Chapter 35: Violet

I listened to her talk as I put her bag in the back seat behind her and then made my way to the driver’s side and got in. “Your grandson left you to walk to the store and back. And with that heavy bag?”

“Yes. He said he would take me another time. But a promise is a promise.”

“Yes ma’am.”

She looked at me sternly. “You can cut the ma’am shit. My name is Dorothy. But you can call me Dot. My friends call me Dot.”

I controlled the laughter that was about to come up again. I liked her. “You got it, Dot. Where to?”

“We are going to the pack house that is located on the Dark Forest Falls Lake. Just keep going straight here and I’ll tell you where to turn off.”

“Yes, ma…Dot.” I said as I drove down the road.

Dot continued to rant about her grandson. “You know family is important and keeping your promises is important as well. What I bought today could save the pack. He just didn’t think it was as important as what he was doing.”

“What was he doing?”

“He was hiring people to work in our mines. But that could have waited. I’m old. I could croak soon and then what.” Dot turned in the seat and looked at me. “Do you have any family?”

My grip on the steering wheel tightened. “No, my parents were murdered about ten years ago.”

“Oh, I’m sorry dear.”

“Violet. You can call me Violet.”

“I should have guessed. Your name is beautiful, with the eyes to match.”

“It was a gift from the heavens. So, they told me.”

“My grandson’s parents died as well. My son. They were also murdered about six years ago. He’s the Alpha of the pack. I’m the last of his family.”

My eyes got big. She was very open about being a wolf without really knowing me.

“Oh, don’t give me that shit. You could smell I was a wolf a mile away. And you are a witch. A powerful one at that.”

“And something else.” I said to her. She was for sure mixed with something. “I want to say you are mixed with witch?” I asked.

“Good sense. Not a lot. But enough. I saw you eyeing my books.”

“Yes, you can read Latin?”

“Terribly.”

I smiled at her words.

“It’s just so sad that my grandson doesn’t realize. He knows I’m different, but he thinks I’m getting old and will need to go to a home soon.”

I fought the urge to slam on my breaks. “Let me get this straight. Your grandson abandoned you today to walk to the store alone and he is wanting to put you into a nursing home? Excuse my language but what the hell? Has he no respect for his own family? Does he think that as soon as someone gets older that they are burden and must pawn them off onto someone else?” My knuckles on the steering wheel tightened and turned white. I could feel power building through my body as my anger built. This could be bad, but I couldn’t seem to calm down.

I looked at her as she looked out the window. She didn’t seem like she was disintegrating. She was just older. Her grandson has no respect for his family. My mind wandered to Myrtle. She was the last family member I had before she sacrificed herself for me. I took care of her, and I would have continued to take care of her if she hadn’t sacrificed herself for me.

“If I had family, I would take care of them until their resting day and then some.” I spat.

“Turn left, here.” Dot pointed to the left. “Only about a mile and we will be at the house.”

I saw it looming in the distance. It was bigger than I thought. House was not a good term for this mansion. Even the mansion seemed too small for the grand house that lay before. I pulled up to the front of the house. I saw a few wolves mingling outside as they walked and talked to one another.

I got out of the Jeep, went around to Dot’s door, and opened it. I offered my hand to help her out of the vehicle. I opened the back door and grabbed the bag. I linked my arm through hers and walked her up to the door.

“I think I have it from here.” She said as she tried to grab the bag from my hands.

“Oh no. I want to have a chat with your grandson, the Alpha. I need to give him a piece of my mind.”

Dot raised an eyebrow and smiled. “If that’s what you would like to do.”

I set down the bag. I grabbed both handles to the double front doors, turned, and threw them open. If I was going to make a scene I might as well, make it a good one. The doors slammed open, this action grabbed the attention of a few of the wolves inside the house who stood up and took a step toward me.

“Where is he? I would like to speak to the Alpha.” I yelled at no one in particular. I turned and grabbed the bag from the ground and lopped my arm through Dot’s arm and walked her inside. A big wolf approached; he was about to say something. “Here, take this. I think you can handle it.” I shoved the heavy bag into his arms.

