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7: Blackwater Falls (Lucky's POV)

Blackwater Falls was a peaceful mountain town located in the Appalachians of Kentucky. It was such a small town that you wouldn’t find it on most maps, and there were very few (if any) touristy attractions that warranted people to stop for anything other than gas. The nearest high school was nearly 45 minutes away, and was the only school for 4-5 other small towns.

I had chosen to settle down here because it was quiet with a population of only about 700-1000 people depending on the time of year. No season was particularly tough, though summers were unexpectedly hot. The terrain was as one would expect– but my favorite thing to run into was the red maple trees. I loved the color and the smell, and it made me think of home in a lot of ways.

For almost three years, I’d lived here and gone pretty much unnoticed. I’d helped Adam and Sandy develop their business and make it possible for them to have normal lives. I’d gained their trust, and they’d gained mine. I got good at keeping everyone at arm’s length, but that had started to change when Adam had hired Mike to help me out about six months ago.

Mike was impossible to not like and joke with. He had a grin that was infectious and it was so awkward it was endearing. Even then, I’d kept everything about myself close to my chest. We had hung out outside of work a few times– going to the arcade, seeing a movie or walking down mainstreet. The entire time we’d been doing that though, I’d barely told him anything about me. He knew me as Lucky– a blonde haired barista with pretty much zero ambitions in life.

Then Wyatt entered the picture. He’d been nothing more than a customer in passing until recently. I mean, I’d always thought he was cute (who the hell wouldn’t?) but I’d maintained I needed to be completely alone. And all it took was me ‘hanging out’ with him once and I spilled my actual name to him.

It felt like I’d given him so much more than that, too. Like he had an arsenal he could use against me at any given moment. And I hadn’t even told him anything super real other than my name!

Most of it had been half-truths– I wasn’t emancipated, I was exiled. I had lost everyone and everything, but not in the same way he had. Was it a big deal that I had kind of played it out that it was similar? Something told me that he would think it was if he ever found out.

Which he wouldn’t.

It had been three days since our little coffee shop session when he’d left a brand new phone on my doorstep. In those three days, I had not touched that phone more than once. I hadn’t unlocked it. I hadn’t used it. I didn’t answer it when it rang twice and I saw his name on the screen.

I couldn’t.

Clearly, we weren’t friends. Friends didn’t randomly give each other phones and expensive items like he seemed to do with me. That was more than friendly. All this ‘gift’ did was solidify that I needed to leave Blackwater.

And what was that whole thing about it being called Obsidian Falls? I knew the local pack's name was Obsidian Banes, so was that a coincidence? Was that how the pack got their name? From the locals here?

*If Reika were here, she would tell you it was time to run.

She wouldn’t be wrong either. The eyes I had felt previously still lingered. Someone was watching. I was sure of it. I’d spent the last three days working and then slipping into my room, living exclusively off of stale cafe food and ramen noodle cups. Something felt close, and my dreams were getting worse the closer I got to my birthday.

Everything in my being was telling me something was changing tomorrow, and that it wouldn’t be pretty. As a wolf, the only thing that eighteen signified was that you were able to feel your mate bond. But… with me rejecting Reika and losing her… I wasn’t sure what would happen.

If it was anything like the dreams, it was going to be death. Which just made me want to flee all the farther.

For now, I was sitting in my room above the cafe and had about six hours left until it was my birthday. I was staring at the box that contained the phone and debating what to do. Wyatt hadn’t stopped by, just like he’d said he wouldn’t be doing. Mike had been on edge for his five hour shift today. Should I reach out to one of them and try to distract myself?

The box vibrated loudly, echoing through the room. No, I shouldn’t reach out. I should pack up my things and be on my way. Maybe that’s what the dreams were about– maybe they were warning me to get off pack territory before I turned eighteen. Maybe something I didn’t know about was going to happen when I turned eighteen.

I thought back to a conversation I’d had with my mother. She’d told me I was born at 6:53am. That was over 12 hours until my actual birth time, which would mean I had 12 hours to get as far away as I possibly could. If I accounted for time to pack my few things and get a bus ticket… It was more like 11 hours.

Which meant I could get pretty far if I was serious. But where would I go? The Appalachians were all I had ever known. I could go to California? Texas? Washington? But then I would be a rogue on a rival Dominion’s land. That was when I had a scary realization: There was nowhere safe for me anymore.

My eyes widened. There was nowhere safe for me.

Why hadn’t I thought this through sooner? Come up with a plan? What the hell was wrong with me? If Reika were here– but she’s not. She’s not here. I’m alone, with nowhere safe to go.

I jumped up and rushed toward the box. My hand gripped the phone and I entered the passcode 1234. It unlocked and revealed 5 new texts from Wyatt:

**Hey Wrenlee!

**…sorry if it was too forward of me to get you a phone

**You okay?

**Wrenlee… if you want me to take the phone back, just say so.

**I missed seeing you at the cafe today.

My eyes watered unexpectedly. He was really trying to be a nice guy, for no reason. I quickly typed back: **It was weird not seeing you! I appreciate the phone, though it was a big gift to give! Any chance you’re free tonight?

Within moments of me pressing send, he’d responded: **Actually, I’m still out of town. I’m back tomorrow if you want to get together for a few hours?

I furrowed my eyebrows, having an internal battle with myself. I’d pretty much destroyed my whole argument about keeping people at arm’s length by recognizing that nowhere is safe for me anymore. But part of me felt like I was acting like a dumb teenage girl and putting him at unnecessary risk…

My thumbs furiously typed, **I think it’s better we don’t. Maybe we should just text for a while?

Three dots popped up shortly after the message was delivered. Then, I couldn’t stop myself from giggling like a silly school girl as I read: **Sure :) Let’s talk about our favorites.

I replied: **Really? That’s so basic! I expected something more original.

Less than thirty seconds later, I was faced with: **Great. Illiterate, creepy and now basic. Any other insults to get out of the way before we start?

**Nope. Sounds about right. Sorry ;P You start the list.

And for the next four hours, I was distracted by his fast responses. I learned quite a bit about him as I slowly drifted off into a dreamless sleep.

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