In Reach?

Mira’s POV

I’m really not looking forward to go down to the dining room for breakfast. I mean, of course I want breakfast, and I didn’t even have dinner last night. So I’m practically eating for two right now. Not really how the expression is to be used, but I want food.

But the kitchen is probably crowded with all of them, and I don’t really want to go down, not after everything that happened last night.

But, fortunately for my growling stomach, I value food more than my ego. I just hope that they avoid me like always and let me just eat in peace, so I can go help Aubrey with the some ‘pack stuff’ afterwards. Whatever that means.

I hear some chatter on my way down, and the moment I make myself known at the table, everything goes quiet. They’re all looking at me. Great. I sit down at the other end of the table as always and put all my focus on my plate.

I hear some chairs moving. People must be getting up. I guess the only luck on my side is that I came down a bit late, so many of them should be done with their food already.

I refuse to look up, I’ll rather look outside the window to distract me. Whoever is left seems to be chatting up again.

By the time I’m done, I just get up from the table and pick up my plate. When I look up, I see that the only people left are Theo and Liz. I was so caught up in my own world, I even forgot there were still people here.

Putting my plate in the kitchen sink, I realize that Aubrey is nowhere to be found. Crap. I guess I should just make my way back to my room. I’m sure Aubrey will call me when she’s done with whatever she’s busy with.

I turn to walk straight to the staircase, but suddenly someone is blocking me from taking the first step. “Wait.”

I look up and see Liz standing there. “Do you need something?” Like, what is this? Does she want to threaten me again?

“Can,…..can we talk?” Since when is Buffy here nervous to speak?

“Sure.” I stand up straight and face her.

“Uhm, let’s go to the living room. So we can have a seat while we……..talk.” She points with her thumb behind her. Well I guess it would be a bit weird if we just had a ‘talk’ right in front of the staircase. I follow her and sit at the nearest spot I get to.

She sits on the other end, facing me, and takes a deep breath. “Mira, I wanted to…….to apologize for what Max tried to do to you.” She looks up at me. What? Is she checking whether or not I heard her?

‘Tried to do’? I guess Alpha dearest must have already filled them in. But I don’t know why he bothered. It’s not like they care. Didn’t Liz tell me last night how she wishes she can personally torture me. Like, who does that?

“It is my responsibility, and that of my men, to protect this pack from danger. I never imagined that one of my own would be guilty of something like this. I never should have judged you just because I don’t know you.”

Woah! This is the most that Liz has ever spoken to me. And she’s trying to apologize. Knowing her ego, this must be very big for her to do it.

“Uhm, th-thank you Liz.” What else can I say?

The silence is getting awkward now.

“Well then. I should get going.” She gets up and points to the front door.

I just give a quick smile and nod.

When I get up and turn around, I notice Theo standing there, looking all troubled. He really is such an adorable Teddy bear. He’s probably just as sick of having to babysit me all the time.

“I’ll be helping Aubrey out today with some ‘pack stuff’.” I still don’t know what that means. “So, you don’t need to bother having to babysit me today. Aubrey and I will manage. I’m sure you have better stuff to do anyways.”

He looks confused and…….hurt?. Really? I think it best I move along before he wants to say something. So I quickly walk past him, and make my way back to the kitchen where Aubrey is standing in now.

“Hey Aubrey. You ready to go?”

She looks up and gives me a gentle but cute smile. “Yeah. If you’re all done, we can go.”

“Great. Lead the way.”

As we walk out the front door, I notice Theo is still standing at the same spot I left him in. I don’t like seeing him like this though. With all the time we spent together, I’ve actually started to grow fond of him. I wish I could believe that he was just following orders last night, but the way he refused to look at me really hurt me.

Noah’s POV

I’m down in the cells touring these fuckers. For now, it’s just for punishment and my enjoyment. I haven’t even started with the questioning yet. They’re both shackled by their wrists and neck, chained to the wall of the cell. The chains are mixed with silver, which helps with the torturing. It doesn’t burn straight through the skin, but still keeps them weak.

We’ve been at it since last night. Well, more like Liam was. Damn, he really looked like he was going to lose it last night. His wolf kept trying to push through. The way he beat these two up, he definitely broke a few of their bones; almost killed them. He would have if I didn’t step in.

But I’m not surprised they haven’t broken yet. They were trained by us after all. But I still need to weaken them a little more if I’m going to start questioning them. If these fuckers really did do this before, just how long has it been going on for? How many girls have they then raped? This was really rough on Liam, finding out that this has been happening in his pack right under his nose, and his own people are too afraid to tell him. He said, that as a leader it is beyond awful if your people don’t trust you to protect them. And I know that’s all he’s ever wanted for this pack, - to protect them.

I hear a loud clank noise and look behind me. Theo is coming this way.

“Hey Theo. What are you doing here? Is Mira spending the day in the library again?”

“No. She’s helping Aubrey with some pack stuff today.”

