Chapter 6 – Chelsea POV

After that terrible nightmare I knew it was useless trying to go to sleep, swinging my legs over the side of my bed I went to the window, I twisted my mouth to the side as I looked at the lights of the city, not wanting to cry, but unable to feel anything but numb. Looking down, the bustling city below me, there's emptiness inside... Dad – Jason had a way of pulling me from those moods. 

It started with his visits at the hospital, the reading to me, and then bringing me art supplies when I had my cast removed. Dad was always taking care of me, doing little things and even now after he died he was caring for me.

** - Flashback - **

Immediately after the burial service for Jason, his lawyer and friend Mikael came to me and discussed my financial standings. I guess I was naïve somewhat because I was the only one shocked among Jack, Casey, and Helen when the will was read. Apparently my father was well off, which I knew, but I didn't know just how affluent he was, and how prosperous I had become because of his death.

As a result, however, I could do what I liked for the rest of my life, whether it is dancing for one lifetime, then painting for the next one, or teaching dance for another, I had endless possibilities. Although I knew that eventually when I stopped aging because I was a werewolf, I would have to live a much quieter life. But I already did that. I danced because it brought me pure joy, using my limbs to create beauty was beautiful to me. It didn't matter that I would eventually have to stop dancing publicly on a stage, I had spent six years dancing only in the home studio Jason had built for me. So it wasn't about the fanfare for me, it was about how I found myself while dancing, centered my soul.

I was dancing. I am a dancer. I danced to erase what my memory could not. I danced to shut the pain out. I danced for so many reasons and I would continue to do so.

What also brought me joy was that I would be able to keep Jack, Casey and Helen with me. I had been worrying that I would not be able to continue to compensate them but learning about my financial standing gave me great relief.

When Mikael left, leaving only Jack, Casey, and Helen, I asked them to talk with me and hear my plans. Dad had often said he couldn't read minds so the best thing to do was to just talk out loud instead of having others guessing and getting things wrong. So after some thinking I came up with a plan. I'm not sure if I was running, trying to hide from Leo, or if this was really something I wanted in my heart, or just my way of fulfilling the last promise I had made to my dad – that I would venture out into the world. Attend university. Not just online classes or private instructors as we had been doing since I went home with him.

Jack, Casey and Helen sat around me, letting me speak, "I was really worried that I would not be able to have you guys stay with me," I said. We had been staying at our penthouse apartment, they came with me, and it had been bothering me what was going to happen to me, would they stay with me or go back to their families?

"Oh dear," Helen said.

"Hang on a minute and let me finish please," I continued, "As I was saying, I was really worried that I would not be able to have you guys stay with me, not knowing what my next step would be. But I do have some ideas that I would like to run by you guys and I understand if you won't be able to agree, but let's all just talk honestly," I twisted and untwisted my fingers, the nerves getting to me.

"We've been staying here at the hotel because I still can't bear to go back to that house. I know that it's my home, but after what happened I really don't want to stay there, or here, for that matter. Before Dad died he had said t-that he would get changed to a werewolf if I lived in the real world," I say trying not to cry. "So I had applied to different schools-a few in Europe, a few here... I have received several acceptance letters, including one for the University of Southern California..." I stop there, watching their reactions, but they didn't give anything away, so I carried on.

"I want to go to USC. I applied for their dance program as well as their fine arts and was accepted to either. I would love to do dance, but with my dislike of being touched, and knowing that I will eventually have to work with a partner, I thought that maybe art would be the better choice?"

"Anyways, before I even have to make that decision, I wanted to know if you guys would be willing to move with me?" I had asked so quickly I'm not sure how they even understood me. But I sat there looking at the two men and woman that helped me deal with dad's death as well as becoming a werewolf.

"Chelsea, when your dad first brought us in, it was under the belief that if anything happened to him, we would be with you, helping to guide and protect you. Just because he's gone doesn't mean we are going to turn our back on you, in fact it's quite the opposite. With what you are, we can't abandon you in that way," Jack said speaking for the two others, but they nodded their heads, "But there's more, when you applied to your different universities eight months ago, your father started building homes close to those schools. He figured, if you wanted, we would all move with you. You could live in dorms if you wished but would know that a home was not that far. Or if you wanted to have the place to yourself, he would stay in a condo nearby, but basically he was never going to just send you out without either himself or us," Jack explained carefully.