I looked to the hall where more wolves approached. My heart stopped; my breath caught in my throat. I saw a man who walked in front of the others suddenly stopped. He stared at me with a strange look on his face. He was handsome. He was bigger than the rest of the wolves, taller by at least five or six inches. The sweater he was wearing hugged his muscles in all the right places. His hair was long and pulled up in a bun at the back of his head. Scruff graced his face that made him look mature.

My heart started to beat again. The butterflies in my stomach started to fly around almost making me lose my nerve. The other wolves in the entrance circled us almost blocking us in. A few others started to come in through the front door that I threw open.

“That’s him.” Dot whispered into my ear and pointed at the large, gorgeous man in front of me.

I turned to Dot and released her arm. I looked at another wolf that stood close to her. “Can you make sure she doesn’t fall over?” He didn’t know what to do but nod his head. “Thank you.”

I took a step toward Dot’s grandson. My heart thudded in my chest as I took him in completely, it made it harder to breathe. And the butterflies I had, now decided to have multiplied and spread throughout my body. I felt the electrodes lightening across my skin. I saw the purple webbing dart across my hands. I continued to slowly take steps toward him. The feeling in my body intensified. Until I was only a foot away. I took off my sunglasses and put them on top of my head and looked into his eyes. Was I mistaken? Did purple electrodes just light up in his golden eyes?

He smelled like the forest after the rain and bonfire. Like my dream. My heart continued to thud in my chest. I heard someone clear their throat behind me. It brought my attention back to what I was here to do. I shook my head to clear it.

I lifted a finger and poked him in the chest. And electrode danced from my finger into his chest and caused him to shiver. “You should be ashamed of yourself!” I yelled. He took a small step back and eyes shifted as if he wasn’t sure how to escape. “You let your poor grandmother walk all the way to the store alone and back carrying heavy books!”

He raised his hands up as if to surrender.

“Not to mention you promised to take her! She could have died walking to the store and what you didn’t have time in your precious day to take a couple hours to spend with her. So much for being an example to the rest of your pack!” I continued to yell. My heart only pumped faster, and the butterflies raced now, and electrodes were danced with more fervor across my skin. As soon as I touched him, I felt the power flowing more intensely than I have ever felt it. It flooded my senses. What was happening?

I looked into his eyes and took a small breath in. I cleared my throat. “You should be ashamed of yourself!” I said it one more time, not knowing what else to say. I took one more look into his golden eyes, breathed his sent in one last time before I turned around. The circle that surrounded us tightened. The other wolves were not sure what to do. I was just one amongst so many.

I stopped in front of Dot. “Are you going to be ok?”

“I’ll be fine Violet.” She smiled at me as she held onto the other wolf’s arm.

“Please call me if you ever need a ride when your good-for-nothing grandson abandons you again,” I said and looked over my shoulder at him. He was frozen in place, arms up, and stared at me. I took out the recipient from my pocket and felt for a pen. I don’t have one. “Does anyone have a pen?” I looked at the wolves around me, still in shock that I just yelled at their Alpha.

“Here.” A wolf in the back yelled as they tossed a pen over the crowd of people to me.

“Thanks.” I catch it with one hand and write down my number. “Please call me if you need me…for anything.”

“I will.” Dot smiled and took the piece of paper that I handed to her.

I turned and took one last look at the Alpha. He finally put his arms down, while I talked to his grandmother, he took a couple steps forward as if he wanted to say something but didn’t. He looked like he needed something but couldn’t say what.

“Your behavior has been unacceptable.” I turned and made my way through the crowd that parted for me like the red sea. I walked through the doors and with a wave of my hands I slammed them behind me. Once outside I finally took a full breath.

I quickly got into the Jeep. My hands shook, from the power and adrenaline I just experienced. The realization hit me. I just stood up to the Alpha of a pack on his turf. He could try to find me and retaliate. And I just live across the lake so I would be an easy target. But that didn’t bother me. My heart started to beat harder as I thought about his golden eyes and his forest and bonfire scent. “What the fuck?”