Chapter 22
Alaric
I woke up in the middle of the night to the sweet honeysuckle scent of my mate. The door clicked shut and I smiled knowing she was awake and had come into the hallway to check on me. I listened out for her heartbeat, but these apartments were soundproofed, so I couldn’t. I lay there on the floor pretending to sleep in hopes she would come out again, but she didn’t.
My apartment is on the above floor, but since coming back from the hospital, I’ve spent my nights outside Evie’s door. The doctor said it would help her recover. Her organs had signs of previous damage and our bond would help heal the scarring. When I had asked how her organs had become so bad, the doctor explained it’s common with rejected mates to have organ scarring if the said rejector had sex with others after the rejection. If I ever get to meet that fucker, I’m going to take great pleasure ripping him apart limb from limb.
Doctor Benson said staying near Evie would also help me heal. Because I had that protein shake Dharia made for me analysed. I’d been poisoned. The ingredients in the recipe not only had spinach and banana in it, but it also had turnea diffusa, cnidium monnieri and Lepidium meyenii in it. All components to a love spell. And according to the lab, they were in high quantities. Lisa also took the cup to examine it, and there was a love spell written under the paper label.
When the findings were reported to Jed, he called the local coven and had High Priestess Abigail Winters join in the investigation. Because the ingredients had to come from somewhere. Using spells in food is prohibited due to their potency and side effects. Dharia was quickly arrested and taken to the local coven, where she outed her friend from the coven for providing her with the spell and ingredients.
But the spell needed to leave my system, and Doctor Benson explained that being near my mate would help that. It didn’t help how I thought about my part in this whole shit show, though. If I hadn’t accepted the protein shake, I wouldn’t have gone so far under Dharia’s spell. I was so gullible, so easily swayed by my friendship with her that I couldn’t see what she’d been doing to me. What she’d been doing to me for years.
Whenever I got a girlfriend, Dharia made me a protein shake. During our pack war, I was fed shakes. When we broke up, she’d apologise with a shake. And we’d get back together. I’m such a fool.
I’ve been kicking myself as I’ve tried to build up some sort of a routine. Nights spent outside Evie’s room followed by days doing my job, training wolves and paperwork.
Today is like the past few days. I take a morning training group, mainly she-wolves, and then take another group after breakfast. A few hours in my small office doing paperwork- making me feel more frustrated with the lack of space I have in it to do my job. Then after lunch, I roam the training rooms and help guide those I can. My days are long… and empty.
I’ve been in the target room, working with some of the Deltas with their throwing and archery skills. I’m one of the best at knife throwing because of my mum, who’s a bloody expert.
“And relax,” I tell Derrick, watching him throw his knife at the target. It hits and I grin.
“And again,” I say, handing him the next knife. Derrick nods and I take a step backwards when acute sadness suddenly fills me.
“Shit,” I stammer, making Derrick stop what he’s doing. He gives me a quizzical look which turns into worry.
“I have to go,” I say, handing Derrick back his knife collection. Derrick opens his mouth to say something, but I’m gone. I use my werewolf speed and before I know it, I’m standing outside Evie’s door.
I knock, trying hard not to rush and slam the door open with my fists. Something’s wrong. My mate is upset.
The door opens and Evie stands there, her blonde head looking at the floor. I step forward, wrapping my arms around her body as I draw her near, the only way I know how to comfort her and give her what she needs. She’s stiff in my arms, which I deserve, but I don’t let go. Instead, I step forward, closing the door behind me with the heel of my foot. She doesn’t fall into me like I’d like, and I want to pick her up wrap her legs around me and carry her to bed, but I know it won’t work.
“I’m here babe,” I whisper. She’s mute in response, but her hurt and pain throb between our bond.
“What’s wrong, talk to me,” I soothe. I want her to know that I’m here, that I’m not going anywhere. That I’ll protect her and keep her safe.
When we get to her bed, I pick her up bridal style and sit on her bed, placing her on my lap so I can hold her tighter to me. She doesn’t say anything, and I let the moment be. I study the room we’re in. She’s only lived here a week, and it still doesn’t look lived in. Even the bed is made with military-style corners. It makes me realise how little I know about my mate.
I notice a large black bag behind me on the bed with what looks like camping accessories.
“What’s this? Going somewhere?” I ask.
“Camping,” she says weakly. I nod at that. Another thing about my mate I don’t know. She likes to go camping.
“And what’s this?” I ask, tugging paper out of her hands.
“She’s dead,” Evie says, confirming that this is the source of her pain. I begin to read, realising it’s a letter. Evie begins to ramble as I read.
“Shh, shh, baby. I’m here. Let me work it out. Shh,” I soothe. The letter starts with an apology for the late reply. Someone named Jia had been sick and passed away a week ago. According to the letter, her funeral was taking place in three days in a place called Sierra. As I read, I feel Evie begin to relax in my arms, her head leaning against my chest as breathes in my scent.
