Winter Rose

Chapter 11: Unexpected Complications

Em and I rushed into the house, but it was Theo who closed the door behind us. 

“You’re back early, we didn’t expect you for another hour.” Papaw said coming into the living room. “What’s wrong?” he asked when he saw my face. 

“Roger was at the party.” Em answered for me. 

“Roger? How did he find you?” Papaw asked. 

“I don’t know.” 

“Did he know your real name?” 

“No, at least I don’t think so. He called me Kris but it could have been to throw my friend off. He said something weird though. I think he knows I’m a shifter.” 

“What did he say to make you think that?” Damien asked coming into the room followed by the rest of the pack. Papaw must have summoned them mentally. 

“I was drinking coke and whiskey, and he said it was strong but that’s what my bitchy side likes right? I don’t know if he meant it as I’m a b***h or my wolf, but before I could ask my friend Xander came over. That’s when he introduced himself as Kris’s friend so I pretended he had the wrong person and left.” I explained quickly feeling the light fade out of me. I don’t want to have to move again. I don’t want to be compromised and be able to make Clare my home. 

“Why would he think you’re a shifter?” Theo asked. Everyone turned to him as if registering he was there for the first time. 

“You haven’t told him?” My grandmother asked. 

“Told me what?” Theo demanded. 

“Roger is the son of one of Carl’s really good friends.” I explained. 

“Okay and what does that have to do with anything?” Oh he was getting frustrated it was all over his tone. “I know Carl killed your mom, but how would he guess you were a shifter?” 

“Because I almost killed him.” a tear escaped running down my cheek, “He was hitting my mom. I saw her want to shift but knew she couldn’t. So I shifted, and was going to protect her. But she told me to take Malcolm and run. So I did.” 

“You shifted in front of a human?” Theo stared at me in horror, “How did you know he wasn’t a hunter?! How did you know he wouldn’t have just killed you right then and there?!” He yelled at me with fury in his eyes. 

“I didn’t.” I answered, staring at my feet. Feeling ridiculous and vulnerable in my revealing clothing wanting nothing more than to be in something more comfortable and shielding. 

“So what? You could have hunters on your tail for all you know and you did what? Came here?! Where you knew there were two other packs you would be putting in danger?” 

“Please you can’t tell anyone.” I begged him. 

“I have to tell my alpha because it’s not just your pack in danger now!” he screamed at me and I felt my heart breaking. He made to go out the door but Brad and Damien blocked his path. 

“Now let’s be rational about this. We don’t know for sure that Carl told Roger she’s a shifter, and we don’t know for sure that there are hunters coming. Roger was a bit unstable and obsessed, he probably knew from them dating that the family would come up to Clare which is how he found her.” 

“Yeah but he was able to track her down to the party.” Theo said. 

“He’s always been that way. I wasn’t a fan for her dating him in the first place, but you may have noticed our Alex is a bit hard headed. Always has been just like her mother. He probably came to Clare find her and started stalking her.” Papaw explained calmly. “Now, I’ll go with you to your parent’s place so they can see you’re fine and then we will come back and you’ll spend the weekend here while we figure all this out.” 

“You’re going to hold me hostage?” Theo looked hurt, and pissed. I felt guilty and couldn’t make eye contact. 

“No. Not hostage. Just we are going to keep a close eye on you and update the other packs only if and when we find out there's a real threat. I don’t want you alerting your pack over nothing.” Papaw explained, “Plus Alex will be safer with you staying here.” 

“And what will you tell the other packs if it comes down to it?” Theo asked, “Obviously you’re going to leave out the fact it’s Alexandria’s fault.” I flinched. He’d never used my full name. 

“That’s part of what we will need to figure out.” My grandfather said, “come one now. Let’s go see your parents. I’m trusting you not to telepathically tell them now.” 

“I know.” Theo said as they left the house. 

I went upstairs to shower the chlorine off of me avoiding the eyes of everyone, as I let what Theo said sink in. This is all my fault. As I washed myself I thought back to everything I knew about Carl, and Roger. I thought of Roger’s family and how they didn’t even hunt for sport. I tried picturing his parents in anything but their posh country club clothes and just couldn’t. There’s no way they were hunters. Roger is just a psychotic ex who is stalking me. I tried to even my breathing, and when I couldn’t I sat in the corner of my shower just letting the hot water rush over me, as I pulled my knees to my chest.  Finally, I stood and turned off the shower. I wrapped myself in my towel and went out to my bedroom. I almost screamed and covered my mouth with my hands causing my towel to drop as I saw Theo sitting on my bed. His eyes slowly moved up and down over my body as I hurried to grab my towel and ran back into the bathroom. I dried off and wrapped myself in my plush purple robe moving to the closet to change into my pajamas. 

