Her Forever

Jack

After a few hours, we arrived in the city of New York. I knew this would be hard for both Rosalie and myself, but I really had to push through and get this sorted out before some significant life changes were going to happen with Rosalie. If she still accepted me after all of the trauma I am apparently putting her through, that is.

After a few texts telling her I was sorry and that I would make it up to her and never leave her side again, I was greeted with nothing. I had told her she had to have her phone on her at all times, but I did not want to pull the “I’m your boss card.” If anything, she was my boss, and the boss had the right to be angry.

After sighing loudly and annoyed, Keith smirked and knew what I was thinking. “Your girl won’t text you back, and now you are going to be in a bad mood. Honestly, I think she has every right to be.” I gave Keith a warning glare and continued to stare at the window while the street buildings went by.

Keith may be the annoying brother to everyone in the pack, even the nasty uncle with the dirty jokes, but he has been loyal to me from the beginning. I found him on the outskirts of an abandoned warehouse area where he had lived as a rogue for years. Many people find rogues disgusting and think more often than not that they are troublemakers. That was the complete opposite for Keith. When he was 15 years old, his small pack was attacked by Witches and warlocks fighting for land in the human world.

Things in the human world run differently with supernaturals; annually, all the supernaturals that live here in the Earth realm put in bids for land so they could live peacefully and everything is charted accordingly. However, when supernaturals started resettling here 300 years ago from the Bergarian realm, they just took things. There were no councils to speak with and divide the lands with the humans; it was a free-for-all. Long story short, Keith’s pack was slaughtered, and he only survived because he started his first shift in the middle of it. The Witches and warlocks thought he was dying and left him there.

While scouting the warehouses with my father, I found Keith roaming around a new textile materials store. We were in the process of building companies from scratch and needed storage. My father offered him a place in our pack, feeling sorry for him, and we ended up growing up together. Keith had it rough; he lived off eating wild animals and had barely any clothing for 20 years. He was almost too wild to talk to, saying he couldn’t relate to the humans––he mostly stayed in Wolf form because of it.

My mother and I taught him the ropes and gave him a place in the packhouse. We all got along well, but once he found his mate, he was the one in control. He let his Wolf decide what he should do, and it was a good thing he did. He showered her with gifts, fed her, and loved her fiercely. He listened to his instincts, and many who have Wolves, such as myself, have difficulty doing that. Alpha’s feel their human side should be mostly in control and decide for the Wolf, not have the Wolf decide in certain situations.

I have that problem. I don’t listen to my Wolf as well as I should.

“She needs to hear your voice, not read a damn text. Just give her a call. If she doesn’t answer, leave a voicemail and let her know how you feel. I can’t believe I have to tell you how to do this; it is the simplest thing,” Keith rolled his eyes. “You shouldn’t have left in the first place. What did your Wolf say?”

“That I shouldn’t go. But hell, I have to get this done before the storm and the Vampire Council come in. Once I’m given the OK, I will mark her. That way, I can always protect her and know where she is,” I sighed exasperatedly.

“If she will let you mark her at this point, it sounds like she’s pissed,” Keith folded his arms and looked out the window. I growled at him, and he didn’t flinch. He knew he was right, and I obviously knew I was wrong. We had to get this done fast.

Taking out my phone, I called her. It went straight to voicemail on the second ring, letting me know she ignored me. “Rosalie, I’m so sorry. I just want to tell you that I love you. I’ll be back soon.” I cut the call and let out another exasperated sigh.

Pulling up to the company, I hopped out quickly, not even waiting for the driver to get the door. The doors were opened entirely, and I stomped up to my private elevator and hit the 42nd floor. Inside, Keith gave me the rundown who had had access to this specific room with a special key card. It was his name that was swiped in, but Keith had been by my side always. There was a copy of his card, and I would find out where they’d gotten it from.

Calling Bruce back at the packhouse, I had him contact the security team in the building I was in to check the HR department for any duplicate keys.

