by Unknown
Perhaps he was used to giving out orders without argument but I couldn’t hide my frustration any longer.
“I’m a Were but more than that. I’ve trained like a mad man, I’ve fought practically everyone in the pack, I’ve handled this whole thing and all its surprises better than any other wolf in the pack, and yes I know that from talking to everyone. Most of all I just protected my pack mate and took on a full on attack and I am still being treated like some child that needs protection instead of part of the pack out there hunting down these bastards!”
I released all my frustration in that one moment and all my Dad did was stay silent. That was the worst part because it gave me time to think about how I spoke to him and I knew he didn’t deserve it. I knew it was emotions bottled up that came out of the floodgates. I knew there was truth in what I said but there was a better way to say it. I knew he was trying to protect the only thing he had left in this world.
“I’m sorry”, I said finally.
We pulled into the house and my Dad turned off the car and turned to me.
“You’re right. I should include you more instead of just giving you orders and expecting you to follow it like my pack. You’re not just part of my pack you’re going to be Alpha one day and you ARE my right hand now. It’s high time I treat you like it. Still, I am not telling you this as your Alpha but as your Dad, no yelling at me ok? And I am proud of you. I might not have told you enough but I couldn’t imagine being more proud of you. But I am also scared. I’ve been scared for nearly 18 years now that I’ll lose you and that’s something I don’t know how to control. So from here on out let’s figure this out together.” He said offering me his hand and I grabbed it so glad to feel like his pack member rather than his little kid.
His phone rang and it was Vince.
“Rafe, I followed him to an apartment building. He’s circling around it so I think he’s trying to make sure no one sees him going in. He’s actually still outside, what do you want to do?” Vince asked.
“I’ll…no, we’ll be there. Give me the address.” My Dad said, and he pulled out of the drive way and bulleted down a few blocks from the house. It was eerie to know this wolf was so close to us. All he had to do was come by the house with the other rogues on a day that I was here on my own or worse a day when Li, Mike, or Amanda were here. I put that out of my mind as we got out of the car and met up with Vince on the side of an adjacent apartment building.
“He looks like he’s waiting on someone. Maybe this isn’t his place and he’s waiting on the person to show up.” Vince said. “He’s been sitting in his car for the last ten minutes.” And as Vince was talking another person approached the rogue’s car. He or she was completely covered in a cloak and the rogue appeared hesitant to get out of the car. The car door whipped open and the cloaked figure reached in and pulled the rogue out. They proceeded up a flight of stairs and we moved in on them not wanting to lose them in the rows of apartment entrances.
I could tell my Dad and Vince were following the scent they got off the rogue earlier and we made it to the door of the apartment they had entered. Vince didn’t hesitate. He broke through the door just in time to see the rogue’s neck snap and the cloaked figure vanish through the window. Vince was about to follow it when my Dad stopped him.
“No, don’t. It’s the mage and where it’s gone you cannot follow.” My Dad said worried. “Apparently there’s no love lost among the rogues and whoever is behind this doesn’t care who gets killed, whether it’s a hired rogue or one of our pack members.”
“Let’s go, there’s nothing we can do here.” My Dad said.
“Wait, I said. Maybe we can find something here that can lead us to whoever is behind this. I mean if this is the mage’s place perhaps there is some clue here.” I said hoping to be more useful.
“You guys go on. It’s been a long enough day for Connor. I’ll hang back here and look around. I’ll let you know if I find anything.” Vince said.
“What if the mage comes back?” I asked, concerned that someone could be coming by to clean up the dead body and find Vince here on his own.
“I’ll stay with him and if that coward shows we’ll get the clues out of it.” Said Ula, as I jumped back in shock to see her in the doorway. Damn she was stealthy. I didn’t expect to see her here. I didn’t even recall my Dad calling her to tell her where we were.
“Thanks Vince. Ula will stay here and help you out. Call me if you find out anything and try not to stay here too long. Connor’s right. There may be a cleanup crew on its way and we can’t assume that it will be solely wolves.” Dad said while looking at the rogue limp and broken on the floor.
We headed home but I knew my Dad was a bit uneasy that we weren’t any closer to finding out who was behind this.
CHAPTER 10
With everything that was going on I still had school to deal with, football to focus on, and friends I had to somehow avoid without alienating them too much. I had the last game of the season coming up and it would be the first time since the movies that I would get to really spend any time with my friends and Amanda. I had a chance to talk to Amanda and Li about the movies and they weren’t too upset. Luckily we were all able to forget about the end of the night and move on. Rollin hadn’t been around and I figured he was a bit embarrassed by what happened and his lack of control. Now it was game time and I was anxious to have some normal fun.
It was a physically rough game and the team was not going to give up their state champ title easily. We were pounding each other and playing a little football as an afterthought. We were about 20 seconds to half time and Mike decided to switch up the play. It put him right in the line of fire with one of the bigger defensive line men. The ball snapped and I threw up a short pass to Mike. He made it about six yards and then he got pummeled on ended up on the bottom of the heap. After the whistle the ref peeled everyone off each other but Mike was holding onto his knee rolling back and forth on the grass grunting and moaning with pain.
