Chapter 49
Chapter 49
“Justin?” “Another friend from town?” Alec asked, his eyes glued to Justin who hadn’t yet noticed us. “No.” I shook my head, my voice filled with unease. “I met him on the bus leaving town. He said he was coming from Florida, and that he was heading to Virginia. I wonder what he’s doing here.”
“This is a long way from Virginia.” Alec grunted, his eyes narrowing. Just then, the wind shifted. A thick breeze wafted across the street, and I watched as Justin’s short hair ruffled under the current. His scent hit me like a ton of bricks, and I wondered how I hadn’t noticed it before.
“Justin–he was one of the guys who tried to kidnap me.” My words set many things in motion. Justin’s head snapped up, his eyes meeting mine, filled with what looked like surprise. Kade was across the street before I could blink, moving faster than I thought possible. Justin turned on his heel, his cellphone clattering to the ground as he took of through a crowd of tourists. Kade barreled through the humans, sending them scattering into the grass and onto the road. My heart jumped in my chest as the two of them vanished in a thick crowd of people, heading towards the dense forest that surrounded this town. “His phone, he dropped his phone.” I scoffed, grabbing Alec’s hand and darting across the road. The cellphone was somewhat beat up from its fall, but remained in full working order. I swiped the screen with my thumb and grimaced as it asked for a four-digit password. “C**p.” I sighed, “It needs a password.” “Let me see it.” Alec replied, “We have a friend back at the pack who’s good with electronics. He might be able to get into it.” I handed the phone to Alec and turned my eyes to the remaining crowd of people. They had all long forgotten that Justin and Kade practically bulldozered through them and resumed meandering through town.
My shoulders were tense with worry, my eyebrows creased at the thought of what might happen. Even though I accepted Alec and Kade as my mates, I knew little about them as people. I hadn’t a clue if Alec or Kade could defend themselves, though I hoped their huge builds weren’t just for show. Would I know if something happened to Kade? Would I feel it like I feel their emotions?
“Don’t worry, Aurora.” Alec faced me; his voice incredibly soft though his eyes burned with rage. “Kade will get him. You’re sure he was one of the men that attacked you?” “I’m positive.” I nodded, meeting Alec’s hardened eyes. “I hadn’t noticed on the bus, but when the men attacked me, they smelled–different.” I stepped into his arms, pressing myself against his side for support. Anger rippled through him, burning the tip of my tongue as his emotion wafted over me. I could feel his rage ebb and flow under my touch, my presence taking the edge off the razor-sharp emotion. Alec turned his head to where Justin had once stood, inhaling deeply, a grimace etched onto his face. Justin’s scent still lingered, as the wind had not yet chased it away. At first smell, it was the normal scent of a male. Musky, and somewhat earthy. As I focused on the thick layers of Justin’s scent, I could pick out something–odd about his smell, like he needed a really good bath. It wasn’t quite body odor, more like the smell of a d***y animal. “He’s a rogue.” Alec grimaced, his eyes flashing murderously. “What would a group of rogues want with you?” “I don’t know.” I admitted, “They said their boss wanted them to pick me up.” “That could be anyone.” Alec sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. “Alpha’s–really any werewolf who needs something done can employ rogues. They’ll take b**e minimum payment for whatever you need done.” “So, it could have been anyone who hired them.” I sighed. “And worse, they know you’re a white wolf.” Alec’s words came out in a low growl, “They’ll never stop now that they know what you are. You’re worth too much.” I couldn’t help but tense up at what Alec had said. I had made my decision, and knew running wouldThis belongs to NôvelDrama.Org - ©.
