The Pack - On the Run

I stared at the damned phone so hard I was pretty sure I was going to drill a hole in it.

Mum was still out cold, and it worried me so much I was desperate enough to try almost anything to bring her back, no matter how stupid or dangerous it would turn out to be.

And yet, I was still unsure.

Could I do it? Would I do it? Would it work?

Rosalynd didn’t want to get my hopes high. When she had come by a few hours ago, she had said that since mum didn’t have a true mate who could and would help her through her transition like Louis helped me, her recovery was up to her willingness to live.

But maybe... Maybe it would do.

I closed my eyes and sighed, then unlocked the phone and tapped the familiar number on the screen. My finger hovered for a second above the icon before I pressed it.

I heard the first signal.

He picked up after a second one.

“Glad to hear you finally came to your senses, Melinda.”

* * *

“You should eat something. You look like death warmed up,” Jonah pointed out through a full mouth.

I smiled, fiddling with the bites of stew spread on my plate. My stomach squeezed its disagreement at the thought of food, stress taking away any appetite I might have felt.

“I’m not hungry,” I mumbled, watching Mikey licking his plate clean. At least one of us was eating.

“Can I have yours, then?” He perked up, already fishing for a chunk of meat piling on my plate.

“Go on,” I pushed food toward my brother, happy to help him cease his unsated hunger.

“No can do, Little Man. Your sister has to eat,” Louis popped up out of nowhere, sliding the plate back in front of me. While doing so, he leaned slightly over me, so his usual masculine scent wafted to my nose. It was mixed with the crisp smell of approaching winter and dirt but, thankfully, no blood.

I peeked at Louis out of the corner of my eyes, taking in his hair matted with sweat and the redness of his cold-bitten cheeks. No blood there as well. The hunt was once again unfruitful - thank the fuck.

“I’m not hungry,” I repeated with a sigh, putting the fork on the plate which came back to haunt me. And just to take the subject off of my lack of appetite, I asked. “Any news of my father?”

Louis wasn’t willing to indulge me, though. At least not before I started eating. He crossed his arms over his chest and lifted his brow expectantly. I cringed, then forced a small bite into my mouth. Knowing Everton, he would push food down my throat if his wolf felt the need. And it wasn’t an empty threat - that much was clear without my growing acuteness of Louis’ moods or his body language.

Anyway, maybe if I appeased him, he would finally tell me something...

Or not.

“No,” Everton answered after I forced myself to swallow two forkfuls of meat.

His statement pleased and worried me at the same time.

“Are you going hunting again this afternoon?” I asked, feigning nonchalance.

Louis took an empty seat next to me. His leg brushed mine, and my eyes snapped to his quicksilver ones as the memories of our run from two days ago flooded my mind...

“Don’t you want me to?” Louis asked, pulling me back from my dangerous thoughts.

Of course, part of me didn’t want him to go, but the other was looking forward to him leaving. Either way, I had no power to stop him. And even if I did, the Alpha’s wish was now my bloody command. And so was Louis’.

“You know it’s not up to me,” I said instead, glancing away. I was sure Louis would read me like a book if he looked into my eyes.

“No, it’s not,” Everton agreed with a sigh as he helped himself to stew.

Well, maybe not all things were in my power, but I still had control over a few. And I was going to use it.

* * *

Once again, I was alone with mum.

Louis had returned to hunting my dad, and Mikey was with Jonah in the older boy’s room. Over those couple of days, the two became almost inseparable, bonding over video games, running, and skipping stones. And, even though it made me a bit sad Mikey wasn’t following me around anymore, it made things a bit easier. I could leave him in the house, knowing he was in good hands, away from the shitstorm I was about to walk into.

I leaned over the bed, lifted mum’s limb arm, and threw it over my neck. Then, I hoisted her up, thanking my lucky stars for my newfound strength. I didn’t know how much time I had before anybody noticed my grand escape and tried to stop me, or worse - follow me - so I had to be quick.

I quietly opened the doors to mum’s room and peeked outside. The hall was clear, filled only with Jonah’s and Mikey’s excited screams. I sneaked out and crept towards the front doors stopping only by the cabinet to grab Louis’ car keys before I left the house.

Nobody disrupted me even as I was putting my mum into Louis’ car.

I only hoped all would be over before Everton’s return...

* * *

~Louis~

“You owe me ten bucks,” murmured Raph to Louis as they watched Josie place her unconscious mum onto the passenger’s seat and throw her backpack on the backseat. His mate rounded the car and climbed inside, shutting the doors behind her.

Louis fisted his hands. His nails punctured the insides of his palms, but he welcomed the pain. It took his mind off the agitated beast which was pacing nervously inside his head, ready to take over any second and stop his mate before she did something moronic.

Louis couldn’t do that. Not yet, anyway. Even though the foreign feeling of trepidation started to slowly gnarl at his stomach.

Well, he had no one to blame for the situation at hand but himself. In all honesty, when he had asked Rosalynd to bait Josie, that stupid, lovesick part of him had hoped the girl would come to him with her plans rather than make a break. She didn’t, unsurprisingly. Why would she, though, when he had betrayed her, over and over, as he would once more?

No matter. It still hurt like hell, and Louis couldn’t help but feel utterly disappointed. Even if it was he who was using her.

The Pack always comes first.

“Let’s go,” he ordered grimly, feeling bitterness seep through his voice.