Angel Blackwood (10 page)

I’m trying my
hardest to deal with the crazy emotions that are fueling my every
thought. From the moment I turned for the first time, every emotion
has been magnified. Faith says this is usual, that I should adjust
within time, but the only way I know to deal with what’s going on
with the twins right now is to
not deal
. I’m going to
focus all my attention on finding out what happened to me the night
Noelle saved me. I know there is more to the story than my mother
or Noelle are saying; I’m going to find out what they’re hiding. At
least that will keep me busy while I give the twins time to do
whatever the hell they need to.

After
the
shower at Nixon’s place,
Alex calls me over and asks if I’d like to go look for a dress for
tonight’s pack ceremony. To be honest I could care less about the
dress, I‘m happy enough with the clothes I have in my closet, but
if this means I get to spend some time with Alex then I’ll do all
the shopping she wants. I’ve missed her so much. We haven’t really
spent time together for a while and I just need things to go back
to how they were before.

“It’s quite a drive,
sweetie. We’re going into the neighbouring packs territory, they
have more boutiques there than we do here,” Alex says as we drive
away from the town.

“Is that even allowed?” I ask
her confused.

“Of course,
honey. Your father is good friends with the Alpha of the Crystal
Bay Pack. He allows us to enter his territory, but… as soon as we
enter his land we follow
his
rules; the same
works for him if any of his pack cross our land,” she
explains.

I nod my head
still unsure how the entire territory thing works. I thought wolves
were more protective over their land than that? Well… that’s what
it looked lik
e when I stayed
in Point Bright; Jax’s father was very protective of his land. I
don’t think Jax’s father really had any
Alpha friends
.

“Most
A
lpha’s don’t get along with
other Alpha’s,” Alex says, obviously reading my thoughts. I quickly
put up a barrier and hear her laugh at my side. She doesn’t bring
it up though, she just continues to explain things.

“That’s the reason your
father is so powerful and the ruler of many territories. Even
though he is very protective over his land and his people, he also
respects certain people and the position they hold in their pack;
even if that position is an Alpha position. Don’t misunderstand me
though, Angel. Johnny doesn’t just create alliances with every
Alpha that crosses his path. If your father thinks there’s a
benefit in becoming an ally with a certain pack and if the Alpha is
well respected and runs his pack with dignity, then your father
will most likely befriend them. Believe me, honey, that is not an
easy task. Most Alpha’s are power-seeking dominant bastards who
don’t trust anybody and equally can’t be trusted. The few friends
that your father has made over his years as Alpha took a great deal
of time creating trust and building the relationship. The Crystal
Bay Alpha is one of the first friends your father made when he
became Alpha.”

“What
w
as so special about him?” I
ask. This Alpha must have seriously impressed my father by the
sounds of things.

“He wasn’t the Alpha of
the pack when your father first met him, he was still young and the
pack was run by his father who was a terrible leader and an even
worse father. Johnny found Caspian on our land, running away from
his father and in doing so running away from his future position as
Alpha. The night guards brought Caspian in thinking he was a rogue,
but your father could feel the power he held. He was meant to be an
Alpha and he came from a higher rank than usual rogues. Your father
spent time with him, talking to him and eventually he opened up,
telling your father all the gruesome details of his own fathers
reign as Alpha. Johnny convinced him to go back to his pack,
assuring Caspian he would help him overtake his fathers leadership
and that’s how the bond between the two of them formed.” She smiles
as she glances my way, patting my leg before looking back at the
road.

“What happened
next?” I need to know how he became Alpha,
I need details… this story intrigues me.

She
laughs.
“I think that’s the
part your father should tell you.” She shrugs one shoulder giving
me a small grin. “He knows the rest of the story better than I do
anyway.”

****

Walking along the
sidewalk, Alex and I take our time stopping at the various shops
looking for the perfect dress.

As we walk
I
feel eyes on me, I’ve felt
them all day. “So what happened between you and Drake? You said you
two were no longer together?” She rests her arms over my shoulders
as we’re walking. I freeze up under her touch and I know she feels
it when she squeezes my other shoulder a little.

Think about the
waterfall, think about the waterfall, I repeat in my head; making
sure all my memories are locked up tight from others.

“He found his
mate,
” I say
nonchalantly.

“Aww, I’m sorry, honey,”
she says, tilting her head against mine and holding me a little
closer.

“It’s okay,
Mom.
I knew it wasn’t meant to
be, they were clearly meant for each other.” I give her a
reassuring smile.

“Well think of
it this way, m
aybe the Fates
thought that
you
were meant for someone better.
They’re probably saving you for someone so much more spectacular
than he was.” She winks, and I can’t help but give her my biggest,
brightest… fakest smile.

Little does she know
what’s really going on.

It’s on the tip of my
tongue, I want to tell her everything.

“Listen, Mom.
There’s-”

“Oooh! Look
here! This is where I wanted to take you for lunch, they
have
thee
best croissants!” She squeals excitedly, pulling
me into a little café on the corner of the street.

Guess this isn’t the
right time after all.

After having a late lunch
we head to the little Boutique over the road.

Mom takes charge and
immediately starts searching the racks down the aisles. I look out
of the window of the little store and watch as people blatantly
stare at me; the look on their faces is pure confusion, some even
look frightened.

As if my thoughts can be
heard, I hear a quiet voice to my left. “Your scent is very strong.
Power radiates from you.” I turn to see a girl who looks as if
she’s a little younger than me. She’s skinny and a little shorter
too, with blonde hair and freckles on her nose and upper cheeks.
She wears black framed glasses that look way to big for her petite
face and has a heart print sweater on with a long pink
skirt.

