Julius stared down keenly at Derek and soughed. The lad was really something. He thought as he gave a nod to what Derek had just said.
“We will go, but so you know you might see us later, sooner than expected, of course that excludes Emma unless something strategic happens.” He spoke, ruffling his hair a bit.
“And why is that eh? Did she ask you to keep tabs on me?” Derek asked, unable to stop the flicker of hope that blossomed within himself.
But Julius chuckled, annoying Derek again.
“You wish, boy!” He mentioned before chuckling again.
Derek gritted his teeth, even harder, as he heard Julius’ next statement.
“I will be teaching at your school by next week…I need to be close to my lifemate. Yodah here, and Freya will be transferring from their schools sometime next month, or this month. But don’t worry, we will not be seen within the confines of your pack.” Julius explained to Derek, a small laugh playing around his lips as he remembered Derek’s earlier question. The lad was really a fool full of himself.
The small hope in Derek died completely after Julius’ explanation. Was there really no way he could reach out to Emma and stop her from traveling? He was doomed then. He thought, feeling useless. He had no connections at the airport, and even if his father had, he didn’t think they would be able to help him or believe him since his father was on a sick bed.
Should he still run? He thought, wincing the next second when he heard his mother’s voice through their private mind path.
“Where are you now? Come home. Your father is awake and he is asking for you.”
He stirred then, standing up to his feet.
At least one good news. He thought, blinking back the tears that were about to fall. An Alpha shouldn’t cry. He thought, before glaring at Julius and Yodah once again as if they were his nemesis.
“Calm your horses down, big man. We were just following orders.” Today pointed out, lifting up his hands in a peace sign for he thought that Derek was about to order them to follow him, not that he would succeed in apprehending them though. But still, he didn’t want to take chances, neither did he want to be in the bad books of the werewolves. He loved his quiet life quite alright.
“Aye. You can leave now…immediately.” Derek repeated, and as soon as he was done speaking, Yodah and Julius disappeared into thin air as mist.
“Farewell, young Alpha.” Julius’ voice echoed even after they were gone.
“Mom wants us back home. Dad is awake.” Derek mentioned without a preamble to Anthony.
“That’s great news.” Clem said, speaking up for the first time in a while.
“Mhmmm…” Derek hummed, before looking off in the direction of Emma’s house. “But I want to check out the house first.” He stated, and Anthony nodded, understanding what he was talking about. His heart went out to his younger brother, but alas, he couldn’t do anything to help him.
**
The trio arrived at Emma’s house dejectedly, knowing that the owner of the house was gone forever, or at least till she decides to come back. They were all hoping that at least she would be back for the school’s exams which would be around next year. And although, it was quite far and the possibility was thin, they were still willing to bet their hope on that.
As Derek climbed the short stairs that would lead them to the front porch, he couldn’t help but remember their first meeting. He couldn’t believe that it had been just a month and a few weeks since they had met. It felt like years and then yesterday at the same time. Was that how love confuses someone?
He remembered when she had toppled him over like a martial queen. He remembered her sharp rebukes, and then their first meal together.
Derek sighed, feeling a lone tear roll down his cheek.
He sniffed, and quickly cleared the evidence of that betrayal off his cheek. ‘You can’t cry in front of your subjects.’ He kept saying to himself over and over again even when all he wished to do was to fall to the ground and cry his eyes out like a heart-broken woman would, for that was the state of him now, heartbroken.
He walked into the sitting room after Anthony and Clem, and took in the state of the room. It was neat and tidy. Everything was intact as if his little witch was just gone for a day. But he had a feeling that he wouldn’t be seeing her in a very long time. And no matter how he tried to see things optimistically as his friends, he just couldn’t. It was like he was seeing their end(he and his little witch) and this knowing only served to break his heart the more.
His eyes cut across the drawings on the wall, and immediately he beckoned onto Anthony, remembering that on that fateful day when he was supposed to bring his mother here and show her the drawings, he had been sidetracked when he bad chosen to stay with his little witch at the cafe and protect her from the possessive holdings of his male counterparts because of the sweet scent that had surrounded her body. That had also been the day he had been possessed by the Alferic beast.
“Derek, what is it?” He heard Anthony ask as the latter approached him.
“Are you with your phone?” He asked him, and Anthony nodded, dipping his hand into the front pocket of his combat shorts.
“Is there any problem?” He asked, but Derek shook his head in the negatives.
“I just need you to take pictures of these walls, make sure that these lines are highlighted properly. I need to show them to mother.” Derek replied, taking his eyes away from the walls fast enough to notice that Clem was no longer in the sitting room with them.