solve nothing, but it was somewhat daunting to realize what my life had become. I would be hunted for the rest of my life, just like Sage, for something I had no control over. As though he could feel my stress, Alec turned and held me close. His intoxicating scent filled my nose, manly and rich as it calmed my frayed nerves. Butterflies danced in my stomach at the close proximity between us, along with the rush of gentle calm that flowed from Alec. “It’s not your fault, doll.” Alec murmured, his lips against my forehead. The sparks that danced across my skin, paired with Alec’s soft voice, soothed me further. “We’ll keep you safe. They won’t get their hands on you.” “I trust you, both of you.” I sighed, “It’s just–I used to be normal, well as normal as I could be. I’m not complaining anymore, but it’s still a lot to get used to.” “I know.” Alec’s hand cupped my face, lifting it so my eyes met his. Dark and endless, he stared at me with an intensity that made my toes curl. “Kade and I will be with you through it all. We’re not going anywhere, Aurora. You don’t have to go through any of this alone.” Alec had a certain kind of gravity around him, one that pulled me in and claimed me as his own. I found myself wanting to be closer to him, to seek comfort from him in any way I could. Maybe it was the mate-bond pulling us closer, I wasn’t sure, but I wanted more of him. They both had come all this way for me, yet neither had forced me to return home. They respected my decision, and despite the hurt that lingered within them, they understood why I had left. That was more than anyone had ever given me, and somehow, I knew they weren’t done giving. They both would give me every last piece of themselves until they had nothing left, and what scared me the most was I was willing to do the same. I stood on my toes, raising myself closer to his towering height. Alec’s surprise danced across my skin as I grazed my lips against his. Alec and Kade had been my first kiss. At the time I had been completely overwhelmed by their attention, but now I craved it, all of it. The sparks tickled my lips as I brushed them against Alec’s, and I smiled as his arms wrapped around me protectively. Alec made no move to further our kiss, letting me explore his lips with my light inexperience. When I pulled away, a breathtaking smirk had formed on his face. A light happiness
danced in his eyes, and as the sun hit his dark hair, I realized how startlingly beautiful he looked. Like he was chiseled from stone, created just for me. “You’re going to make Kade jealous, doll.” Alec murmured softly, tracing his thumb along my bottom lip. “An Alpha’s jealousy is much worse than your average werewolf.” “I’ll have to owe him one.” I said somewhat breathlessly. “Believe me, he will hold you to that.” Alec smiled, a genuine smile. It was like a light shined within him, breathtakingly beautiful. The high-pitched chime of a phone went off, and the two of us stiffened, the care-free moment between us vanished with the cool caress of the wind. Justin’s phone was ringing, a restricted number popped onto the screen. Alec answered the call, pressing the speaker phone button as the two of us listened in anticipation. “Did you find her?” The voice was that of a male, rough and deep but also raspy. The voice wasn’t as deep as Alec or Kade’s, but it was clear the voice came from an older male. I glanced at Alec; whose face darkened. I saw no recognition in his eyes, no indication that he knew who was speaking on the other end of the phone. “No, and you never will.” Alec snarled, “But we will find you, and you will have wished you never touched what was ours.” The mystery guy ended the call, and the two of us fell into silence. Alec held his rage within him, a murderous sort of calm falling over his features. Once again, a phone rang, this time belonging to Alec. He answered the call and placed the phone against his ear. I could hear Kade’s rough voice on the other end. Their conversation lasted a total of thirty seconds before Alec hung up. “He caught him; he’s got Justin.” Alec smiled, though it was one of murderous anticipation. “He’s going to head back to the pack without us. There’s no way were letting Justin within sniffing distance of you.” “What will happen once Kade brings him back to the pack?” I frowned. I knew little of this new world, but some things were blindingly clear. Alec and Kade had a sort of feral
dominance that radiated from them in waves. Werewolves took care of their own, and seemed to live by their own set of laws. The title of Alpha wasn’t just for show, which meant Alec and Kade’s word was practically law. They wouldn’t be lenient on Justin, and there certainly wouldn’t be a trial. They would exact their own form of justice on Justin, and anyone who dared try to hurt me. “He’ll be questioned, and if he’s smart, he’ll talk.” Alec grunted, placing his hand on the small of my back as we crossed the road and headed to the car. “Will he be tortured?” I asked, already knowing the answer. Alec paused, and though his eyes were hard, they softened as they caught my uneasy gaze. “Yes, he will be tortured.” Alec nodded, “This might make you uncomfortable, but we’re different than humans–we run things differently.” Alec held the passenger door open for me, letting me climb inside before shutting it. I sat in silence for the entire drive to the airport, mulling over what he had said. What I hadn’t told him is that the thought of Justin being tortured hadn’t made me uncomfortable. I found it somewhat sickening, and wanted to be far away when it happened, but a large part of me expected it–and worse, accepted it. Somewhere deep within me, I knew werewolves weren’t lenient, that they didn’t believe in simply imprisoning someone for the rest of their lives. Punishment meant d***h.