Life Without You

Chapter 14 - Tommo

I turn around and glance at the clock on the wall, inadvertently letting out a deep, forlorn sigh, which draws the attention of the others in the room. Alpha Hayden raises his dark eyebrows questioningly at me and I smile awkwardly in response. I knew it was unlikely that I would have time to call by the surf shop today, but I hadn’t given up hope. Well, not until I realised that it would already be closed by now, and the meeting doesn’t appear to be even close to ending. I feel Ash’s frustrations matching my own, but there’s nothing we can do about it now. This time yesterday it didn’t look like we would get back at all this weekend, so I guess we just have to be content with being in the same town as her tonight.

“We will go first thing tomorrow morning.” I promise him in an attempt to calm his rising disappointment.

“I don’t think I can wait that long.” Ash grumbles sulkily. Goddess, I never realised how surly how could get over a she-wolf. But she isn’t just any she-wolf, she’s our mate.

“You don’t have a choice.” I retort, my own mood improving slightly at the thought of seeing our mate again in a mere matter of hours. I block Ash’s whining voice out as much as possible and force my attention back to the conversation going on in Alpha Hayden’s office.

“I’m glad the academy are teaching you something useful.” Alpha Hayden laughs, and I wish I had heard what Bren said, rather than listening to Ash’s moaning.

“They are. It’s bizarre the number of future Alphas that still don’t see the benefits of training she-wolves.” Bren says with a slight shake of his head.

“Can you imagine what Lettie would say if you told her she couldn’t train when she joins this pack?” I add catching up with the conversation.

“I don’t think I would have a mate for very long.” Bren replies with a lighthearted chuckle and I absolutely agree with him.

“I would definitely be joining you in the rejects if I tried to stop Daphne training.” Jace jokes and I wish I could say something about my mates training, but I doubt she has had any at all. She’s a lone wolf, so she’s never been part of a pack, and from what I’ve overheard she lives with her human father. I guess that means that her mother is a werewolf, but she certainly isn’t living near here.

“Lydia has never had any training. Her Alpha is one of the arseholes that think she-wolves shouldn’t know how to defend themselves. I’m sure it’s just to keep them weak and submissive. I hate it, I feel so helpless being so far away and knowing she can’t fight if anything happens.” Frankie explains angrily.

“I’m sorry you are having to go through this, if there was any way I …” The Alpha’s voice trails off as his eyes glaze over. After a few seconds they momentarily return to normal before he forms another mind link. Judging by the way my father’s eyes glaze over at the exact same time, I presume the Alpha is passing along the message to his second in command. Without uttering a word my father darts out of the room.

“Problem?” Bren asks his father with a slight concerned tone in his voice.

“Nothing Felix can’t handle.” Alpha Hayden reassures him, but I can’t help wondering what the message was and why they didn’t want us to hear it. I cross my fingers in hope that the meeting might be brought to an end now that my father has left. I know it’s a long shot, but Eva could still be hanging around on the beach. “I’m sorry Frankie. I just couldn’t accept the terms that the Shadowfax pack wanted for an alliance, and I can’t allow you to go to that pack without any assurances about your safety.”

“I know. Thank you for reaching out to him anyway.” Frankie says sullenly.

“I have also contacted the werewolf council for their advice, but they are reluctant to intervene due to the scrutiny that they themselves are under at the moment.”

“I really appreciate everything that you are doing Alpha. I just wish that she was in a different pack.” Frankie replies, his eyes cast down to the ground despondently.

“Aunt Cleo could get Alpha Fabian to speak to Lydia’s Alpha. They must have an alliance between their packs, otherwise she wouldn’t have been at the ball.” Bren offers a slim glimmer of hope to our friend, before Alpha Hayden snatches it away.

“Cleo says that they aren’t on particularly good terms at the moment. The alliance is historic and exists from Fabian’s father. Neither she nor Fabian really expected them to take up the invitation to the ball.” Alpha Hayden explains. “I’m sure you will be anyway, but please keep talking to Lydia about it. Reassure her that we want what’s best for her as well as you. As soon as she is ready to leave that pack, I will make her a member of this one, but there is little else I can do until then.”

