Helena's wrist trembled as she slipped on the sparkly bracelet. When she bought it that afternoon she thought it was the perfect touch to her outfit, but now she wasn't so confident. Her long brown hair was pulled up in a ponytail, showing off the open back of her short black halter dress. The skirt flared out at her waist and spun outwards when she moved to get a side view of herself in the motel's mirror.
Her petite frame was elongated with a pair of four inch heels, Helena hoped she didn't trip at any point tonight. With the smokey makeup Helena decided it was good enough. She let out a sigh and reached for the door handle, her hand was still trembling.
"You can change your mind," Helena said to her own reflection. "You don't have to do this."
Helena looked away from the mirror. She was in a crappy motel room and had already been here for a week. That meant moving on and finding another dingy place to stay at before they realized her credit cards were fakes and she couldn't afford this place. The dress she wore was the first new one she had bought in years, and the first one that wasn't from a resale shop. This was her final night and she made peace with that.
No more lonely nights. No more traveling around aimlessly. No more takeout food. Best of all no more constant worrying. She turned back towards her reflection.
"You can do this," Helena said. "This is what you want."
She smiled at her reflection. This time when she reached for the door knob her wrist stayed steady. She pushed open the door and headed out into the night, knowing fully well it may be her last.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Three Days Earlier
A knock at Brooks' door made him look up from his work. He wasn't particularly interested in going over the latest financial reports and welcomed the distraction.
"Come in," he said.
He rose from his desk as two people entered his office. The room was large. It was decorated in rich browns, like most of the lodge. The floor to ceiling windows let the summer sun shine across the office and Brooks had a hard time seeing who had entered until they got closer towards his desk.
"Alpha Benson," Andrew said.
Brooks recognized one of his Betas, he noticed the other person in the room was Andrew's mate, Rebecca. He was not used to interacting with these two on such a formal level.
"My father is Alpha Benson," Brooks said. "Please, have a seat."
He knew Andrew meant the title as a sign of respect, since Brooks was next in line for the title and more than prepared. At 6'4" he was an inch taller than his father. His broad shoulders and lean muscular build didn't make him as intimidating in his human form. It didn't help that he had high cheek bones, piercing blue eyes, and jet black hair. But he was more than skilled at defending himself and his people. Attackers often underestimated him and that was a trait that came in handy on more than one occasion.
Both of the other wolves sat down. Brooks waited for them to begin. He noticed Rebecca kept her head down. Andrew reached over and squeezed her shoulder gently. Brooks felt a pang of longing at the sight. When Andrew first met Rebecca, Brooks thought she might have been his mate. Something about her smelled divine, but time showed she was meant for Andrew and Brooks was mistaken. That was five years ago and Brooks was still no closer to meeting his match.
"What can I help you with?" Brooks asked.
"I need a favor," Rebecca said. She still didn't lift her head.
"We are all friends," Brooks said. "There is no need to act so formally."
"Alpha, I am afraid you are going to judge me harshly for what I am about to tell you," Rebecca said.
"Calm down," Brooks said. "We are more than friends, we are family. You can be as open as you like here."
Something about this meeting made Brooks shift with discomfort. He had little interaction with Rebecca over the years, but him and Andrew worked together a lot. He was never this stiff.
"Family," Rebecca said. "That is what I want to talk with you about."
She looked up and Brooks saw the tears in her eyes. He nodded his head for her to continue.
"When I met Andrew I was only eighteen," Rebecca said. "I was selfish and reckless and lonely."
"You are making excuses before you are telling me what you did," Brooks said. "Start with the issue first, then explain your justifications."
Rebecca took a gulp and started over.
"When I met Andrew I had just run away from a foster home," Rebecca said. "That part is true, but I wasn't completely alone."
She paused.
"Go on," Brooks said.
"I had...have a sister," Rebecca said. "And I abandoned her. Andrew and I are at the stage where we want to start our own family, but I can't in good conscious until I atone for leaving her. I must find her."
Brooks leaned back in his chair. Rebecca was the first human turned wolf in the Benson pack in over one hundred years. The one previous to her was Brooks own mother. The pack never wanted to stir any issues within the human world and Rebecca pledged that she had no family.
"It would have been easier for us to find her five years ago," Brooks said. "We could have helped her set up a new life. You could have stayed a part of it."
"I know that now," Rebecca said. "But at the time...My parents...Our parents died when I was only thirteen. I spent five years taking care of her. I wanted something that was my own. I was selfish, stupid. I figured she would make her way back to the foster home once I didn't come back to the motel..."
"Wait," Brooks said. "You ran away from the foster home with her? I assumed you just left her there."
Rebecca looked back down again, before glancing up slowly in Brooks' eyes.
"Can you help me find her?" Rebecca asked.
Brooks felt an unnatural amount of disgust towards Rebecca. What sort of person would abandon family like that?
"Please," Andrew said. "We have been looking for six weeks and there is no trace of her. I can help."
"How old is she now?" Brooks asked.
"She will be twenty one in three days," Rebecca asked. "I still remember her birthday."
"I am sure she will be thrilled to hear that," Brooks said. "Complete forget about you leaving her to fend for herself."
Tears welled in Rebecca's eyes again. Brooks thought maybe he was too harsh. He glanced at the pile of documents on his desk. He told himself searching for this girl would be more interesting than going through the financials.
"Tell me everything you know about her," Brooks said. "Start for the beginning."
"We had a...strange upbringing," Rebecca said.
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Helena didn't bother taking her car. She walked along the side of the road into town. It didn't take long until she reached the end of the no-name bar's parking lot. She spun herself around and watched the sunset behind the trees. She expected the night to come instantly, but instead it was like different shades of blue set out with subtlety.
Being outside after dark was expressly forbidden. That was one of the insane rules Helena remembered from growing up with her parents. If they had followed their own advice then maybe they would still be alive. The thought made her shiver. It felt unnatural for the world to seem so quiet, but Helena didn't care. She didn't care if she lived through the night either. She was done hiding. Spinning on her heels Helena walked into the rickety building.
Once she pushed open the door, she realized she may have over done it. Everyone was wearing jeans and a t-shirt, or some casual get-up. All eyes were on her. There were more people in here than she expected too and she was smacked in the face with the scent of fish.
Helena took an open seat at the bar and sat down. The bartender came right over to her.
"I'm going to need to see your ID," he said.
Helena reached into her purse and pulled out the one she chose for the evening.
"Jane Smith," he said. He glanced back
over at her. "Happy birthday."
"Thank you," she said.
"What would you like?"
Helena didn't think that far ahead. She had never been in a bar before and had no idea what to order.
"Get her a vodka soda water with a lime," a cool voice said.
Helena felt the hairs on the inside of her ears rise. She turned to see a gorgeous man take a seat next to her. He had on jeans and a white t-shirt, but wore a blazer as well. His blond hair was slicked back and his blue eyes were gazing her up and down. He looked slightly older than her, but Helena didn't think he was over thirty.
"Not much of a drinker?" He asked.
"Today is my twenty first birthday," she said.
"I know," he said.
"How would you know that?"
"You dressed up in a town like this, must be a special night," he said. "You're all alone and the bartender said happy birthday. If it was your twenty second you would have known what to order."
The bartender came back with the drinks. Helena's new friend paid.
"Thank you...," she said.
"Thank you Victor," he said.
"Thank you Victor," Helena replied. "Are
you from around here?"
"Where's here?"