I was surprised that dad would have done something like that, until I sat back and thought it out, of course, dad would prepare for us in that way, nodding slowly, "So, we have homes ready for us regardless of where I – we – go?" I clarified with a smile.

Jack chuckled, "Yeah. For USC, your father contacted the Silvermoon Alpha and asked to buy pack land and built a 14-bedroom mansion for all of us. As far as I know, it will have everything we need plus a large kitchen so you and Helen can make us fat with your great cooking," he teased me. I chuckled while he continued.

"Anyway, the building is three stories, with the top floor consisting of a dance studio and an art studio. The complex also has a six-car garage, which has apartments above in case we needed to hire more security. Last, we also have a private beach," he finishes.

"What's the pack like?" I asked curiously, the other things he described were okay and meant we would be comfortable but I did want to know what type of pack we would be living near, "Will we have to join or can we be like we are here-just have permission to be in the area, but not really be pack members? Because I'm not sure I would want to be a pack member," I trailed off.

Casey and Jack shook their heads at me, "We won't have to join, but when we get settled in we will have to invite the Alpha, Luna, his son, the Beta, and his wife, over for a meet and greet. The pack did not have much money so when your father offered to pay almost triple what the land was worth so you would have your space and be at ease, they jumped right on it. They spoke with Alpha George here to see if we were troublemakers," Jack laughed because we made no trouble anywhere; we pretty much stayed to ourselves.

"So the pack is struggling?"

Jack shrugged, "I don't think they are struggling I believe they needed money quick and your father wanted space, each agreeing to the conditions easily."

** - End Flashback - **

That little talk had gone much better than I thought, but now we were waiting on one thing, well more like a few people to be specific. Instead of Jack, Casey, Helen and I going alone, Jack suggested that we bring on more people – his family members – which was insane seeing as I didn't want anymore people between Leo and I, but I had to admit that I would feel safer with more people.

"Okay. Another point to consider is that since this new house is bigger, using more overall land, we will need to hire more help. Before you worry, however, I want to know if you would be okay with my two brothers and their mates coming with us. Helen, Jack, and I will stay in the main house. My brothers will stay in the apartments above the garage, but between all of us we will be able to monitor the land, as well as you. I know you trust us, and I know my brothers would be very helpful in keeping you safe, but the decision is yours," Jack had said.

At the time all I could think of was the fact that my father's blood had been used to write – that I belonged to Leo – inside our home-my safe haven. Yet Jack still wanted to bring in more people to watch over me, to put into danger? I know most teenagers would be furious at the thought of having to be followed around incessantly 24/7 by guards, but they've never been the sole focus of a psychopath. I liked having Casey and Jack with me at all times; I felt safe with them around as if I could let my guard down a little bit instead of always being on edge. I was strong when I was my wolf, but it was not good for either of us for me to be on edge all the time when in my human form. So even though I thought Jack was crazy for wanting to put more family members in the line of fire, I was extremely grateful that he was willing to do so.

It had been a few days, Jack and Casey's brothers, Nathan and Ray, plus their mates and a little brother named Jamie had all said they'd be willing to leave their current pack and come with us to California. However after they confirmed, four of their friends, Noah, Alex, Lukas and Violet asked if they could be my guards as well. In the time that Jack and Casey had been with me, I hadn't met anyone in their family, so before moving, we were having them over tomorrow. Everyone.

Since I would be going out more that I need more supervision but decided to tackle that when we arrived, already having interviews set up with the most qualified. After sitting down with Noah, Alex, Lucas and Violet I found them all very qualified and suiting for the job. They were all werewolves, ex-Navy SEALs- minus Violet- and they didn't have family beside each other.

