to stay calm. Ally gave me smiles of encouragement and I tried to smile back but I probably just looked like I was in pain. Because I was.

I was angry at everything, myself, Lauren's mom, my dad for keeping secrets, I was so sick of everything falling apart around me. I wanted safety, I wanted security. Not just for me but my pack as well. I didn't want the whole world falling part around us like how I felt it was.

So we got into the school and I told my pack that I wanted to find Lauren right away. I wanted to fix at least one problem before we go trying to save the world entirely and if my father was right about Clara, which I knew he was. I was going to have too.

So I headed to Lauren's first period but before I left my pack Ally grabbed my arm and pulled me back "Normani, you don't have to worry so much. Not all of the weight is on your shoulders. You have us with you for a reason. I will do everything in my power to keep you safe. And Lauren too."

I smiled at Ally, her kind words warming me up inside so I leaned in and kissed her head. "Thank you, Ally. But this is a situation I need to fix on my own."

Ally nodded back at me but I'm pretty sure the statement went through one ear and out the other by the way her eyes glazed over like she was already planning on saving the day. But it wasn't her job. She wasn't alpha. I was. So I simply turned away and headed towards were Lauren should be. Praying that everything would work out well. If I was lucky.

-

I found Lauren outside of her own classroom, Camila walking ahead of her with red eyes and cheeks. I wasn't necessarily found of the little duck but that didn't mean I wanted to see her cry either so when she was close enough I grabbed her by her arm softly pulling her around the corner away from her sister.

"What's wrong?" I asked and Camila looked as surprised at my boldness as I would have been just a few days ago.

"She just -" she turns away, looking back around the corner where she had left her sister then back at me "It's like she hates me now, she hates everything now. She's rude, doesn't do her chores, mouthing off to mom. She keeps pointing out all of my flaws as if I don't have enough problems seeing them for myself. I just - I don't know what to do."

"Camila, when did all of this start?"

Camila looked down at the ground, rubbing at her arm. "When her birth mother came into town."

I closed my eyes and tried to muffle the groan that was already falling from my lips. I was too late. She was already growing rogue. Her mother's influence was stronger than I ever thought. It was supposed to take time going rouge. But not with Clara apparently.