3 – Wrecking Ball

WITH a hand on her lap while the other was leaning on the window of the car, Jill had her full attention on the side of the road.

The street was empty of other vehicles. Aside from the long range of highways and bare land on both sides, there is nothing to focus on.

She came from a two-day seminar with the high alpha and the other members of the Werewolf Union. It was a successful conference where she befriended two other female alphas to help her with the pack business.

Yet, her mind went to the event for next month.

She will be turning twenty-five.

She heaved a sigh.

The ultimatum that her parents gave her is coming to an end.

She has been the alpha of the Black Paw pack for almost three years. Those were very long, fruitful years. She cannot say that it was a walk in the park but it was not very hard either since she was groomed as one from the very start.

She trained as a warrior since she shifted. She went and finished college so that she could manage the pack business professionally.

Pack business is not for the weak. They said, it was not a place for women either but she had been attending the Werewolf Union for years, way before she became an alpha. Her father tagged her along so that she would know the responsibility when she becomes the leader of the pack.

The werewolf world has changed. Male alphas already recognized that women are capable of leading, too. Many females were running the pack, not as a Luna but as an alpha.

The pack business is no longer a man’s world. It has no gender. Yet, one thing is certain. It was not for the weak. And she is not a weak woman.

She is Jill Maloney. A woman. An alpha. A leader.

However, it does not change the fact that she has not met her mate yet.

Normally, when a werewolf shifted into her wolf at the age of seventeen, she would be able to recognize who her mate was. When the werewolf’s mate is not in the pack, she can go out of the territory to find the person meant for her. This happened between the ages of seventeen to twenty-one. A time when a werewolf shifter would visit some of the nearby packs and attend balls in case their mate were not in the same pack.

It was unfortunate that Jill had not found her mate yet at the age of twenty-four. The person meant for her is not holding a higher position in the allied packs either since she did not recognize anyone during the Werewolf Union conferences.

Her reverie stopped when the car slowed.

She turned to the sentinel in the driver’s seat. She followed his line of sight.

The hood of the car is emitting smoke.

“What happened?”

“I have no idea, alpha. The gas is still half-full.”

“Do you know anything about cars?”

“Aside from driving, none, alpha.”

Instead of being annoyed by the situation, Jill chose to stay calm.

She grabbed the phone from the bag beside her in the backseat. She hoped that there was a network connection in the deserted area.

When she learned that there was, she searched for the nearest towing company and a car repair shop.

“I cannot find a towing company, Tony. But there is a repair shop within two kilometers.

“I’ll push.”

“W-what? You know that I don’t drive a car.” She said almost in a panic. A serious accident made her afraid to hold a wheel.

The sentinel moved out of the car. He opened the backseat.

“Don’t be afraid, alpha. No one is around. You will not endanger anyone.”

“I can’t.”

“We’re not leaving the place. You said you have to be in the territory before dark.”

Her hands started trembling. She has to shake her head to remove the memory of that dreadful accident.

“I trust you, alpha.”

She breathed out.

When she was a teenager, she used to drive a car. She was still new to driving when she had an accident. She killed a man on the road. She never drives a car again after that incident.

According to the investigation, it was not her fault. The man was drunk and he was walking in the middle of the road springing on incoming cars.

It was a very long two kilometers of her life. She felt a lot better when she could almost see the signage of Leo Auto-Care.

“I’ll ask. Good job, alpha.” Tony said with a smile.

Jill was not able to smile back. She felt guilty at the sight of sweat on the sentinel’s shirt.

She pressed her head on the stirring wheel in shame.

This was the first time in a while since she sat behind the wheel. She was still thankful that she was able to ride a vehicle after that incident.

“Alpha, the mechanic wants you to open the hood,” Tony said in a whisper.

She pressed a button.

The sentinel stepped back and watched the mechanic do his job. Jill remained in her seat as she contemplated on the little achievement she had a few minutes ago.

“Hey, if you and your friend are a little thirsty,” She heard. “There’s a selection of drinks in the fridge. This will be done in a few minutes. There’s a more comfortable seat there.”

Tony nodded at her when their eyes met.

Jill climbed out of the car. She left the key but grabbed her bag from the backseat.

There was a living area in the shop. Beside the wall was a fridge with different drinks ranging from water, fruit juices to soda. There were even bottles of sparkling water.

She asked Tony for a can of Coke.

Like a thirsty man in a desert, the sentinel finished half a liter of water in one go. The poor man must be very tired, too.

She sipped on the cold soda slowly.

The music inside was a little too loud. The mechanic must like music so much.

“I’m sorry that I was not able to have the car checked before we left the city.”

“It’s fine.” She said a little louder. The music is starting to bother her sensitive ears. “We have to be home before dark.” She added.

