The Other Part of Me

Cassie

The following morning, after an extensive run and a quick shower, Cassie ran downstairs in search of Bridgette. She found her in the scarcely populated dining area, sitting in a corner table, sipping from a steaming mug. "Bridgette, good morning." Cassie leaned down to greet her with a quick kiss on the cheek. "Where's Molly?"

Bridgette smiled. "She'll sleep for two more hours, three if I'm lucky. Grab a coffee and join me so we can gossip like a couple of old ladies." She suggested as she pointed to the corner of the dining room where pack members were getting a breakfast buffet ready.

Cassie smiled. She made a quick beeline to the coffee makers and returned to Bridgette relatively quickly. "Where's the rest of the pack?" she asked. "I noticed a lot of members out on the grounds during my run. I figured they'd be ready to eat by now."

Bridgette shook her head. "Extensive combat training." She quickly explained. "Braden likes the pack to be in top shape and ready for anything on a moment's notice."

Cassie frowned. "Surely things aren't that dire?" She took a sip of coffee.

"The pack's history taught us that preparedness is paramount. Do you have any combat experience by any chance?"

Cassie laughed. "Does going to Krav Maga five times in three years count?"

Bridgette joined in her laughter. "I guess I'd have to see how much you retained. Are you eating anything? The smorgasbord will be ready soon."

Cassie shook her head. "Coffee first, second and third. Maybe then some food." She moved forward in the chair. "What do you mean about being ready given the pack's history?"

Bridgette's smile faded quickly. A sadness clouded her eyes almost immediately and that made Cassie regret saying anything. She didn't want Bridgette to re-live bad memories, but she was very curious to know what happened.

"I can't remember much about when it actually happened," Bridgette stared into her cup. "I remember... certain things like waking up to shrill screams in the middle of the night and unfamiliar howls." Although her eyes were aimed into her cup, Cassie knew the focus was somewhere else; with something that transpired evident heartbreak years, and years ago.

She continued, "I sat up in my bed and I noticed my entire room was flickering with strange lights on my dark walls. I wanted to ask mom about the pretty lights but she rushed into the room so quickly with a look of panic in her eyes. I knew then something awful was happening. It wasn't until we were scrambling outside that I realized the flickering lights happened because the compound was being burned down."

Cassie shuddered. She couldn't imagine what that was like.

Bridgette pushed her cup away. "I didn't understand why anyone would attack us, but when Braden reassembled the pack years later, and rebuilt on the old Bloodstone Pack territory, we found the old pack scrolls. The history of the pack from the beginning until right before the attack. The parchment was miraculously unscathed."

When she didn't continue, Cassie prompted her. "Were you able to figure out why they attacked?"

"The Beta defeated our Alpha in battle. It's suspected that when the rogues caught wind of this, they attacked before the new Alpha had a chance to implement new security measures." As if sensing her next question, Bridgette went on to clarify, "Rogues are wolves that have no affiliation to any packs - whether by deserting, by exile or pack annihilation. Once that bond is lost, all they live for is chaos."

"Did the first Alpha not prepare for sudden attacks?" Cassie asked. "Why wasn't the pack ready to go?"

Bridgette snickered. "The way mom would recount it to me, that Alpha was very much beloved by the pack. When he died, many of the wolves left. They wanted nothing to do with the pack after that incident. The few of us around after the attack would have likely turned rogue had it not been for Braden working hard to keep us sane."

This warmed Cassie. She hardly knew Braden but knowing he was kind-hearted made uprooting her life easier to deal with. "How old was he?"

"He was so young too. Still a pup, really." Bridgette laughed. "He got the notion that we would not turn rogue if we kept our wolf asleep. He enlisted all the kids to go around the forest in search of wolfsbane." A smile remained on her face. "He definitely kept us together."

Cassie stood up. "Wolfsbane- isn't that a deadly plant?"

Bridgette nodded. "For humans. We can tolerate it if we drink it in small quantities."

Cassie grabbed both cups. "May I bring you another?"

Bridgette stood up. "I'll go with you."

As the two made their way back to the hot beverage station, they continued their conversation. "So wolfsbane does put the wolf to sleep then?"

Bridgette nodded. "Oh, yes. One quarter of a cup and your wolf will be asleep for a week, working to expel those toxins from your body."

Cassie was relieved Eva was asleep after the morning run. She didn't want her to know about this helpful bit of advice that Bridgette unknowingly imparted on her. "Is there wolfsbane on the property?"

Bridgette smiled proudly. "You just happen to be talking to the pack's apothecary. If you ever need it, just let me know."

Oh, yes, things were falling into place beautifully. "I'll take you up on that soon."

Her new friend nodded.

When the ladies returned to their table, Cassie had one more question for Bridgette. "Braden seems like an admirable leader. It's obvious the pack loves him. Did any of the pack members that left before the rogue attacks return when he became the Alpha?"

"No, no a single one." Bridgette shook her head slowly. "It certainly didn't help that his father was the Beta that backstabbed his Alpha."