CHAPTER 5

I got no sleep that night, working in the office all night trying to help dad find any sort of information on this supposed war that is coming.

But when it was time I went to go and get changed and I went outside to the training field and the head warrior was already waiting there as the rest of the warriors were arriving. The ones that were scheduled to train this morning. But I noticed that a lot more showed up than expected. 

So the head warrior, Arlo, got started with our lesson and he wasn’t holding back this morning. 

He said that we all knew what was going on and we needed to be ready. When it comes down to it, we are going to be the only things standing in the way of the vampires and the rest of civilization. So, we need to be ready for everything. To survive and protect the people that we love.

As soon as training was over I headed upstairs of the packhouse to get ready for school. But I saw something strange in the upstairs sitting area, so I walked over towards the back of the couch and I saw my stepmother Jillian passed out with a martini glass in her hand. 

I just shook my head and I turned around and went to my room. She had a lady-in-waiting and that person could take care of her herself. It wasn’t my job. 

So I had a shower and I got dressed into a long loose fitting white button up blouse, jeans and black boots. 

I went downstairs to get some breakfast and Violet was in the dining room. 

“I was hoping you would come and get something to eat. I’m surprised that you’re going to school though.” She said.

“Honestly, I’ll be happy to get out of here for a while.” I said. 

“I guess. You look exhausted. I think you need to get a little sleep.” She said. 

“I’ll be fine.” I said.

“I hope so.” She said. 

When I got to school my friends were waiting for me outside, and they all had weird looks on their faces. The same looks that I was getting from everyone at the school. But I couldn’t tell them about everything that was going on with the vampires. They all knew that. 

That was one downside to being in high school and having all this gossip. Although, it’s not really gossip. It’s information that I know they have a right to know, but I can’t tell them until my father tells me that I can. I mean, right now it’s a need to know basis. 

And there isn’t a whole lot that we even know about it. 

I somehow managed to get my homework done late last night and I handed it in to all of my teachers and even they were surprised. But sitting through math class was really boring and I put my head down on the desk, trying not to go to sleep. But luckily Landon was sitting next to me and he would poke me with a pencil every now and again to make sure that I wasn’t really asleep. 

It was a rule we made up for each other when we knew that the other had a shitty night the night before. 

When math was over I got to my feet and I stretched my whole body out and I tried to loosen up everything in my body, but it wasn’t really that easy. 

I dragged my feet out of the room and my friends were hanging around pretty close to me. 

“Meadow. You’re exhausted.” Aria said. 

“Yeah. I’m aware of that.” I said. 

“You should go home.” Miles said.

“I’m fine. I can handle it. If I go home then dad will probably just put me back to work.” I said. 

“Then why don’t you find an empty classroom and have a rest?” Ella said. 

“It’s tempting. But I’m the future Alpha, remember. I have to get used to days like this. I don’t expect my rein as Alpha will go very smoothly.” I said. 

“I guess not.” She said. 

As I went to my locker I could feel everyone around me staring at me from behind so I slammed my locker shut and I turned around. 

“What?” I yelled looking at everyone, but they quickly scurried off without looking back at me. 

“Alright. You really need to get some rest.” Adam said. 

“No. I really need people to stop telling me what to do. I’m fine. I can handle it.” I snapped, without realizing that I had released my Alpha aura and I could see the sweat started to appear on Adam’s face and my friends looked like they were in pain. 

I eased up immediately, stopped the Alpha aura from coming from me and I backed away from my friends slightly. 

“I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to do that.” I said. I looked at them as they were regaining their composure, but I knew that they were going to tell me that it was alright and I knew that it wasn’t. So I left before they could say anything to me.

I sat out the front of the building and I decided that it would be best if I wasn’t here right now. 

So I left school and I went straight home to the packhouse. 

There were people running around everywhere again and I heard yelling coming from upstairs. The voices were unmistakable and I knew that my dad was really giving it to Jillian about always being drunk. 

I just went into the office and sat at my desk and got to work. 

“Aren’t you meant to be at school?” Dad asked. 

“I lost my temper with my friends and my Alpha aura started slipping out without me realizing it. I thought it would be best if I came home before I hurt someone.” I said. 

“That sounds good.” He said. 

“So, what’s going on around here?” I asked. 

“I’m sure you just heard Jillian and myself getting into it upstairs. The second she woke up, she poured herself another martini.” He said. 

“She’s been doing that for years.” I said. 

“I know. But the Alpha Ball is this weekend. She can’t be behaving like that in front of all those Alpha’s.” He said. 

“Why is the Alpha Ball still on? Right now would be a good time to cancel it? I mean, if the vampires know about it then wouldn’t it be stupid to have so many Alpha’s in one building all at once.” I said. 

“Yeah. Some Alpha’s have voiced their concerns. But the Alpha in charge has put in place extra precautions to make sure that we’re safe.” He said. 

“Alright. I hope so. I still think it’s a bad idea.” I said. 

“Well, you have to come with me. As the future Alpha of this pack.” He said. 

“I was afraid you were going to say that. Dad, you know that I hate dressing up like a damn doll.” I said. 

“I know you do. But too bad, you’re going. And it’s a good time for you to start creating relations with other Alpha’s for when you take over.” He said. 

“Alright.” I said, rolling my eyes. I really didn’t want to go. 

The door then flung open and Beta Jude ran into the room with a lot of people following him. 

He turned on the TV and it showed us the leftover remains of a town that had been attacked in Texas, the night before. 

“Everyone’s been wiped out. Just like the last one.” Jude said. 

“How many?” I asked. 

“At last count, they said that 5800 people are dead and 400 are missing. All in their late teens and early 20’s.” Jude said. 

“Why are these people missing? Why are they taking these people?” Dad asked. 

“They’re only taking young people. Teens and early 20’s. Dad, I think whoever is doing this is creating an army. Those missing people are probably in transition right now.” I said. 

“To become vampires.” Dad said. 

“They are definitely making an army.” Jude said.