Author: Just a quick note, hope everyone likes the book so far, love to hear your thoughts so please leave a comment.
Also just wanted to apologise for the potential spoiler that was leaked at the end of chapter Thirty Three some of my notes for an added bonus chapter was accidentally included at the end by mistake. I have since removed it but if you did happen to see it I am sorry for the spoiler but it has forced my hand to add extra chapters earlier than planned.
Hope you enjoy! J.L.Bird
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(Mitchell pov)
Lucas and I sat in the bar of Watson’s thinking over the days events in silence. A very British pub belonging to our pack’s murder mystery enthusiast Rodger, the guy had taken over the place just before I left for alpha training and after a huge refurbishment the place now looked like a scene from peaky blinders.
The place was done out into a 1920s British bar stylish but defiantly not what our kind was used to I think it was Rodger’s way of bringing some culture to the pack but in reality he had ruined our one haven in silver moon. The swanky decor and shiny bar were not in keeping with the very casual customers that came here, wearing their jeans and T-shirts, I felt like I should be wearing a tux just for entering the place. I was certain the beer was so cheap here because it was the only reason anyone bothered to come in.
I sat at our table sipping the beer I’d let go warm about an hour ago and trying to avoid making eye contact with the young she wolf that was sat at the bar trying to get my attention. I couldn't believe Lucas had managed to drag me out of the pack house. A drink with the boys was the last thing I had wanted. Maybe a stiff one in the confines of my office where I could conference with other pack alphas and the council to make them aware of the continuing threat against my pack.
Thinking back to earlier when the brick had come flying through the kitchen window at the pack house all I could think about was Mina’s cries, then seeing her so scared in Alisha’s arms. my instinct had been to run to them, to keep them safe, I hadn’t even thought about it when I’d pulled them both to me. I hadn't felt anything like it before. It was only once I had them in my arms had I been able to breathe. Alisha must have felt it too, when she had put her hand on my chest I knew it was because she had felt my heart racing. She had somehow known exactly what I’d needed at that moment too. To hold my little girl in my arms myself knowing she was safe.
It was overwhelming the love that I felt for her. The thought of her being in danger made me want to go insane. I wondered how I’d lived without her in my life for so long. My deepest regret now was that I never came home sooner. I hadn't let myself think about her in all that time I was away. Oh how I wished I could turn back the clock, how I wish I hadn’t missed so much of her. All I could do was make it up to her and be there for her now.
I could start with finding out who was making threats against my pack and making sure my pup was safe. The words from that note kept appearing in my head.
You will fail her just like you failed the others, time is running out…..TICK TOCK!
I had no idea what it meant. I assumed ‘Her’ was Mina but I didn’t know what ‘others’ I had failed… the pack maybe. I had left them for so long. All I knew was our pack was under threat and I needed to stop it. I’d been ready to take someone’s head off after reading the note. Alisha had needed to take Mina while Lucas tried to calm me down. I hadn't had a black out in some time now but I’d never felt as close as I had tonight.
“ hello children” I was brought out of my thoughts hearing the cheery tone of my Beta who had decided to appear finally, I had been mind linking him since the events of tonight but he had been ignoring me. It was pissing me off how he kept disappearing all the time. Nathan came strolling to our table taking a seat opposite Lucas. He stank of s*x even though his scent carried a tone of body wash which suggested he’d showered. I swear if he’s been ignoring me because he was in bed with his female….
“ Where have you been all day?” I demanded through gritted teeth I wasn’t in the mood for his attitude and with everything going on tonight I wanted to wipe the smug smile clear off his f*****g face. It was becoming embarrassing that I had no idea where my own Beta was half the time. Not only that I was beginning to become suspicious of Nathan’s loyalty to the pack, he always seemed to be up to something.
“ Sorry mom, didn’t know you were keeping tabs, I had some business” he rolled his eyes at me. I growled at his response. My tone promised pain if he disrespected me again now really wasn’t the time to push me. Nathan’s cocky attitude ceased immediately and the bar went slightly quieter. I kept my eyes on Nathan enjoying his discomfort under my penetrating gaze.
“ what business ?” Lucas asked, snapping us out of the moment Nathan looked up, giving Lucas a slight smile which in itself was odd. Seeing the pair of them like this you could clearly see the immense difference between them, although in appearance they were both blonde with blue eyes the two couldn’t be any different. Nathan had the boy next door soft look like he should be in a boy band with screaming teen fans chasing after him whereas Lucas was all muscle and tattoos looking like someone you’d meet in a dark alley promising nothing but danger and passion all women seemed to go crazy for but denied it was what they wanted in a man, and they said we males were the confusing ones.
