Chapter 1

                                    

                                          
Chapter 1
                          
"Thea can you grab your books. We're setting up for dinner." Mom squeezed my shoulder as she walked past the couch. I sunk lower into the cushions. The house smelt delicious, Sam was making Moms favorite dinner. Corn beef and cabbage. Don't get me wrong I loved the dinner but sitting down with the family meant another discussion about future responsibilities. Those discussions usually ended with a tense argument. 
                          
"Can we play outside after dinner?" Dixon hopped on the couch next to me. I peeked out of my blanket to see his little green eyes staring back at me. I liked playing with my little brother, but he asked five times a day and turning him down was difficult. 
                          
"I'll be too tired bud." I groaned. He pulled the soft warm blanket off me and poked his little lip out. 
                          
"Don't do that." I warned him. Pushing his little lip back in his mouth. 
                          
"I wanna play with your wolf, she loves playing with me." He rested his head on my shoulder. I huffed and rolled my eyes. 
                          
"You get 15 minutes tops." I finally agreed. He sat up and jumped up and down on the couch, disrupting my comfy position. 
                          
"Dixon, no couch jumping." Sam picked him up from the couch and gave him a raised brow. 
                          
"Thea's gonna play with me after dinner!" He hollered excited on Sam's hip. Sam glanced down at me with a smile. I groaned and curled into the couch further. I didn't have the energy for anything lately. Sam kept saying it was because my wolf was maturing but I think the mental energy it took to keep up with school and the pack was just wearing me down. 
                          
"Time for dinner kid." I thought Sam was talking to Dixon until I felt his knuckles rubbing the top of my head. I slapped his hand away in annoyance until they both chuckled leaving the room.
                          
Silence. I need peace and quiet. I closed my eyes and pulled the blanket back over my head. I'd very much like to disappear here.
                          
"Thea! Your books!" Mom yelled from the dining room. I growled and threw the blanket off me. 
                          
"Coming!" I screamed back. 
                          
"I have some good news." My mom smiled towards Sam and I. I loaded my plate to the brim with everything on the table.
                          
"About what?" I finally asked, before taking a bite of my roll. She glanced to Sam and took a deep breath before speaking.
                          
"I reached out to Jake to see if he could track down Arlo." She admitted. I choked on my roll trying my best to suppress my laughter. Arlo was a soft topic in this house. Apparently he played daddy when my father died, but once Sam showed up he took off to the mountains. 
                          
"Elle, we don't need his help." Sam's voice was tense. My mom scoffed irritatedly. 
                          
"You're doing and amazing job with the construction company and the pack but it's too much. Arlo needs to do his part. And Thea always had a sweet spot for him, so maybe he can get the ball rolling on training." She spoke the last part in a hushed tone as If my wolf hearing couldn't pick up on it. 
                          
"I'm still here. And you're out of your mind if you think I'm training with an old man." I responded a little more bitter than I anticipated. Her jaw clenched.
                          
"He's not old, he was your Dads good friend. He was my good friend." Her face turned to one of sorrow. I placed my hand over hers trying to ease what looked like a sad memory filling her head. She looked up and smiled, giving my hand a squeeze.
                          
"I can train with Sam." I tried compromising. Sam nodded in agreement. Although he wasn't my Dad he's been nothing but a father to me. 
                          
"No, he's already doing a lot. And besides, Arlo called me this afternoon and agreed to come help." She brushed both of us off.