Chapter 9
1938 Words
Philip’s alpha voice automatically takes over.
“LEAVE HER NOW! Whatever you are, begone!”
Tabitha’s head falls back down and the laughing continues. Philip shakes her more rigorously. “TABITHA! COME BACK! WHERE ARE YOU?!”
The laughing stops and instead he begins to hear sobs again. He hurriedly gets out of the car and comes around to the passenger side. Opening her door, he unlocks her seatbelt and turns her towards him. As he raises her head, her face is wet with tears.
What the hell is going on? Tears scare the hell out of him with women. He has no idea what to do about them or how to stop them. He sits down on the curb and gently pulls her from the car and into his lap.
He pulls her head down to his shoulder and wraps her tightly in his arms. Before he knows it, he’s rocking slightly back and forth and stroking her hair. “Shh…shh…it’ll be okay. We’ll figure it out, whatever this is.”
His mind is reeling. Really? This is all I need, one more thing. Embezzlement, attacks on my men, attacks on my best friend and now...I’m CERTAIN there is something wrong with you. His thoughts then pause for minute; however, it’s possible it isn’t your fault.
He looks down at Tabitha’s face, resting against his shoulder. He can’t hear the sobbing anymore but the tears are still leaking out of her eyes like mini rivers. He reaches up and wipes the tears from her face with his thumb. Without even thinking and without knowing why, his head descends and he places a gentle kiss on her lips. Electricity zaps through him as if he just touched a live wire. He pulls back and is instantly staring into emerald green eyes. A few seconds later those eyes blink and Tabitha jumps out of his lap. She's standing on the street rubbing her hands up and down her arms, totally freaked out.
“What?! What just happened? Why…why were you holding me like that?”
He stares up at her for a moment, still trying to register what just happened. Was it his touch that calmed her or would any touch offer comfort, could it have been from anyone? But that kiss. Why do I feel like I’ve been electrocuted? Just what has control of her and why are they masking her from me? What do they want from the two of us?
He slowly stands up, placing his hands in his pockets, looking totally at ease despite the turmoil in his mind. “You fell asleep in the car. I was worried when you started crying, so I pulled over. That must have been some nightmare. I had to pull you out of the car to try to calm you down. Are you feeling any better now?”
He’s paying close attention to her eyes, looking for any reaction that tells him she knows that he left parts out.
She swallows visibly and runs a hand through her hair to tidy it. “I...I fell asleep?!”
He can see the litany of swear words behind her eyes as she tries to come up with an excuse. He simply nods, “Yes. You fell asleep about fifteen minutes into the drive. Are you feeling alright now? You ready to tell me where you live? I assume we're close?”
She nods and hastily scurries back into the car, quickly doing up her seat belt. He closes her car door and walks back around to the driver’s seat. After starting the car he looks over at her, ready to try again.
“Ms. Faeleen,” he begins.
She looks over at him but the fear in her eyes now has him worried. Is she scared of me or of what I saw and heard? He questions himself.
“Yes sir?”
“If there’s something going on with you? You know that you can tell me about it. Perhaps I can help you?”
Her eyes get bigger and she shrinks closer to the door. A timid, forced smile appears. “Thank you, sir. I’m not sure why I fell asleep, that isn’t like me. I normally have a hard time sleeping.”
“Well, perhaps that’s why you did then.” He offers her the excuse with a friendly smile.
She looks away from him. “Still, I’m embarrassed. Who falls asleep in a car with their boss and then has a nightmare in front of them. I apologize for inconveniencing you sir. I promise you, it won’t happen again.”
He nods; there seems little else he is able to do. “No worries, as long as you're fine. Now, which way do I head from here?”
She directs him to her home and he pulls up in front of a simple, non-descript, small apartment complex. He parks in her stall and before he can get out and open the door for her, she’s already out and on the sidewalk. Her hand is out and waiting for her keys.
He lowers his head to look directly in to her face and hands over her keys. “Would you like me to walk you in and check out your place for you? That nightmare seemed rather severe. Are you sure you’ll be alright?”
She snatches her keys and quickly nods. “Yes. Again, I’m so embarrassed. Please forget about my tears, I must have been dreaming about my parents.”
He looks at her a little closer, “Did you lose them in a tragic accident or something?”