“I’ll drive, A---”

“It’s done.”

She heard before she could even utter a response. Instead, she asked the person that just came in. “How much do we owe you?”

Her eyes went to the mechanic who drew near. Her mouth went ajar when she was able to take a look at the person intently.

Her wolf was yapping in delight in her head. They were both screaming in joy.

“Let me check. How do you want to pay?”

Her mate is a woman. A very tall woman with a slim physique.

Her long, wavy hair was down. The top of the overall that she was wearing was tied to her waist. Her upper body has nothing on but a sports bra that shows off her flat abdomen.

The pants of the overall have stains of grease and other dirt but Jill paid it no mind. She and her wolf have their eyes on the beautiful woman who finally showed up after a very long while that she almost lost confidence in finding.

The tall woman went behind the counter. Her head was down and her hands were holding an equally dirty rug. Jill, on the other hand, is ogling her mate.

Her eyes widened when the woman raised her head.

She has gray eyes!

“Do we have a problem?”

Jill smiled widely before she shook her head. Tony also stands in attention beside her.

The female alpha knows that she is sporting a grin on her lips and the sentinel might be surprised at the reaction on her face. As of late, she has no reason to smile especially when her father is breathing on her neck as her twenty-fifth birthday neared.

“You alright, ma’am?”

She blinked her eyes. The smile is still plastered on her lips. “Of course. Do you own this shop?”

“Yeah.”

“How long have you been in this business?”

“A while. I paid taxes on time. Everything is legit, too. I don’t do drugs” Her mate responded before she uttered the amount she had to pay.

She almost rolled her eyes at the tall woman’s answers. She gave the credit card for the charges on the car. A minute later, it was returned to her.

“Thank you. If you have time, make sure to have your car checked. Especially if you like long drives.”

Her mate gave her a bright idea to come back.

“Do you happen to do services like that?” The female mechanic nodded. “A possibility that I could return and you do your suggestion by yourself?”

“Sure. Anything else I can help you with?”

The smile on Jill’s lips disappeared. She openly stared at the other woman.

She was a bit confused by the woman’s insensitive responses.

Jill felt that her mate had a wolf inside her. It was faint but the tall woman had a wolf.

She let go of the fact that the other woman did not openly express herself but not even acknowledging who they are to each other is preposterous.

“Do you know who I am?” She asked.

She tried very hard to be calm despite the agitation of her alpha wolf.

The tall woman focused her gray orbs on her. She saw approval on her face but nothing beyond that.

“I’m not in the showbiz loop nowadays. Please enlighten me.”

She frowned at the woman’s audacity. “I’m Jill Maloney.” She disclosed.

“A pleasure to meet you, Ms. Maloney.” The familiar key of the car was given to her. “Thank you.”

She became more confused that the other woman remained passive.

“I can feel your wolf despite you trying to hide her.” She stated.

A smirk formed on the other woman’s lips.

“There was a reason why I’m hiding my wolf.”

“You should not hide her from me.”

“Why is that?”

From her peripheral, she saw Tony step closer. Her sentinel did not like how the other woman spoke to his alpha.

“Because she knew who I am to her and what she is to me.”

“And that is?”

“Don’t talk to her like that.” The man warned.

“Like what?”

“Like you are equal.”

“Are we not? Who is she, anyway?”

“Stop---” She spoke but the sentinel already made his move.

He swiped his arm at the tall woman but to her surprise, the other person had quicker reflexes.

She watched them fight. She was fascinated despite seeing violence in front of her.

“You are trained.” She expressed.

“I’m not. I just hate surprises.”

“Let him go. He will not hurt you.”

She pushed Tony harder than intended. The man fell to his knees as he gasped for air.

“I’m fine, alpha.” The sentinel spoke before she could even ask.

“Do you know who I am to you?” She asked the trained mechanic when their eyes met again.

“No.”

“I’m your mate.”

“It matters to me because?”

Jill did not try to hide the annoyance on her face. She looked at the tall woman intently.

“It should because we are meant to be together. You should know it because you’re a werewolf.”

A chuckle exited her mate’s lips. “Pass.”

Her lips turned into a thin line.

“W-what?”

Miley Cyrus’ Wrecking Ball permitted in the air.

Indeed, this blasted woman is breaking her heart without a second thought. Affront, she told her off.

“If you don’t mind, I have other things to do. Thank you for choosing Leo’s Auto-Care.” Her mate said. It was followed by a beautiful smile.

Jill is about to give her a piece of her mind when the chorus of the song resonates in the car shop.

“Turn that blasted thing off!” She screamed.

The other woman raised her hands. She was clearly startled by Jill’s yell.