PLEASE READ THE AUTHORS NOTE AT THE END! 

   "I'm not going down there." Stella states, "I rather have my eyes clawed out by hungry tigers than go down there and play house."

"You don't have to play house with them." I reply. "I guess the term civil fits the current situation."

Stella stands from her seat on the twin bed, scuffing as she makes her way to the wooden desk pushed in the corner of the room. She doesn't answer, merely props herself up on it and fiddles with an empty picture frame.

I'm not really opposed to Stella's idea of not attending that stupid dinner.  Though, yes, she is acting very dramatic about it all, I want to eagerly agree  and then chime on about how I really don't like the way they look at us but I don't, knowing that our whole conversation is probably being monitored by the werewolves below our feet. 

I just want Jeremy to wake up so that we can get the hell out of here, and when we did, I'd shake some answers out of Liam while confessing some of the secrets I've been keeping. Well, the one's I would be able to spew. 

I'd probably tell him about Adam and Mom and perhaps, leave out of the whole I'm-related-to-the-pack-that-killed-your-mom-and-sister. I bet that's a real relationship deal breaker.

I sigh and collapse onto the small and lumpy twin bed, Stella watching closely as I do with a triumphant smirk on her face. She probably thinks I've given up and given in. 

My stomach grumbles at the thought of food though and so I'm up once again, narrowing my eyes at her. 

I don't even half to voice what I'm thinking as she says, "If you're so hungry, go down by yourself."

I grunt. All by myself? No way! They'll probably sewer me with questions that I probably wouldn't even be able to answer and that would just resort to awkward stuttering. Fuck Stella and Liam's pride.

The sole reason I had come to bug Stella was to, well, A) Get away from Liam and B) Convince her to go down to that stupid dinner so I could eat.

Right after I walked off from Liam, I heard him retreat into his room and slam the door closed with a silent click following. That really indicated he was not about to fraternize with his old pack, not even if food was being offered. How can anyone turn down food? Nonetheless, free food? 

"Why not just go pester Liam into going down to that stupid dinner?"

"Because I don't want to," I answer stubbornly. "I mean, we just had a fight and I don't want him to think that it's the end of that argument because it certainly isn't."

"You both have issues."

"Thanks Stella." 

"I'm just saying that you guys have a complicated as fuck relationship. " Stella shrugs as she places the picture frame down and resorts to examining her nails. "I'm no expert but secrets in a relationship are pretty much a no-no."

"Yeah, I know." I say, a small sigh leaving my lips. I find myself fiddling with the end of my shirt, my eyes averting to the ground. "It's just, some of the stuff I have to say, isn't good."

"What secrets are? That's why they're secrets, Ron." Stella snorts and hops off the desk, heading over to the bed and plopping down on it. "Besides, I highly doubt Liam could dump you. You're mates. Sure, he'll be angry and might not talk to you for a while but he's been acting like a dickface lately so that's not really a bad thing, in my eyes. Seriously, do you see how he's been treating me? What a dickface."

"Yeah," I reply softly and I gnaw on my lip. "He shouldn't have snapped at you like that."

"I shouldn't have walked off either. I should have said something, shoulda told him to eat shit or kicked his ass." Stella huffs. "I wish Jeremy was awake so I would have someone to take my anger out on."

I laugh softly, nodding my head. Jeremy's humour and stupidity would be nice as of right now. He'd probably go down to the dinner with me unlike Stella and Liam.

I take a seat next to Stella on the bed and analyze her facial expression as she traces the patterns of the pale yellow fall paper on the wall. For once, there isn't a steely and cold look in her eyes, only calm and perhaps a tint of something else that I can only identify as hollowness.

And that's when it hits me. Well, noting literally hits me, just figuratively speaking but whatever. I realize what's going on the moment Stella quickly meets my eyes and then looks away, shuffling uncomfortably on the bed. "Why are you staring at me?"

A slow and sly smile creeps onto my face. "You miss him. You miss Jeremy."