“Em let me in.” He explained as I towel dried my hair. I nodded in acknowledgement. “Listen. I’m sorry. It’s not your fault you were just trying to protect your family.” He said standing and approaching me. I looked up at him. “I shouldn’t have gotten so mad. It’s just now my family is potentially in danger. You guys should have told everyone at the meeting what really happened.” 

“We were afraid you would throw us out.” I answered quietly. 

“Is that why you proposed the challenge so we’d be promised to each other by the time the hunter’s came and we’d fight for you?” He asked, looking hurt. 

“No.” I looked into his eyes and placed my hands on either side of his face making him look at me. “I proposed the challenge because I wanted to stay here. I knew that if you married the Ebony pack alpha her pack would push us out. But this is my home, I wasn’t expecting you to be my mate. But I figured even if it was an arranged marriage we could grow to love each other like my grandparents did.” 

He sighed, “So it wasn’t because I was your mate.” It wasn’t a question. 

“Not at first. It was planned before I knew you were my mate, but being your mate has pushed me even harder to win. I don’t want to lose you.” I choked back a sob. “I’m sorry. I should have told you of the danger but after being here so many months I figured we were safe.” 

“This ex of yours. He really stalked you before?” Theo asked. I nodded. “Okay then maybe your grandpa’s right and he’s just a psycho stalker.” 

“But the comment he made.” I said helplessly. 

“I know that was strange, but let’s hope for the best. Come here, I’ll dry your hair.” He offered. I hesitated, “Lexie, I’m not going to mess it up. I help Gabe with his daughter’s hair all the time.” I smiled at him using my nickname again and sat at my vanity. “I’m sorry for getting so angry with you.” He said as he plugged in the blow dryer and found my brush. 

“It’s okay. You have to protect your own family.” I said. “I should have told you. I’m sorry.” 

“It’s okay. You had a difficult choice to make. I would have done the same.” He answered before turning the dryer on. I heard the shuffle of steps moving away from my door, and smiled at my grandmother’s familiar gait. Knowing she was going to tell the rest of the family we made up. Theo was right. He was gentle brushing through my curls and moved the dryer around enough that my scalp didn’t feel burnt. He worked slowly through the matts and tangles unlike my mother who would just brush through it all ripping out half my hair. I smiled and let out a giggle as I remembered her getting so frustrated and smacking me in the head with the brush saying ‘beauty is pain’ anytime I would cry out. Her blue eyes would be stern but she would smile after it was all done and let me stay up watching tv with her until I fell asleep. 

“What’s so funny?” Theo asked as he turned off the dryer. I shared the memory with him “I don’t see how that’s funny.” He said “Sounds painful.” 

“It was at the time.” I shared, “but now not so much.” He just shrugged at me, turning the dryer back on and letting down the next layer to dry. 

You have a lot of f*****g hair. He said to my mind. I smiled at him in the mirror. After half an hour my hair was finally all dry, he put away the blow dryer and shook out his arms. “That was a work out.” He said out loud and I laughed. 

“Now you see why I don’t do it everyday.” I answered.

“Definitely. I mean not that it doesn’t look good all curly, but it is nice not having wet vines trying to strangle and drown me throughout the night. Now should we go tell your family we made up or go straight to bed?” He asked me. 

“Psh. You didn’t hear Mimi listening at the door? They all know, plus I’m tired. Let’s go to bed.” I said leading him there by the hand. He laughed as we laid down. 

“You know you looked really good in that bikini tonight.” He began rubbing my side and thigh. 

“Mmm?” I answered. 

“And you kept trying to make me jealous with Xander.” He growled in my ear giving it a nibble. 

“Hey you had an octopus stuck to your neck all night, it’s not like I could play with you. Plus Xander is a good friend.” 

“Yeah he’ll be a better friend when he knows you’re taken.” His hands began to go higher and I squirmed against him. 

“My family is even more aware you’re here tonight, we have to be good.” I murmured in his ear rolling to face him. 

“I know” he sighed rolling onto his back and I laid my head on his chest carefully slowing my breathing to match his, while I listened to the pounding of his heart. 

I awoke to Theo growling in wolf form towards my window right as another pebble clinked against the glass. 

“If it really is a hunter situation do you want them to know you’re a wolf too?” I hissed at him. He looked at me before shifting back. “I’ll go check who it is.” I whispered. I approached the window as another pebble hit the glass and made me jump. I looked out and saw Xander perched in the tree waving shyly at me. “What are you doing here?!” I yelled at him as I opened the window. 

“I came to check on you. You seemed pretty shaken up by that guy earlier.” Xander said, “Can I come in?” 

“No you can’t come into my bedroom in the middle of the night!” I hissed. 

“But it’s cold out here.” 

“You should have thought about that before you climbed up there.” I said, he moved his head around trying to look behind me. “What are you looking for?” I asked.

