The Alpha's Sister

4- Kaylee

[Me]: Oh, you're on! Final Mortal Kombat match tomorrow? My parents are still out of town!

She still hasn't replied. I try not to worry about it - people get busy, life happens, she'll reply eventually! I can't help being a little worried. It's silly, I know, but I'm scared she might have changed her mind. 

The life of the Alpha's younger child has been a lonely one so far. I feel like I shouldn't complain - we're basically the werewolf equivalent of royals, although my father has never wanted us to be treated as such. Still, we have a lot of privileges, like our huge mansion, or more liberty when it comes to certain rules. But I would gladly trade all of it for an average life, one where I could be around people my age. I guess I was amongst my peers when I went to school, but I didn't feel like I truly belonged with them. My parents home-schooled me, and when high school came around, they insisted on sending me to the closest all-werewolf high school, which was still an hour from here. As a result, every student knew I was the Alpha's daughter. Most of them stayed away. I know it was probably only because they were intimidated, but it felt like rejection. Some brave ones would talk to me and even try to befriend me, sure, but then again, that was because I was the Alpha's daughter. I could see right through them, and closed myself off. I didn't want anyone hanging around me because of my «status», like I was some kind of cool accessory that made them feel important. I wished they could just see me as Kaylee. 

How I envied the kids from the pack who went to the local human high school! I begged my parents to transfer there a few times, but they always firmly refused. They've never really approved of werewolves hanging around humans. They kept saying it was dangerous, that the humans could find out about us. They would tell me these horror stories of werewolves hunts from hundreds of years ago hoping to scare me away from humans for good, but I could barely keep myself from rolling my eyes. To me, the human town represented an escape, a place where I would just be myself, not my «status». That escape was kept away from me, and I resented my parents for it. 

Now that I'm older, I know they were only doing what they thought was right, to protect me, but I still don't agree. I would spend almost all of my time at home on my computer, surfing the web. That was the only human space I was allowed to enter, and no one would take it from me. While there is the odd werewolf forum or website here and there, carefully hidden with complicated URLs, the internet always was and will always be, a primarily human space. It was my escape during my troubled teenage years. I would join forums, read stories, watch videos, keep blogs... I would chat with strangers, and even made a few friends online. I loved the anonymous cover it provided me. Still, my internet friendships never completely filled the void. I had my brother, but the older he got, the more time he needed to reserve to his training as an Alpha. My father started taking him to every clan meeting, and he would be whisked away by private tutors that taught him everything, from fair leadership to fighting. Slowly but surely, my big brother, my best friend, was taken from me. I had no one to blame for it - no one other than those stupid traditions of ours. The more time I spent on the human safe-haven that was the internet, the more engrossed I became in various human cultures, and the more our own rules and traditions seemed outdated and stupid to me. Almost none of them out there lived in such a rigid hierarchy, so why should we? Why should one wolf take every decision for the hundreds he watches over? 

I look at my phone again. Nothing. I can't shake the nervous feeling in the pit of my stomach. I can't help being scared I somehow pushed away the first person I've truly connected with in ages. 

I need to clear my head. I put my phone down on the table and walk out to go for a run. Since we have no immediate neighbours and the only things surrounding the house are the lake and the forest, I strip without bothering to hide myself, and leave my clothes on the back porch. 

I shift, and my thoughts dissipate as the wolf takes over. Now there are no thoughts, just feelings. The earth underneath my paws. The scent of the pine trees. The cold water of the lake on my tongue. 

I let my wolf run free until the sun sets. 

When I shift back, I feel at peace. I slowly get dressed, and walk back to the house. 

As I pour myself a glass of water, I see the light on my cellphone pulsing, indicating I got a message. I feel my heart beat faster. Calm down, it's just a text, I scold myself. Who gets this nervous over hanging out with someone? Get a grip! 

I pick up my phone, feeling nervous all over again despite myself. 

[Alex]: What time? :)