Stella immediately shoots up from the bed, hair whipping around her as she scowls at me. "Shut up. I do not." She attempts to shove me but I dodge out of the way with a laugh.

"You actually miss Jeremy, you little liar!"

"Why don't you just shout it out to the whole fucking world while you're at it?!" Stella snaps, diving at me in an attempt to shut me up but as before I jump out of the way just in time. She glares at me in response, back arched like an angry cat as she pushes herself up from the fall she just took.

"I can, if you like." I taunt with a coy grin. Stella growls at me, nails digging into the wood. I shake my head at her with a laugh. "Chill, Stella. We all miss him. It's a normal emotion."

"I know it is. I just don't want it to be broadcasted across a whole house of werewolves. Can you shut up now?" 

"Sure," I reply, though the grin doesn't leave my face.

Stella pushes herself up from the floor, eyes narrowing under dark lashes. "Just don't tell Jeremy or he'll think I'm in love with him or something."

"You're not?" I ask, faking a shocked expression though I fail to as I place a hand over my mouth to suppress my laughter. Stella merely rolls her eyes and resumes her spot on the bed. 

I would never ever come to believe Stella if she actually did love Jeremy. Well, I'm sure Stella does love him - somewhere, deep, deep, and I mean deep, down inside her black heart, I'm sure - just not in the way some people have it interpreted.

They're fighting isn't flirting or playful for the matter and I'm convinced half of the time that Stella does want to rip Jeremy's head from his shoulders but merely restrains because, as stated before, she cares. Stella Prescott cares. 

Jeremy will have a field day once I tell him this. 

He'll wake up. I know it.

"He was the kid that use to follow Liam and I around, you know," Stella suddenly voices, folding her arms and resting her head on them. She doesn't meet my eyes. "He annoyed me but let me insult me so we became.. friends, I guess."

I nod slowly, ready to open my mouth and ask her something when she quickly beats me to the punch. 

"You know that girl who gives you the stink eye and her names Avalon?" She questions. Again, I nod, though she doesn't bother to acknowledge it. "Well, yeah, she use to pick on Jeremy. It pissed me off, you know. It was months after the whole thing with the pack went down and she said something to him that.. well, let's just say it was hurtful." Stella clears her throat, "He cried because he was a fucking pussy. He was emotional after everything happened and it was the first time I ever saw him cry and I didn't like that and it made me uncomfortable so I beat the bitch until she was choking on her own blood and begging for her life."

Holy crap. 

Stella takes one look at my expression and the usual smirk breaks out onto her face. "It's probably why she hates just looking at me. I hope she has flashbacks of it frequently. I want that image of me pounding her face to be burned into her memory, you know?"

"You freak me out sometimes, Stella." I admit earnestly. Stella laughs softly.

I don't push asking her why Jeremy was so emotional then or where was Liam at the time and just what the hell happened. It gets me wondering about Stella's past, though. What happened to her parents, why she joined the Purgatory, a lot of things.

Unlike Liam, Stella was willing to confess most of her past, just on her own terms and when she pleased to do so. 

At the rate we were going, I didn't doubt the fact Stella's parents were most likely dead. And if she did have siblings, I assumed they were dead too. And the following for Jeremy. Not once had either of them mentioned parents or brothers and sisters and it puzzled me. 

I grasped enough to realize that the Purgatory had attacked their pack, just like they did mine, and now Jeremy, Stella, and Liam were out for blood. Well, mostly Stella and Liam though Jeremy seemed to enjoy fights and revenge. 

Things must have gotten progressively worse after the attack to cause Stella, Jeremy, and Liam to branch off on their own. I had my beliefs as to why Liam left. 

Calvin. 

He looked fairly young and that means Liam's father must have moved on pretty fast from his mother's death and conceived relatively fast. And I could totally understand why he would have been angry enough to leave. 

