CHAPTER 16

Krey stormed towards the building. "Follow me," he demanded to Sid and Jordan, taking the extra time to stare at Jordan until he dropped his gaze.

Krey moved fast through the maze-like corridors until they reached the meeting room.

A large oak table looked small in the middle of such a big room. Wall length windows covered the wall opposite the door. The lights from Crescent Town glistened in the distance. Krey's first thought was about Pip. He hoped he was warm and happy at home. Krey rested a hand on his chest as Jordan and Sid sat at the table.

Krey knew Pip was okay, somehow. The bond was strengthening.

"Alpha, is Francis really your mate?" Sid asked.

Krey's brown glare peeled from the window and to Sid's red hair. Krey could have sworn his hair was blue last week. "Southern wolves are just two miles away. We have more important things to discuss." Krey glared at Jordan as he spoke.

Sid opened the laptop as Krey moved to the window. He stared out at the wolves all around the grounds, guarding their territory.

"Have they moved closer than two miles?" Krey asked.

"No, Alpha. I think they're looking for trouble but don't want to be the ones to start it."

Krey rubbed his chin, feeling stubble. "Jordan, what do you think?"

His Beta stopped lounging on the chair. "Uh, yeah, I agree with Sid."

Krey narrowed his eyes, looking deep into the dark forest. Southern wolves hadn't been so dangerously close in months. The last time they invaded, Krey lost his father.

They got their revenge, so why were they back?

"They want something," Krey mumbled, tapping his chin. "Sid, go with twenty other wolves and ask what they want."

"What if they attack?" Sid asked.

"They won't. I smell around twenty wolves. Almost sixty live here." Krey turned to face Sid. "Find out why they dare to come this close."

Sid nodded once and hurried from the room, leaving Krey and Jordan alone. The air quickly tensed. Krey stared at the scars on his face, the scars Jordan got from protecting his father in a fight, many years ago. Krey didn't feel the same loyalty.

He stood, waiting, hoping Jordan would say something to lessen the tension between them. Jordan said nothing, Krey said nothing.

Krey was almost ten years younger than Jordan, but age shouldn't have been a problem between them. Krey was Alpha, Jordan was Beta, they were supposed to work in sync. Krey barely spoke to Jordan when his father was still the Alpha. Jordan obviously didn't enjoy taking Krey's orders.

Jordan's scarred eye held bruises from Krey's fist. Krey looked down to his hand. His knuckles were coated in bruises from Jordan's face. No Alpha and Beta relationship should be so unreliable. Their relationship made the pack uneasy.

Krey could walk away. He could turn rogue and leave the stress and responsibilities behind, but his mother was right, his father had worked hard to make Crescent pack the best. Krey, deep down, didn't want to destroy his hard work.

At the same time, Krey believed he deserved to fail and mess everything up. A dramatic fall into a pool of bad luck was what Krey thought he deserved.

Pippor Monty was too good for him. Krey didn't know why his mate arrived when he was at his worst.

Krey turned back to the window. He stared at the stars and thought that maybe Pip arrived to save him. That's not fair, Krey thought, because I'll ruin his life. Pip deserves so much better.

Jordan soon left the room when Krey was lost in the glow of the moon; lost in the memories of his mate.

Francis knocked as Krey tried desperately to remember Pip's blue eyes full of life and joy. He had seen Pip scared too many times. If he thought about the night they first met when Pip trespassed, Krey had to clutch his chest to stop his heavy heart from breaking through his ribs.

"Come in," Krey said, turning to glare. He softened his brows to a scowl when he saw Francis, though the Omega didn't greet him with her usual smile.

"Alpha, may I speak out of term?"

Krey gestured towards the table. They sat opposite each other. "Speak your mind," Krey said lowly.

Francis held a dreadlock and picked at the stumped end. "I know you're not ready to tell people about Pip, but please don't go along with the rumors' about us being mates. The minute you do, I'll have a target on my head."

"I should dismiss the rumour, but I haven't yet denied it." Krey tapped the table. "My mother's conclusion makes sense. Alpha's don't just hang out with Omegas."

"Would you rather let her believe the lie than tell them about Pip?"

Krey leaned across the table. "Of course I'd rather let them believe the lie. The moment wolves know about Pip, he's in a lot more danger than you. Pip is a small and defenceless human. At least you've got the training and a wolf form to fight in."

"I don't want to lie." Francis was serious. "If we lie, then later, when you're ready for people to know about Pip, I'll look like more of a laughingstock than I already am."

