Chapter 3

Hours later Sophie sat staring into the flames that she usually took comfort from, and tried not to think about her unexpected and unwanted visitors. Which of course, proved to be an impossibility! Against her will her mind drifted back in time and the memories she had tried so hard to suppress flooded back.

The week after her 13th birthday had started like every other. On Monday morning her mother had dropped her at school and was going back to pick her dad up because they had to go see their Alpha. Her dad was the pack accountant and always went to the pack house once a month to give him a report on the packs finances. Her mother was good friends with the Alphas mate and would spend the time visiting with her while her own mate was busy.

That day they never made it. A drunk driver had ran a stop sign and they were killed. Even their wolfs enhanced healing abilities could not save them from the fire ball that resulted from a ruptured fuel tank. The drunk driver? Not even a scratch!

When the Alpha and his mate had shown up at the school that afternoon instead of her parents, she didn't have to be told. She knew she would never see her parents again. The pain she felt at their deaths was indescribable.

The Alphas mate, a very kind woman called Jane, took care of her for the first few days and helped her through the burial and memorial service. Those first few days were a blur of tears and grief.

As far as Sophie was aware, she didn't have any other family and so, she expected to be taken in by one of the other shifter families within her pack, as had happened a couple of times in the past when kids had been left without parents through tragedy. So when she was led into the Alphas office by his mate a week after her parents death she expected to be told who she was to be living with.

Instead her worst nightmare began.

"Sophie," her Alpha said gently,"we have found your Uncle Frank, he will be here tomorrow to take you back to his pack to live with him."

Sophie frowned in confusion. "Alpha, I don't have an Uncle Frank, I don't have any uncles or aunts, my parents told me."

"You do sweetie." Said Jane, stepping forward. "He is your fathers brother, they had been....... estranged for a number of years, but under pack law, after your parents died we had to contact him and tell him of their deaths. He had to be given the chance to claim you as family, and he has."

As Sophie looked at the kind woman who had looked after her the last few days, she could see something in the older woman's eyes she couldn't identify, but something told her it was fear. Fear for me. I turned to look at my Alpha and I could tell what he was feeling. Anger. It practically radiated from him. And I knew then in, that moment, that they were both terribly afraid for me.

"But I don't want to go anywhere!" Sophie said tearfully. "I want to stay here with my pack and my friends. What about my school? I have to go to school!" As I spoke I cried even harder. My life had been shattered by the death of my parents and now I was being told I had to leave my pack, my friends and go live with a strange man I had never even heard of, never mind met.

"NO!" I shouted "I wont go! I want to stay here, please don't make me leave, I'll be good I promise." By now my shouts had become sobs and I looked up through tear filled eyes to see my Alpha couple looking down at me with sadness in their eyes.

"I'm so sorry Sophie, but you have to. He is your family now, and he will take care of you. Now go upstairs and pack your things, he will be here first thing in the morning. We had some pack members go to your parents house to gather up the rest of your stuff and it will be shipped to your new home soon."

"But......" Sophie tried to argue, but her Alpha........ No not her Alpha any more, cut her off.

"Go on now." he said gruffly and turned to his mate, his shoulders drooping.

I turned and ran to the door, my fear and anger controlling my actions as I slammed the door off the wall. Outside the office I slowed when I heard the low murmur of voices from within, my wolf hearing easily picking up the words being said by the couple.

"How could this have happened Thomas?" Asked Jane quietly. "How can that.........male be given a child to raise. And what kind of people are we to send her, an innocent child, to live with him."

"We have no choice Jane," said the Alpha, taking her into his arms, "its pack law. There was never any proof of wrong doing, just rumours and accusations. He is her only living family and he must be given the option to take her, we must hand her over to him regardless of what we think of him or what is whispered about him. We just have to hope that he has changed. He is in a good strong pack and they will help watch over the child."

As Sophie turned to walk away she heard Jane say to the Alpha in a tear filled voice. "Its wrong Thomas and you know it! Pack Law be damned! That man is a monster and we are making a terrible mistake. I just hope Sophie is not the one who must pay the price for it."

Nine long pain filled years later, Sophie was still paying for their mistake and probably would be for the rest of her life.