Treads that Binds Us

Looking at the sign ahead of her that said ‘Welcome to Stamford’ all of her memories from the past came back to her like a flight train. She had been dreading coming back here since she was finally happy where she was, away from this town.

As she is driving through the main road leading into town, she is thinking about all the things she missed while being away. It felt like once she started thinking about the past she couldn’t stop. It had been 5 years of constant anxiety about what would happen when she comes back.

Would her parents feel betrayed? Would her friends accept her like they had before she left? Would she be able to look her brother in the eye?

There were things that she wished she didn’t have to face, or should she say ‘people’. She didn’t know what was awaiting her when she got home.

She was so engrossed in her memories that she didn’t notice a police cruiser flashing its lights behind her. She was confused as to why she was being stopped since she was not speeding or driving recklessly.

Stopping her car on the side of the road she takes out her license and registration, ready to show them to whoever was stopping her.

As she looked back, she could see a deputy walking towards her but couldn’t see his face behind the hat and sunglasses.

“Is there a problem deputy?” she asks while opening her window and looking outside.

“Nora?” the deputy whispered. He looked surprised to see her.

She squinted her eyes to look at the deputy’s face more clearly because he seemed to recognize her so she must know him as well.

“Who…?” she exclaimed as he took off his sunglasses. She found herself staring at the greenish-bluish eyes of someone she knew pretty well. “Tristan” she found herself saying but her voice sounded far away to her ears.

“Hey, Nora” he starts with a smile. “I didn’t know you were coming back today.”

“Um, oh yeah I didn’t know myself, just thought that since I had time off I should make the drive back to town.” She replied. She could feel her breath staggering. Why was she responding this way to merely the sight of him?

“That’s good to hear, are you staying long?” he asked raising his eyebrows.

“Yeah, didn’t my parents tell all of you, I am moving back since I am done with my training.” She told him.

“Oh okay then, I guess I will see you around. I only stopped you because I saw a car I didn’t recognize, so you are good to go.” He said while waving his hand and started walking back.

“See you around” She whispered to herself, but she knew he could hear her.

She waited until he pulled away from the curb and was a good distance away from her car. As soon as he was out of her sight and she was sure he couldn’t hear her, she sighed and let out a breath she didn’t know she was holding.

What a day. The minute she enters town, he is the first person she sees. The one person that she did not want to see. Just her luck.

How was it possible that after all this time he still made her heart stutter?

She had to stop herself before those kinds of thoughts entered her mind. She could not afford to think or feel any way toward him. Damn, you Tristan Horton.

She takes a few minutes to gather herself so she could drive the rest of the way home. She could hyperventilate once she got home.

Driving the one mile to her house from where she was stopped felt long for her because her mind was going haywire over her encounter a few minutes ago.

As she pulls up to the street her house is located, she sees a figure standing on the porch. She couldn’t help the smile that came on her face at the sight of him. Of course, he would’ve heard that she was on her way.

“Why are you standing there like a creeper?” she joked as she pulled up the driveway.

“Shut up, like you are the one to talk. Now come here and give me a hug.” He snorted, knowing that she would

“Nate come here” she said while coming in to hug him. She had missed him a lot, even if they talked almost every day and texted constantly.

Her brother, Nathan Mueller, was her best friend. They had always been close since there was not much of an age gap between the two, only 3 years.

"Now, how did you know I was here?" she asked him as they walked towards the house with her luggage.

"I heard through the grapevine," he said laughing, and adding, "I felt you the minute you crossed the territory."

She knew there was no way she could've surprised anyone in this town, but she was at least hoping that it would take longer for them to realize she was back.

"Who else do you think felt it?" She asked her brother. It was obvious that everyone who could feel her would know she was there.

"What do you think?" He asked her. They both knew that everyone from their pack would've felt it. Some might've not known who, but still felt a tug through the pack bonds.

Sighing she sat down on the couch while Nate brought both of them something to drink. He knew his sister was stubborn and will not accept that coming back here was the last thing she wanted to do. Especially to him. But he also knew that there was no way for her to go anywhere else as long as she was attached to the pack.

“You want to go get it over with? Or wait till tomorrow?”

She knew what he was asking. She knew she had to go to the pack house and announce that she had come back, officially.

“Tomorrow” is all she said before telling Nate that she will go unpack her stuff. She could feel his eyes on her back as she walked upstairs.

Her room looked exactly the same as it had 5 years ago. As she ran her fingers through her bookcase, she could faintly hear her and her friends hanging out in her room.

She felt like she was being choked with all these memories that were coming to the surface. It was easier to not dwell on them when she was away from this town, but now that she was back it seems impossible to push them down. Everything reminded her of the past, from the whole town to her room, which was the most prominent.

She sat down on her bed with a sigh and thought for the hundredth time, ‘Why did she come back?’.