Ingrid
Confidence is something most Alphas usually possess or at least something of the sort. Heck, most of the time Alphas are arrogant jerks that have no boundaries against their egos. But the thing is, I'm not arrogant, I'm barely even confident. The only thing that even qualifies me as an Alpha is the fact that I put my Pack first for everything. If I only have enough food for everybody except one, I'd be the 'except one'. I'm very strict about that. The entire group understands I refuse to be put in front of anyone. It's pretty much a rule.
My name is Ingrid. I'm a True Alpha, which means I didn't kill or inherit my Alpha title. I got my power from my Alpha characteristics that made me worthy of red eyes instead of a bright yellow. I never understood how, but Damien said it was obvious I was meant to be a leader. I just shake my head.
"Ingrid!" I turn around just as I was tackled by an excited Rebecca. She got off me and helped pull me back to my feet. As soon as I was yanked up, she was practically bouncing off the walls with enthusiasm. Everybody else was magnetized by it, forming a semi-circle at a distance to hear what she had to say.
"You know how you tell us about a place called 'Beacon Hills', and how your family used to travel there for a meeting with Alphas?" I nodded, pursing my lips to contain my dismay at where this was headed. She saw right through it and instantly, she stopped bouncing on the balls of her feet.
"I was wondering if you could take us. I mean, will you take us? From the way you talked about it, it seems quiet. It isn't well-known. Few super-naturals. Good place to blend in. And maybe…maybe we could stay if we like it?" her booming voice had turned into a soft voice, a whisper. She was losing confidence in her idea. It made my heart ache. She was disagreeing with herself because of my reaction. I felt for her.
She knew how hard it would be for me to go back to that place. But she wasn't considering the fact that I couldn't say no to my family. Plus, it was totally inconspicuous that the rest of them really wanted to go, and I mean they really wanted to. I could feel the surge of their large hope for a positive answer. Sighing because I couldn't do it, I breathed out, "Why not?"
It was like a mini uproar. I was once-again tackled by Rebecca, and hugged happily by the other six Squad members. I smiled and while they started to chit chat cheerfully about it, already beginning to plan, I slipped out of the commotion and onto the patio.
We had claimed my Aunt's offered beach house. It was beautiful, inside and out, but it wasn't home. I knew that was what caused the Pack to want to leave. I could feel the dejection of the beach house as a home from them. I guess Beacon Hills would be a nice place for home. The only thing I was worried about was memories. Painful and horrible memories.
The glass door slid open, then closed, allowing a small flash of the tumult to slip out with Damien. He came to stand beside me, his hands in his pockets. "You know we would understand if you didn't want to go. It's your decision, Ingrid," I exhaled softly. "I know. It's just," I sighed, "I feel like I'm trying to rule them based on my experiences even though theirs and mine won't be the same. I won't let them get hurt, but I know I can't stop them from wanting to explore." He nodded in agreement. He smiled over at me. I shook my head, a small smile on my face.
"I know what you're going to say. And it's not that I'm a good Alpha, it's that I'm selfless when it comes to them and you." He leaned over, whispering into my ear. "A good Alpha is always selfless and tries to protect their pack from things that they need to go through. It's in your nature, Ingrid. Get over it. You're a True Alpha for a reason. I wish you would accept it," I chuckled.
"Not in a long time, Damien. I am far from accepting it and much farther from ever believing it." With that, he went inside without a word. His entrance was enough said. 'Whatever' I smiled and looked down at my hands. Beacon Hills. Of course, out of all the places I've been, they choose the most painful place. I sucked in a deep breath before going back inside. Tomorrow, we pack up and head off. Just like always.
We drove, which isn't difficult for two reasons. One: We have eight people, two cars, so we have plenty of room for bags also with an extra seat in both of five-seated cars. Two: we pack light. Each of us has a single duffel, a pillow, small blanket, and the girls have bags for the withholding of our devices of entertainment.
Damien drove the first car with me as the navigator. I didn't need a map though, so I sat there, staring out at the familiar landscapes of Beacon Hills in the dark. Zachary, the most loyal Beta of mine, sat behind the drive seat. Delilah's head lay in his lap with her small body curled up in the other two seats in the back. Her blanket rest over her figure, and she looked peaceful sleeping.
I think this is the first time the poor girl got some sleep. Usually, nightmares about the next death in town always kept her afraid to sleep. But she seemed happy enough sleeping in the car while Zach stroke her hair absently.
When the two first met, it was like love at first sight. Mostly because they met by Zach killing a creature that had been chasing Delilah. I guess Heroism brought out the attraction between the two. It was sweet though, the way they were fit together like puzzle pieces. She was shy and behind the scenes while he wasn't afraid to protect someone he loved. Total opposites that were perfect united.
"Turn here," I directed. Damien turned the steering wheel to the right and pressed lightly on the gas to get the car moving. It glided easily onto the concrete of the driveway. He rolled down the lane slowly, carefully. When he came to pull up in front of the house, his jaw was on his lap. I sucked in a deep breath before getting out of the car.
The place was huge, I already knew, but someone must've kept it updated. It looked exactly like it did the last time we'd come. My father was more into looks then content. He'd always have. With his money, his desire for perfection, the house was humongous and brilliantly bold. No, not a house, a mansion. Two stories high, and about seven rooms across. Balconies lined the sliding glass doors on the second story. Imagine a millionaire's mansion, placed in the middle of a forest, in Beacon Hills, and you've got the right residence.
