The House of Wolves

I had barely taken the time to pack my suitcase when I had gotten to my house. I threw all the clothes I could see, dirty or clean, into my large black suitcase, threw old and new pictures across the room as I scattered to find only one of my mother and I.

My cell phone was the first to be thrown away. No one would be calling me anyways. I took a cab down to the airport and booked the next outgoing flight from the US to anywhere. The first one on the list that stated I'd be going to the United Kingdom.

Money wasn't a problem for me. It never has been and never was thanks to my father who passed away years ago and left me and my dying mother millions of dollars. I just wanted to be somewhere else and all through that I had not realized that I hadn't cleaned myself up from my past nightmare.

Sadly, I didn't realize that until I was on the plane over the ocean as we were going through a storm. All through my nightmare I never came to the conclusion that I'm deathly afraid of heights and this plane felt like it was going to drop out of the sky in any second. This was just another nightmare, a better one than the first, but just as equally terrible.

Apparently, the guy that was seated next to me agreed completely because he was cussing his beanie off as he tightened his belt and held on very tightly to the alcoholic beverage in his hand. I hadn't thought of getting one, lucky for me.

"Bloody fuck, 'm goin' ta die. Fuck storms, they ca' all kiss my arse." The plane hit yet another air pocket making me screech and shut my eyes tight and the young man next to me grab tightly onto my hand, most likely trying to hold the arm rest I'd stolen from him. He didn't let go though until we were safely back up in the sky and almost passing the storm, making the plane fly a whole lot smoother.

When he did, his cheeks were red as he adjusted the grey beanie on his head, and slid around till he was more comfortable in his seat. "'M sorry 'bout tha' ma'am. 'M a tad scared of flying." He announced nervously and I glanced at him, nodding as I swam through my thought filled head.

"'M Matt Nicholls. You are?" I heard him ask and I looked at him this time, letting out a 'hmm' to signal I hadn't heard him. He let out a small laugh and looked around as a teenage boy ran past us to the bathroom, his face looking a rather sour green.

"I asked yeh wha' yeh name was. Me names Matt Nicholls bu' everyone calls me Matty." He repeated and I nodded this time.

"Ryleigh." I let out quietly, hoping he just wouldn't hear me and maybe talk to another person by him. I was in no such luck though because next he was nudging me in my arm, making me look at him once more.

"Well Ryleigh, 'm 'appy tha' I got to sit next to such a pretty bird while I acted like one me'self." He laughed at himself and I let off a small pathetic smile. "So wha' you doin' once yeh in England?" He questioned again and I shrugged.

"I don't know." I mumbled and he laughed next to me again.

"Yeh not very talkative are yeh? Yeh look like yeh in a ruddy right mess too don' yeh? If yeh wan' me to leave yeh alone, I will. I didn' mean to botha yeh." He apologized and I suddenly felt bad for my sour behavior.

This man hadn't done anything to me. He was trying to be polite and make this flight seem a little less awkward and I was being a bitch.

"I'm sorry. You aren't bothering me. I just don't know where I'm going once we land. I haven't gotten that far in my plan yet." I tried to make my voice sound stronger but all I got was a measly little whisper again.

"Plan? Yeh sound like yeh runnin' away from somefink." He joked and my stomach dropped and I felt sick all over again. I think he noticed the change because soon his eyebrows knitted together. "Yeh serious little bird? Well, now it makes sense why yeh in such a state fo' such a pretty lass."

I could feel my face grow even more pale than what it already was. He'd made me realize that I indeed had nowhere to go after this. I had no clue where to start my new beginning. I was lost.

Pretty soon I could feel tears welling up in my eyes and the look on Matt's face turned to one of panic. "Wait no, little bird, yeh look pretty still, don' cry." He tried to console but I sniffed and suddenly the tears were gone.

"Its not that. You're right, I ran and now I don't even know where to go." I confessed, not really knowing why I did. "I didn't even think it through. I just made sure I had clothes and cash and left." I sighed and put my face in my hands.

"Calm down, Ryleigh, I don' normally do this bu' if yeh'd like, yeh can come wiff us and bunk at my flat for a few days till yeh know wha' yeh doin'." He offered. "Yeh no' like a wee bird or somefink, righ'?"

I looked up at him realizing I had no idea what he meant by 'bird' this whole time anyways and he must have seen the confusion in my eyes because he soon started explaining.

"A bird means a lass, a woman. Yeh not like a minor or anyfink?" He questioned again and I shook my head quickly.

"I'm 24. I have my ID in my purse." I said quickly as I went to pick it up from my feet but he stopped me with his hand and a smile.

"It's okay, love. I believe yeh. Jus' follow me when we leave tha plane. Yeh'll meet me friends and they a bit loud bu' funny most of tha time. Make yeh feel like yeh belong. We're goin' to Sheffield."

Sheffield. That was where I'd be starting over. I wasn't that kind of person, that kind of girl, to just accept offers like that but I needed help and this was it. Matt was my help and I'd at least found someone nice, regaurdless if he stuck around or not.

