The Alpha's Den

III (Barbeque)

The sheets wrapped around her legs tightly, the light gray had sweat stains and wrinkles from being gripped so hard. Bea slept fitfully, and dreamed as she always dreamed, of him, then she woke up with the usual depressed ache. She pushed her sheets off and tried to remember when she last saw him. Was it last week or month?

She put her feet on the ground, shivered, then reached for a bathrobe by her bed. She was not feeling well today, something was itching on the back of her mind like a bug would, and it was not going away. Couldn't her brain just give her a day off every once in a while? Bea began walking to her bathroom, but before she could she heard a knock on her door.

"Bea?" She heard an old voice. She instantly recognized it as Cathy.

"Cathy?"  Bea asked carefully opening the door.

"I'm just checking in on you. How are you doing after Jay left? You haven't been out much these past few days... A few of us were getting worried."

"Oh no, I'm okay," Bea gushed blushing, "I've always kept to myself more."

Cathy smiled back at her saying, "Well, why don't you come to the pack barbeque tonight, maybe make a few friends your age!"

Bea pondered the thought, it would be nice to get out, she thought. "Sure, when is it?"

Cathy seemed excited that Bea said yes, "I'll come get you at 6! Wear something nice if you can."

Before Bea could respond, Cathy was gone- she must not want Bea to change her mind. Bea wasn't going to, she knew her life wouldn't get any better unless she got up and did something about it. He couldn't find her here, right?

So what's the point in still hiding anyway? Pondering the thought, she had the need to go do something active about it.

Bea decided she would go do something she never thought she could do again.  She dug all the way to the bottom of her bag to find the one running outfit she knew she still kept and shoved herself into the tight pants. She secured her ponytail with a tight pull and some deodorant for good measure. No making the mistake of thinking she wouldn't need it even though it's a bit cold.

It was late August, fall creeping up on the woods. Trees leaves were colorful, and dancing  in the muddled chill of the wind; Bea was staring at it numbly. She followed the trail her and Jay had walked with a light jog. She felt the wind whip through her long hair and closed her eyes. It was then that Bea decided to get down to business, she didn't really just come to run. Something was dragging her back to the forest. Something inside her just begged her to go- she couldn't help herself.

Bea stopped around the area she saw the paw print, just to see it was nonexistent. Bea frowned, she could have sworn it was here just a couple of days ago. It hadn't rained to wash it away had it? She stood behind a big tree near the fork of a river that runs through the woods behind the pack house. Bea knew this was the right spot, she just hadn't known the pack had 'handled' the situation. The giant wolf she thought she discovered was back where it came from. Hopefully not to return until Bea was ready.

Disappointed, Bea sluggishly trudged her way back to the house asking herself why she had cared in the first place. Of course, she was not wrong when she thought it felt like she was meant to go find whoever left that there. But she was perplexed as to why.

Bea's momentary high from running was run out. She decided to make some eggs and then get ready for the barbeque.

//////////////////////////////

"Oh my gosh, Bea!" Cathy beamed as she came down the stairs.

Bea let a little smile slip and did a small spin for her. She had let Cathy's granddaughter Kit do her make up (Kit was ten but she knew what she was doing.) Bea had also had to wear Cathy's clothes from when she was younger, and both Kit and Cathy seemed very pleased with their work.

"Oh you'll make such a great" Kit began but abruptly stopped and looked at her grandma, "New member of the pack." Kit chuckled. 

Bea smiled and thanked her as Kit linked their arms and led her outside. Bea gulped- this was a big pack with a lot of people. She also thought it was weird the Alpha hadn't even checked her out yet. Whoever he is must trust Jay's word enough not to. For that she was glad because Alphas were the worst kind of werewolves.

Bea examined the scene from the entrance. The whole set up was bright, gleaming against the sunset. Younger kids played in the bunches of leaves and threw them all around to watch them fall while the older ones all sat together laughing and leaning on each other. Most of the adults were grilling and sitting at the tables talking, some even setting up tent walls to block the wind from blowing away the food. Bea felt a pang of sadness as she watched them, wishing she could have had their life.

Cathy patted Bea's back, whispering, "You'll find your own happiness one day, dont you worry honey."

Bea smiled, "Thanks Cathy."

"Well let's not just stand around moping, let's go get some food!" Kit yelled causing quite a few people to look over.

Bea blushed tomatoe red, and looked down. Immediately, it seemed like all the males looked down after noticing who she was, but  a few females lingered their gaze. They all knew who she was and why she was there. And they had one thing running through their minds while she sat there oblivious: don't get on Bea's bad side, or you'll have to face the Alpha himself.

If only Bea knew that was why no one besides Cathy and Kit would talk to her.

"Hot dog or hamburger?" A large dude by the grill asked scooting back as Bea came up to him.

"Hamburger." Bea shyly requested as Kit did the same. Cathy had left her with Kit to go catch up with an old friend, and Kit had gotten hungry.

"Kit?" Bea said smiling once they finished eating, "If you want to go play with your friends you can."

"Really?" Kit beamed, "You'd be all right here?"

Bea nodded and shooed little Kit away. Distastefully, she got up with the empty plates and searched for a trash can.  The mysterious woods caught her eyes as she threw the trash away, and she walked up so she was just at the boarder between the clearing and a tree.

Oh paw print? Where could you have led to? Bea thought while running her hands across the rough bark. Bea looked into the the forest again, and gasped. It was suddenly night time? The forest was now dark and an eerie feeling settled over her. Bea turned to see if anyone else had noticed, but everywhere else was still daytime. Bea craned her neck upwards to what was blocking the path, and bright yellow eyes staring down at her meet her gaze. She realized that she was looking into the wolves black fur instead of the forest night.