“I will Alpha. Thank you. It’s just driving me crazy. Now that I’ve found her, it hurts to be away from her.” Frankie admits as I place one of my hands comfortingly on his shoulder, and pull him close for a half hug that both of us need. I understand exactly what he means, but at least my mate is here, in this town, not in another pack.

My father strolls back into the office, carefully adjusting his tie, before taking his usual position beside the Alpha.

“Sorted?” Alpha Hayden asks.

“Sorted.” My father assures him, but he is looking strangely at me whilst he speaks.

“Excellent, well let’s leave everything there for tonight. Go get some sleep, if you can. We have other business to discuss tomorrow. I’ve received a request to meet with Alpha Lucas next week so that we can discuss the possibility of an alliance with the Blood Stone pack in more detail. I want to hear all of your thoughts on that. Mull it over and we will meet after lunch.” At Alpha Hayden’s dismissal we all bow before filing out of the office. Bren, Frankie and Jace hurriedly head up the stairs to their suites, while I pause at the bottom. The thought of giving in to Ash’s begging and leaving the pack in search of our mate crosses my mind again. It’s tempting, very tempting, but it’s been a long day and I don’t want to spend all night searching for her if she is already at home. I take a deep breath then quickly follow my friends up the stairs to the Beta suite before changing and laying on my bed. However, as soon as my eyes are closed my heart starts to ache. It’s not the first time I have felt this pain, but it has never lasted for very long. I grit my teeth waiting for it to end. When the pain doesn’t stop after a minute, I unfortunately have a good idea what it means. My mate is either having a long make out session with someone else or worse. Knowing that hurts more than the actual ache. It takes all my strength to restrain Ash and his fury at the situation. I understand his anger, I feel it too, but we are powerless to do anything about it tonight.

***

I didn’t sleep well last night. Even when the pain eventually stopped, I could still feel a weird lasting sensation in my chest. I can still feel it now, if I think about it. It doesn’t feel good and the last thing I want to do is stay in my room thinking about it until the surf shop opens. I quickly get ready and head down for breakfast. I’m a bit early but it wouldn’t be the first time I’ve helped myself to something as it was cooking.

As I walk down the stairs, the pain starts again and I can’t contain the growl that Ash releases into the stairwell. As quickly as the pain began it ends, so it’s probably only a kiss this time. Thank the goddess.

“What’s wrong with you?” Jace asks as he appears behind me, his harsh tone masking whatever concerns he may have for my welfare.

“Nothing.” I reply grumpily, whilst I avoid making eye contact with him.

“You look absolutely dreadful this morning.” He continues to question me, even though I’m sure he knows that this is the last thing I want to discuss with him.

“Thanks. You look pretty dreadful yourself.” I retort bitterly.

“Thats because I was awake all night talking with my mate. What’s your excuse?” A coy smile reveals exactly what kind of talking they had been doing.

“I don’t need an excuse, I’m just feeling dreadful.” I snap back at him.

“If I didn’t know better, I’d think you were just feeling the effects of a cheating mate.”

“Well it’s lucky for both of us that you don’t know better then.” I try to make it sound like one of my usual jests, but I think he can tell he wasn’t too far off the mark with his assertion, and my reply wasn’t exactly a denial.

“I don’t like seeing you like this. You know you can talk to me whenever you want to, right?” He offers and when I am ready to talk about it, Jace might be the best person to talk to. He’s blunt, but he’s discreet.

“Thanks. I know, there’s just nothing to talk about right now.” I confirm bleakly as we walk side by side down the stairs.

“She’s a f*****g idiot.” Jace says abruptly.

“Who?” I ask innocently.

“Whoever is causing you pain. I don’t care that she’s your mate, she’s still a f*****g idiot.” Jace replies sincerely.