I heard everyone murmur the single syllable, "Wow," I could only feel my stomach churn and my head pulse with fear. I gulped down the lump in my throat to say, "Welcome to my house." Grabbing my bags, I hastily made to the door. Dropping my duffel to dig through my messenger bag, I searched for the large set of keys I kept. I found them, clanking in a pocket, and I found the single golden key. I shoved it in the knob, twisted, and opened the door wide. I stepped into the large foyer that had a grand staircase, archways that led to the two living areas, and a hallway led around the stairs to the kitchen.
"This place is huge," Rebecca said in awe. Noises of agreement returned. I turned around to see the lot of them standing in the center of their bags that sat on the floor. "Eight bedrooms, and no opposite genders in the same room. No fighting over the three master bedrooms either. I get one, but you guys decide who gets the other two. I'm going up," I grab my bags, heaving them onto my shoulder, then start up the beautiful marble steps that curved up to the second floor. I came to the library, the stairs in the midst of the shelves, desk, and slightly medium sized nook where the fireplace was. I head straight for the master bedroom. It was my parent's, the other three bedrooms for my siblings and I.
"Smart, putting yourself in the room where the others would have to pass to sneak upstairs." I grinned at Rebecca, Damien, and Marcel. They were heading for the upstairs bedrooms. I added, "My parents also had speakers put in the guest rooms for purposes unknown, but it's very convenient considering the couples are downstairs," I sighed before trumping into my room.
"Bathrooms?"
"When you walk out of my room, it's on the left. Sadly, my dad thought of everything but bathrooms. One on both floors, but that's all. Sorry." They shrugged and walked out of my room to see which was which. I set my stuff on the bed to follow and help distinct the rooms.
"That one," I point to the opposite side of the hall, "was my older sister's. She wasn't a girly girl, but she has a girlier room than my brother's which is over there," I point to the room diagonal to my own. I watch as Rebecca rushes to the room that belonged to my sister, and Marcel to my brother's. How funny. The two who seem like my siblings are sleeping in my real siblings' rooms. Damien watched chuckling, then started for the last room.
"Hey D?" he looked back, "That room was my old room. I didn't have much, but it's smaller than the others since I was the youngest." He smiled and nodded before continuing on. I sighed before heading for the library and the magnificent stairs inside it.
I got downstairs to find everybody in the living areas. Zach and Drew were playing pool in the one to the right when you come down the stairs. They were very serious, hissing when the other knocked a ball into the hole. I felt air rush through my nose as a small laugh. I look into the other to see Delilah and Sarelia having a not-so-serious match on the air hockey table.
"I see the car ride hasn't dampened your fun," I walked over to the girls. The barely looked up, but Sarelia had slammed the puck roughly at Delilah and it slid into her goal. She groaned playfully before grabbing another, moving on to the next round. Rolling my eyes and smiling, I go to the guys.
"No messing around tonight, got it?" they mumbled their replies with their attention elsewhere. I shook my head. There was no talking to them right now. I come to stand in between the rooms and yelled out.
"I want everyone to come upstairs to my room. We need to talk," I see that got to them. The guys began to hit random balls into the pockets, and the girls put up the puck and sliders before heading up. I follow them, and the guys followed me. I go in and push the button right next to my door. I speak into the speaker.
"My room, everybody." It wasn't long until the last four stalked inside. I went over and sat Indian style on my bed. I began pulling my hair down, taking out pins and elastic bands slowly. They all spread out, getting comfortable either leaning on something or sitting somewhere. I sighed.
"Tomorrow, I show you the house. Afterward, I go to the school and see about registering so late in the year. Only three go. The rest will be here. And if you stay, it won't all be fun and games. If something bad is going on, or anything of the such, you will be doing things about town. So, after registration, we go through Beacon Hills and learn our surroundings. Sound okay?" Everyone nodded grimly. I sighed.
"Now, lights out is 2 a.m. Do whatever you please except exploring. No one can go into rooms they haven't seen. Now, I release you," I gestured a shooing motion. With happy faces, everyone disassembles. I breath in and out deeply, falling back. I notice Zach stays. I pull myself to sit against the headboard of the bed.
"You look upset," he says in his husky but quiet voice. He sounds like a wise man at the age of 17. I yawn. Closing my eyes, I answer. "It's not that I'm upset, I'm just...worried," Zach lays horizontally against the vertically placed mattress. He watches me.
"Worried about what? Your dad?" a hollow sound comes out of my mouth. Zach's eyebrows furrow, like the sound confuses him. "My dad is dead. My brother and sister, are not. My father got to them, and I'm sure if it came down to it, they'd kill me for the Alpha title. When my dad died, he was going to give me the Pack. Said I was his favorite because I kept quiet and was easy to manipulate. I became a True Alpha by standing up to him, and I think someone poisoned him before he named either of them as successor."
"So they are angry?" another sound of emptiness.
"Angry is an understatement," I felt his hand grab mine. He smiled at me warmly.
"Well, let them wallow in their daddy issues. You got a new family, and you'd choose one of us over them easily," I was about to retort with logic, about how if they killed me, they'd get my power either way, but I left it alone. I moved closer and we hugged. Something my brother and sister never did like Zach did. His hugs were the tight ones that needed no words, the ones that seemed endless. And they were.
"It's almost 1:30, if you want to go play one more game before lights out, better go now," I was retracting. Zach could tell too, he felt my arms pull away. He didn't fight it though. He knew it wouldn't make me feel better if he hugged me again. Nothing would make me feel better. Not in this room, this house, this town.
There was too much pain sunken in the core of this place. Too many bad memories and not enough good. But by the look of his eyes as he left said that he would make some, he'd do anything to make my sighs less hollow and broken.