Noah and Alex were 109 years old but only look to be 29 at the most. They had met Lucas and Violet while doing a final tour. Violet, to my surprise was actually only 22 years old and truly the youngest of the gang. Her personality was hard to describe and was very out of the norm in my opinion, she was absolutely drop-dead gorgeous but in a tomboy sort of way.

At first I thought she was calm and quiet but that was all very misleading. She's the one of the guys' type of girl but was actually in a relationship with one of the guys, Lucas. The 2 of them, Violet and Lucas, were mates but even without that fact I'm sure they were made for each other. The way they looked at each other alone was evidence of that. Where Violet was wild, active, hyper out-of-control, Lucas was calm, and quite easy-going he seemed to be the buffer but not only for Violet for the entire gang.

I walked away from the window, leaving my room and heading to the library to find a book to read for the rest of the night.

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When Jack and Casey suggested that we invite everyone over to see how we mesh with each other as well as how my wolf felt about them I thought that was a very good idea because while on paper they might look qualified my wolves were very secretive, careful and calculating and could easily tell who was trustworthy and who wasn't.

I sat and watch them all interact with each other; Jack, Casey, Ray, Nathan, Molly, Jamie, Andrea, Noah, Alex, Lucas and Violet I felt that they should be kept together, they each brought out aside to each other that otherwise was well hidden. They were good friends, a mini little family, I trusted them and most importantly my wolves trusted them. Even though I felt closed up by being around so many people, outside of Jack and Casey, I was sad that one of them wasn't my dad.

It was strange for me, I normally only had Jack, Casey, dad and Helen but things had changed very quickly. I hadn't been able to dance the same at all since dads' death, I trained, exercised and stretched my muscles but that's all. I felt full of guilt, it consumed me, and I felt so trapped and didn't seek out any comfort. I didn't know how to seek out comfort it just wasn't the way that I was trained that wasn't the way Leo wanted me.

"Get ready to have an orgasm in your mouth." Casey had said gaining strange stares but he smugly answered "wait and see." Not having much of an appetite I just remained quiet, listening and watching Jack and Casey interact with their brothers and their mates.

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While having dessert everyone but Jamie and I moved to the sitting area.

Over much debate I decided to major in art and business, taking dance and mathematics as minors, however when looking at an overview once again of classes opens all students I learned that I did not need to be majoring in dance to partake in individual classes for technique, performance, production and choreography. After finding out, fixing my schedule I was enrolled in 3 dance classes, two painting and drawing courses, and finally two math courses. I already had enough credits to fulfill my requirements so with those out-of-the-way I could focus on art dance and math.

After speaking to two professors who taught my math classes we agreed that while I had to show up to class at least once a week, for quizzes and exams I would be doing my coursework ahead of the rest of my peers. My professors had already e-mailed me an edited syllabus.

This setup suited me just fine, both professors had asked if I would be open to being a teacher's aide, which I quickly declined. While most students wouldn't get or have an assignment due the very first day, I did. So after receiving my textbook that morning I brought my coursework out to begin my homework.

As I set my books on the table Jamie and I began a new conversation, he looked confused.

"What are you doing?" He asked and I explained. Trying to do in a way that would not draw any attention to my age and enrollment status, but I knew by now that there was no way around this.

"Well I'm a senior at USC, I have different schedules in my math classes" I clarified still looking at my syllabus to know exactly what I had to do, as I finished my statement.

"I have to attend but I'm not doing the same coursework."

"Wait," he said in shock before continuing, "you're a senior at USC? You're only 18!" He choked out, getting the reaction I had wanted to avoid.

I needed to deflect.

"I guess. What about you?" I asked not liking where this was going and you he think it was some type of freak.

"I was attending NYU Stern," he paused...

"It's a business school, one of the best in the world actually," Jamie explained but telling me what I already knew.

"When Molly said she was moving, I decided to leave the program and I applied to the Marshall undergraduate business program. My application was after the deadline so I won't be able to start until next fall semester." He finished sadly.

"Why business?" I inquired.

