Never Leave, A Human Mate - (Book 2 The Mist Series)

~Chapter 22 - Missing Werewolves~

~Reece~

The silence in the packhouse was a suffocating blanket. Not a single wolf among us could truly rest, haunted by the brutal fight against the mutant werewolves. Luna Jada had returned to the Celestial Moon with Alpha Silas, and Desmond, along with their newborn son, Levine Irvine Anderson. A wonderful way to keep doctor Levine’s memory alive. The rest of the Celestial Moon returned home with them.

Alpha Joseph and Beta Tyrone had implemented a rigorous patrol system. A constant rotation of watchful eyes and sharpened senses was our only shield against any lingering threat. Kingston had volunteered to stand guard within the packhouse, a bulwark of pure White muscle against any lingering threat.

I clung to the hope that Dawn would regain consciousness soon.

Agatha sighed, a sound heavy with worry, and sank onto the couch beside Dawn’s still form. Her hand hovered, moving over Dawn’s unconscious form, as if searching for something intangible in the muted space.

“Anything?” Luna Louise asked from the floor, her voice hushed. Even the triplets and Anya, typically bundles of boundless energy, sensed the undercurrent of anxiety and were too wired to sleep, fidgeting restlessly in their playpen.

Agatha tilted her head, her brow furrowed. “Erm… This is weird. Freya is there, but she’s hiding for some reason. It’s not fear… but something I can’t see.”

Alpha George entered the room. His face was covered it healing cuts. He cleared his throat, the sound echoing in the silence. “I’ve reached out to Elder Darius. They’ll be here in two days, once they’ve made sure Maddison, Salista, and Josephine can’t return to their territory.”

“How’s Josie-Anne?” I asked, the image of her heartbroken face flashing in my mind. “She was close with the elders. And for some reason, thought highly of Josephine.”

“She’s upstairs with Ruth,” he said, rubbing the back of his neck, a gesture that betrayed his own worry. “But I’ve never seen her so angry. I don’t blame her. Josephine was training her.”

“More like manipulating her,” Joseph snorted, shaking his head. “Snowflake was so adamant that Josephine’s rules were everything.”

“Poor girl,” Luna Louise sighed, her voice filled with genuine empathy. “Her world has been flipped upside down.”

“What about Alpha Hugo and Alpha Zhan?” Tyrone asked, still vigilant, leaning against the window, his ears twitching, straining for any unusual sound. “Did you contact them?”

He nodded. “They’re missing a few delta warriors—highly experienced and trained warriors. But they haven’t been attacked… yet. They’re prepared now and have their pack on lockdown.”

It was true Kendle and Misha were trained, but they were only five years in from their wolves awakening. If Maddison and Salista had been smarter, they would have targeted Lilly or even my sister, Eloise. Eloise was a trained fighter. Beta warriors were thick in the White blood. Our father Jakob was Czech and had met our mother Mary on a holiday here with his family. It was through our father we had inherited the white wolf. And even though Elosie’s daughters, Sarai, and Lola, were all about fashion and so on, Eloise was a fighter.

“Raiden from the Riverbend has reached out to his mate’s pack,” Alpha George continued. “And Alpha Silas has reached out to the Primrose pack and the Fox Glove pack. We’ll see what they have to say tomorrow when I call to check in.”

“When are we gathering at the Sunset clan?” I asked, pulling myself back from the swirling vortex of my thoughts. “This needs to be brought to an end before we or they lose anyone else.”

“Soon,” Alpha Joseph said. “Once Elder Darius and the others arrive, then it’s all hands on deck.”

This was spiralling out of control. I ran a hand through my hair, the stitches in my arm protesting with a sharp throb. “Everyone needs to remain hyper-vigilant. It’s just…” I trailed off, unable to articulate the fear that clawed at my throat.

“Terrifying,” Luna Louise whispered, shivering despite the warm air of the packhouse. “Nowhere is safe.”

“Exactly,” I agreed, my gaze flittering to Dawn for a breath.

