The Alpha's Runaway

Chapter Fourteen

The next morning, Grant, Lance, and Gwen tiptoed around me. I immediately regretted telling them, and the thought made me angry. After what seemed like an excruciatingly long breakfast, I dragged them up to our rooms.

“Enough!” I snapped, glaring at them, “I’m not some fragile thing that needs to be handled carefully! I am not a victim! I’m a survivor. Stop acting weird. I am still the same person I was before you knew, so treat me the same. That goes for Viv and Cameron as well. We don’t need people hovering over us.”

“Sorry.” Grant apologized, kissing my forehead, “We’re just worried about you.”

“I know. You’re all amazing and it’s hard to believe that you guys care that much about me to worry, but walking on eggshells is not helpful. I’m going to have good and bad days. Last night and today are bad days, but the best way to help is to just be there for me and act as normal as possible.”

“Okay.” My mate responded, “And now that we have been thoroughly scolded, Lance and I have to meet with the others about the rogues.”

“Good luck with that one.” Lance told Gwen, grinning, “She’s in a mood.”

“Yeah, and it’s your fault, so just go. Leave me to clean up your mess.” She smiled in response and waved him off. Looking at me, she asked, “Better?”

“Better. Let’s see if we can find something useful today.”

We headed to the library and immediately began searching the shelves. Finding an ancient tome on the Blood Moon pack, I brought it to the table and started skimming.

The Blood Moon pack of Northern England was one of the oldest werewolf packs in recorded history. They were closely associated with the druids, who were really a coven of witches and warlocks.

“Interesting.” Gwen mused when I told her, “The triskelion has a Greek origin, but it has been associated with the Celts and druids.”

Unable to find anything else in the first book, I moved on to a book about druids. Even humans notice the mysticism surrounding them. Finding a section on triskelions, I started reading. No one could seem to agree on the meaning of the symbol. Three interlocked Archimedean spirals were drawn on the page. I sketched the symbol and some of the meanings on my notepad and moved on.

After a few hours, Gwen sat up excitedly, “Laura! I found it!”

She read, “Triskelion wolves are Alpha-born triplets, a rare phenomenon that occurs once every three hundred years. Each triplet embodies one of the many attributes associated with the triskelion's symbolism. They share a strong telepathic and empathic mindlink. Triskelion wolves augment each other's strength, speed, endurance, and healing abilities. They also enhance the attributes they embody within their pack.”

“Does it say what the three attributes are?”

“No. Did you find anything on triskelions?”

I nodded, grabbing my notepad, “There’s a lot of conflicting information on what the triskelion symbolizes. It can stand for life, death, and rebirth, or creation, preservation, and destruction. The past, present, and future. Power, intellect, and love.” I listed.

“Wait! That last one!”

“You think we embody power, intellect, and love?” I asked skeptically.

“It makes sense. All three of you are stronger than normal Alpha-born wolves, but Cameron is the strongest. You are the most logical person I know, you like research, and you beat the pack’s challenge with strategy, not brute strength. Viv is the dreamer. She’s open and a total romantic.”

“I mean, I guess… What does that mean for the pack? Once we officially join, everyone will be stronger, smarter, and have a greater capacity for love?”

“I think so.”

“That’s weird. We were supposedly born with this power and had no idea.”

“It probably didn’t activate until you shifted for the first time. By that time, you three were on your own. You didn’t have anyone to compare your powers to. When Grant and Charlie saw you fight, they noticed the difference immediately.”

“I guess that makes sense.”

A commotion outside caught our attention. Shouts of alarm assaulted us as we left the library and ran out the door. Rogues attacked from all directions, and it was absolute chaos. I saw two rogues leap toward Grant’s wolf, and without thinking, I shifted and hurled toward them.

My jaws clamped down on the back of a dark brown wolf’s neck, and I tore him away from my mate. Growling fiercely, I lunged forward, slashing with my claws.