Really? He left her alone with my sister?

He raises his brow at me and gives me annoyed look.

Well, Aubrey does seem to like her, and she isn’t one to make friends easily. This might be a good distraction from the whole Katy thing. She still seems a bit bothered by that.

“Okay. I guess it’s fine if they’re together. But it still doesn’t mean I like it.” I walk back to the table with our ‘torture tools’. I’m actually a bit excited to choose which one to use, but I can’t seem to make up my mind. Call me a sadist if you wish, but what can I say, I am a wolf after all. It’s all about obtaining dominance by making your opponent suffer by any means necessary.

“Have you started questioning them yet?” Theo is standing against the wall opposite me and judging my excited look.

I’m not surprised. Theo isn’t exactly the violent type. It’s one of the reasons he’s in charge of internal affairs. He can always find a way to negotiate out of a situation. Many people see him as cold, because he isn’t one to smile or talk much, but he’s just a quiet guy that’s also very objective.

“No, not yet. But since you’re here. What have we found out about them that we should know of?”

“Well from what Mason says, Eli over there is the violent type. It’s one of the reasons Mason views him as a great warrior. He always goes for the kill. But, turns out he’s already in his thirties and still without a mate.” I look up at Theo surprised.

Wolves aren’t really cut out for the lonesome lifestyle. Which is why we tend to call lone wolves, rogues. Because they don’t have a pack. In fact, that’s what usually turns wolves into rogues. The torment of losing or not finding one’s mate, or even remaining alone, drives us crazy, to the point of being completely feral.

“Did he lose his mate?”

Theo just shakes his head.

“Why wouldn’t he settle down with one of the other unmated wolves then?” I turn to Eli, who still seems a bit disorientated.

“I don’t know. But Max over there seems to be his apprentice. I don’t know how that fucked up relationship started, but they ended up making a whole tag-team thing of it. Luring the girls out into the woods to the very sector that Max is in charge of. It really is fucked up.”

Like seriously? How did all of this happen under our noses.

I pick up the silver chained whip. “I think it’s time we stop being so easy with these assholes.” Max’s eyes widen as he hears me say this.

After hours of vigorous torture, I still got nothing. Yeah, they broke, but they just ended up crying like babies, saying they didn’t mean to and that they were sorry. Seriously? They’re already unconscious. I guess I can take a break.

I wipe the blood off my hands with a rag cloth on the table. I look up and see Theo still standing where I left him. But he seems lost in thought.

“You okay?”

“Mmh? Oh yeah I’m fine.”

What’s going on with him? He’s always so observant of his surroundings.

“Theo what’s up? Something is clearly bothering you.”

He stands up straight. Gesturing for us to leave.

“I’m sure it’s nothing.”

We’re outside in the woods again, making our way back to the pack house. I give him a side glance and he still looks lost in thought. If he was worried about something regarding this whole fucked up situation, I’m sure he would have mentioned it.

“Theo.” He should know I’m not going to let this go.

“It’s just,…..it’s……Mira seems to be mad at me.” Not really what I was expecting.

“Okay, it’s not like she really has a reason to like us or something.”

“I know, it’s just……..she’s mad at me, and it’s making my wolf agitated.”

I’ve never seen Theo this………confused, about anything. Is this what has been on his mind for the past few hours?

“It doesn’t make sense. Why would my wolf get agitated about that?” He looks like he’s trying to do some hard math problem in his head.

“You’re probably just over thinking things. It has been a rough couple of days. I mean, you did have to leave all of a sudden yesterday to help Liam do some damage control, and then all the other crap happened afterwards. You probably just need to get some r-“

“Yeah, but the problem is, I don’t like it.”

“Huh? What do you mean? You don’t like feeling agitated? I’m sure many people don’t”

“No.” He’s squinting like he’s deep in thought. “I don’t like the fact that she is mad at me. That’s why my wolf is getting agitated.”

I raise my brow at this and look at him questioningly. He does look agitated.

This doesn’t sound good. Theo is never conflicted about anything. But now,….because of her? Surprisingly, I’m actually wondering how Liam would take this if my suspicions are true. I know he’s suspicious of her as possibly being the ‘enemy’, but he can’t hide the effect she clearly has on him. Whenever he leaves all stressed out of his mind, he always manages to come back as cool as a breeze, but not without her scent on him. And something is telling me that she might just be oblivious to the effect she has on our pack.

The more she’s pulling away, the more it seems to affect our members. Even Aiden was like a sick puppy when she apparently gave him the cold shoulder. She even got to me a bit last night. I mean, her words did make a lot of sense. And they just threw me off even more about her character. What if she isn’t the enemy?

“I don’t know. I just don’t get it.” Theo wipes his hand down his face.

“Theo? Just try to not let this get in the way of you doing your duties. Okay?”

“Of course, Noah.” He says all seriously. Well at least he’s back to his serious self.