Reclaiming Herself—Completed

Chapter Fourteen

Patrick.

“Come on!” Patrick yelled at the dwindling group standing before him. “Who’s next?”

“Give it a rest, Pat. Please, man. It’s 3 in the morning already. At this rate we won’t have enough guys left to patrol the pack tonight,” Matthew attempted to reason with his alpha.

“I don’t care,” Patrick replied. “How can I give it a rest? How can I sit here and do nothing when I know she’s in his clutches? I still can’t believe that they let him go with a warning. I can still see the look on her face. She was terrified!”

Patrick recalled the events from earlier that night at the party. He had seen Richard’s hands around the poor man’s neck. The look on the other alpha’s face was one of pure rage and intent to kill. His mate had stood there, terrified. She had also looked slightly disheveled, which didn’t sit right with him. Moments earlier, he had felt sick to his stomach and couldn’t explain it. He’d blamed it on the shrimp cocktail.

“I know you’re hurting, Pat. But taking your aggression out on your men won’t solve anything. We need to figure out how to infiltrate Richard’s pack before he catches wind of it and get your mate. Look around yourself. How are you going to get to her if you’re beating the s**t out of your men?” Matthew exclaimed.

“We were sparing,” Patrick said weakly, trying to defend himself.

He then turned his gaze from his beta to the training field stretched out before him. Half of his warriors were groaning and on the ground. Some were being helped to the hospital, while others were sporting busted lips or forming black eyes. Without realizing it, he had taken out half his men. Guilt crushed him as he made eye contact with several of his fighters.

“I’m sorry, guys. I’m so sorry. I didn’t mean to go so far,” he then said after a long, defeated sigh.

“We know, Alpha. You’re going through something. We’re here for you. No matter what it looks like,” one of his men said with a corny smile. “Even if it means being your punching bag.”

Patrick shook his head. “I never should have let it get so far. I promise to never lose control and use you as my therapy. I deeply and sincerely apologize.”

There was a chorus of “No problems”, laughter, and “Anytime!” from his men. Patrick knew in that moment that his men were special and that he would find no better in any other pack.

“For those left unscathed, please take over the shifts for tonight. Everyone else, take the night and next day to recover and be with your families or whoever.”

“Yes, Alpha!” they said and dispersed.

Patrick looked over at his beta, who was wearing his own bruise on his cheek. “You too.”

“Me too what?”

“Take the night. Be with Mere. It’s been a moment since you two had the day together.”

Matthew grinned at him. “She’ll understand if I’m devising a strategy with you.”

“No,” Patrick replied firmly. “Be with her. Cherish her tonight. I’m…going to rest as well. We’ll start tomorrow. 8 in the morning sharp. Bring Caleb with you. I think he’ll prove to be invaluable.”

Matthew nodded, glad that his friend and alpha was finally going to put sleep on the agenda and took off for his mate, Brenda. She’d be thrilled to have an unplanned night with him. Matthew would take Patrick’s advice and cherish her, hopefully until morning if he played his cards right. She wanted a pup anyway...

Patrick then made his way to his room and collapsed on his bed. Though he wasn’t happy with himself for punching the s**t out of his warriors, he was happy for the exercise. It felt good to move his muscles and exert his pent up energy. Especially when he couldn’t do anything to save her from him. He could still see her face in his mind as Richard attempted to choke the other man. His mind recalled the scenario to the best of his ability.

He had run up to them and instantly grabbed Richard’s shoulders, pulling him off the guy. The other alpha attempted to fight him, but thankfully, a few others pulled the man away before Richard got free of his grasp. He threw a punch in his direction, but Patrick was able to duck easily enough. There was a heavy alcoholic smell on Richard’s breath.

“Easy man. I’m just here to help and make sure nothing stupid happens,” Patrick said, raising his hands up in front of him. “Just calm down.”

“Like hell I will! That–that man!” Richard started, pointing his finger at the other. “He, uh, he attacked my mate! I caught him trying to r**e her! I can’t tolerate that s**t!”

The crowd that had slowly begun forming gasped at his claim. It was a pretty heavy claim to make.

“Are you sure?” someone asked.

“Of course!” Richard said in unison with the man denying it.

“I’d never! I caught him threatening her as he f****d her!” the one who had been attacked stated.

“How absurd!” Richard shouted, his face getting red.

