Chapter 3 Welcome To Blackclaw

Kelsey

I had this nagging feeling that I was forgetting something since I got off the plane but couldn't quite put my finger on it, so I continued my struggle and lugged the bulky suitcase out of the terminal. I was only going to Blackclaw for a week - why did I have to pack so much?

To be honest, I'd been an anxious wreck since Eric woke up me this morning with a steaming hot cup of coffee. God bless that man's soul. My wolf had stirred all night causing me to toss and turn, resulting in me getting no sleep. It would be my first time back on pack territory since I had left to flip the page on my life in Arizona. It would also be the first time since I've seen him. As usual, I laid there and fought to get the thoughts of Blake out of my mind, but they still lingered. That mesmerizing smile that never failed to encompass me, the laugh that always gave me heart palpitations and those thick fingers that easily could send me into complete oblivion sent a shiver down my spine.

Blake had tried to contact me only once when I left Blackclaw behind, that was apparently all I was worth to him. I guess the mate bond didn't affect his wolf as badly as it did mine. I could tell that he had gone out and was drunk by the slur in his voice when I answered the call. It didn't help that I heard an irritatingly high pitched female voice in the background. Later when I broke down to Asher, he confirmed that Blake had gotten laid that night by his new flame which was a girl named Ashley.

After a few days of hoping he'd call again, I gave up, gathered my remaining dignity and finally changed my number.

A nearly deafening shriek caught my attention and before I knew what was happening, my mother had her arms wrapped tightly around me. I could see the excitement swirling in my father's eyes to as he stuffed my suitcase in the truck of the car. They were thrilled that I was finally home even if it was for a short time. We quickly settled into the car and began the three hour drive to Blackclaw. I stared blankly outside the back seat window while we drove through the winding road of the forest, the familiarity of it all recoiling in my mind.

Mom was going on about how excited the pack was for me to be home and how someone had dropped off some biscuits and pecan pie. True country small town lovin'. I knew I should've listened but I was fighting with my own thoughts that were already a sporadic mess. I was trying to play it cool, I didn't want my parents noticing how uncomfortable I really was. Truthfully, my nerves were shot with all the adrenaline that was coursing through me.

"Shit", I whisper to myself, finally registering what had kept me on edge since I had landed in Alabama. I can see my dad's eyes fixed on me and his forehead wrinkled with concern in the rear view mirror, "what's wrong honey?"

"Oh nothing, I just forgot to text Eric and tell him I landed", I say as my fingers frantically tap against my screen of my phone. I knew there was something I forgot, it must be because I'm so goddamn sleep deprived. "Mmhm", my mother taunts as if there was something she wanted to say but didn't.

"Where's Mark?", I finally blurt out. My brother and I had always been super close growing up, he was three years older than I was. Not seeing him at the airport kind've bummed me out. He wasn't exactly thrilled about me moving out to Arizona originally, he may have even resented me for a bit but I swear he was excited that I was coming home.

"Oh carebear, he wanted to come but he had training with the pack. Alpha Blake wouldn't excuse him", my father explained. Ugh, figures. Of course Blake didn't excuse him. Why was he purposely out to get me? First, I'm summoned home early and now he couldn't even agree to let my brother miss one practice. Goddamn Alphas and their power struggles.

I was proud of my brother, Mark was announced as Alpha Blake's enforcer shortly after his father stepped down and announced Blake as Alpha. Working so closely with the Alpha, I knew that Mark had responsibilities to the pack. He had trained tirelessly his entire life to become strong enough to join the upper rankings of the pack one day, he was almost as strong as Asher. Being head of security was also fitting for Mark because it allowed him to use his computer skills that he had gone to school for. Trust me, that kid was a computer whiz. I was pleasantly surprised when I heard the news, I was worried that my past relationship to Alpha Blake would make Mark suffer.

One week, I kept telling myself. One week and I'll be back in Arizona. Back to the life that I had built for myself to my liking, not the one that I was being forced to live. No shifters, no obsessive parents and definitely no Blake.

The rest of the drive was relatively quiet until I realized that we were on the long gravel driveway that I so vividly remember leaving behind, headed straight for the black iron gates.

Welcome to Blackclaw y'all.