“Son, can you stand?” The ref asked and all Mike could do was shake his head.
I ran over to him as they called for the gernie and my heart sank into my stomach.
“Mike, bro, we’re going to take you in the locker room and you’re gonna be alright.” I said to him hoping my words were the truth.
“Connor, this is bad, so bad. I wanna pass out, it hurts so badly.” He said with tears rolling down his face.
I held his head and told him I wouldn’t leave his side till he was ready to get back on the field. Then the coach and medical staff put him on the gernie and carried him into the locker room. I walked with him terrified that this may be the end of his football career and his chance to go to school. Rollin wasn’t wrong about Mike needing the scholarship for school. There was no way he could afford college without it, and there was no way he could maintain it if he was out of commission. I looked at his pain stricken face and the beads of sweat on his forehead.
After a quick exam Coach and the medical staff went into Coach’s office. I could hear them calling for an ambulance and saying he is probably going to need surgery. I felt all the blood drain from my face. I walked back over to Mike and put my hand on his shoulder. He was in such pain he was coming in and out of consciousness. My wolf felt connected to Mike. He was like my brother after all and I started to think of what I could do. Of course I knew how I could stop all his pain, but wasn’t that drastic? Do I try to inject venom in him? Do I even have any? Is it worth trying? I lightly touched his knee so as to not hurt him and I put my head down in search of some answer. The despair and hurt I felt for my brother, who deserved better than this, coursed through me like a warm wave. I willed him better even though I knew it was futile. I just didn’t have it in me to change him into a Were, so instead I used the human part of me. I used my faith. I poured all my faith into him recovering quickly. I put all my faith into the universe doing the right thing this one time in giving a good person a break. All my emotions washed over me
and through me. Then I felt Mike’s had on the back of my head and I heard him wince. I shot up feeling badly that I may have hurt him.
“Connor, is that you?” He asked weakly, barely audible even to my wolf ears.
“Mike I’m so sorry this happened to you. My Dad and I will do whatever we can to help you.” I said knowing my Dad may not be keen on changing Mike and it may not even be necessary but at least it’s an option.
“It’s not your fault Connor. It comes with the sport I guess. I was just hoping this wouldn’t happen until I won a few super bowl rings.” He chuckled slightly and I was amazed at how he could keep his light spirit considering the seriousness of the situation.
I could hear the ambulance nearing and I heard the sounds of Lexi’s shriek coming through the doors.
“Mikey!! Oh my God!” She said pom poms still in hand and coming to sit beside Mike like a committed girlfriend. Maybe I had her all wrong. Maybe she was capable of being generous and not so self-centered.
She bent down and kissed his forehead and gently tucked his hair behind his ears. “Mikey, I called my mom and she’s on duty at the E.R. I told her she absolutely had to take the very best care of you.” She said pressing herself to his side and snuggling up to him.
The doors came open and the med team came over and Lexi and I stepped aside to let them carry him out. I was about to follow when I saw Mike’s parents with Li. She was obviously going to the hospital with them as she had Mike’s mother’s arm and was visibly supporting her. I figured I could just head over to the hospital and maybe offer Lexi a ride.
As the doors closed I looked over to Lexi and her eyes looked like they were brimming with tears. I went over and gave her a hug, one that I guess I needed too. I was glad to see she cared for Mike and despite it all I felt like we finally had something in common.
I pulled out of the hug and she looked up and gave me a small smile. I wiped her tears and said, “He’ll be ok Lexi. He’s the kind of guy that won’t let anything get him down. You’ll see.”
She got a crinkle between her eyebrows and said, “I know that Connor. He’s a really special and sweet guy. I feel so bad.” Her eyes started to fill again. I felt obliged to hug her and pat her on her back to comfort her. I was really shocked this was affecting her this way.
She looked up at me and before I knew it grabbed the back of my neck and pulled my head down to hers. She kissed me with vigor and a passion I didn’t expect out of her. Once I registered what was happening I pulled her off me with obvious wolf ease and she gasped.
“What the hell was that?” I said to her while wiping my mouth.
“Connor, I thought you knew. I thought you understood.” She looked at me pleadingly.
“What are you talking about? I’m standing here thinking how nice it is you care so much about Mike and you kiss me!” I said to her exasperated and upset at myself for not seeing this before.
“I was upset that I couldn’t care for Mike the way I care for you! I was upset that I hadn’t told you earlier that I want to be with you! I was crying because I thought I was going to make a fool of myself trying to tell you and I apparently did!” And she sat down on the locker room bench with her knees up and her chin resting on them. She looked worn out and I felt sorry for her.
But at that moment I picked up a scent that was there from the moment she kissed me but I hadn’t focused on it with all that happened. Amanda! I turned and dashed out the locker room and found her walking back towards the field and I could hear her heart pounding. I caught her by the wrist and stopped her.
“Let go of me.” She said with clenched teeth and fury in her voice. She kept her eyes off me but I heard the pain and betrayal she was trying to conceal and it was a dagger to my heart. I dropped her hand and she continued on but I ran alongside her.
“I didn’t ask her to kiss me; I didn’t even know she liked me.” I told her hoping she would stop to listen to me.
