Out of everything I've been through and the things people have said to me, he heard her say those things from a pretty far distance. How the hell could he hear her, and not his friends when they first started making fun of me?
When I got home I quickly ran inside and up the stairs into my room. I froze in front of my floor length mirror. She's right no matter how much weight you lose you'll always be ugly. I growled at my thoughts, bullshit. I've worked too hard mentally and physically for this to get to me. Running back downstairs I started shaking in anger. I needed to get outside and fast. I ran into the forest and my anger took over causing me to shift into my beautiful silver wolf and dart off into the woods livid.
I came to a clearing in the woods panting heavily. Jake and I used to come here frequently when we were kids. I unshifted and collapsed onto my knees staring at the small treehouse we had built out here. Tears built up in my eyes and I couldn't stop them from falling anymore. All this time and he finally noticed someone bullying me. Why the hell has it taken him this long. I looked down at my arms that were covered with sleeves. It has taken me over 2 years to stop hurting but I feel all of the pain again. Had he heard them all along? I'm over 2 years clean from self-harm and there was no way I was going back. My scars were still there and I kept them covered up ever since I noticed Jake tried to stick around me. I would never want him to see these scars or he would blame himself instantly. He's not the reason I ever hurt myself but it was the words from others and my mental conflicts. It's not worth getting that low, it does nothing but make things worse. I stood up and took off the hoodie feeling a little warm and wrapped it around my waist as I walked towards the treehouse. It looked like it was well kept.
As I climbed in I noticed a lot of repairs were made and it even looked freshly painted. A small love seat was sat against the wall with a bookshelf next to it along with a skinny table in front of the furniture. I sat down on the loveseat curled up into a ball and brought his hoodie close to me. I allowed the tears to silently fall down my cheeks as I tried to figure out what to do. He needs to know and I need answers.
I heard loud footsteps beneath the tree and I froze. "Scar is that you up there?" Jake. I quickly whipped my tears away and croaked out "Yeah it's me." I heard him quickly climb up and look at me, worry instantly flashing in his eyes at seeing my tear-stained cheeks. He slowly approached me "Scar are you okay?" I snapped standing up "Have you known all this time?" Confusion washed over his sharp features "What are you talking about?" I sighed deeply trying not to get too upset, "If you could hear what Daisy said from the distance you were at, why didn't you hear what your friends were saying to me when we were kids and even now?" He took a very aggressive step forward causing me to step backward slightly, "What have they been saying?" The seriousness in his voice was terrifying. "The friends you met in kindergarten and first grade have been making fun of me ever since they met me but they always did it when you weren't listening. That's why I haven't been talking to you because I thought you just allowed it. I thought you hated me." He engulfed me into a tight hug but was panting heavily "I'm so sorry Scar I promise I'll make it up to you." He let go looking at me up and down. That's when I realized I was wearing a tank top under the hoodie and he could see my scars. I visibly tensed knowing he would instantly blame himself. He ran his hands down my arms and held my wrists gently bringing them closer so he could see them all. I didn't stop him. I didn't know how to. Jake's hands engulfed mine and he looked up into my eyes. Guilt. I tighten my hold "Don't blame yourself. please." He looked down letting go of my hands and backed up. "I should have protected you." He started towards the exit of the treehouse and I stepped forwards. "Wait where are you going?" He stopped at the top of the ladder looking towards me with a little sadness "To go kick some bully ass."
I looked out the window and saw Jake running into the woods towards his house. I sighed, no matter what I tell him he's going to blame himself. I lay on the small sofa pulling out my phone and listened to music for a while.
Tonnie Row
I was talking to some of the pack members when we all felt a large amount of anger in the forest to our left. I stood up off of the chair I was on and flinched when a large black wolf raged out of the woods and pinned a small group of pack members where they stood with his piercing glare.
'I suggest all of you, who have said something bad about Scarlett, get your things and leave immediately and I better not see you around here again.'
I quickly texted Scarlett asking if Jake found out somehow and she sent back that she told him. I sighed asking if she could quickly get over here and she told me she could try. Jake's dad came out seeing the commotion and instantly snapped at his son. This is gonna be a shit show. Bringing Scar into it was a big mistake.
Scarlett Rose
I walked out of the woods on the other side of the gate and hit the button waiting for someone to answer. I wasn't getting a response so I called Tonnie. "Hello?" I heard some growling in the background of the call and got a little concerned "Tonnie no one is answering the gate, how am I supposed to get in?" She chuckled slightly "Scar just jumped it, it's not that tall." I laughed along with her "Yeah true." I hung up and put my phone in my bra to make sure I didn't drop it. Placing my hand at the top of the gate I swung myself upwards and easily cleared the gate landing perfectly with the help of my abilities.