Patrick turned to look at Danielle, who was pressing herself into the wall and watching the events unfold before her with a shocked face.

“Can you tell us what happened?” Patrick asked her gently.

As her face turned towards Patrick’s, Richard’s swiveled to stare down Danielle’s. He had a menacing glare.

“Yes, why don’t you tell us exactly what happened, my precious mate,” Richard stated.

Even to Patrick, it sounded like a threat.

“I, uh, it all, um, happened so fast, you see,” Danielle stumbled through her words.

“That’s okay,” Patrick prodded carefully. “Just tell us what you remember.”

Danielle gulped. “I wanted to go to the, uh, bathroom. So, I started down the hallway…”

Everyone waited on her every word, and Patrick's heart went out to her. She looked utterly trapped.

“Keep going,” Richard growled.

“Y–yes, uh, as I walked down the hallway, I felt hands on me, and, uh, then he p–pulled u–up my dr-dress,” she stuttered.

Richard walked over to her and forced Danielle into a hug. “Enough,” he addressed the crowd. “Can’t you see how scared she is? This is all so traumatizing for her. He attacked her, and I felt that something was wrong through the mate bond. I found this dipshit r****g her, so I attacked him. I protected my mate, which isn’t a crime.”

“Well, it may not be a crime, but it is highly frowned upon. Killing the attacker would have resulted in a crime, Richard,” a gravelly voice rang out from behind the crowd.

New Council member, Alan Johnson, walked into the middle, commanding the room. “While this is a serious accusation, the New Council will investigate. Until then, everyone should continue with the party. Richard, Danielle, and Martin, you’ll be receiving visitors tomorrow.”

“Does no one want to hear my side of things?” Martin asked.

“Hear the story from the r****t?” Richard began, but was silenced when Alan put his hand up.

“We will hear your side. Tomorrow. The truth of the matter will come out. Trust in the New Council, Martin. For now, both of you have been warned,” Alan replied.

With that said, Alan had dismissed everyone, and though Patrick hadn’t wanted to leave Danielle’s side, Richard had stormed off with her, pulling her alone behind him.

Patrick shook his head and tried to focus on taking a quick shower before getting some much needed rest. It had been a long night, and he had to be fresh if he was going to try to take Richard down.

It felt like as soon as he had laid his head down on his pillow and drifted off into a restless slumber that his alarm clock began beeping at him. Groaning, Patrick silenced it and glared at the clock that only read 7 in the morning. Normally, he wouldn’t think twice about it, and if he really asked himself, he was thrilled to be talking with Caleb about how to strike at Richard, but he also wanted to sleep more. He had finally begun to notice just how sleep deprived he’d been lately.

Shaking the sleepiness away, however, he got out of bed, dressed, and headed downstairs for breakfast. Patrick couldn’t recall what he ate, just that he was finished and then headed to his office to work before 8.

At precisely 8, Matthew knocked and entered his office with Caleb in tow.

“Good morning, Alpha!” Matthew chirped energetically.

Patrick took a rather large swig from his coffee cup. “How anyone can be this happy in the morning is beyond me. Please sit, both of you. We have a long day ahead of us.”

Caleb gave Patrick a small smile as he took his seat. “Beta Matthew was explaining to me that Danielle is your mate? Is that really true, Alpha Patrick?”

“Yes, it is true. If only I could get her away from Richard. Did you know her?” Patrick asked, immediately curious.

“Know her? I was practically her jailer. I was also her best friend. I felt terrible for leaving her there alone. I almost didn’t leave when I had the chance, but Timothy said that one of us had to make it to you in order to free everyone stuck in Alpha Richard’s pack,” Caleb replied morosely.

“You knew Timothy too?” Patrick questioned, his eyes bulging slightly at the news.

Caleb nodded. “I was with him right before he got caught. He told me his escape route and said that I had to make it to you, which is why I did and told you everything about Alpha Richard’s compound.”

“I, uh, didn’t realize you were so connected to the people I cared about,” Patrick said solemnly.

“I’m sorry for your loss. Timothy was a great man and sacrificed his life for me.”

“For all of you. And we won’t let his life be in vain. I told his corpse that I wouldn’t give up, so I won’t. I can’t. And now, I need to keep going for Danielle as well. Please tell me everything.”

Caleb smiled softly. “Where to begin?”