"Well they," he said pointing to his family in the living room "want to open different businesses, they all do. Ray and Nathan want to do something with architecture, the girls design and I'd like to set up a club may be a bar at first then branch out. We have never had much money, and were going to live a long time, not sure we want to spend hundreds of years poor and struggling. The tuition even with a scholarship that I was awarded was not fully covering all the expenses so everyone's been helping me out. When I graduate hopefully I should be able to provide more and help them set up their own thing, pay for them to go to school as well..." As he spoke I was reminded of dad and the things that he always taught me.

There was no point to being so wealthy if we couldn't help others out. Not necessarily give them money outright but help them in ways so that they could better themselves. Use it as an investment, meaning, by helping others, using our wealth positively we were in turn helping the economy but helping in general was the main point.

True altruism. As I sat and listened to him, I felt that I really spent a lot of time hiding away and I will probably always be a homebody type of person but he was someone that lived probably 30 to 40 min. away from me. But because of fear I never ventured out, never met him or even invited his family to our home.

"It might take a while but we figured that one by one we would get our businesses set up. You know first person getting one up, then using profits to help the next."

I felt bad because he was giving up a lot, they all were. I immediately had a plan forming.

"So you're major is business, right? Did you have a minor?"

"No but I have been taking math classes, law and even dance, well hip-hop, and a few accounting courses."

"I had 19 credit hours to finish before graduation. So I guess I'll take the year off, get a job and save up."

"Can you excuse me for a minute?" I said walking to my room, my plan already made.

Hey Mikael I mind link my lawyer.

Yeah Chelsea

I was talking to Jamie, Molly's little brother. Can you work on this for me, it's really important and I need to get it done as soon as possible, okay? I continued.

So Jamie was going to NYU Stern. He's moving with us but applied too late, and can't attend till next fall. So I was thinking if we could offer donation so he would start this semester. Maybe mention creating a scholarship in dad's name or something. It's only 2 PM there could you see if you can get this organized today.

If that doesn't work maybe you can try saying he needs to be enrolled as my close-up bodyguard. He would be entering as a senior, he'll be taking my math classes, also my dance classes as electives, or maybe accounting classes, okay? I finished my thought through the mind link after saying to let me know immediately on his progress.

I walked back to Jamie hoping to have good news soon, cutting each of us a slice of cobbler pie, grabbing 2 forks and handing him the plate.

I open my Advanced Applied Algebra textbook and begin working while keeping an off and on conversation with Jamie for an hour while I worked on my assignment. To be perfectly honest I'm sure both of my professors knew that this class would be a breeze for me which is probably why they had both asked if I'd rather be a teachers aide instead of taking their class. And if I was somebody else I probably would've taken them up on that offer however, I really didn't need that kind of attention but I did want to finish University and graduate.

I decided that while I had to attend class since I did not need to listen I probably take my sketchbook along and draw for my class periods. I was hoping that branching out and not being afraid that Leo would catch up to me even though I was fairly sure that he would, would be a step in the right direction of truly being free or as free as I could get I should say. I knew that killing my father was just one step, or progress in Leo capturing me again. Since I shifted when I was 13 my wolf always told me that I was not meant to be with Leo, I was not meant to endure any more pain in his hands.

Jason, my dad had always wondered why the business courses? I never had time to tell him but what I really wanted to do was open my own art gallery. I started painting almost 4 or 5 months after I was released from the hospital. I had never taken a class before I was injured, but in the hospital once I had healed enough to hold a pencil and open my swollen eyes, dad had brought pencils, water color paints, paper, and a drawing for beginners book by Vadim Koptievsky.

Flashback-

I had been in this hospital room for what seemed like years but was only probably 3 months recovering. Leo had done a number on me, I knew I had been bad but this time was worse than all the other times and I couldn't put my finger on it but I was sure that there was something more to how aggressive this punishment had been. With my limbs each tied to a certain post on his torture table, laying on my stomach facedown, he used one of his tools and dragging it down my back at an angle. I had already been beaten earlier that morning so my pain threshold was a little low, but whatever he did to my back was the end of everything I blacked out.

There was a knock at my door, which is good because I didn't want to spend any more time thinking about this.

"Hello dearie how are you today?" Jason asked.