He's father had immediately turned to another woman after the death of his wife and daughter in a blink of an eye. His father hadn't seemed too thrilled to see Liam when we arrived earlier. This was certainly not a happy family reunion and it was really crappy that I was stuck in the middle of it without a damn clue of what was going on or why they all hated each other.

And on top of that, I'm still starving. 

"Okay, screw it. I'm going down there because I want food." I declare as I stand, a source of courage of running through me. I reach the door, placing my hand on the door knob and ready to go down there and face whatever I will have to for food. I mean, how could it get? Maybe they'd ask me some questions. Maybe they'd stare, perhaps a little malevolently but I could get food out of it. 

"Hold up," Stella calls as I start to twist the knob. I turn and find her pushing herself to her feet with a huff as she comes to stand next to me. "I'll come with you. Just so, you know, if Avalon attempts to poison you, I'll be there to beat her up again. Besides, I can think of a few other people there who might bug you and I'm sure they'll be pleased to see my beautiful face."

I roll my eyes but smile nonetheless because I'm pretty sure that's one of the nicest things Stella has gone. Not too earlier did she claim that she would rather have ravenous tigers kill her rather than have dinner with her former pack mates but I won't mention that. 

Perhaps reminiscing on some of the ways she use to terrorize her pack mates has made her spirits rise. Even if her stories did scare me, I was grateful she was willing to bare the meal for me. 

"Thanks Stella."

"Don't thank me yet. Just remember I warned you." And with that, she swings open the door and walks ahead of me, long hair swishing around her as she walks with a pip in her step. 

Her reply scares me but not enough to ruin my appetite. 

At least, not yet.

              So this is awkward.

I kinda wish the ground would just swallow me up though that does sound a bit frigetening. At least if it did I wouldn't have to deal with those stares I was talking about earlier and the death glare from Avalon and the weird, creepy smile I'm getting from a blonde girl who appears to be no older than Stella and I and is sporting a swollen stomach under her pretty sundress with two other crying children around her. Her mate and husband - I'm assuming that it is her husband, you know, the decent sized diamond on her finger indicates at it - wrestles with the children to sit down and they do, once he growls at them.

He's a big guy with black hair and matching dark eyes along with huge, freaking muscles. He looks like a body builder and like he could potentially crush my head like a walnut. 

Calvin sits across from me, babbling to his mother who occasionally smiles awkwardly at me before nodding at Calvin's words and encouraging him to eat more rather than talk. Mr. Farley sits next to his wife, though, unlike Calvin, he focuses on his food and grunts when the burly dude says something.

Isaac sits to my right while Stella sits to my left, while Avalon is next to the blonde girl. She switches from glaring at Stella and I, though her eyes mostly remain on Stella.

When I reached to take another dinner roll, she even sneered at me. Sneered at me. 

Stella sneered back which caused Mr. Farley to send them disapproving looks and the blonde chick to frown. I thought about shoving a dinner roll down Avalon's throat and mentally fist pumped when Stella jacked me a dinner roll.

The food was nice, though. Mr. Farley's wife could not only make babies, but cook as well and so I gave her kudos. I probably shouldn't but she seemed relatively harmless and nervous just from Stella and I's presence so I knew she wouldn't mess with me, but for Liam's sake, I should probably be mean to her or something because it's blatantly obvious he's not too fond of her and I'm assuming that's why he didn't come down for dinner. Along with the reason of his father and Calvin too.

Though yes, I was slightly embarrassed as everyone watched me consume my food and maybe I was tempted to face my chair towards the wall a few times but I resisted and instead, like I said before, wished the ground would swallow me up. Or well, maybe I wished the ground would swallow up Avalon. I hadn't even spoken a word to her and I knew I didn't like her one bit.

Yeah, she had the whole exotic beauty thing going on but she sneered at me and the only person who's allowed to sneer at me is Stella. 

Plus, her twin was creepily staring at my boobs the whole time and I wish I hadn't removed my flannel. Now all I have on is a fitted gray tank top and well, Isaac really doesn't care that I know he's staring, if anything, I'm pretty sure he finds it humorous as I shuffle around my seat and slide my chair closer to Stella's. 