Krey frowned. "What do you mean?"

Francis shook her head. "I respect you as an Alpha. I respected your father too, and I see a lot of him in you. I know you'll make the right decision, which is rejecting the rumour."

High pitched ringing hurt Krey's head. Francis had too much faith in him. Krey wasn't his father; he could do no good. "Go," he demanded, turning in his chair to face the long windows, "you've said enough."

He felt her eyes on him and didn't look to see if she was disappointed. I shouldn't care. She's just an Omega.

When Francis left, and Krey was alone again, he dropped his head. Wolves breached their territory. Krey's mother had embarrassed him and planted a rumour in everyone's heads. Krey was battling with his grief and taking over his father's duties too soon. Krey also struggled with his feelings towards Pip.

Krey's emotions were harder to control when he wasn't with the human. Pip gave him stability, and he could think clearly.

Krey wanted to see Pip again, but he couldn't leave the institute.

He stood up, cracking his knuckles. "Stop being so pathetic, Krey," he mumbled. "If you're not going to run away, then act like a fucking Alpha."

******

A few days went by, and Pip hadn't seen Krey or Francis. His life went on as usual. He worked at the café at night and finished his week at college by getting a grade C on one of his assignments.

Pip was happy with the grade; he worked hard for it. He had never been an A star student, but that didn't decide his intelligence. Grade C was better than no grade. Pip was still learning stuff along the way.

On Saturday morning, Pip noticed his sore throat before even opening his eyes. He groaned and rolled onto his stomach, pushing his face into the cushion.

If only this were Krey's chest.

Pip sat up immediately. He frowned, staring at his cushion. Holding hands with Krey the other day must have sunken in deeper than Pip thought.

"Get a hold of your feelings, Pippor," he mumbled and threw the pillow across the room. He climbed off his creaky single bed and his head thumped as he stood up. Pip tiptoed to his door, listening to who was already awake. He had woken up later than usual.

Pip was an early riser. He loved the mornings when everything was peaceful and quiet, and a new day could bring great opportunities.

Today, however, Pip felt a little ill and a little tired. He overslept, but at least he didn't have any plans.

He showered and bundled himself in warm clothes. He wore a long-sleeved top, a t-shirt over that, a red hoody and a yellow puffer jacket with a fur hood. Pip hurried down the stairs and past the living room where his aunt, uncle and cousins sat.

"Morning, Pippor!" his aunt yelled. Before Pip could greet her a good morning, she continued, "Please wash the dishes before leaving the house."

Pip was going through the kitchen anyway. He could have cried when he saw the mountain of yesterday and this morning's dishes stacked next to the sink.

Pip's headache was worse by the time he pulled the plug in the sink. He reached for the back door, craving fresh air.

"You haven't dried them and put them away," Pip's uncle said from the doorway.

"Can I do that later?" Pip asked. His voice was a little raspy from his sore throat.

"No, you can do it now, Pippor!"

"Okay," he whispered. "Sorry."

Pip worked quickly and sprinted through the back door the moment the last pan was in the cupboard. He hurried through the garden and reached up to the back fence. He forgot about the splinters on his fingers.

Pip hurt his fingers a week ago. The bruises were already fading. Pip assumed they weren't broken because they healed quicker than he thought they would. Though he heard them crack when Jordan-

Pip scrunched his eyes shut, shaking the awful memory from his mind.

He took his splinters off and dared to bend his fingers back and forth. They hurt a little. The motion was strange after keeping them still for a week.

He reached back to the top of the fence, curling his fingers around the wood. His fingers hurt, but not as much as they did when he climbed over the fence a week ago. As Pip tried to haul himself up, he noted that Krey would probably be able to see over the fence without even standing on his tiptoes.

Pip thought more about his height and muscular arms. Krey looked great all the time, and he suited his black knitted jumper with the small embroidered wolf's head on the chest.

Pip understood why there was a rumour of them being werewolves. They called each other Alpha and Beta and Omega. Their base was in the middle of the woods, miles from civilization. Pip could have sworn on his life that Krey growled the night he punched Mark in the mouth.

The ground was frozen solid as Pip, rather clumsily, swung a leg over the fence. He rolled over the top and landed on the floor with a thud. He slipped on ice and fell against the wooden planks.

Someone tried to stifle a chuckle to his left. Pip shoved his burgundy bobble hat back up and saw a tall figure leaning against a tree.