Living on the outskirts of the city was a deliberate choice by the Vicious Fangs Pack. They wanted Nevaeh far enough away that her curse wouldn't rub off on their prized children, leaving her to rot in a tiny cottage where the silence was only broken by the wind.
She tore down the narrow, overgrown path toward the main road, the brambles catching at her jeans. By the time her feet hit the pavement, her chest was heaving. A yellow public transport bus rumbled toward her, and Nevaeh waved her arms frantically, her heart leaping with hope.
The driver slowed for a second. His eyes met hers through the windshield. Recognition flickered, cold and immediate. His jaw set, and he floored the accelerator, leaving her coughing in a thick, choking cloud of diesel exhaust that clung to her clothes.
"Rot in hell!" she screamed at the red taillights, her voice cracking.
Another car slowed to a crawl. Hope sparked again, and Nevaeh reached for the door handle. The driver sneered through the glass and sped off before her fingers touched metal.
Of course. No one in Vicious Fangs city would give her a lift. Still, she had hoped that for the sacredness of the Awakening Ceremony, someone might show a shred of kindness.
"I guess I'll have to trek," she whispered.
The walk to the pack house took fifty-five minutes on a good day. She had already wasted ten playing roulette with traffic. If she didn't run, she'd miss the most important night of her life and give the pack another reason to eat her up.
Can things ever go my way for once?
She exhaled, ready to push into a punishing speedwalk, when a sharp horn startled her. She glared at the driver, only to see Emilia, her boss, smiling at her from the window of a modest sedan.
"Need a lift?" the older woman asked.
Nevaeh gasped out a laugh, her eyes wide as she took in the sight of the familiar car. "Emilia? What are you doing here?" she asked, her voice thick with shock.
While humans were allowed to base and start a business within the pack territory with a permit, there were certain boundaries they were not allowed to cross. Most humans stayed far away from the pack house to avoid the volatile tempers of the wolves, and they certainly didn't wander the outskirts at night. You can never know which wolf is losing control or looking for a reason to snap.
Emilia offered a knowing, gentle smile. "I had a feeling you wouldn't make it on time, and I wasn't about to let you walk this far on such a big night."
"But you're not allowed to go near the ceremonial grounds," Nevaeh reminded her, looking nervously at the road ahead.
"I'm not going anywhere near the pack house," Emilia shrugged, waving off the concern. "I'll just drop you at the edge of the driveway. Now hop in before I change my mind."
Nevaeh rushed around to the passenger seat, a genuine, radiant smile breaking across her face. It seemed today might actually be her luckiest day.
"Thank you, Emilia. You have no idea what this means to me," Nevaeh said as she buckled her seatbelt.
"You're going to be great, Nevaeh," Emilia responded, shifting the car into gear. "Just don't forget who you are when that wolf wakes up."
Emilia turned the key, the engine humming to life with a reassuring vibration. She pressed her foot to the gas and zoomed off.
She dropped Nevaeh off at the edge of the long, winding driveway that led to the estate. "Good luck, Nevaeh," she said, leaning across the seat. "Everybody at Save-More will be waiting for the good news tomorrow."
"Thank you so very much, Emilia," Nevaeh thanked her again, stepping out of the car. She waved as Emilia reversed and drove away, disappearing back toward the safety of the human district.
With a smile, Nevaeh turned to finish the final fifteen minutes of the walk. By the time the iron gates of the pack house loomed ahead, her legs were aching but her spirit was high. Cars still turned into the long driveway, and parents were busy ushering their dormant teenagers inside.
Relief loosened her chest. "I made it."
BEEP!
A deafening horn blasted inches from her spine. A sleek SUV swerved dangerously close, its side mirror clipping her shoulder hard enough to spin her like a top. Nevaeh hit the gravel hard, the sharp stones biting into her palms and tearing the skin.
A blonde head leaned out the passenger window. "Watch it, filthy pig!" Ash cackled, his blue eyes bright with malice.
The car rolled on, the dust settling over Nevaeh as she sat in the dirt. Families passed by her, stepping around her as if she were merely an inconvenient part of the landscape.
I swear, Ash is the first person I'm dealing with once I awaken my wolf, she thought, pushing herself up and brushing the dust from her dark sweater. And that twin sister of his.
"Are you coming in, or are you going to stand there and rot?" the gate guard barked, rattling his keys. "I'm locking this in three seconds."
"I'm coming!" Nevaeh scrambled through the narrowing gap just as the iron gate slammed shut with a heavy, final thud.
"Damn curse," the guard muttered. "Don't know why a thing like her is allowed at a sacred ceremony."
Nevaeh kept her head down, her curls shielding her face. Up ahead stood Ash and Ember Brooks, looking like a picture of perfection.
Ember was wearing a short, printed skirt with a matching pale blue blouse, her legs looking long and flawless. It was a waste of money; everyone knew those clothes would be shredded the moment the wolf emerged.
"I wish the car would have just run her over," Ash said loudly as she approached. "Save us all the eyesore tonight."
Ember giggled, smoothing her skirt. "Careful, Ash. She might haunt us after her death."
Nevaeh stared straight ahead, picking up her pace to bypass them.
"Are you deaf, you ugly bitch?"
Before she could react, Ash stepped out and shoved her hard from the side. Nevaeh hit the stone walkway, her knees slamming painfully against the masonry.
"How dare you ignore me?" Ash sneered, towering over her. "Who the hell do you think you are?"
"Maybe she thinks she's someone important now," Ember added with mock sweetness. "Just because she funded a few of our needs at the shop."
"Is that it?" Ash asked, reaching down to grab a handful of Nevaeh's curls and yanking upward.
Nevaeh let out a cry, her hands flying to his wrist to try and lessen the agonizing pull on her scalp.
"Get your filthy hands off me!" Ash snarled, shoving her back down. He raised his foot and began to stomp near her ribs. "Don't—" thud "—you—" thud "—dare—" thud "—touch—" thud "—me—" thud "—again—" thud "—touch—" thud "—me—" thud "—again—" thud "—with—" thud "—those—" thud "—filthy—" thud "—cursed—" thud "—hands!" He was breathing heavily, his face red with exertion.
Nevaeh curled into a ball, flinching with every heavy thud of his sneaker, while Ember watched with a look of pure glee.