Leslie stood over Ashley with a weary smile, frightened by how quickly a few words had escalated to a fight in the lunch room. Especially when it was between cousins. Ashley grabbed Leslie’s hand and let her pull her up into a standing position. As she recovered two teachers came to their aid as well as the rest of there little group of friends. “Ashley are you ok? I can’t believe Sylvi would do that!” The first teacher a female took a look at her face. Which of course had a huge red mark where the slap had landed. Which would pass very quickly. Sylvi knew that, so why make a scene. Over something she had no control over. “I can’t believe she slapped you” The male teacher was looking over the huge crowd of kids trying to find the aggressor. Who was of course nowhere in sight. “The principal will hear about this” Mrs Brown says as she starts to part the crowd. Heading back down towards the office. While Mr Marks stood around trying to get a handle on over a few hundred students, all riled up from the scene. Outside principal Davidson’s office sat four uncomfortable looking wood and red cushioned chairs. They were motioned to sit as Mrs Brown entered the room alone. “Was that about last night?” Leslie questioned, trying to play back all the events before the slap to figure out why it happened. “Yes and no” Ashley rubbed her cheek, it hadn’t really stung all that bad. It was partly out of habit to make the pain look real. “So tell me!” Ashley seemed utterly shocked and confused. “Do you remember when my dad was messing with our babysitter. I told you the moment I found out” “Yeah I know…” “That was way more of a mess then this” Ashley huffed, thinking back to the past year. “In your mind…” “Just spit it out…” Ashley raised her voice, catching the old secretary off guard a few feet away. Who watched them intently for a few seconds before turning back to her screen. “You already know…. They just getting on me about what’s coming up…” “Sorry I forgot about your arrangement” Leslie giggled and it made Ashley even more annoyed. “It’s not funny at all. It’s all bullshit!” Again that caught the woman’s attention and she only sighed. Then went back to annoyingly punching keys on the keyboard. “It’s your family’s stuff. Like generational expectations.” Leslie says and whipped her hair out of her face. “I’m not marrying and having pups with some boy I’ve never met from another pack” Leslie snickered at her word usage and Ashley quickly socked her in the arm. “You just keep getting into fights today” Her fathers words playful and a smile hung on his scared face. “Ashley doesn’t count” She sighed. “So why you fighting family?” He sat down in the chair with his huge mass of muscles. “Because they assume dumb things” He chuckled at her words. “If what they assume were true my pup I wouldn’t love you any lesser… You know that don’t you? You can be who ever you are” This was the first time in a long time she’d really seen him serious. “Don’t let him feed you that crap” Her mother’s obnoxiousness had clearly funneled into the room. “His father is in charge of all of it. Not himself” “A pleasure as always” He smiled politely and stood up for her to sit. Leaning against the opposite wall. “I was dumb to think I’d be the next Luna anytime soon. God was that a terrible mistake.” She continued her normal routine of tossing all their stuff out into the street for everyone else to see and hear. “Enough please. This is hardly about you” Another familiar voice called as the sound of heels clicked down the hallway. “Yay. My lovely younger sister” Her mother sighed. “Any chance the principal will drop this and let our family handle it?” She asked, leaning up against the wall next to her boyfriend. “Not likely” Her father sighed. “We’ll when cousin/ stepsister’s fight over someone’s sexuality in the middle of the cafeteria. It becomes a problem” Her mother glared at her sister and ex-husband. “Your the one who gave our father a heart attack when you renounced your marriage!” Her sister spat back, before a hand rested on her shoulder. “Please hun. Don’t. Enough has already transpired” He rubbed her hand and softly kissed her forehead. “Beta man to the rescue” Her mother hissed with a grin. “At least you don’t have the gay daughter “ “That’s it!” Ashley shouted out, an edge on her voice. “I hate this!” She ran out the hallway, tears starting to blur her vision as she slammed into a group of kids in the next hallway. They muttered something but the ringing wouldn’t let it reach her ears. Running was all she could think about. The grass of the law across the street from the school was cold on her feet. But as the forest covered her from sight the pain ensued. Ripping across her body, shifting her muscles around. Till instead of a seventeen year old girl a jet black wolf nearly six feet tall with white paws stood in shredded school clothes. She didn’t stop running until she found her stream. It was nearly impossible for anyone to track her down into the depths of the ocean side cave. Where she’d often come to think. “Ashley!” Leslie’s voice called out and she let out a low growl. Which only caused the girl to shiver a bit. From the cold breeze slipping through. “I’m sorry I caused this drama…” She sighed dropping to the ground sniffling and starting to sob. “Don’t cry….” Ashley whined as she shifted back, landing into the edge of the stream with a splash. “God that’s cold” Leslie looked up through tear filed eyes to feel Ashley’s lips meet hers. “I love you”