Chapter 2 Shadow At Night.

JASMINE

It's been three years since my life took a turn, two years with me fleeing from the pack. Even though Mom had strongly disagreed with me leaving the pack, Dad had fully supported it. He knew it would break me to stay and see the person who had rejected me. Dad had said it was for the better, while Mom was scared that I was going far away and that no one would be able to take care of me.

But here I was, wheeling my luggage as I sighted the pack name. Over the years, I've grown bold, and, of course, I've gotten over Jason. Not even his name could break me now, let alone his sight. Or maybe not.

I stared back at the taxi that had just dropped me off and waved at it. I couldn't believe I was taking this step.

After the rejection, I went through several turmoils, depression, and all. I was shattered, broken, and humiliated before a bunch of teenagers. I just had to blame my stupid heart for falling in love with such a jerk like Jason.

"Hey J!" A familiar voice yelled my name. I turned to see Ruby alighting from a car and running toward me.

"Rat!" I grinned back. She laughed, pulling me into a tight hug.

Her eyes roved over me. "Look at you looking so big and beautiful. I mean, you're so curvy!" Puberty had hit me well; with my hips and boobs, I wasn't looking like the Jasmine of three years ago.

"Just stop the flattery already," I chuckled, pulling away from her hug before she squeezed the hell out of me.

"Girl, I mean you're looking so hot, with that killer shape of yours. You'll surely have the men of the Blue Moon pack rolling at your feet." I couldn't believe Ruby hadn't changed a bit-still the chitty-chatty type. Ruby assisted me in carrying my luggage into the car she had brought and started driving to the pack house, not missing a detail about everything that had been going on in the pack.

As we arrived at the pack house, Mom was standing outside, her eyes gawking expectantly down the road.

She yelled happily as she saw me, "Jasmine!" That was enough to tell everyone in the pack house that I was back.

She pulled me into her arms, and I hugged her back. I missed her. Three years without a home. I really did miss everything.

"Look at you, looking so grown up! Alpha!" she yelled, calling for my father. I mean, mothers can be very dramatic.

I laughed, my heart happy and relaxed. The welcome was hearty so far, and I couldn't be less excited that I was back.

Ruby and I entered the house. After a three-hour drive, I needed to rest. I plopped down on the couch, the softness reminding me of home.

Dad entered the sitting room, his expression not far fetched from Mom's earlier.

"Look at our baby girl, all grown up!" Dad's face brightened. He wasn't looking much different from the last time I had seen him.

I stood to my feet and hugged Dad. I really had missed him. So much.

With Mom and Dad, everyone was complete except him, the guy I had fled the pack for. The man who shattered my heart. Jason, my foster brother.

I hugged Dad tightly, feeling the warmth of his embrace. Pulling back, I glanced around, half expecting to see Jason's familiar face despite everything. The memories of our past and the pain of his rejection tugged at my heart, but I pushed them away. I was here to move forward, not to dwell on old wounds.

After settling inside my room, everything was just been the same as I had left it. Ruby hadn't given me a breathing space, she wanted to fill in every area, including if I had a boyfriend.

Well, what would you expect from me, a heartbroken girl? I'd sealed my heart and said no to men.

"It's almost time for the party," Ruby said as she dropped the nail polish brush back into the bottle. "We should start getting ready."

Of course, I couldn't forget the Party, Mom had stated in the letter. Jason's engagement party was tonight with Stephanie. That Bitch. Not like I care, but... The past is just the past, anyway.

Ruby took her time to dress me up; it would have been a typical me putting on whatever I could get my hands on, but Ruby had insisted the least I could do was look nice wearing any outfit from my wardrobe.

I was dressed in a silver strapless gown, revealing my curves, and my cleavage was left exposed. I wasn't comfortable in such a dress, but Ruby had told me If you have it, then why not flaunt it.

All throughout that evening, I didn't get to see Jason, maybe he was preparing for his engagement party.

The evening was cool and calm, Dad's face was beaming with pride, as well as Mum's. Today was their son's engagement party. So, they were meant to be happy, of course.

The whispers from the crowd about my return filled the crowd, but they dared not say it out loud.

"Aren't Jason and Stephanie such a cute couple? I mean, they look so perfect together," A blonde beside us muttered out loud. A stern glare from Ruby made her leave us.

The loud jeering from the crowd made me walk forward, my throat gulping. Was I ready? I thought I was over him, but with how my heart was beating rapidly, I doubted it. Ruby excused herself to get us a drink.

I stood at the VIP corner, my eyes met his for a fleeting second. Dressed in a sharp, tailored navy blue suit, he wasn't looking so different from the last time I saw him. Old memories came flooding through my head. My heart was racing heavily, I couldn't stare at him, the pain, the ache. I couldn't watch. I thought I had gotten over this, I thought I was a grown up girl now and it wasn't going to hurt. Lies. One minute, I was standing at the dinner party; the next, I found myself running away.

I stopped running, my chest beating heavily. Suddenly, the place I stood in became dark. The light was suddenly turned off, I couldn't tell which was the lesser Demon, was it the fact that I was running away from Jason, or the darkness I was so scared of?

"Hi, Baby Vixen!" The light was suddenly on.