I sped walked down the driveway where a small crowd had formed and I noticed a panting Jake in the middle of it. What the hell happened here? I walked further forward but was a little slower about it this time and stood next to Tonnie. I whispered towards her "What's going on?" She turned to look at me with sadness "he's kicking them out." I got extremely confused but my attention snapped towards him when his dad punched him away from the small group he supposedly had kicked out. I tensed and went to step forward but Tonnie had grabbed my arm and held me in place. Everyone around seemed to back down away from them. That's when I realized that I shouldn't be here. Everyone was extremely submissive to Jake's dad except Jake himself.
He's the alpha here.
I slowly started to back away, Tonnie releasing me, and went to turn and run when his dad stopped me. "You again? Why are you here?" I froze, I've never seen other wolves but his presence was terrifying and I wanted out of here. I slowly turned to look at Rick O'Donnell, "I just came to see Jake so we could continue the project." I glanced at Jake and saw the panic in his eyes. He mouthed 'Run'. I snapped my attention back towards Rick and I saw the pure anger, "No you're here because my son can't stay away from you. We don't accept your kind here." He growled under his breath and without my senses, I wouldn't have heard it, "Get her." I instantly took off running into the woods hearing several footfalls behind me. I had to shift whether I wanted to or not. I allowed my wolf to take over and take me to the safety of my home. Once I was myself again I sat on my living room floor panting. Why did they come after me? I glanced down at my phone sighing in relief that it was okay and saw I had a few messages from Jake and Tonnie.
Are you okay?- Tonnie
Please say my father didn't catch you?! -Jake
I clicked on Tonnie's message and replied with "What the fuck was that?"
Jake O'Donnell
Tonnie and Mike stayed behind and didn't participate in chasing Scarlett down. I saw her turn into her wolf and get away but I didn't even expect her to do so. Why would she be reckless like that and show herself? I already knew about her because Betty, my next-door neighbor, told me about her. I went to Betty anytime I needed help and she's Lucas's grandma so she doesn't mind. She's also the pack's elder so she's around us often. I told her even before I discovered my wolf I would always protect Scarlett with my life. I didn't care about her weight and I'm glad she has made progress with herself. She looks even more stunning even though to me she already was. I did plan on leaving her alone but that was all thrown out the window when my wolf sensed hers. I couldn't stop thinking about her after that.
My father returned from the chase seeing that my friends stayed back and he was furious. "You are going to disobey your alpha just like that?" I snapped "She's our friend! We aren't just going to go after her because you tell us to." He went to hit me when someone spoke up "That's enough!" We all looked to who spoke and saw it was Grandma Betty. "You should be ashamed of yourself for snapping at the future alpha. Your Luna is gone and he is almost of age, the last thing you should be doing is questioning him. Yes, we have a history with Scarlett's ancestors but she knows nothing about that so don't blame her for being scared and confused. Right now Rick you are not well enough to be alpha and your Beta will have to step in until Jake is ready." My dad bowed his head and walked away allowing the pack elder to make the decision. "Jake?" I snapped my attention towards her, "Yes?" She nodded "Treat her well." I smiled at her nodding "of course, ma'am."
Scarlett Rose
I get it now. He couldn't hear his friends back then cause he hadn't connected with his wolf yet. Grandma Betty told me that you're supposed to connect to your wolf during puberty but I didn't connect with mine until I turned 18. Betty said it could be because my parents had shut their wolves away. She said it wasn't her place to tell me why they did it which I understand. It's my parent's place to tell me but I can't help but desperately want to know.
I dragged myself up the stairs and into my bathroom. I looked into the mirror and couldn't help but feel like my life was spiraling out of control. I looked at my black hair noticing its fading into a brown color and cringed. I need to have some kind of control. I opened my secret stash of different hair dyes and grabbed my bleach. First, we focus on lightening my hair then I'll choose a color.
I sat there for a good hour waiting for my hair to lighten to an orange color due to me choosing to go red. I didn't want to attempt to go lighter just to be sure it didn't fade into pink. In the last 15 minutes, I applied the bleach to my roots and then rinsed it out as fast as I could due to my roots lightening much faster. I used a purple shampoo lightly and then let my hair air dry with some coconut oil in it.
As I waited for my waist-long hair to dry I opened my laptop and quickly finished my work so that it could be published tomorrow. I also had a fan blowing cool air my way so that my hair would dry a little faster. Once it was dry I applied the color, waited for it to process, then washed it out. Damn it was bright red. I left my hair in a towel as I attempted to fall asleep.