She pushes her
gl
asses up her nose and
continues, “I think they’re just confused because you seem awfully
young to have all that power.”

Pure
innocence
exudes from her and
I can’t help but smile.

I
whisper,
“Can you read my
mind?”

She
giggles.
Her cheeks redden,
even her ears a little, she looks away patting her cheeks clearly
aware of the flush creeping up. “No way! I couldn’t even if I
tried. I can feel how shut off and locked up your thoughts are, but
I’m too weak of a wolf to ever try to listen to others thoughts.”
She ends off with a sad smile as if her own thoughts trouble
her.

“I’m sure you could do it
if you tried.” I give her a gentle smile, but feel her flinch and
move a little away from me.

“No,
” she shakes her
head vehemently. “I’m a weak wolf… I couldn’t,” she says sounding
unsure.

“I think
you’re
pretty brave. See all
those people out there looking at me and staring?” She looks out
the window at the few people that still stand around the sidewalk
looking at us and looks up at me and nods.

“Well
, you say I
radiate power, but not one of those people could bear to even wave
a hello. You however, walked right up to me and answered all my
thoughts.” Hope lights up her face as she gives me a big toothy
grin.

“I did, didn’t
I?” S
he says to
herself.

“I’m Daisy.” She bumps my
shoulder with hers playfully.

“Angel.
” I smile
back.

Normally I would back
away afraid of trusting someone new, but maybe it’s time I start
reaching out to people. I need to start giving people the benefit
of the doubt and try something new.

I extend the olive branch
and casually say, “We should hang out sometime.” Even though I’m a
little nervous for her response. Maybe she doesn’t want to hang
with someone like me, she’s all pretty and girly, me? Well me… not
so much.

Her eyes
widen.
“Y… you wanna hang out
with m… me?” She stutters surprised.

My eyebrows furrow.
“Yeah! Why wouldn’t I want to?”

She bites her nail deep
in thought then whispers, “I don’t have any friends or family. Tony
says no one wants to hang out with a weak wolf.”

I immediately
feel anger toward this
Tony
. Daisy looks as
if she wouldn’t hurt a fly. How could anyone be so vile toward
her.

She reminds me
a lot of how I was before I
allowed people to taint me. I don’t want to see her break
like I did or go through what I had to.

“Who’s this Tony?” I spit
out a little harsher than I mean to. I watch her tremble at my tone
and I immediately try to calm myself down.

“M…my mate,” she says,
looking down at the scarf on the rack in front of us.

“Y
ou found anything
you like yet, sweetie?” Alex breaks the tension smiling wildly. She
looks down at little Daisy next to me and back to me waiting for an
introduction.

“Mom, this is Daisy.”
Daisy whips her up to look at me.

Alex smiles
at
Daisy. “It’s lovely to meet
you, honey.”

“You
too
, Luna,” Daisy says softly
before turning to me. “What type of dress are you looking
for?”

I follow her
around the store.
“Well,
tonight is the ceremony to join me with my pack, so I need
something appropriate.”

She clicks a finger as if
a light bulb just turned on. “Ah! I have the perfect dress for
you.”

“Wait, you work here? I
thought you were shopping?” I laugh to myself .

“Yeah
, I work and help
with the designing and making of the clothes. I know…” she gestures
to herself. “…I don’t really look like I have a fashion sense, but
I make a mean outfit. Tony’s momma owns the store and lets me work
here. I have this dress I just made. Wait here and I’ll fetch it.”
She scurries off behind the
Employee’s only
door.
I look to Alex and she shrugs.

Daisy
comes out holding a black dress.
Pushing me towards the dressing room, she hands me it. After
undressing and putting the dress on, I call for one of them to zip
up the back.

Little
Daisy comes in and I turn my back for
her to zip it up. I hear a little gasp and I close my eyes waiting
for the questions, but they never come. Instead she just zips me
up, turns me around and pulls me in for a hug. I can feel the
tension in her body; I understand the feeling of not wanting to be
touched so I get that this is a big thing for her. Her kindness
causes a lump in my throat.

She pulls away,
opening
the door for Alex to
see. Alex has a brilliant smile and she claps her hands like a
little girl while she squeals, “It’s absolutely beautiful,
Angel.”

I turn around to look in
the mirror and I’m lost for words. The little black dress fits me
perfectly. It has a built in corset, long black lace sleeves run
down my arms and a sweetheart neckline with a smidgen of cleavage
caused by the corset that holds all the goods up tight, finishes of
the look.

“I think I made this with
you in mind. I was going to keep it till I found the right person
to wear it and… well, it’s perfect for you. You have to wear this
tonight, I’d be so honoured,” Daisy says, holding her hands close
to her chest in a prayer gesture.

“I think
Daisy here is right. This is
definitely
the one,
Angel,” Alex says, gently placing her
arm over Daisy’s shoulders. Daisy visibly tenses, but when she
looks up to Alex’s smiling face she swiftly relaxes.

“You have any shoes to
match?” I ask her, making her scurry off excitedly toward the shoe
corner of the store. She comes back with a pair of glittery purple
platforms.

“Okay, I know they’re all
girly and you don’t seem like you’re into the whole dressing up
thing, but trust me with this, okay?” She says confidently; no
longer the shy girl I met moments before. She obviously has a
passion for fashion and what she does.