C36

Sorry for the delay- I've started uni and it's a bit hectic. I've not had the chance to sit down a write properly!

Anyways, enjoy!

*

Brooke was sat in her room when Ben walked in. She gasped and quickly wiped her tears, watching Ben with cautious eyes.

"Crying already?" Ben asked. The door shut behind him with a loud bang. "I wonder how Harry is feeling. The mate bond must be starting to pull now. Are you experiencing any headaches?"

"What do you want, Ben?" Brooke asked. "What do you really want?"

"I want Harry to suffer. And he will," Ben said.

"You're working with Rogue! He's a werewolf! Why?"

"Because he can help me achieve my goal," Ben said and walked up to the bed Brooke was sat on. "He saved me from the verge of death. He found me after you tried to make it look like a car accident."

"I'm sorry," Brooke whispered.

"I don't know how you guys were planning to pass it off as a car accident when I had bruises on my neck from being suffocated and a manner of broken bones." Ben rolled his eyes. "But Rogue supplied a new body for the accident. Everyone thought it was me."

"So what? You've been biding your time? Waiting for the best time to attack?"

Ben nodded. "Something like that."

"If you're going to kill Harry-" Brooke gulped, "-just do it. Get it over with."

Ben smirked. "It pained you to say that, didn't it? Both Rogue and I agree that death isn't the best way to cause pain to someone," Ben said. "At least, not immediate death. Harry will suffer. He will suffer for as long as possible."

"Please," Brooke whispered.

"I rather liked you, Brooke. It's a shame that he's your mate."

"Ben, we were friends! You don't have to do this-"

"I do," Ben said sharply and stood up. "I'll see you soon, Brooke." Ben walked out and left Brooke in silence.

Brooke continued crying.

*

Indianna had stayed at Greyson's grave for hours. Kirstie had remained with her for a while before getting called away Mac. No one else disturbed her. She could feel eyes on her, from the house, but she was left in peace.

"Indie." It was Kimberly who spoke and she stood next to Indianna. "I'm not your mother so I'm not going to bug you, but you need to remember that you are going to be a mother, and it's getting cold out and you need to eat. I get you're upset, depressed, whatever, but let's go inside, yeah?"

"You're the least comforting person ever," Indianna said. She turned her head and looked up at Kimberly. A pain shot through the back of her neck as she turned. "You know that, right?"

Kimberly waved her hand dismissively. "Why did you just flinch?"

"It's my scar," Indianna said softly and slowly she stood.

Kimberly stared at Indianna for a few moments before speaking. "Well done."

Indianna raised an eyebrow curiously.

"For coming here." Kimberly looked at Greyson's grave.

Indianna nodded and walked towards the house, hugging her stomach as she did.

"Are you okay?"

"I might've said yes if you asked me that last year," Indianna sighed. She took a deep breath as she stepped into the warm pack house. The smell of food hit her instantly and her stomach grumbled. "I'm going to get some food. Thank you for coming to me."

"Go look after your babies," Kimberly said. "And I forgot to say, congratulations on twins."

Indianna smiled. "Thank you." Indianna wasn't surprised to see Laura in the kitchen when she entered. Laura cooked a lot nowdays. It helped distract her from everything else.

Distract her from the thought of Greyson.

"Hey, sweetheart," Laura said softly and wrapped her arms round Indianna, hugging her tightly. "Are you okay?"

"I didn't want to leave his grave," Indianna whispered.

"I know," Laura sighed and pulled away from Indianna. "It gets easier."

"Does it?"

Laura paused. "No, but I tell myself that everyday in hopes that one day it will be true."

Indianna swallowed.

"Come on, you need some food," Laura said and dished up a bowl of chicken casserole, passing the steaming plate to Indianna.

"Thank you," Indianna said.

"Is there any news on Brooke or Alice?" Laura asked and Indianna started to eat. "Harry was a mess when he came in. I'm worried what he's going to do. Brooke is his world. She's the only person other than Greyson who has ever gotten through to him. He's a mess without her."