We sit there for goddess-knows how long. It kills me to hold her as she goes through this pain. Whoever this Jia is, is someone important to her. But she doesn’t cry. It’s like she can’t.
“Come on, I’m going to put you to bed and then…” I begin.
“I have have to go, Alaric. I need to be there… I,” Evie begins to ramble again.
“Shh,” I soothe, kissing the top of her head.
“Let me sort it out, okay?” I ask. She nods and I stand with her still in my arms, making her yelp in surprise. I then put her back on the bed and lifted the covers.
“Just sleep, and I’ll be back, okay?” I say, watching her wriggle under the covers. She nods, and I tuck her in, kissing her temple again to reassure her. I’m not going anywhere.
“One-two-three-four-five-six,” Evie calls out as I head for the door.
“What?” I ask, turning to look at her.
“The code to my room,” she says.
“That’s…” I begin.
“Don’t judge,” is all she says as she closes her eyes. I nod.
I smirk as I head back down to my office. One-two-three-four-five-six. What a code. Easy to remember.
I close the door to my office while linking Leyton at the same time to come see me. While I wait I google the return address of one Chen Nguyen, living in Sierra.
“You called?” Leyton asks, closing the door behind me as I write down the number of the closest wolf pack in Sierra.
“Yeah. I’m going to a funeral with Evie; the first flight available. I need you to take over for me while I’m gone,” I tell him.
“Shit. Is everything okay? Is that her family?”
“No. Surname is Nguyen,” I admit, shaking my head. Leyton nods.
“Anything you want me to do?” he asks.
“Could you call Gibbous Pack? Let them know we’re coming and anything else. I have to speak to Jed,” I say, and let Jed know what’s happening. Leyton nods and sits down in the seat I’ve just vacated.
“You need a bigger office man,” Leyton complains. I roll my eyes.
“I know.”
“And a computer with two screens,” he adds. I nod my head in agreement. I know.
I don’t like being away from Evie when she needs me, but the conversation I had with Jed was important. Although Leyton contacted Gibbous Pack for me, Jed did one better and rang their Alpha directly.
Alpha Riley sounded like a young guy, and he knew about Jia and her upcoming funeral. I learned that Jia was human, and Buddhist, whatever that means. The date of the funeral had been made by the local monks on a date they considered auspicious, to best send Jia’s body to the afterlife. Because of this, it had been decided to embalm her body rather than cremate it, and the ceremony would be taking place in three days, just like the letter had said.
Alpha Riley was surprised that Evie had decided to join a pack, but when he learned about me, he sighed in understanding. He offered a room in their pack house for us, as well as a car, and would pick us up from the airport at Orange City. We arranged to meet as soon as we arrived in Sierra.
“So you didn’t need me after all,” Leyton stated as soon as walked back into my office.
“Yeah, sorry. Jed rang Alpha Riley directly,” I admit.
“That’s okay. I got to chat up a sweet little she-wolf named Violet, who promised to come to the next Winter Solstice Ball with her friends,” he grins. I laugh.
“Thanks Ley.”
“No worries, man. You know, fate has a plan for me,” he says, slapping my back before walking about my office. I nod. Fate has a plan. And goddess I hope that fate didn’t play Jia’s death to make Evie and I closer.
//\\///\\\//\\
I returned to Evie’s room and packed her backpack before heading to my apartment to pack my things. I thought she had been sleeping when I returned, but as I went to pack my bags, she had asked me not to leave her. Which is how I ended up sleeping on the couch in her room. I had wanted to hold her in my arms, but I didn’t know if she would let me.
Jed had booked us a flight from Little Vallis to Orange City and had personally dropped us off in his jeep.
“Are you okay?” I asked Evie as we sat down in our seats on the plane. She nodded numbly, still in shock. I asked her if she had wanted the window seat, but she just shook her head no.
I buckled myself in and stared out the window. It was over a weeklong drive to Capital State from home, and a three-hour flight from Little Vallis to Orange City. I wondered how close Sierra was to her real pack. From what Alpha Riley said, she wasn’t originally from Sierra either, despite what her documents say. The air hostess begins her spiel, and I feel Evie reach over and grab my hand. I look at her but she continues to look ahead. I’m worried. I have yet to see her cry. It’s like all emotion has been carved out of her.
We watched movies on the flight over, thank goddess Jed booked a plane with a screen on the backseat, and the plane food wasn’t that bad. By the time we left the plane and headed for luggage claim, Evie and I were suitably tired.
The terminal was quiet with travellers, but one man stood out when we came out of customs. He stood there, his arms folded across his chest, and he smiled when he saw Evie. I watched as she walked over and let him hug her, but like with me, she was stiff in his arms.
“Riley. What are you doing here?” she asked.