The corners of her lips barely turn up as she replies, “Or something. Thank you for driving me home. I’ll see you at the office tomorrow.”
He nods and then stands there, watching her quickly scurry away until she’s gone from his sight. He heads to the corner and takes a look around. She actually lives only about a mile from the pack land border. He turn back, staring at her building. When a light appears in a window on the third floor, he turns and heads towards home.
Once inside the park, just inside the packs land, he can transform and let Drake run while he ponders all the weird goings on happening around him.
***
The next day at the office Tabitha is back to her normal self, acting as if nothing at all happened the night before. He sits in his office, twirling his pen through his fingers, staring at his closed door.
Does she really not remember anything at all? Not calling out his name? Was it his name or someone else named Philip? Not remember sobbing hysterically? Nor that weird woman's voice that sounded like a witch, telling him that she wasn’t Tabitha? What about that kiss? Did the kiss wake her up or that electric charge it caused? He absentmindedly runs his fingers over his lips. They’re still sore from the zap he felt when his lips touched hers.
He mind links with the pack doctor to have him do research for him. Has anyone ever reported a possession? Which breeds are most susceptible to possession, or is it just humans? Can a possession be broken? What kind of magic releases an electric shock, enough to injure another person.
Before the doctor can ask any questions, he quickly shuts down the link. With that task now assigned, he turns back to the papers on his desk. His end of the reports that Gregory needs to gather for the District Attorney’s office.
Shortly after lunch, Tabitha rings a phone call through. “She says it’s your mother sir.”
He lets out a breath and refocuses. “Yes, put her through.”
He picks up his handset, already knowing what's coming. “Mother.”
“Philip. It’s been over a month since I’ve heard from you. You know how I worry.”
He rubs his forehead, with his free hand. “Mother, you live two houses away from the pack house.”
“Yes, but you’re never there! You work too hard. When are you coming by to see me?”
He doesn’t have the patience for her shenanigans right now. “Perhaps once things settle down and I know my pack’s safe. How about then?”
Tabitha knocks on the door and he waves her in, motioning for her to hand over the documents requiring his signature.
“Now Philip, you know you’ll be a stronger alpha to protect your pack once you have a mate. I’m just trying to help.”
“I don’t need your help finding a mate mother.”
Tabitha tenses next to him and for once he feels it. Startled, he turns and looks at her. What? He quickly inhales but still smells nothing. Agitated he takes it out on his mother.
“Mom, you’ve called during work and I’m busy. You’ll just have to do your match making AFTER I have all this cleared up.”
“Hmph,” she rudely declares. “If you didn’t need my help finding a mate then why are you over four hundred years old and still single? Didn’t you say Gregory has finally found his mate?”
“Yes Mom, he has. That leaves me hopeful that I’ll find mine soon; preferably without your help. My assistant is here, I need to go. Love you mom, bye.”
He quickly hangs up before she can say anything else. He turns his seat to directly stare at Tabitha. She's still standing to his side, awaiting for the documents he’s holding hostage under his hand.
“Ms. Faeleen will you do me a favor?”
She raises an eyebrow but nods, “Of course sir, what do you need?”
“Would you please return to your desk, close my door on your way out and whisper something?”
“Excuse me?”
“You heard me. I’m sure it sounds strange but just humor me, alright? Go back to your desk, clos my door and then whisper something. I don’t care what it is…”
He holds his hand up as she begins to say something. “No, don’t tell me…just go.”
He waves her out of his office and she walks out looking over her shoulder at him every few steps. She shuts the door and sits down at her desk.
Philip closes his eyes and concentrates. As quiet as the little mouse he thinks her, comes her words.
“I don’t see how this is helping him. I have to figure out how to help him, I’m running out of time.”
His eyes open and focus on the door separating them. Without removing his gaze, he picks up his phone and calls her. “Ms. Faeleen, please come back in here and close the door behind you.”
She enters his office, confusion on her face, and closes the door behind her as he asked. He motions her forward and to a seat in front of his desk.
She awkwardly sits down. “Sir, I’m not sure how this is helping you sir but if I could just get those reports you signed back?”
He sits forward in his chair, his elbows resting on the desk, his hands clenched together. “In a minute,” he says in response to her question about the reports.
“Right now,” he begins, “I’d like to know just what you’re trying to help me with and why you’re running out of time.”
- Writer