"There's no news," Indianna sighed. "We saw her briefly at school, that's all. Oscar has been running the search for Alice, but they've come up empty."

Laura rubbed her eyes. "We've got to stay strong."

"There's only so long we can try for," Indianna sighed.

"We-"

"Indie." Kal poked his head into the kitchen. He seemed like normal, bubbly Kal, but you could tell that he was hiding his worry, his fear. His eyes said it all. "We've found out who the guy who's with Brooke is."

"The one that attacked Ace?" Indianna asked.

"Yeah, that one," Kal said.

"Go, Indie, they need you," Laura smiled.

Indianna nodded and followed Kal into the lounge. She sat down next to Oscar on a couch and set her bowl on her lap. Kal took his seat next to Kimberly and Indianna looked at Harry who was standing up, leaning against the wall, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Well?" Indianna said.

"His name is Alec," Kimberly said. "Ace thought he recognised him from somewhere and he remembered when we found out his name."

"How do we know his name?" Indianna asked.

"Sasha knew," Kal said. "She's upstairs, by the way, still freaking out."

"Anyway, he's an Alpha," Kimberly said.

"It's a pack south of us," Kal said. "Ace visited them once with Greyson, we thought his father was still the Alpha, but that's not the case."

"What's he doing working for Rogue?" Indianna frowned just as Ace walked into the room. His phone was in his hand.

"That was Janson," Ace said. "I asked him about Alec's pack."

"And?" Kal asked.

"It doesn't exist anymore," Ace sighed. "Before Rogue claimed Janson's pack he tried to reach out to Alec's pack for help, but they heard nothing. Janson sent pack members to investigate and they found out that Rogue had taken control."

"Do we want to know how?" Kal cringed.

"Alec's father, Alister was the Alpha when Rogue took control. Alister gave in to Rogue's wishes, but Rogue had him killed. Rumour had it Rogue didn't want an older Alpha questioning him and fighting back, so Alister was killed and the Alpha title was passed over to Alec. Rogue can obviously control a new, young, inexperienced Alpha better than an older, more knowledgeable one."

"So Rogue's just getting Alec to do his dirty work," Harry muttered.

"He's just like us," Indianna murmured and sighed. "What I want to know is why is Rogue helping Ben. You say he's a werewolf hunter, then surely they should be against each other."

"Rogue's helping Ben achieve his goal," Ace said, "so Rogue must be getting something out of this arrangement too. Ben has to be helping Rogue with something."

"Why do we always come up with more questions than answers?" Kal said and rolled his eyes. "I want to know how to get Alice back, have we got round to that yet? No."

"Kal, we're searching," Oscar said.

Kal sighed. "I know, I know. I talk a lot of shit when I'm stressed."

"Just when you're stressed?" Harry said and raised an eyebrow.

"Shut up and continue being broody in the corner," Kal said.

"It doesn't make sense why Rogue has taken Alec away from his pack," Oscar said. "Janson is with his pack, Indie you're with us, why has he got Alec to come to this town alone?"

"You're not helping with the question answer ratio," Kal called.

"No, Oscar's right," Ace nodded.

"There's got to be a reason why Rogue got Alec to come here," Indianna said and furrowed her eyebrows.

"Great, another thing to try and figure out," Kal sighed. "Right, we're out of here before you guys try and ram more questions into our heads." Kal grabbed Kimberly's hand and pulled her out of the room.

"We've got things to work on," Ace said. "The more we figure out the better equipped we'll be to get Brooke and Alice back."

"I can get Brooklyn back just fine," Harry snapped. "I don't need the answers to some stupid questions."

"You do if you don't want your friends sister to die," Ace said sharply.

Harry narrowed his eyes and clenched his fists. "I'm going to bed," he scowled and walked out of the room.

"You should too, Indie," Ace sighed as Indianna placed her now empty bowl of food on the side. She had eaten it all throughout the discussion.

"And so should you," Indianna said, taking in Ace's dishevelled appearance.

"How about we all go," Oscar said. "We can discuss this more tomorrow."

