Chapter 20: Thomas's PoV
1065 Words
Thomas PoV, December 21st:
I woke up in a sweat that morning, my skin hot and feverish to the touch. My heart was beating faster than a drum, and it was all because of what I'd done. I'd hurt her -- the mutt, the half breed...
Grace.
I'd hurt her, and I would have killed her if I'd had even one more second. Every night since, I woke up having forgotten where I was. I couldn't wrap my head around the guilt and the pain of having hurt her -- Grace, a child, who was like a little sister to me.
I stood up in the dark and fumbled around for the light switch. As soon as I could see my way I went to the bathroom, looking for the sink so I could wipe the sweat from my forehead. The damp cloth was cool against my head, slapping me back into reality.
With a sigh, I got dressed and went downstairs. After the fight with Caroline we had withdrawn to rethink our strategy; if Grace was protected by wolves, then there was no way we could get to her without one of the wolves dying -- and if anyone of them were not from my pack then that would definitely start a feud. Instead, we had to think of another plan.
It was nearly silent downstairs, with only a single wolf sat in the kitchen of the pack house. Everyone else was sleeping above us. I slid into a chair and rubbed my temples. There was no use trying to get back to sleep, I knew it wasn't possible, and there was work to be done anyway, even if it was only four in the morning.
In front of me sat one of the wolves who had gone on the hunt with me, Warren. Unlike most of them, he had actually gotten injured during the scuffle, though it was only a scratch and it had already healed. The scrape, which hadn't even left a scar, had left him eager to fight again, to 'avenge' himself. I couldn't help but think that the mark I'd left on the mutt was far greater.
It was Warren's shift as the night watch, meaning that he had to keep guard of the pack house during the early hours of the morning while the rest of us slept. Supposedly, he was meant to be circling the perimeter on the look out for any unusual scents, but it was much nicer to stay in the house where it warm. I decided not to say anything about it -- I couldn't exactly blame him.
We sat in silence, neither of us having much to say to the other. Eventually, I decided to actually get some work done, so I poured a cup of coffee and asked Warren if he wanted to come help me plan strategy in the office. He accepted and we went back upstairs.
I slumped into my desk chair, too cranky to really get anything done. Warren took a pile of paper work off my desk and started reading through it -- it was mostly angry letters from the council, demanding to know if I'd taken care of the mutt problem yet. With a sigh, I opened up my computer and began checking through emails.
The first was an email from Caroline. We hadn't spoken since the hunt and I wasn't sure exactly where we stood as enemies or allies. She had supported me in the council and I know had spoken a lot with Annie, which isn't enemy behaviour, but attacking me mid hunt also wasn't something allies did, either.
I didn't click on the email, deciding to wait until morning, and instead opened up one that was supposed to be from my father -- or, at least, it was dictated by him and written down by one of his wolves.
Dear Thomas,
I have heard rumours about what happened during the hunt -- is it true? I cannot imagine what possessed you to let the mutt slip away -- or what possessed the wolves who attacked you. You must come see me immediately. The best way to get rid of the mutt is with sheer numbers -- I can provide twenty men, all volunteers who came when I asked, to add to your pack. You must mobilize every wolf at your disposal. This mess has gone on for far too long.
Yours sincerely,
Elder Day, of the Brenin Blaid bloodline.
My father's email worried me. It all seemed so extreme when I thought about it. The reality of even hurting the mutt had left me in pieces, I couldn't imagine seeing her killed -- let alone doing it myself. Nonetheless, there wasn't another option, it had all escalated so fast.
I took a sip of my coffee and typed out a response.
Dear Father,
I wish I could deny the rumours, but the mutt did escape. We were surprised by three wolves who attacked us and helped the mutt to get away; by the time we could chase after her there was no longer a trail to follow. I don't know how the wolves knew when we would be there, since the mutt didn't seem to, but I suspect that Alpha Caroline had informants within our ranks. I will come meet with you in two days time; I need to gather wolves and resources, and to discipline the wolf that leaked the information.
Yours,
Alpha Thomas Day, of the Brenin Blaid bloodline.
I lent back on my chair before hitting send. My father had always been a cold man, a strong man, who had raised me to be the Alpha I was, but sometimes it was necessary to lie to him. I'd told him I didn't know who the informant was, but that wasn't true -- it was Annie, who'd followed us informed Caroline of exactly where we were. Even though she had betrayed me like that, I couldn't tell our father what she'd done. He was too volatile and too brutal, I knew Annie's punishment would be too harsh, and besides, it would break his heart. Little Annie always had been the apple of his eye.
She slept several floors above, kept safe away from any wolf who might suspect her of betraying us, as well as from any way she could do it again.
- Writer
