I shake my head Chapter 24

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24.The Ashen Howl tribe!

Matt

I was in a bad fucking mood, The Ashen Howl tribe was full of a bunch of assholes, which was why I hated them to my very core. It didn’t matter if they were the pack I was born into or not. The only thing I ever thought about was getting as far away from them as possible.

This is something I always wanted! I knew my chance would come once I found a mate. I would hope that we’d choose her pack, but now I had the chance to make my own. It was honestly a fucking relief. To be able to start from nothing and make a pack with just me, Lia, and my friends was more than I could ever want.

My sister had been kicked out of this pack for refusing to mate with her chosen mate right away. It was common now for people to go ahead and get an education or start a career first. No reason to rush into it before you are financially secure.

But the Ashen Howl tribe was set in the old ways. They didn’t want to change with the times, frustrating everyone. At least they were frustrating the younger generation.

1 wished that I could leave without fear of being shunned by my family. The chances were high that if I didn’t choose to stay with the Ashen Howl pack then I was going to be shunned, unable to talk with any of

my former pack members,

And do you know what? Fuck them. I am fine with that. My sister, who I still spoke to, had suffered in the beginning months after being shinned. The only person who refused to cut ties with her was me because I would never do that to my sister. She was the one person who was always there for me.

After they shunned her, I decided to leave as soon as I could. This was not my chance to get hell away from them.

My friends knew how I felt. They would never suggest we pledge ourselves to Ashen Howl Park. Most in the area tried to avoid us anyway! Being stuck in the old ways didn’t earn you friends. What it earned you were enemies.

Colby’s pack found an effective way to balance it. Rain’s was a little too hippy–dippy for me, but it was still better than my pack set in a centuries–old tradition.

A growl of frustration escaped me. What was I going to do? couldn’t stand being in this pack any longer.

They had been leaving me calls, demanding I come to meet with the alpha and elders so we could have a discussion. But I was ignoring them. One of their favorite treats was that if I kept ignoring them then they would lack me out before we made a choice.

I told them to go ahead and do that. How was it a threat if that was what I wanted?

It made me extra angry and on edge, but I tried my best to keep it to myself. I did avoid everyone, making sure that I told them I wasn’t doing this because I was angry at them. The point was to make sure I didn’t lash out at them when I was this on edge.

Rain joked that it was ‘growth. I was annoyed by the comment, but it was true. Learning Lia was my mate had caused a lightbulb to go off in my head.

I’d be okay in a few days. The best thing to do was keep to myself, making sure that I didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings.

The anger started to fade when I blocked all numbers from my pack. I don’t know why I didn’t do that before, but logic wasn’t my strong point when I was in the thick of my age. All the guys were fine with it. Lia was the one I was worried about.

24 The Ashen Howl tribe

Especially after running into Simone the other day when she gave me a piece of her mind.

Hey. -M

Hey.–L

I just wanted to check–in. How’s it going? M

Uh, fine, I guess. You? -L

Same. Figured I’d, uh, text you instead of… avoiding you. -M

Oh. That’s… good. I guess? -L

Yes. Avoiding you isn’t helping either of us, huh? M

Probably not. -L

So What have you been up to today? -M

School. Simone’s been pestering me about… well, everything. -L

Classic Simone. She doesn’t let up. -M

Nope. She’s relentless. -L

I think I like that about her, though. She doesn’t give up. -M

You’ve had the Simone experience, huh? -D

Oh. Remember after that rugby game when I accidentally bumped into you? -M

Oh, God. She cornered you, didn’t she? -L

Yep. Pretty sure she threatened my kneecaps. -M

Sounds right. -L

Is she always like that? -M

Always. Protective to a fault. -L

It’s kind of like Michael. -M

Michael thinks “protective” means letting his friends torment me. L

Okay, fair point. But for what it’s worth, I think he means well. M

Maybe. Doesn’t always feel like it, however. -L

Yes, Look… I know we’ve been kind of… awful to you. -M

Kind of? -L

Okay, awful. I’m sorry. -M

Matt, you’ve apologized before. You don’t have to keep doing it.-L.

I know, but I still feel like I should. -M

Well, don’t. It’s exhausting for both of us. L

+25 BONUS

24 The Ashen Howl tribe

Fair. I’ll focus on… being better. -M.

That’s all I ask. -L

So.. any plans tonight? -M

Nope. Just trying to survive the chaos at home.-L.

Is the chaos being… us? -M

Yep. You are all like a pack of overgrown puppies.–L.

Ouch. Accurate, though. -M

Very–L

I’ll try to keep the “puppies” in line. -M

Good luck with that.-L.

Thanks. I’ll need it. -M

You will. -L

Hey… for what it’s worth, I do appreciate you putting up with me. -M

I’m trying, Matt. -L

Me too. -M

I can tell. -L

Guess I’ll keep texting you, then. -M

+25 BONUS

Guess you should. -L

I couldn’t wipe the cheesy grin off my face if I tried. Lia and I were getting to a point where the awkwardness starting to fade. The two of us nearly kissed the other day when we went out for a date, something all the were trying to do with her. We had our group time but also one–on–one time with Lia.

s was

guys

The jealousy sometimes kissed in, but I remembered Lia’s warning. She didn’t want us to fall that far into our instincts. It would push Lia away, something neither of us wanted.

Then any joy I had faded when two of the elders from my pack showed up at the door when we were getting ready for dinner. I smelled them the second they turned into the driveway. Growling, I was tempted to ignore them, but this would only extend the problem.

“What do you want?” I asked, opening the door without so much as a warning.

I didn’t care if these were my elders from the pack. They expected you to show them respect no matter what was going on.

“Is that how you speak to the elders?” Elder Simon said.

He barred his teeth to me, but I didn’t even flinch.

“Yes, because I thought by blocking your numbers you would get the message that I want nothing to do with pack”

Elder Edith growled. “If you think we’ll let you leave like this-”

24.The Ashen Howl tube

+25 BONUS

“Excuse me, this is my house given to me by my parents!” Lia shouted, showing up beside me. She was smaller than them, but it didn’t stop her from putting herself between us. “Matt is also my future mate. He decided he didn’t want to stay with your pack and as the law states, it is his right!”

Then she did something that had me grinning like an idiot; Lia grabbed the door and slammed it in their faces. Eventually, they did leave, likely embarrassed at how they had been yelled at by Lia who was backless.

Wolves might end up pack–less for several reasons. In Lia and Michael’s case, their parents had died, leaving only two others in their dwindling pack. With Lia and Michael being young at the time, the pack dissolved.