I decide I want the ground to swallow him up too just because I don't like people looking at my boobs. You know, people beside Liam.

"So," the blonde girl chirps, breaking the silence. "What's your name?"

Her eyes land on me and I know she's talking to me, but instead I merely look around, as if expecting someone else to answer or something. She continues to stare, though, her long eyelashes fluttering.

"You must be very dense if you can't remember your own name." Avalon sneers. Again. 

Okay bitch, I get it. You don't want me here and I don't want you on this planet.

"Shut up, Grey." Stella remarks and I know that it might look like she was defending me and I guess she partly is but if anything, Stella is defending me because she surely wants to pick a fight with Avalon. Either way, I don't mind.

"Make me, Prescott." Avalon hisses, revealing long talons in the process as she hunches over the table and digs her extending nails into the table. It's such a pretty table, too. What a shame.

Stella doesn't hesitate to retaliate to the threat and grabs her steak knife and raises it to slam it into Avalon's hands when Mr. Farley stands abruptly, shouting, "Stop it! Both of you! You're not children and you shouldn't behave like this!"

The blonde girl's kids start to scream and cry again at the whole argument while she tries to hush them, smoothing down their hair and kissing their tear stained cheeks. 

Avalon narrows her almond eyes and stares at Mr. Farley and Mr. Farley stares right back, tempting her to argue with him. She doesn't. She merely extracts her nails from the table with a final hiss and leans back in her chair. 

Stella remains clutching the knife in her hand but slowly and surely lowers it, placing it back down beside her plate. "Don't think I won't hesitate to stab you next time, Grey. And tell your creepy brother to stop staring at Ronnie's boobs. Liam will murder him too if he finds out. Not that I would mind."

"Liam!" The blonde girl shrieks. "He's here?" She questions. Her husband grunts. "Oh my god, you must be his mate, then! Ronnie?"

Her shrieking makes her release her grip on her two children who immediately resort to crying once again. 

I think my eardrums are bleeding. 

I lean back in my chair, clutching the seat tightly at the fright of her shrieking. How didn't she know that Liam is here? I'm pretty sure that's all they've been talking about since we've arrived. 

The big burly dude stands suddenly, grasping his children's hands and pulling them up. I thank him silently and hope I won't see the crying children again. They're giving me a headache.

"Goodnight, sweethearts!" The blonde girl calls after her husband. She smiles slowly, turning back to me. "I swear, we can't even have a calm dinner without the kids crying. Lance is so good with them, though. I'm Calla, by the way."

"Ronnie Mars." I answer back dully, still kinda freaked out by her shrieking and smiling and Isaac's eyes which are still glued to my boobs.

"What a pretty name! You are such a pretty girl." I wonder if all that smiling starts to hurt after a while. "I can see why Isaac likes to stare so much." She giggles at that while I resist the urge to vomit in my mouth. 

I'm about to respond with an awkward thanks when the sound of thudding footsteps catches my attention. And everyone elses as we all look to the entrance of the dinning room. 

I expect it to be the big burly dude again but I'm shocked when a familiar scent reaches my nose and I find myself staring at the one and only Liam Farley. 

We all just kinda stare at him while he stares at me and then Isaac and I'm pretty sure he's plotting murder.

From beside me, I feel Stella shake with silent laughter. 

"Liam," Calla calls in her bell-like voice. "It's so nice of-"

"Move." Liam says to Issac, arms crossed over his chest and muscles bared due to the muscle shirt he changed into. Sweet Jesus.

Don't stare. Don't stare. 

It's kinda hard not to stare.

"And if I don't?" Isaac replies lowly. 

Calvin's mother shifts uncomfortably. "You know what, sweetie," She says catching Calvin's attention, who has been staring at Liam the whole time. "I think it's time to go wash up and get ready for bed."