“We’ve got people posted everywhere,” Joseph reassured, his voice firm. “And now, so do the other packs. We should be alright to sleep…”

“I don’t think I can,” I admitted, my gaze locked on Agatha, who was still studying Dawn with unnerving intensity. Sleep was a luxury I couldn’t afford, not when my mate lay vulnerable, not when the threat of another attack loomed large.

Suddenly, Dawn’s eyelids fluttered, then opened, revealing eyes that were still glazed but focused. Agatha recoiled slightly, startled. Every eye in the room snapped to Dawn, and a wave of anxiety washed over me.

How was I going to explain the events of the past few hours? How could I possibly explain a werewolf attack without mentioning werewolves, mutants, or, on a grander scale, the vengeful puppet masters Maddison, Salista, and Josephine? Being mated to a human was no walk in the park, especially not when the supernatural world was crashing down around us. The lies, the half-truths, the carefully constructed facade—it was all teetering on the edge of collapse.

Dawn blinked again, her gaze searching, confused. She tried to sit up, but a groan escaped her lips as she clutched her head. “What happened?” she whispered, her voice raspy. “My head feels like it’s been caught in a vice!”

“Easy, Dawn,” I said, rushing to her side, gently easing her back down. “You were hurt. You’ve been asleep for a while.”

“Hurt? How?” Her brow furrowed, and she reached a tentative hand towards her head again. I intercepted it, holding her hand in mine.

“There was… an incident,” I said, choosing my words carefully. “A wild dog attack. Dawn, you were knocked over and… hit your head.”

The lie tasted like ash in my mouth. I hated it, but the truth was a Pandora’s Box I desperately wanted to keep closed. For now, at least. Until I understood what Agatha had meant about Dawn’s wolf, Freya, hiding.

Agatha picked up on my cue as she stepped over to the playpen. Anya toddled up beside her, eagerly waiting for her mother to pick her up. “Yes, a large, crazed dog. It got loose from a… farm nearby. It attacked you and a few other people.” She met my gaze, a silent understanding passing between us.

The excuse, as much of a lie as it was, at least explained everyone’s wounds and my stitches.

“A dog?” Dawn repeated, her voice laced with disbelief. Then her gaze landed on my arm. Fear paled her face. She reached for my arm, then hesitated. “A dog did that? What kind of dog? Cujo?”

My heart hammered against my ribs. This was it. The façade was crumbling.

“It was a big mixed-breed dog,” Joseph added, his voice calm and reassuring. “But it’s been delt with.”

Luna Louise, Tyrone, and even George offered similar reassurances, painting a picture of a rogue animal attack, a tragic but isolated incident. They were weaving a web of lies to protect Dawn, to protect us all. Hopefully, it wouldn’t be long and we could admit the truth, aided by Freya—whenever she revealed herself.

Dawn remained unconvinced. Her eyes scanned the room, lingering on the tense faces, the subtle shifts in body language. She was smart, perceptive. She wouldn’t buy this so easily, but we had no other choice.

“It was a guard dog,” Alpha George added, gesturing to his cuts. “And the owner… She trained it to protect her flock, but it escaped and this happened.”

That seemed to cement the ridiculous lie.

Dawn shuddered. “I feel bad for the dog. It was only doing what it was trained to do. Sadly, it paid the ultimate price.”

Little did she know how true that statement was. Salista had taken our delta warriors and changed them, moulded them to her twisted standards, and set them on their pack. It wasn’t their fault in the slightest.

“We’ll on that note,” Luna Louise said, gathering two of the toddlers. Tyrone grabbed one and stood beside her. “It’s time we get these monsters to bed.”

“Agreed,” Agatha said, gathering Anya.

The rest of them feigned exhaustion and offered the goodnights. Dawn and I watched everyone go, then I sat beside her.

She pivoted to me, her eyes scanning the stitches. Then she reached over and kissed my cheek. “Thank you for protecting me…” she breathed.

I laid my head against hers, loving the feel of her, craving the scent of her. “Dawn, I would do anything to protect you. I know it’s been a few days, but I care about you.”

A wave of warmth washed over me at her words, but it was tinged with guilt. How much longer could I keep up this charade?

“I care about you too,” she whispered, snuggling closer. “More than you know.”