“I thought I heard a dog growling earlier.” He said. 

“Yeah that’s my doberman Lightning, and unless you want me to sick him on your ass I suggest you leave.” Theo let out another low growl from the bed. “Go home. I’ll see you Monday.” I said closing my window. 

I listened closely to the rustling of the leaves as he climbed down and the soft thud as he landed on the ground. “You sure are popular.” Theo said as I climbed back into bed. 

“I’m just glad it was only Xander, and that he didn’t see you.” I said. 

“Why?” Theo asked.

“Because that’s the last rumor we need spread around school is that we had a sleepover and were caught red handed by Xander.” I nuzzled up to him falling back asleep. 

“Alright lovebirds wake up.” Em knocked on my door, “Meeting downstairs in fifteen minutes.” I sighed as I heard her steps head down stairs. 

I got up and went to the bathroom to brush my teeth and hair before putting on a bra to head downstairs. Theo stood in the bathroom and then looked at me. “I don’t have a toothbrush.” 

“Oh. There should be an extra” I said as I rummaged through my drawers until I found one and handed it to him. “Here you go. Come down stairs when you’re ready.” I said glancing down at his morning wood. “Might want to wait for the swelling to go down a bit.” I smiled before leaving him standing there flipping me off. 

I got downstairs and everyone was gathered at the hearth. I made my way into the kitchen and grabbed a bowl of cereal as I made my way back into the living room. Theo was just coming down the stairs, and managed to find a place to sit while I stood in the doorway eating my cereal. 

“Alright. I contacted my people down state.” Papaw said once he counted that everyone was present. “There is a local hunter’s club down state. However, my contact has not seen any movement of the club since we left, and they don’t seem to be preparing to go on a hunt anytime soon. He also has not seen Carl approach their establishment.” We all breathed a sigh of relief at the news. 

“Does your friend know who the members are?” I asked, “We could have him see if Roger or his family belong to the club.” I suggested. 

“That would take a while. My contact is a witch and while she keeps tabs, she wants to stay off their radar as much as possible. They were the Smith family correct?” Papaw asked. 

“Yeah Roger, Karen, and Benjamin Smith.” I answered. 

“I’ll see if she can look into it, but at the moment. I think it’s just his obsessive nature that led him here, and not anything hunter related.” 

“That’s good, but better safe than sorry.” Theo added. 

“Yeah. I guess you can go home now.” Papaw said to him. Theo said he would be back probably later, but did want to get home to shower, so he left. I took Em up to my room. 

“Okay, now it’s your turn to spill.” I said excitedly, “How was it with Tony last night?” I waggled my eyebrows at her and she groaned. 

“He’s really sweet. I like him a lot.” she said, blushing “We talked a little about our interests and made out.” She pulled her shirt a collar a little to the side exposing a hickey. I squealed knowing this is her first time dating and experimenting. “We kept it all above the clothes, but it was super hot.” She said. 

“I’m so excited for you.” I said, “This is so great and once I win this competition we can double date!” 

“Of course! I’m so excited for that.” She said. 

The rest of the weekend went without any problems. I shifted back to my schedule of working out and helping the Winter family on their farm. Theo kept a closer eye on me than normal, but nothing abnormal happened. School on Monday was the same as always. Except navigating the awkwardness around Xander that is. He kept trying to apologize for sneaking over to my house, but was also being really secretive about it not wanting everyone else to think he was creeping. I kept assuring him I was fine and that it was okay, just a little too personal for me, but I still wanted to maintain our friendship. He agreed to continue just being friends. Tony and Em sat next to each other at lunch and he was at her locker in between every period as their relationship continued to bloom. My homework started taking up more time, cutting into the amount of training I was able to do. Eventually I had to cut my evening run altogether. Football season started at school and Jessica made sure to flaunt that she was wearing Theo’s jersey for every game. I still showed up with my family to support Theo, and Em who was in the marching band. We even ventured to all of the away games, which pissed Jessica off even more as we sat with the Winter pack everyone getting to know one another better. I began to notice her family didn’t show up to away games, and only made it to about half of the home games. 

“Hey Jess” I greeted her after one game. 

“What do you want?” She growled. 

“Just wanted to let you know you’re doing really great out there!” I said, “Your form is near perfect, and some of your teammates lag a second or two behind the rest but you keep perfect time. So yeah um. Good job.” I said, “Sorry for bothering you.” I turned to go. 

“Wait. Why are you being nice to me?” She asked. “You’re always concerned with whether or not I’m eating enough. You give me alone time with Theo, a lot. Now you’re complimenting me? What gives? You do know I’m your competition right?” 

“I know.” I answered, “I just don’t see the point in being nasty to each other. At the end of the day we may be complete opposites, who only have liking the same boy in common. We may be rivals, but you’re still a person, so your feelings still count.” I shrugged and turned to go. This time she let me. 