"Sheffield sounds like a wonderful place." I whispered to him not mentioning anything about his friends for a reason.

When we'd finally met up with his friends, I admit, I've never seen so many colorful people. They were all laughing and making fun of each other and pushing each other around like children.

I was standing behind Matty and since he seemed to be a whole person bigger than my 5'2" 109 lbs self. I was nervous and scared that they'd reject me because I had nowhere else to go and you have to admit, bringing strangers home from the airport is frowned upon.

"Mates! Get ye' arses ova' here and meet my new friend!" He yelled, making me jump and hide just a little bit more. "Oi! Ye' gits!" He yelled again and I saw one of the boys roll their eyes and point at him before walking in our direction.

"Ye' couldn' come ova' to us ye' lazy git." The man joked and Matty shook his head.

"I told ye' to come ova' here cause I have a new friend and she's a bit lost righ' now so she's gonna stay at me flat fo' a bit. This is Ryleigh." He introduced and I straightened up when Matty moved out of the way to reveal me. There were five men standing in front of me, all with their eyebrows raised as they took a look at me, some a little more than others.

"Hello." I mumbled and waved my hand the tiniest bit, looking down at my shoes.

"She's no' a wee bird is she?" One with bright blue eyes asked and Matty shook his head and put an arm around me making me flinch. The one with the bright blu eyes smiled at me then and stuck out a hand in which I took slowly. "Then ye' can call me Tom an' this is me brotha' Oli."

The tall one standing next to him nodded and I nodded back. "Tha' short one ova' there is Lee and next ta' him is Jordan and Matt Kean." Matty introduced, pointing to each and I repeated the names in my head hoping I'd remember. They each said their 'hellos' to me and then moved on to a new topic as Matty nudged me to start walking.

I didn't talk the whole way that we walked to the parking lot where a few people were waiting by some cars that I assumed we were walking to. One screeched and started running, a girl with long dark hair and long tanned legs that screamed 'Oli', while most of the people staying back shook their heads.

The girl collided with the man who I was introduced to named Oli and as I looked I could visibly tell the look of annoyance on the man's face as he put an arm around her and basically pushed her off.

"Oh me babies!" An older lady shouted, tears in her eyes and she bustled forward to wrap her arms around said boys neck and he hugged back, kissing her on the cheek. She pulled back with a smile and then looked at Blue Eyes, tears welling up again as she attached herself to him also.

"Tom, we brought ye' car for ye'. Thought ye' might need ta' take someone home." The woman smiled and Tom thanked her, kissing her other cheek before nodding up at the few others.

And then their eyes were on me and I shrunk back behind Matty again. "An' who's this?" The woman that I guessed as Tom and Oli's mother asked and Matty cleared his throat.

"This is Ryleigh. She sat next te' me on the plane an' needs o' little helpin' out so she's gonna stay at me flat for a bit. Ryleigh, this is Ian and Carol. They're Oli and Tom's parents." Matty explained, which I was thankful for.

Apparently Matty had put himself into the role of the 'big brother' even though I'd only known him for one day. He nudged me a little bit and I stepped out more to only be engulfed in a hug by the woman named Carol, catching me off gaurd as I put one arm around her.

"It's so lovely te' meet ye' sweety. Ye' look like ye' got a major case of jet lag." She smiled as she put me at arms length to look at me. "Ye' can come ova' any time ye' like. Matty's flat doesn' 'ave much for eating. Probably cause' he eats ova' almost every night." She joked, glancing at Matty as his face went red.

"I'll go shopping." He defended, shoving his hands in his pockets. "Wouldn' want this pretty bird te' starve so fast in a new country." He added again and I put my gaze back at my feet when everyone joined in on the laugh.

They introduced me to everyone else. Oliver's and Tom's parent's being the only parents there. Lee had a girlfriend named Linsee and of course there was Miss Long Legs in booty shorts, Olivers girlfriend Amanda.

"A'right. 'M goin' ta' take them home ta' change and we'll be back fo' dinner, a'right ma'?" Tom spoke up after a half an hour of meet and greet and I breathed in a sigh of relief. But then I noticed the fact that he said we'd be changing and going to their house, which I had no idea about and wasn't entirely sure about going.

They wished each other goodbye, all saying they'd see each other in a bit, and then went their separate ways, Oliver going in Amanda's car with a sour look on his face.

As soon as I was in the back seat and the doors shut I tapped Matty on the shoulder for him to look back at me. "We're just changing?" I asked and he grinned at me like it was the most normal thing ever.

"Ya'. It's tradition or whatnot to go to Tom's and Oli's for a back from tour celebration with our family and friends." He explained and he probably noticed the exasperated look on my face because the smile fell into a frown as Tom started his car. "Ye' can stay at the flat if ye' like." He mumbled and I cleared my throat and sat back.

Oh what the hell, I might as well get to know people while I'm here even though that's probably the last thing I should do.

"No, I'll go." I whispered and a smile lit his face up again as he faced forward again.

"Tha's bloody brill'."