Nathan reached across the table taking Johnny's beer that he’d left there when he’d been called away by his future mate ten minutes ago. I hated to admit but I’d been glad. Once the business side of things were done it had become awkward at the table Johnny barely spoke to me unless it was to do with pack business and he clearly didn’t approve of his sister being with Lucas it didn’t matter how good a guy Lucas was, Johnny was like his father and he could sense the danger Lucas tried so hard to keep hidden about himself. He was a powerful wolf and not many that crossed him lived to tell the tale but with that came enemies one’s looking for any kind of way to hurt you, to my knowledge Lucas deliberately kept himself without such weaknesses…. Until recently that is.
“ It's called not your business “ Nathan stated rather boldly which pissed me off more, the asshole was in enough trouble for his latest vanishing act and he had the nerve to talk s**t to Lucas. Not that I was worried, Nathan seemed to have a death wish and there was only so many times I was going to intervene before I let Lucas tear him a new one.
“ Well it is my business, your beta, your first priority is to this pack and your alpha” I growled at him and he dipped his head again though I saw his jaw click, he was only doing it because he knew I could kick his arse.
“ while you were out pissing away the day we were attacked again” I added. His head immediately shot up.
“ what happened?” Nathan piped up actually engaging in pack business for a change but I was too far gone to care if he was finally interested.
“ had you been here you would know” I said not even acknowledging him, like f**k was I doing his job for him if he wanted to know he would find out. I looked away taking a swing of my beer cringing at the warm bitter taste.
“ in fact since your business is so important you can stay at home and I’ll take Johnny to the meeting with alpha Conrad” the meeting wasn’t that important it was on my to signed a current alliance agreement since the last one was outdated by several years apparently my father wasn’t the only alpha to drop the ball of late. Only I got the distinct impression Conrad’s father hadn’t missed the alliance outdate he just seemed to want to isolate his pack from others.
“ But I’m already packed” Nathan whined like a small child. I never realised how irritating he was, had he always acted like a brat while we were growing up or had I really changed that much. I can’t believe I had once considered this guy one of my closest friends I remember a time when I couldn’t wait to see this guy in the morning, now I was just grateful I had an excuse not to take him out of town with me, the thought of having to sit in a car with him for 8 hours made me was to claw my own ears off.
“ Well next time I suggest you don't leave without a word on the eve of us departing for an important business meeting.” I glared at him daring him to challenge me, with the way my wolf was feeling lately he was begging for a fight. Instead Nathan sat back in his chair for a moment looking like a sulking child with his arms folded, until his eyes caught Lucas and his whole demeanour changed and he sat up straight reaching for his beer.
“ what colour is that shirt?” He asked randomly Lucas frowned glancing down at his t.shirt. He had changed just before we left because his white shirt got covered in food when the glass window in the kitchen shattered from the rock that was thrown at it. Lucas shrugged looking back up at Nathan clearly irritated and not in the mood for stupid questions.
“ It looks blue don’t you think Mitchell… in fact I’d say it’s Royal blue” Nathan said with a slight smirk I frowned, eyeing Lucas who looked just as suspicious. We exchanged a glance that said neither of us were buying what Nathan was selling.
“ My round is it then boys” Nathan suddenly said, jumping up from his seat heading towards the bar without another word.
Normally Lucas and Nathan can barely stand to be in the same room. I'd lost count of the times I’d come upon them and Lucas had Nathan by the throat. I got that Lucas didn’t like Nathan. I don't like him myself half the time but he was still my beta. However, Nathan’s sudden new tolerance for Lucas disturbed me.
Nathan had grabbed some bottles from behind the bar shouting to Henry the bartender who was at the other end serving to pop them on his tab, Henry looked momentarily irritated that Nathan had served himself but gave a stiff nod after I had signalled it was ok, I would pay him later. Henry quickly went back to making drinks for the she wolves that were enjoying his cocktail making.
My eyes are still on Nathan. I thought I might ask him what the hell was going on when something at the bar caught my eye, only a moment but the sight took my breath away, a flash of red hair and pale skin along with the heavenly sweet scent of wild flowers I thought was lost to me forever. I jumped up knocking my chair onto the floor with a loud thud searching the crowd frantically for any sign of her. It couldn’t be, I was going crazy. The days events were just playing on my mind I was sure, but my feet seemed to move with a life of their own. I felt a hand on my shoulder turning to see Lucas.