Theo came running off the field to get water. I gave him a high five and Jessica gave him a quick kiss before she went out to do her routine. “She wasn’t giving you hell again was she?” Theo asked me as we stood and watched the cheer team perform their routine. 

“No. I was just telling her how good she is at that.” I said motioning to the routine. 

“You know she’s not going to be friends with you after you win.” He said, shaking his head. 

“I know, but look.” I pointed to the bleachers where our families were laughing together. 

“Okay. I don’t see it? Our families getting along? What do they have to do with Jessica?” 

“Her family isn’t there.” I spelled it out for him. 

“Oh yeah. They rarely show up. Always working or something.” He waved his hand dismissing it as normal. 

“Yeah, but she still deserves someone to cheer her on.” I explained. He shook his head looking at me like I was crazy. “Plus she’s not a bad person.” He raised his eyebrow at that. 

“You have heard the rumors she started about you right?” 

“Yeah. She’s scared of losing you, and mad at me for challenging her. Think about it. Her parents don’t come to cheer her on. I’m pretty sure it’s her mother who forces her to eat nothing but chicken and salads. They don’t even care that she gets black out drunk every weekend and you have to drop her off. All her friends are fake. Who does she really have other than you?” I asked. 

He thought about it, “I guess you're right, but it’s her own fault for pushing everyone away.” 

“Well how is she supposed to let anyone in when she doesn’t even have a pack who accepts her for her?” 

“I don’t think you’re the right person to try and fix her.” He said, “Maybe if it weren’t for the competition you two could be friends, but I have known her all my life. With the competition if she wins she will never let you live it down and make your life so miserable your pack would have to move. If you win, she will never forgive you and her pack will move from shame.” 

“Or maybe I will get through to her and we will become friends, their pack can stay, and eventually one of our children can marry one of hers.” I suggested. 

“And hell will freeze over while pigs are flying.” He said rolling his eyes. “What do you even have to gain from that fantasy friendship of yours?” He asked me. 

“Nothing. But I have a lot I can give.” I said quietly. “You may thinks it dumb, but I’m going to continue to try. That way she will have more than just you in her life. Maybe we can even hook her up with Xander.” I mused. 

He laughed at that and shook his head before heading back out to the field. Jessica came off the field. “Why aren’t you back up there with your family?” She asked me. 

“Because I had a better view down here.” I said, “Plus I really want a pretzel. How about you?” I asked her. 

“What?” She asked.

“Do you want a pretzel?” I asked. 

“I really shouldn’t.” She said. 

“Why not?” I asked. 

“I have a strict diet.” She said. 

“Are you allergic to gluten or grease?” I asked. She shook her head no. “Cool.” I said approaching the concession stand. “Two pretzels with cheese and two cokes please.” I handed my money to the worker who gave me the goods. I handed a pretzel and coke to Jessica. “You saw me just get it so you know I didn’t do anything to it.” I said. 

She gave me a sideways glance as she took a small bite. I ripped off a piece of mine and dunked it in the cheese popping it in my mouth before washing it down with a swig of pop. She followed my lead and her eyes lit up as she tasted the salty carbs mixed with the cheese. 

“Go easy now. I wouldn’t eat more than half of that since you’re not used to it.” I warned her. She nodded and after a few bites handed me the rest of her pretzel but finished her coke. 

“That was really good.” She said. 

“Stick with me kid, and you’ll never go hungry again.” I laughed. She smiled. 

“I like the Lion King” was all she said before walking off to join the rest of her team. I finished her pretzel before heading up to my family. I gave Emily the water bottle I had stashed in my hoodie pocket. 

“Thanks. What was that all about?” She asked, motioning towards Jessica. 

“I let her try a pretzel and coke and told her to keep up the good work.” I said taking another swig of my coke. 

“Leave it to you to try and befriend your enemy.” Em said before turning back to her bandmates. I smiled to myself, but stopped when I thought I saw Roger across the bleachers. I turned but it was someone else thankfully. I sighed in relief. Hopefully I convinced him he had the wrong person. But I doubted it. After our run in didn’t go as well as planned he probably just went back to stalking from a distance. Or found new prey. Still I couldn’t help but wonder what brought him here. We broke up over six months ago and he had a new girlfriend. Why show up here? Why now? Especially after my family moved. The crowd around me stood and cheered as the team made another touchdown. The game ended and they ended up winning two points ahead thanks to the field goal they scored after the touchdown. Theo was happy due to them having such a great season. They were so far undefeated. Classes were going well, I had a B in Algebra and French but the rest of my grades were A’s so I wasn’t too worried about my GPA. I was in the best shape of my life thanks to all the training over the past three months, and I had a great secret boyfriend. Everything seemed to finally be going right.