Rejection

Chapter 23 - Ellie

---Kyle's POV---

Packs are cruel. The little girl's situation just reminded me how fickle and cruel packs can be, especially towards people they don't consider as pack or family.

Yet, what made someone pack? Clearly not blood, as the little girl had been left to fend for her own in a decaying house away from pack territory

Left without family and friend, offered no warmth, food or education. Praying that she'd starve so they wouldn't have to deal with their unwanted guest.

And yet, when I had knocked on the door with one hand, clutching onto the plastic bag with Molly's food, she had been so warm and pleasant when she opened the door.

I could tell she was wary, eyes flitting back and forth to scan our surroundings, worry clear from the frown on her face. The moment she inhaled, she slowly relaxed a bit, undoubtedly smelling that I was still in a rather weakened state.

Perhaps it was indeed because I wasn't pack, or that I didn't have a rank and thus no aura to emit, but, the little girl smiled warily, sniffing once more as her eyes flitted down towards the bag.

"So, you gonna let me in so we can have some breakfast?" I asked while lifting up the slightly steaming bag. Her stomach growled long and obnoxiously, making her blush before she took a step back to allow me in.

The door slowly creaked back open after she shut it, the wood warped from the same dampness that clung to the air. I sighed and kicked it shut, motioning her further into the house and towards, what I assumed, was a kitchen.

Flicking on a switch, I scowled when there was no surge of power to be found, nor any heating to chase away the chill of the morning.

In fact, the hairs in the back of my neck stood on end as I could feel the cold draft flowing through the house, most likely from cracks in the wall or a broken window somewhere.

Glancing at the girl, I set down the bag of delicately wrapped breakfast, what I was told was several bacon and eggs sandwiches.

The second I gave her permission, the girl nearly darted for the bag headfirst, ripping the wrapping off with her teeth before devouring sandwich by sandwich, barely breathing in-between bites.

"Don't choke, it's not going to run off on it's own." I grumbled when she coughed slightly, flushing at my reprimand before she continued eating, albeit a bit slower.

"You're different." She murmured, eyes darting to me with suspicion as her nose flared, trying to analyze my scent before her attention w as torn away to the sandwich in her hand.

I sat down in one of the chairs, letting my gaze flicker across the room. "Am I now?" She nodded sharply, nostrils flaring with each delicate whiff she took.

"You're rogue... but you're not. And you're pack, but then again... you're not? You're something in-between." She frowned down at the remainder of her sandwich. "Why are you here?"

A huff escaped me, because honestly, why was I here? "I'm here to teach you how to survive kiddo." I replied honestly because I wasn't going to force her to make a choice. If she wanted to avoid packs and live life as a nomadic wolf, she needed all the help she could get.

Including the knowledge of how bitterly cruel the outside world truly is. But I wasn't going to warp her reality like this pack was attempting to do.

I had a suspicious feeling they were the ones who cut off the power towards the house and aided along in the deterioration of said house.

Anything to hide the disgrace in their pack. I huffed slightly, a smirk curling my lips as I realized I'd have to change my lodging. After all, Drake has made sure the pack would want me to be as comfortable as possible.