“ hey bro you ok? You look like you’ve seen a ghost” I heard him say frowning at me, i looked around seeing nothing. The bar wasn’t packed out tonight so it wasn’t hard to get an I.D on everyone in here when I saw no woman with red hair I shook my head feeling stupid.
I sat back down in a daze, Lucas eyed me with concern but didn’t say anything which I appreciated. was it real, had I really seen her, no that was stupid. I shook away my thoughts away running a hand over my face feeling the day weighing on me. I couldn’t go there again I’d done this before seeing some passing female with red hair thinking that it was her, becoming obsessed with chasing her down. I would call Doctor Wez tomorrow and tell him that I was having the hallucinations again but in all the times before I’d never smelled her scent so clear as if she was in the room however my wolf hadn’t stirred once he wouldn’t have sat back if he thought for a second it was her.
“ I’m just tired, I think I’m gonna head out” I sighed running my hands through my hair feeling like I needed some air. No I needed sleep everything would seem better in the morning.
Nathan came back to our table with a huge smile spread across his face. Setting down the beers he hadn’t even paid for.
“ Come on, have this last one and I’ll walk back with you, I left my gorgeous girl in bed waiting for me anyway” Lucas smiled smugly talking to me but then looked towards Nathan.
I felt myself having to bite back the growl that wanted to escape, Alisha had stayed behind with Mina not wanting to leave her she was probably lay in bed with her till Mina had fallen asleep not in Lucas’s bed waiting for him. The thought of it alone made me want to roar I wasn’t sure why. Maybe because she was Johnnys sister and I already knew he didn’t like the situation between Alisha and Lucas.
Thinking of Alisha lay with Mina making sure she slept soundly filled me with warmth she was always so intuitive to what Mina needed, actually she was like that with everyone some how already knowing exactly what a person needed before they did. I hadn’t wanted to leave them but Lucas could see how on edge I was and I think it was worrying him. Part of me wondered if that’s why he had held back from leaving. He never stayed in one place for long. Something else told me that it was a certain blonde beauty that had captured his heart.
Lucas looked at Nathan with a smug smile as if trying to bait him into something but I couldn’t help but notice how Nathan for once didn’t even bat an eyelid. The moment was interrupted by the sound of Lucas’s phone ringing, he and Nathan stopped their stare down while he dug it out his pocket, as soon as Lucas put it to his ear however his face dropped and he stormed out of the bar.
“ Oh dear I do hope nothings wrong” Nathan said sarcastically looking smug watching as Lucas exited the bar. I don’t answer him. I was still dealing from my earlier moment and I just wanted to leave.
The female that had been sitting at the bar watching our table was becoming more inebriated and I knew any second she would be stumbling over here. As if she had read my mind she glanced back at us once again causing our eyes to momentarily lock. s**t. Now she would think I was watching her. I dipped my head quickly but not before I caught her smiling at me. I heard the sound of a stool scraping and I knew she was up, taking my quick glance as an opening. I grabbed the bottle of beer taking a massive swig in one gulp half standing already.
“ Look nate I’m gonna head out” I gestured to the door with my thumb, Nathan wasn’t even paying attention he was looking in the girls direction and had obviously caught on.
“ ok man but you were in there” he smirked at me as I saw the female coming over to us out of the corner of my eye. Without looking I ducked away from the table heading for the door that was thankfully behind me and wouldn’t need me to pass her, on my way out I bumped into Lucas who looked like he was ready to kill someone.
“ wow man what’s wrong?” I exclaimed he grabbed my shoulder, ushering me out if the bar once we got outside I saw the remains of what used to be his mobile on the floor. This wasn’t good. Lucas didn’t say a damn word the whole walk home, his eyes just glowing gold revealing his beast was ready to go nuts. I knew him well enough to know not to ask any questions until he was in a calmer state.
“ I need to go for a run” was all he said as we reached the front of the pack house he didn’t wait for a reply either he just stormed away not long after I heard the sound of an almighty roar that had even my wolf on edge and I knew that Lucas was no longer in control.
I stood there for a while I wasn’t sure how long for I guess I was hoping Lucas would come back quickly but as the minutes ticked by it became clear he was gone for the night, as the cold air bit against my bare arms I wondered what could have worked Lucas up so much he’d need to allow his wolf control, and what the hell was with Nathan, he just sat across from Lucas like he didn’t have a care in the world yet normally the two couldn’t stand the sight of one another. It made me wonder what the hell would have him suddenly in such a good mood. Not to mention the insane moment when I allowed myself to see the one girl I could never have in my life again. Fate could be so incredibly cruel sometimes.