“I came to pick you up. Why else?” the man replies. He looks over at me and steps away from my mate.
“You must be Alaric Erstad,” Alpha Riley greets, offering me his hand.
“I am. And you’re Riley Clark,” I add. He nods.
“It’s a pleasure meeting you. I studied your father at ATA,” he says. I nod.
“I didn’t,” I reply, making him laugh.
We walk out of the main building towards the airport valet, who nods when he sees Alpha Riley. A car appears moments later and I take Evie’s luggage and place hers in the boot with my own.
“Sit next to Alpha Riley. I’ll sit in the back,” Evie links as we go around the side to the doors.
“Okay,” I respond, opening the door for her to get in.
“We all ready?” Alpha Riley asks once I’ve buckled myself in.
“Yes, thank you,” Evie says softly.
“How long is the drive to Sierra?” I ask.
“It’s about two hours. Not far.”
“But far enough,” I add. Alpha Riley nods.
“How long have you been together?” Alpha Riley asks once we’ve hit the road.
“Not long,” I reply, looking over at Evie, who has closed her eyes in sleep.
“You’re one lucky guy. When we moved into Sierra, she freaked out and took off for months,” Alpha Riley admits. I raise my eyebrows at this little fact. I didn’t know that. I don’t know much about her past.
“Your pack isn’t from Sierra?”
“No. We branched off from the Gibbous Moon Pack with the approval of the Royal family. They wanted a pack like the one in the south. A safe haven for refugee wolves.”
“Like Alba?” I ask. This time it’s Alpha Riley’s turn to raise his eyebrows.
“You heard of Alba?”
“I know the family,” I admot. Alba is an organisation that’s been around for over a hundred years. Their role has always been to take in rejected wolves or families and place them in supportive packs. My mother needed Alba before I was born.
“You do, huh?” Alpha Riley says.
“I was born in the Waning Moon pack,” I explain. Even though my family comes from Silva Luporum.
“Wow. I didn’t know. That’s not mentioned in Henrik Erstad’s bio.”
No. Because some things are meant to be kept private.
“It makes sense, though,” Alpha Riley continues. I nod. When my father famously killed Andre Aubert, the leader of the race war, he did it for his family. For my mum and my sister. They were estranged at the time.
“I noticed she hasn’t marked you,” Alpha Riley says after some silence.
“I fucked up,” I reply.
“Don’t we all?”
We spend the rest of the trip talking. I learn that Riley went to Alpha Training Academy a few years before my sister and that he’s the second son of the Alpha of Gibbous Moon Pack, a pack in the middle of our great country. His pack, Gibbous Pack, has been in Sierra for three years, and they’ve become a huge part of the landscape in Sierra, which has grown in werewolf population since their arrival.
We spoke about Jia, who I learned was the matriarch of one of the Vietnamese families living in the area. Everyone in Sierra was aware of her funeral, as she owned a café in the centre of Sierra’s township.
I also learned a bit more about Evie. Evie had refused to join Gibbous Pack, which was why Alpha Riley was surprised to learn she had joined Silva Luporum. Evie was also steadfast in her independence, opting to live in the caravan park that Gibbous Pack now owned and turned into a motel. She didn’t want to have anything to do with the werewolves in town, keeping her distance from pack functions and celebrations.
“This is us,” Alpha Riley says, pulling through a large fence with guarded towers on each side. Gibbous Pack was located on the outskirts of Sierra, and the building, which had a modern stucco façade, looked new.
“How many pack members do you have?” I ask as we drive closer to the building.
“We have just under five-hundred members,” Alpha Riley confirms. I nod. His pack is on the smaller side, but large enough to grow into a bigger pack.
“We’re growing about three or four families a year,” Alpha Riley adds. I nod, my theory confirmed.
“Hey, babe, we’re here,” I whisper, lightly shaking Evie’s knee. Watching her wake up is the best. Her nose scrunches before her eyes flicker, and she stretches in her seat.
“Sorry, I always fall asleep in long car rides,” she admits. I just nod.
“Well, wake up. People are looking forward to seeing you again,” Alpha Riley smiles. Evie nods.
We enter the pack house and head for the reception desk, where a young she-wolf sits.
“Alpha Riley. You’re back,” the young girl greets.
“Gillian. Have you got those things I asked for?” Alpha Riley asks. She nods.
“Yes sir. Key cards are ready. Just show them to the concierge at the Dining Hall and you’ll get in,” Gillian says, smiling at Evie and me, a white card outstretched in our direction.
“Thank you,” Evie says softly as I take the card from the she-wolf. She nods and looks back at her Alpha.
“Anything else sir?” she asks.
“Could you have someone take their bags to their room?” Alpha Riley asks.
“Of course, sir,” Gillian replies.
“Thank you for waiting for us,” Alpha Riley replies. Gillian nods and turns towards her computer, resuming her work.
