Meanwhile in Ava's old pack.............

JULIA'S POV

I had these dreams. They weren't anything really. My parents thought they meant something, but I would draw them out and they'd just be of some weird pictures that meant nothing to me. They paintings were a mess as were my jumbled dreams.

I was headed to Ava's house, where I would find myself going more than I thought I would have. Ava's parents always asked me if I knew if Ava was acting weirdly before she ran away. Ava is my best friend. What ticked me off the most is she seriously couldn't have called me while running away? We both could've ran away together.

I smirked at the thought, but I knew Ava was probably in some serious crap. And what sucked is that I can't help her at all.

They said she was charged for treason? I almost laughed when Beta Tim announced that. Ava? For treason? Ava's idea of "bad" was trespassing some old abandoned warehouse. Which I make her do from time to time.

The only thing that made me sane in this mess of a pack was going to Ava's room. It felt better than home. Way better.

Ava's room was on the ground floor of her house, and she would always leave it unlocked in case I ever came.

I opened her window, and entered her room, my wolf and I instantly missing our best friend.

Ava's room was so her. One time I jokingly bought Ava a poster of pizza, and she has it now hanging on her walls, filled with other movie posters she loved. Mainly, superhero films she obsessed over.

"Hmph," I smiled, looking around her room, and looking at her unmade bed. I wanted to take a picture of it, and sent it to Ava, but I think I lost my phone somewhere in the house. I shook my head and froze when I smelled Lisa.

She walked in Ava's room and stared at me. Lisa walked in, and closed her sister's door, sitting on the bed.

Lisa's lips curled at me. "Don't you wear anything but black?"

I shrugged at her. I never liked Miss Prim and Proper all that much. The only reason I tolerated her was because she was Ava's sister. "You never know Lisa- when I'd have to go to your funeral."

Lisa gave me an eye roll, then sighed. "Julia, you think Ava's safe?"

I almost groaned. I don't want this heart to heart with her at all. "If you know anything about Ava, it's she probably is laying it low and she can be resourceful sometimes." I remember we went camping with our class of 20 wolves and we both got lost, but somehow Ava knew the way around and she learned some weird stuff on how to get food. She does watch too much TV.

Lisa gives me a look that's filled with sadness. "I wanted to find her, you know."

I did too, but that would be the stupidest thing especially when I knew and we all knew the entire pack was watching us. It was no secret who Ava was close to. Alpha Trent might look stupid, but his soldiers were watching Ava's entire family and my family. As if any of us would try to see Ava.

"Who knows, she probably is living the luxury life somewhere in Hawaii and found her mate already," I joked.

Lisa scoffed, "Who would even be Ava's mate?"

This is what I never got. Lisa sometimes thought Ava was beneath her, and demeaned her in ways. It pissed me off. Lisa was her sister, for crying out loud. I don't know anything about how siblings worked, but I always thoughts siblings were supposed to be supportive of each other and not jealous. Ava looked up to Lisa too.

"Probably an Alpha," I answered to piss Lisa off. I used to tell Ava how dumb it was how much Lisa wanted to marry some wolf that was higher up. Both Ava and I agreed we'd rather get anyone but an Alpha or Beta. The chances were really slim, but things like that does happen. Life is crazy and will get at you. Ava should write a book honestly.

"Ava's mate could never be an Alpha," Lisa said. "She'd be lucky to get an Omega."

I give Lisa a dirty look. "And you would be lucky to get something lower than that," I snapped. Lisa clenched her jaw. "Why are you so jealous of your sister?"

"What?" Lisa's head shoots up. I narrowed my eyes at her.

"Don't play dumb, Lisa. You and I both know there's a reason why you've been acting weird around Ava. Ava may have not noticed, but I did."

"I don't know what you're talking about," Lisa said stiffly, getting up and I guessed ending this conversation.

I wanted to ask for more, for Ava's sake, but I let it go. I wanted to push for more information, but something weird is happening in Ava's family ever since she ran away.

I didn't like it at all.

After saying good bye to Lisa, and walking out of Ava's house, a group of wolves came in front of me. Beta Tim with his ugly mug was the leader of this group of five.

I was so not in the mood for this. I just wanted to nap and forget all my problems.

"Julia, can we see you?" Beta Tim looked at me up and down, smirking a little. I snarled at him, and he was taken aback. This pathetic low life of a wolf thought he could even impress me?

I walk into Alpha Steven's office, where there was just a huge desk at the back of the room. Two chairs were in front of his desk, and my stupid Alpha was sitting on his brown leather chair, smiling at me.

Why would he want to talk to me now? It's been about a month since Ava left. No one talked to us about Ava's whereabouts, luckily because we didn't know. I made sure to text Ava not to say anything about where she is. Even to me.

"Please, Miss Julia, sit down," Alpha Steven gestured to the chair. I rolled my eyes. Like I had a choice in this matter.

My wolf snickered in agreement.

I sighed, and sat down. "What did you want me for?" I asked, cutting to the point. I crossed my arms and leaned back, looking at my Alpha in complete boredom. I couldn't let him know he intimidated me. My father used to tell me never to let anyone intimidate you. For me, that especially meant this sexist pig Alpha.

"I want you to call Ava," Alpha Trent had my phone, and handed it to me. This was were my phone was. "I know you can get to call her."

I wanted to laugh. Seriously? They wanted me to talk to Ava so they could probably kill her?

"Okay," I agreed, putting out my hand. Alpha Trent looked surprised for a moment, but he handed me my phone and I unlocked it.

Then I chucked my phone against the wall. Hard. It cracked, and I had to bite back a grin.

Alpha Trent growled thunderously. "You dare disobey me!"

"Whoops. I think my hand slipped," I deadpanned.

That wasn't smart, Julia. You don't know what he could do. Or if Ava is even alive.

I growl at my wolf. Ava was alive. I could feel it in my bones. My crazy best friend was alive. She had to be. There would be no way she would have died. Obviously Alpha Trent hasn't captured her yet.

Suddenly, two wolves grab my arms roughly, literally almost dragging me out of the office.

"You will face the consequences," Alpha Trent snarled at me, and I don't know what's happening. My wolf is getting restless. She wants to be let free, to be free of the male wolves daring to harm me.

We're outside, and I come to face with a huge pole.

My eyes widened and I look to the wolves next to me. They suddenly let me go. My throat constricts, and my wolf wants to be let out now. I push her down.

Someone wearing an astronaut looking suit was holding something that resembled a whip, it smelled like silver.

I almost puked.

No way. There was no way-

"Julia, I don't think you've been here before. Welcome to the whipping post."