Jason was nice and very friendly; he had been visiting me since I first got admitted I think although I don't know but every time I woke up when it started lowering my pain medication Jason was there. He'd read to me in a tone so soft his voice sounding like velvet that would put me back to sleep. I hadn't interacted with anyone so kind in so long I didn't know how to act but that never bothered him and he always came back.

Unlike all the other doctors, Jason never pried for information; he simply visited me with a big smile and lots of attention. He never gazed too long at my scars or bruises; it was like I didn't even have them when he came to visit.

"I brought something for you today." No one ever brought anything so that kind of caught my interest.

"You can't do much with your hands but I thought you'd like to color maybe draw, so I went and bought some supplies not too much just maybe something to do when I'm not here," his generosity coating that sentence.

I didn't talk much because I figured that Leo would come back and if I give away too much information he'd only hurt me more, find new instruments, creative ways to hurt me. So when Jason spoke I just nodded my head.

First, he pulled out an 8 x 15 wire bound sketchbook and placed it on the tray table next to the bed.

Then he pulled out a metal case, it is very flat and when he opened it revealed 10 pencils. At first I was shocked why would I need 10 pencils I thought to myself. But probably reading expression on my face Jason started to explain.

"I know I didn't even know things were like this either, but the lady at the store said that each pencil is different and can be used for something different as well like shading, some pencils are darker or lighter...  all sorts of things." He chuckled after.

I just nodded in understanding.

Then he pulled out the container that held colored pencils and another that held prism markers.

When he had finished placing all of his purchases on the tray, he moved the tray over to my bed. He had a sack on his side and when he sat down and opened it he pulled out a book from inside, "okay I got this to it's a drawing for beginners book, I'm not much of a drawer but the lady said that this would be good to explain and let you know what some of the items I purchased were." He said as he held the book out to me indicating that he wanted me to take it from his hands. As I looked at the book then flicked my eyes up to his I saw this was not a trick, and slowly took the book from his hand and placed it on the tray.

-End Flashback

As I thought back to that time I felt an ache, not from any other injury than a broke heart, I mourned in my own way and avoidance was one of the steps. Dad helped me find the best things in myself and art was one of them, although I was pretty tight lipped about who I was, I had been selling my work since I was 13 years old. I've had a shows at a few galleries twice every year in New York, and two or three galleries along the California coast, in Chicago, Australia and recently I included shows in Italy and England. However I've only ever attended the ones in New York.  I wanted to put my work out there so I did, but at first I was very worried, intimidated even. I mean who wants to buy fine Art from a 13-year-old girl. I never wanted attention afraid that too much would never be good since eventually I would stop aging, so dad suggested I use a pseudonym. Well in the end I decided that for the art world I would use his nickname for me.

CiCi.

That's what he called me when he first started coming to visit me, which was nice because the only other nickname I had before then was "little shit."

With painting or any of my activities it was never about gaining celebrity status, I loved painting, drawing and dancing only because they each helped me to forget. I was wealthy, am wealthy but you wouldn't know because the only thing I spent money on were the supplies I needed. So when I looked into business programs I decided that I would open my own gallery, instead of only renting spaces to have my show I would have my own. Still paint under my pseudonym, but once I got to an age where I would have to stop, I would just use a new name and change my technique. My plan was not definite but before I even had the chance to discuss this with my dad he was gone.

You have so much time to say things you want to; to tell the people you love and care about how you feel but that wasn't true time is never guaranteed.

After waiting an hour I finally heard back from Mikael.

Hey I'm faxing you his schedule Mikael said and I squealed which was not I but I was so happy to get this worked out for Jamie.

Jumping from my chair, I ran to the office we had set up and I grabbed the schedule.

I'm not sure how you got it done thank you very much I thanked Mikael.

Walking back to Jamie with the biggest grin on my face, I sat down and handed him the paper showing him his classes. He was in total shock, staring with wide eyes and his jaw matched.

"How..."

"I mean... what?

His voice raised a few octaves. "I... Oh my God, this isn't some type of joke right?"

