RALPH
As I entered my room, I wasted no time in grabbing my phone and dialling Andrew’s number. He answered promptly, but I didn’t waste any pleasantries.
“Come over right now,” I commanded, then hung up before he could respond. Turning my attention to the blood staining my body, I quickly made my way to the bathroom to wash it off. Once cleaned up, I dressed quickly, my thoughts lingering on the human lying unconscious on my bed.
“She’s out of danger. She’ll be fine,” my wolf assured me, but my mind was still consumed with thoughts of the pack member I had just killed. Had I really just taken the life of one of my own pack members over a human?
“Of course he deserved it. My wolf started. No one messes with or insults our mate and walks away with it,” It justified, the anger still simmering beneath its soul.
“What you did back there gives me hope,” my wolf interjected, its voice cutting through my turmoil.
“What hope?” I questioned, unable to grasp its meaning amidst the chaos of my thoughts.
“That you’re slowly accepting her as our mate,” it clarified, but I shook my head vehemently in response.
“I’ll do whatever it takes to keep you, but I’ll never accept her as my mate,” I declared, my voice tinged with bitterness. She’s human, a split image of my stepfather. I clenched my jaws. Just the thought of my stepfather sends a surge of anger coursing through my veins.
“Get serious, Ralph. Don’t compare our mate to that scumbag,” my wolf rebuked, but I shut him out before he could make this notion any worse and left the room.
As I descended the stairs, Andrew’s voice echoed in my head. “We are here, Ralph,” he said. But why was he saying ‘we’ when I only called him? As I reached the bottom step and turned towards the back door where I expected Andrew to be waiting, Zac blocked my path.
“Are you out of your damn mind, Ralph?” he asked, his expression one of incredulity.
“I don’t have time for your drama, Zac,” I retorted, attempting to sidestep him. But he moved to block me again, his anger visible.
“Why would you agree to let that lunatic join our pack? Have you gone crazy?” He questioned, his tone edged with fury.
I felt my patience waning. “What the hell are you babbling about?” I snapped, my agitation growing by the second.
“Are you playing dumb now?” Zac’s voice rose. “You don’t know the person you called here. Andrew is in the pack’s front yard with his pack, saying-”
I didn’t let him finish his sentence. Instead, I spun on my heel and headed for the main door. Throwing it open, It was Andrew and his entire pack standing there, waiting.
“We’re here,” he said, his smile stretching wide across his face.
“I called you alone, not your entire pack,” I replied, my tone firm.
“Wait, I thought you called me to welcome us into your pack,” Andrew began, his expression shifting to confusion. “If it’s not about us becoming part of this pack, then what is it about?” he asked.
“Follow me,” I said, turning and leading him away from both his pack members and mine.
Once we were alone, I seized him by the shirt collar, catching him off guard. “Were you part of this?” I demanded through clenched jaws.
“What in the moon’s sake are you talking about, Ralph?” He asked, effortlessly prying my hands off his collar.
“You conspired with my pack members to hurt my mate. How is it that after you showed up at my house, and then the rogues appeared in my territories, Keilah was attacked? Who did you work with? Is it Zac?”
Andrew furrowed his brow, running his hand through his hair before turning to face me.
“Whatever happened to your mate, I have no idea about it. I have no interest in her either because I hold no grudge against humans. So you have the wrong guy here. And as for Zac, you know too well how much we hate each other,” he explained. “I showed up at the backyard of your pack house to persuade you to let us in. That’s the only reason I’m here.”
His words gave me pause. Perhaps I had jumped to conclusions too quickly. But the gnawing suspicion lingered, and I couldn’t shake it off so easily. I gripped his collar again, unable to trust him fully.
“Look, Ralph, he started raising up his hands in surrender. I get it. Your mate’s safety is paramount to you, as it should be. But I’m telling you, I had nothing to do with what happened to her,” he insisted, his voice tinged with frustration.
I stared into his blue eyes, searching for any hint of deception. But all I found was sincerity. Could I have misjudged him? Could my anger have blinded me to the truth?
“Fine,” I finally relented, releasing my grip on his collar. “But if I find out you had anything to do with this…”
“You won’t,” he interrupted, his tone firm. “Because I didn’t. Now, can we focus on what’s important? Can you let us in for a few days while I find suitable housing for my pack?”