“I hope you don’t mind, but a few of us were hoping you’d have dinner at the dining hall with us,” Alpha Riley says as he leads us away from Gillian. Evie looks up at me and shrugs, and I nod in reply.
“Sure.”
We had a pleasant meal with Alpha Riley and his Beta, but when Evie began yawning, I made an excuse to leave, and we headed for our room.
“They’re a nice pack,” I commented as we walked towards our room.
“Ahem. They really helped me with my uh, paperwork. I’m grateful for that,” Evie says. I nod.
“But you didn’t have much to do with them.”
“Honestly, I didn’t want to have anything to do with werewolves,” she admits.
“Now you’re stuck with me,” I comment. Evie doesn’t comment and it makes me wonder why she actually bought the backpack. Was it really for camping?
The door to our room clicks unlocked and I push it open.
“Oh,” is the first thing out of Evie’s mouth when we see the room. Oh is right. It’s a small room, with a king-size bed and a small sitting area.
“It’s fine, I’ll sleep on the floor,” Evie says.
“That’s okay, I can…” I begin. I can sleep on the floor, and she can have the bed.
“Don’t worry pretty boy. I’m sure I have more hours than you sleeping in my wolf,” Evie dismisses. I shake my head and am about to protest when Evie starts stripping, her back towards me. Before I know it, she’s shifted into her wolf and curled into a ball on the floor.
I walk over and admire her soft, grey fur. Wolves from the north are grey like this. I would know because my grandmother is a northern werewolf. I want to run my fingers through her fur and enjoy the softness of it, but I know I can’t. Instead, I strip down to my boxers and climb into bed, making sure to keep to the side she’s asleep on. I’m not sure how this trip is going to go, but I hope it makes things easier between us. There is nothing I want more than Evie in my life.
//\\///\\\//\\
“Is this the place?” I ask as we do a slow drive by a house on a suburban street. There are lots of cars parked on the street and people coming in and out of the green weather-board house.
“Yup,” Evie replies. I nod and find a parking spot further up the street.
My relationship with Evie still hasn’t improved. I don’t know if she won’t talk to me because she’s in mourning, or because she still hates me. All I feel through our bond is her pain. It gets lighter when I’m around, so I take that as a good sign.
Evie doesn’t bother to knock as she walks into the house, instead, she calls out hello, which makes the people inside the house stop what they’re doing and look at us. Suddenly a young Asian woman runs out and practically jumps on my mate, enveloping her in a hug.
“You made it,” I hear the girl whisper.
“Always. Always,” Evie replies. I feel uncomfortable watching this all unfold. Not only because I’m a stranger amongst a group of humans, but I’m also the tallest, and besides Evie, the whitest one here.
“Evie!” another girl cries, coming over and hugging my mate.
“Food? You hungry? Sit, eat,” an older woman says, directing me towards an armchair with a plate in her hand. She hands me the plate and turns to the other woman standing next to her, speaking in a language I don’t understand and smiling.
“Here, spring rolls. Hot from the oven,” another woman says, handing me a plate with six crispy pastry-type food and a small bowl of red liquid.
“Aunty leave him alone,” the second Asian girl who hugged Evie says.
“Oh, Hana, Chen, this is my uh, boyfriend, Alaric. Alaric, this is Chen and Hana, my friends and Jia’s granddaughters,” Evie says.
“Hi,” I greet, trying to balance the plates on my lap. One of the older women walks over to Evie and whispers ‘he’s hot’ in her ear, making me blush.
“Thanks, Aunty,” she nods.
The first thing that happens is that we all eat. I’m introduced to Hana and Chen’s cousins, uncles and aunts, who all call me ‘brother,’ or ‘uncle,’ instead of Alaric. Chen tells me later that it’s customary, a sign of respect and endearment, and I’m in awe at this strange different culture. I’m not used to being around humans, my mother having not much family herself, and it makes me wonder if this is what all human families are like. Maybe it’s a human-Asian thing. I’ll have to ask Ophelia, as her mother is Vietnamese.
“We’ll be there at one, then,” Evie says, giving her friends one more hug.
“Hold on, hold on, dinner,” one of the Asian women, who I was introduced to but immediately forgot her name, says, shoving a plastic bag into my hand.
“Hmm. Aunty, that smells good. What is it?” Evie asks.
“Bo Luc Lac, your favourite,” Aunty replies with a wink.
“Aunty! You didn’t have to! I’ve been craving this, thank you!” Evie grins, giving the woman another hug.
“Enjoy your dinner, daughter,” the woman smiles, before sending us on our way.
We both say our goodbyes and then leave to go home.
“Are you okay?” I ask as we drive away.
“I will be. I just. Why do shit things always happen to you at the same time?” Evie asks.
“I don’t know babe. I don’t know,” I reply.
