The Half Mutt Mate

Chapter 14: Thomas's PoV

Thomas's PoV, November 15th:

I stood by the driveway, addressing the five wolves I had chosen to track the mutt with me. There had been scouts before, of course -- and I'd joined several teams myself in the past few months, trying to find her -- but she was evasive, and slippery enough to know how to get past us. It was mostly because we didn't know where she was going, but a few days ago a scout had chased her and some others into a town somewhere North of here. He had been following her trail for several days, and it seemed clear she was going East on foot. The mutt had no chance of evading us once we knew where to look for her. 

The wolves in front of me were all chosen for the speed, tracking abilities and hunting prowess. Secretly, though, I made sure that most of them hadn't met the mutt before -- to them, she was just a dangerous half breed that they needed to kill. I was no fool, I knew killing the mutt was going to be difficult, even though I rejected her, so I made sure the wolves hunting her with me were all ruthless and driven to protect the pack. The only one who had even met her was Aaron, my brother, who I knew had a good understanding of what had to be done. He wouldn't hesitate.

I examined the face of each wolf. They were laughing with each other, carefree and happy to be chosen for the task, but there was also an underlying sense of duty and pride in them and the way they talked. I knew that if I couldn't find it in me to kill the mutt, then one of them certainly would. 

Her name is Grace, Nathan, my wolf, whined. I chose to ignore him.

We had everything we needed to hunt her, and, if what the scout had said about her traveling with people was true, then tracking the mutt would be even easier than we thought. We were going to drive to the last place she was spotted and then we would shift and track her from there. I figured it would probably only take us a few weeks, maybe a month at most to find her.

As I was readying myself to deliver an inspiring, passionate speech to the wolves, someone cleared their throat behind me. I turned around and there was Annie, stood with her arms crossed and her mouth twisted into a scowl. 

"There's someone here to see you," she said, spinning on her heel and walking away immediately after delivering her message. 

I followed her slowly, in a deliberate, dignified way, so that my men would know I was still in control. We went back inside to the study, where the smell of pomegranates and expensive perfume flooded my nose -- the smell of Caroline. True to from, Caroline was leaning against my desk, a glass of wine in her hand. I didn't even know we had wine in the house. She was wearing a classy white blouse and blazer, and a business-like purple pencil skirt. Her dark brown hair fell over her shoulders, not a hair out of place, and there was a worrisome glint in her eye. She smiled at me like a shark would smile at its prey. In short, she was as composed and as potentially dangerous as ever.

"Thomas, darling," she said, pointedly. "I do hope I'm not imposing."

"Well, actually, I have to leave soon. We're tracking the mutt."

Caroline pursed her lips and took a sip of her wine. "Right, well, I'll make it quick then. I was watching you at the meeting, Thomas. You're not a cruel man."

"I should hope not."

"So why are you continuing with this folly?" She said. "Why are you readying yourself to kill an innocent?"

I flinched. The mutt was not exactly an innocent -- she was a danger to my pack. 

"It has to be done," I said stiffly, like a machine. 

"You and I both know that's not true, Thomas."

"There is no other way."

"Of course there is! You about to kill a child, Thomas -- a child. There's no coming back from that."

I pinched the bridge of my nose, exasperated. How could she not understand the threat the mutt posed? I swallowed the angry response in my throat and decided on a less inflammatory rebuttal.

"She's a child now, Caroline, but what about in five years, in ten? When she's a danger to us all? It's better this way," I said. "Why do you care, anyway? She's nothing to you."

"Despite what you may think, I'm not heartless," she spat. "The girl does not deserve to die because of the fears of some old men on the council. I won't let her."

I laughed. "And you're going to stop me, are you?"

Caroline straightened her back and strode towards me, her eyes locked on mine. Her glare was debilitating and dripping with an anger so intense I wasn't sure it even qualified as anger. She tilted her head upwards as she spoke, delivering her words slowly, with an quiet, ice cold sincerity.

"Don't be a coward, Thomas. I know you don't want to kill her," she paused, letting her words sink in. "If you need my help, then ask for it." With that last command, she walked out of the room. 

Just like that.

I stood there, stunned, for a moment, before rejoining the wolves outside. I was shaken by Caroline's words, but I wouldn't let them get to my head. The other wolves looked to me, waiting for orders, so I told them to get into the truck we were using as transport and to wait for me there. I decided to skip the inspirational speech -- every second we wasted meant the mutt and her friends were getting further away. 

I was surprised by Caroline's ferocity, especially over a mutt. It was rare that she cared enough about anything to come talk to me, but I couldn't help but fear her influence, just a little. She was a powerful Alpha in her own right, and I couldn't tell if she was an enemy or an ally.