“Yeah, yeah. She kissed you, she forced you to kiss her, and she forced you to hold her close enough to where she COULD kiss you. I’m not the kind of girl that falls for the typical ‘it wasn’t me it was her’ bag of bull.” She huffed out and stopped to face me.
“Thing is Connor, I genuinely believed you were that guy. You know the one who never hurts a girl, the one who is loyal and honest, and the one I spent…ugh forget it.” She threw her hands up and kept walking. I didn’t take another step towards her.
Then my mouth blurted out, “I’ve loved you for years Amanda. And I know it may sound creepy or maybe you think I’m just saying it because of what you saw. But I don’t care. I’ve loved you for years. Since that moment I sat with you in middle school outside the auditorium and saw you being more real than anyone I ever knew.” I couldn’t believe I said it but I knew there was more to be said. She turned and looked at me frozen.
“I’m lying, Amanda. I maybe started falling for you then but I don’t think I really fell in love with you until the concert the other night when I felt we were in our own world and there was nowhere else I wanted to be.” I finally told her what had been nagging at me and it felt good to tell her.
She opened her mouth to say something but then turned and began to walk. Then she threw her hands up and turned around again.
“Damn it Connor. You are that guy to me. You’ve been that guy since 8th grade and I just don’t want you to hurt me because I wouldn’t be able to ever trust anyone ever again if you did. I’ve been in love with you everyday we’ve been together and every day we’ve been apart. I know it sounds childish and crazy but I feel empty when you’re not around and I’ve tried so hard to not show it. I’ve been afraid that this was just some infatuation, but I know it’s not. I know how it feels when I’m not around you and I don’t want to feel that anymore. I trust you.”
And she came into my arms and we held each other, putting all our trust into each other. I didn’t want to let her go. I felt all those things she said and more importantly I knew my life without her was inconceivable.
Then I felt her stiffen up and pull away. I sensed someone behind me and I pulled Amanda behind me as I turned around. Damn. I have to stop getting lost in emotions and listen to my wolf more!
Lexi was coming our way and she was starting to say something when Amanda got out in front of me and headed straight towards her.
“What the hell did you think you were doing Lexi! I was running around like a crazy jealous person, making a fool of myself all because I let you put these crazy ideas in my head” Amanda said while gesturing with her hands and letting out all her anger at being played by Lexi.
“Don’t start blaming me! I did nothing wrong! You’re not the only girl in his life and it’s not like you guys were married or even seriously dating!” Lexi shrieked at Amanda. Wrong move Lexi. Amanda pulled her arm back as Lexi squeezed her eyes wincing at the oncoming blow, but Amanda dropped her arm an inch within Lexi’s face.
“Thank you Lexi. You just brought us closer together so enjoy the view of us BECOMING a serious couple.” Amanda said, then turned around came over to me and dragged me to the lot towards our car. I love this girl!
“Why is it so hard to kill a teenager? It’s not like he’s some superhero. You are grown wolves and this should be like killing a newborn pup!”
Silence fell in the room and no one dared speak. All that could be heard was the pacing being done by their leader.
“Maybe it’s you mage? I thought you could do anything. Isn’t that what you said? You could shield me, you could weaken the Alpha, and you could help KILL THE BASTARD CHILD!”
The mage answered icily, “You said your wolves could give me the opportunity to work the magic I needed to end his life. So who failed who?”
“Fair enough, witch. But perhaps a stronger witch wouldn’t need so much help? I need to find an original witch, someone strong enough to poison Connor or burn him. Whatever it takes!”
“I will call upon my resources but the outcome will be yours to
deal with.” And with the warning the mage vanished leaving a chill in the air.
“Do you all understand the urgency of the situation? We need to take over the pack. Do you want a new era of wolves? An eternity of wolves roaming without the restrictions and hiding we are all doing now? He has us walking around like stray dogs that need an Alpha to keep us sitting and fetching to please these lowly humans. I can take on the power of the Alpha and with that power we can change more than one human. We can make whomever we want to be our children. We can recreate a pack that belongs to no one.” Except me of course. An unwavering loyalty to me.
I felt like a new man with a love that could be epic. I needed to see Amanda again so I only felt a little guilty at our making plans for me to sneak out past my pack of bodyguards so we could spend some time alone together. All I had to do was get past Ula and meet up with Amanda down the block behind my house. This was going to be easy since Ula and Vince were knee deep into going through a few files they found at the mage’s apartment. So I headed downstairs and with each step I felt bad that I was about to lie to Ula for the first time. I knew it wasn’t a life changing lie and harmless really. In fact, I felt Amanda and I needed this time together since most of my time recently had been dedicated to my pack. I needed her.
“Hey guys, any luck?” I asked to which Ula and Vince’s response was a grunt. I was about two feet from the door when Ula called out, “Where ya going, hon?”
“Just next door to Lisa’s for lunch and to finish my European History paper.” I said turning back to the door.
“Hell, just ask me, I can tell you about the history your books authors could never write about.” Said Vince laughing.
“I’ll have you proof read it then.” I said waving bye to them. I figured I had a good 10 minutes before they realize I’m not next door and then they’ll find my note in my room.