Grant and I worked perfectly in sync with each other, taking down all that attacked us. The rogues started to retreat, and as the last disappeared into the forest, a black wolf with dark brown eyes jumped toward me. From his scent, I could tell he was from the Shadow Peak pack. I yelped in surprise and Grant leapt over me, catching the wolf and knocking him to the ground. He growled lightly in warning, shielding me from the others.

I immediately shifted back, realizing they couldn’t associate my scent with a known pack. Gwen, back in her human form, brought me clothes. Grant and the wolf who tried to attack me shifted and pulled on shorts.

“I’m so sorry!” Alex said, eyes wide, “I had no idea it was you.”

“It’s okay. There’s no way you could have known. Are you okay?”

He nodded, and I turned toward Grant. One of the rogues had slashed his arm.

“You’re hurt.” I said, gingerly touching the wound.

“I’m fine. It’s not deep. It’ll heal soon.” He brushed me off angrily, “What were you thinking? I know you’re strong enough to hold your own in a fight, but no one here knows what your wolf looks like. They can’t link you to my pack because you haven’t officially joined yet and you haven’t been marked. You could have been hurt by our own allies!”

“We were under attack! Like hell was I going to sit on the sidelines while people were being hurt.”

“You could have been hurt!”

“That’s--” I lowered my voice so only he and Gwen could hear, “That’s nothing new!”

“Okay, stop!” Gwen said forcefully, stepping between us, “Laura, that was beyond dumb. You shouldn’t have done that. I literally just called you the most logical person I know, but I guess that doesn’t apply when it comes to Grant. And you,” She jabbed her finger at Grant, “She protected you. Maybe instead of yelling at her, you should thank her.”

She crossed her arms, glaring at us.

Lance awkwardly stepped between us, “Okay, Mama wolf. Why don’t we let these two work out their lovers spat and call home. I’m sure Charlie and Will would love to hear your voice.”

He dragged her away, and I looked around to see the others had dispersed. A few were taking care of the dead rogues’ bodies, but were far enough away that they had not heard us. I headed straight for the guest room where we were staying.

“Shouldn’t you be talking to the other Alphas?” I said dully.

“We can finish planning over the phone. We’re heading back in an hour. I already told Gwen and Lance on the way up here. They’re gathering their stuff and your notes from the library.”

I nodded, wordlessly moving toward my bag.

Grant grabbed my upper arm gently, and I stopped, meeting his gaze.

“You don’t get to run head first into danger just because you’re used to pain.” He growled softly, “I get that you are more than strong enough to protect yourself, but you need to fight smart. You can’t let emotion cloud your judgement.”

“You mean like you?” I accused, “Isn’t this what that is? You’re mad at me for fighting because you were afraid I would get hurt.”

“I’m mad because you treat yourself like you’re expendable! I could have dealt with the rogues who attacked me without you! You risked your life to spare me a fraction of pain! Alex would have killed you if I hadn’t stopped him.”

“No, he wouldn’t have! I’m stronger than him, remember?”

“Are you stronger than all of Harvest Moon’s warriors combined?”

I glared at him in silence.

He let out a frustrated sigh and put his hands on my upper arms, “Why did you do it? You know I would have been fine. Any wound I would have gotten from those rogues wouldn’t have left a mark.”

“Because--!” I started to answer, then stopped myself. I was struggling to put it into words.

“Because, what?”

“Because it doesn’t matter if it would have left a mark or not! No one should feel pain like I did. I couldn’t spare Henry, or Jess, or Quinn, but I could spare you!” I clamped my hand over my mouth. In my frustration, I said their real names.

“Did you ever think about the pain I would have felt seeing you hurt or worse? We protect each other, got that? That means knowing when to run into danger and when to trust in the other person’s abilities. Okay?”

“Okay.” I answered reluctantly before he pulled me into a hug.

I breathed in his scent, feeling it calm the anger and fear that overwhelmed me. After a long moment, he pulled away.

“Come on. Let’s go home.”