I shook my head, still smiling. It was a kind thing to do. It came from my heart. His reaction I had expected but at that moment I can see how I must have appeared when dad helped me achieve and sometimes surpass my goals and dreams.

He jumped out of his chair and pulled me up for a bone-crushing hug, saying thank you repeatedly. At this point everyone had come to check out what was going on.

He released me and showed Molly his schedule, which just about brought her to tears.

"How?" She asked

"Well he was explaining so I had Mikael work on it."

"He will have dance and math with me but also his needed business core requirement classes plus an elective," Molly, Andrea, Ray and Nathan were looking at me with puzzled faces so I explained.

"You guys are all moving across the country for me so it's really the least I could do."

"Thank you so much Chelsea, so when do they need to tuition by Jamie?" questioned Molly.

But I quickly interrupted. "Oh no his tuition is paid in full."

"No way, we can only do that. We can work out some payment plan like we had with his old school."

My wolves and I were getting angry we felt a bit insulted that they wouldn't just except it we liked being around Jamie. They wanted to help them. I wanted to help them.  And they were just making her angry.

"I wasn't asking you to pay, I already did." I said bluntly ending that conversation. I turned back to Jamie to hand him my Advanced Applied Algebra textbook and syllabus.

He took them to look a bit confused why handed them to him to begin with. My good moods instantly back. "Well as you can see you are in my 2 math classes so you will be using the same syllabus as me, which means.... You have homework to complete." I said and giggled at his stunned expression.

"You can use my books until you get your own." I said as I opened my calculus 3 book and began working on the assigned work, hoping the rest would take a hint and leave. They did.

"Hey Chelsea?" Jamie said but in a much more solemn tone... causing me to look up into his eyes.

Quietly. Very un-Jamie like, "Really, thank you."

"No problem." I replied with that was undoubtedly the most genuine smile I've perhaps given since dad died.

I was always getting lost in my thought these days. I did not like it. Starting to work as to not dwell on those thoughts.

Reflections of dad, of my whole life. So many pieces that did not even make sense and would probably never make sense. I had secrets. Many of them. With this move I knew that I would have to reveal many as we were all moving forward because once I had settled in with my dad, my life had changed, I thought recently before dad's death that it wouldn't divert again but now it had. Not only deterred but flipped upside down.

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After that first dinner, Jamie, he had become my self-appointed BFFE...best friend for eternity. I still had not spoken up about my inner turmoil's over my father's death, among the many things that bothered me inside. I had felt out of the new group of people but closed up as well, then Jamie pointed out something that all of them moving, picking up their lives because I was going out to California should only bring me comfort. Not only because of my crazy stalker Leo, but also now because of my wealth, my new monetary status was one thing I valued that Jamie did not care for. He liked me for me, which was different from Jack and Casey; Jamie was around of his own free will. Whether it was because we were closer in age than everyone else, he was 20, or extremely intelligent but I wanted to be around him.

Jamie was a very welcomed attachment in terms of moving, a benefit that had not previously appeared but felt like it was meant to happen. After the initial awkwardness I experienced with most people I learned so much about him. Many people thought that his sexual orientation was wrong, against the laws of nature. Well those people also did not and do not know about supernatural beings.

What was shocking was when he mentioned that even people from his pack had those thoughts and mindset; teasing, cruel jokes and physical bullying were all things that he experienced. I then began to understand just why he did not want to be left behind, he was strong but much stronger with his sister and if she were gone that type of torture would've surely taken a toll. As I listened to him talking I thought that you would think people that turn into giant dogs would be so much more open but apparently not.

Anyways I could tolerate him easily; he didn't pry or talk too much when he noticed my changing moods. With similar taste in movies, music and even food although his cooking privileges had been immediately revoked when he burned scrambled eggs.

Who burned eggs I asked incredulously?

I had thought that Jack and Casey were bad cooks; I was proven wrong, Jamie was worse, but that was okay since he'd be living with us, he'd clean, and I'd cook. The best thing I could think of though, was that when I finally told the guys my secrets, I would know that Jamie had wanted to be my friend before he knew the truth.

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