Indianna yawned and stood. "Good idea."

"And just so you know, we've got somebody watching Harry's room the whole night," Ace said.

"When it comes to Brooke, I wouldn't trust Harry as far as I could throw him," Oscar sighed.

Indianna nodded in agreement. "When it comes to Brooke Harry would throw us all into the flames and not look back."

*

"He's gone!" Indianna was woken by a shout. Light streamed into Greyson's room when the door was open and Indianna groaned, rolling over and squinting at Kal who had thrown open the door.

"What?" She asked groggily.

"Harry's gone," Kal blurted. His eyes were wide with panic. "I'm going to kill him if he's gone to Brooke. I mean, I love the girl, but he can't go to her-"

Indianna was out of bed in a second and grabbed Greyson's jumper, throwing it over her head. "Kal, calm down," Indianna said softly. "Where have you looked? Are you sure he's gone?"

"No, I just felt like waking you at the crack of dawn for shits and giggles," Kal said. "Yes, I'm sure! Kimberly's searching and Ace has started looking in the woods, trying to pick up a scent."

"Jesus," Indianna sighed and walked out of her room. She wiped her tired eyes and rushed downstairs with Kal. "Check the house again. The gym. Everywhere."

Kal nodded and the two of them split up. Indianna walked out of the pack house and looked around. It was just starting to get light, and she could make out Ace's scent in the woods in front of her.

Indianna took a deep breath and frowned. She slowly walked round the side of the house and sighed when she found him. He was in the same spot that she had spent most of the previous evening.

*You can relax, I've found him,* Indianna said to Kal through mindlink.

*What? Where? Where is he?"

Indianna didn't reply and slowly walked up to Harry. She didn't say anything as she crouched next to him.

"I should give you some more credit," Harry said suddenly. His voice was dull. "I don't know what I would do if I lost her. The way you're coping, it's brave, Indianna. Impressive."

"I'm not coping, Harry," Indianna said gently. "But, thank you."

"You are, even though it feels like you're not," Harry said. "You are coping."

Indianna sighed. "You have Kal worried sick. He thought you went to her."

"The only thing stopping me is that I know she wouldn't want me to go. Alice is her friend. She'd always put her friends before herself." Harry rolled his eyes. "Selfless idiot."

"We'll get her back," Indianna whispered.

"Ben will let her go when I'm no longer in the picture," Harry said bitterly.

"We'll get her back," Indianna repeated.

"How?" Harry scoffed. "We have no leverage. We have nothing."

"We have hope."

"Good for you," Harry said and shook his head. "And we're back where we started. Hope does nothing."

"It does everything," Indianna said. "Harry, I want to give up. I want to give up every single day."

"I'm feeling really hopeful now," Harry muttered.

"But we have to try. We have to hope for a better future."

Harry sighed and stood up. "I'm going for a run," he said.

"Harry-"

"I won't go to her," Harry said. He clenched his fists as he said it. "I promise, Indianna."

Indianna nodded and watched Harry as he retreated into the woods. Her eyes soon landed on Greyson's gravestone.

"Morning," she whispered.

Indianna tore her gaze away and went back inside before tears could form.

"He's going for a run," Indianna said when she entered the house, stopping Kal before he could bombard her with questions.

"You believe him-"

"Yes," Indianna nodded. "He's not going to Brooke. Alice is safe."

"Are you sure?"

"I don't want any harm to come to Alice either, Kal," Indianna said softly and squeezed Kal's arm. "I promise."

"O-okay," Kal said shakily. "Sorry, for, er... waking you."

"It's fine," Indianna smiled. "I'm going back to sleep now."

"See you in a few hours," Kal said and Indianna yawned as she made her way upstairs. She poked her head into the room Sasha was staying in as she walked past. Sasha's parents weren't home much, and Sasha felt safer staying at the pack house while she was dealing with the news that werewolves existed.

Sasha was sound asleep and Indianna soon joined her. She climbed back into Greyson's bed and fell asleep wrapped in his jumper.