“We won’t cause any trouble. I promise,” he added earnestly. I gave him a long glare.
“You can’t be this heartless, Ralph,” he pleaded. “I have two pregnant members, and one will be giving birth any time. As their Alpha, it kills me to see them sleeping in the woods in their situation.” You’re an alpha, too. You know too well how I feel.
I sighed, considering his words carefully.
“I’ll think about it,” I finally conceded.
Andrew nodded gratefully, the tension between us easing slightly. “Thanks, man,” he said, his voice tinged with relief.
I watched as he stepped back, his demeanour shifting from defensive to hopeful. Despite my lingering doubts, I couldn’t ignore the urgency in his plea. Two pregnant members of his pack in need of shelter weighed heavily on my conscience.
“Alright,” I conceded, finally giving in to his request. “But on one condition. You and your pack stay out of trouble while you’re here. Any sign of trouble, and you’re out.”
Andrew nodded vigorously, his expression one of sincere gratitude. “You have my word, Ralph. I’ll make sure they don’t cause any trouble.”
With a subtle nod, I pivoted towards the pack house entrance, Andrew trailing closely behind. As we neared the porch, a sudden pang of headache pierced through me, causing me to stagger. I steadied myself against the porch post, inadvertently brushing against Andrew’s hand. His expression mirrored my own discomfort. We exchanged a puzzled glance, our attention drawn to the pained, groaning voices emanating from both pack members coiled on the ground.
“What the hell is happening?” I muttered, my voice laden with concern, but Andrew appeared equally clueless. His pregnant pack members seemed particularly affected, prompting him to rush to their side despite their mates’ presence. As an Alpha, he felt compelled to assist. Seeing this, I quickly ushered everyone inside.
“Inside, all of you!” I commanded. As they began to filter in, Zac stood in the doorway, obstructing their passage.
“No Shadowfang pack member is getting in,” he declared firmly.
I advanced, grabbing his shirt and forcefully pulling him aside, sending him stumbling out onto the porch where he joined the chorus of groans.
“What the hell is happening?” Zac cried out, his voice strained with discomfort.
As the last one entered, I noticed Isabella descending the stairs, cradling an oil lamp-like object emitting violet smoke.
“Aren’t you supposed to be in bed?” I questioned as I approached her, but she ignored me, making her way past the still-groaning pack members. As she passed, I instinctively inhaled the smoke, feeling an immediate relief wash over me.
“What in the world…” I trailed off, contemplating whether Isabella held insight into the situation. Before I could voice my inquiry, she extinguished the lamp, halting the smoke’s flow. I moved my eyes around everyone. And they all seemed fine, baffled, though.
“They were here,” Isabella stated, averting my attention back to her.
Andrew, Zac, and I exchange perplexed glances.
“Who?” We chimed in unison.
“The Howling Nexus clan,” she replied cryptically before ascending the stairs.
As I moved to follow her upstairs to glean further insight, Zac intercepted me, his expression piercing. “Can’t you see she’s not in her damn right mind?” he said, giving Andrew one last meaningful glance before heading upstairs, too.
I acquiesced, momentarily setting aside my burning curiosity in favour of ensuring Isabella’s well-being first. Turning to Andrew, I instructed, “Help yourselves. Let’s talk tomorrow,” before making my way to my room to rest.
Once in my room, I took off my shirt and tugged at the bedsheet, cocooning the duvet and the human within it, and I rolled her to the end side of the bed. Satisfied, I lay down, closing my eyes as the weight of sleep began to pull me under.
~~~
Morning broke with a sudden, piercing scream, jolting me awake. Disoriented, I jolted awake, only to find myself unceremoniously expelled from the bed with a forceful kick. Instinctively, I sprang to my feet, ready to assess the situation, only to be confronted by the bewildered gaze of the human, her eyes widened in shock.
Questions spilled from her lips in a rapid torrent, each one laden with confusion and apprehension. She clutched the sheets tightly around herself, a barrier against the uncertainty that enveloped her memory.
“What am I doing here? Why are we sharing a bed? What did you do to me last night? Why is it that I don’t remember anything? Did you drug me?” Her words hung heavy in the air, demanding answers that I myself struggled to comprehend.