The room in question appeared in my sight, and I glanced inside the window. There were several computers inside, but the one that caught my eye had a drink next to the mouse. I didn’t want to walk in, afraid that if it was a Werewolf, they would be able to smell the remnants of me being there. Alphas tend to have a strong smell that could last for days.

We walked back to my office and decided to wait it out. According to the times Rosalie had sent me before she became angry, it was about 5:30 p.m. when they made the withdrawals. Keith and I sat silently in the office with the lights out, listening for anyone that may come down the hallway.

Jack: Rosalie, I’m so sorry, I miss you. Please talk to me.

I waited 10 minutes before there was a reply. The minutes passed into hours, and I continued to text Rosalie.

Rosalie: You are in big trouble, mister.

I smiled; I was just happy she had replied to me.

Jack: Can I make it up to you? What can I do? I’ll do anything, Kitten.

Rosalie: Come home. It makes my heart ache with you not here. These are such strong feelings I can’t explain. I’m not used to having a longing for someone before. It’s so infuriating.

My breath caught. I don’t want my baby to be hurt.

Jack: I will come back soon, baby, I promise. I’m trying to get back as soon as tomorrow.

Rosalie: Not soon enough 🙁

I was about to give up since it was nearing 7 p.m., and we didn’t hear anything, but then I heard a ping on my phone. The app Rosalie gave me alerted me that someone was withdrawing the money right now from the payroll account. Keith and I looked at each other and swiftly ran down the hall. This was terrible; whoever this money embezzler was, would feel my wrath tonight.

There was no noise or clicking of the computer mouse as we drew closer. We burst through the door and found Noel sitting at the computer. She was wearing all black, and her freshly painted nails were holding a thumb drive into the computer doing all the work for her. Noel turned around, looking at me in shock. “It isn’t what it looks like,” she panicked and pulled out the drive from the computer.

“I told you this Witch would cause you nothing but trouble, but no, you never listen to me,” Keith mocked while grabbing her by her arm. “Tsk, such a weak Wolf.”

Noel was an average size Wolf but was a bit on the weaker side. The only thing she had going for her was her looks, and even then, they had their limitations. She wasn’t Rosalie.

“What are you doing here, and why the hell are you stealing from me?!” I yelled in rage. I could even feel the veins protruding from my neck as I gripped her throat.

“I,… I…” Noel tried to speak, but as my grip tightened and she started to turn blue. Her silent cries only angered me as she gripped my hands, using her fake a*s nails to scratch me away. I chuckled, leaning into her, nose to nose.

“Answer. The. Question,” I gritted my teeth. Loosening my grip, she fell to the floor, holding her throat and coughing. She laughed mockingly, “You know your choking is still a turn-on, even if you’re angry.” Keith stepped up and threw her on the chair, and handcuffed her to the chair with a Witch’s holding curse on them. She wouldn’t be able to shift or get away.

“Speak now, or you will lose your head. I don’t care if you are the daughter of an allied pack’s Alpha. You stole from another Alpha and his people.” I used my Alpha command on her, and she cowered a bit.

“It doesn’t really matter now,” she rolled her eyes. “I got what I wanted; the question is, are you ready to deal with your actions?” Keith and I looked at each other in confusion, and my teeth started to elongate. Enough with the games; I was done.

“Is this because I wouldn’t take you as my mate and rejected you?” I clashed. She let out a gentle scoff.

“No, absolutely not. I couldn’t care less, to be honest, I can’t tell you any more s**t,” she spat. Keith was about to punch her right in the jaw when I held up my hand to stop him.

“We have a protocol on this since she is an Alpha’s daughter. We take her back to the packhouse; I’ll get in touch with her father.” Keith nodded his head. He wasn’t afraid to hit a woman, especially one that deserved it. As Keith was tying her up, I pulled out my phone to text Rosalie. She would be so excited I would be coming home a whole two days early. I’d felt awful leaving her, but the timing of all this was going to work so well. I’d be home within 24 hours so she wouldn’t be as mad and we’d be way ahead of the storm.

“Oh, Jack,” Noel spoke in a whispered voice. “I’m sorry,” she said, almost concerned.

“Sorry for what?”

“You’ll see,” she grimaced.