"But mom-"

"Now Calvin. Come on. I'll go with you." She stands and grasps Calvin's small hand in hers. Calvin whines silently but does nothing more to protest. "Night Daddy." Calvin sneaks in a quick hug and Mr. Farley responds with a kiss to his son's forehead. 

They patter off silently, Calvin staring at Liam as he goes. Liam doesn't look at either of them. 

"Move." Liam responds, his voice just as demanding as before. Isaac looks to Mr. Farley but Mr. Farley merely raises an eyebrow at him.

Mr. Farley can't boss Liam around and I'm pretty sure he doesn't want to attempt to. That would cause more of a fight and well, that's all we need.

It still would have been nice if Stella stabbed Avalon, though. Or if she would get consumed by hell. Whatever works.

"Now." Liam growls out and Isaac stands, taking his plate with him and switching to the Lance's empty seat.

Liam struts over and takes his seat next to me, not hesitating to drag my chair closer and throw an arm around my shoulders. 

I glare at him under my eyelashes but I don't shrug his arm off. I want Isaac to get the message I'm not interested plus it's funny to watch him cower under Isaac's stare. What a little bitch. 

Liam maintains his steady glare on Isaac and I know Liam's been listening to the whole conversation when I find Liam pointing right at me. Or well, right at my chest. "Those are mine."

Jesus christ.

Stella busts out laughing, thrashing and kicking and acting like a maniac as she holds onto her stomach. 

"Stare again and I'll gauge your eyes out."

I sink down into my chair. Thanks Liam.

                        Stella falls into step with me as Liam trails behind silently. I'm in a permanent state of sighing and eye rolling as I walk to my room. 

I reach the door and Stella sends me a smirk as she walks off, not bothering to say goodbye to Liam. She's still pissed, evidently.

And I can totally understand why.

I push the door open and make my way inside, ready to shut the door when Liam catches it with his hand. Of course. 

"Why can't we just share a room?"

"Because I said so."

"Come on, Ron." He whines. "Do you know how bad the mating pull feels? It's especially painful when you're the dude of the relationship."

"Not my problem." I attempt to shut the door again and I know I'm being harsh and all but I am not about to further a relationship in that way until the truth comes out. I have a feeling the truth is bound to come out rather soon, too. Besides, I can't bare the thought of doing anything with Children in the house and especially with his dad under the roof too. 

I am grateful they've taken us under our roof, especially even fed us, but the tension is killer and well, Avalon and Isaac are annoying and this place would be better if they, well, disappeared forever. 

Heck, the planet would be a better place without them.

"We can just cuddle."

"Goodnight Liam."

"Ron-" He stops the door from closing again. I huff.

"You have a hand. Use it."

And with that, I slam the door close and lock it.

------------------------------

I'm aware this chapter isn't that great, but I wanted to get something out for you even if too much isn't going on.

But the next chapter will be action packed, I promise! At least we got to learn a little more about Stella and for those who are like, "JUST TELL EACH OTHER THE TRUTH ALREADY!" Don't worry. they will. Calm yourself. :P

Avalon's a bitch, who woulda thought? :P

But anyway, it's super late and I'm already working on the next chapter and someone comes back in the next chapter. Take a guess, go ahead. :D 

Hopefully, the next chapter will be up today since techinally it's already past twelve AM. Just probably waaay later, lol. I need sleep to function. Sorry I went MIA but school started and that took up most of my time, along with all the clubs I'm in. But I'm gonna try to get out content fast for you guys because you're so lovely!! 

And for some reason Wattpad is marking this story rated R. Lol, okay. I mention boobs and it's rated R? I've seen worse from stories that are PG-13! Oh well. I'm just such a badass. I've emailed them anyway. I was gonna wait to post this for that reason, but I can't bare keeping you guys waiting anylonger when I already have. 

And also, thank you to NeonLights12 for the banner. It's beautiful. If you have a banner, go ahead and send it. They're all so amazing!

Anyway, thanks for reading and sticking around. :) x

Until next time,

- CeCe.