Chapter 3

A week has passed and now Rosewood pack had a new alpha, Larry. Laura last spoke that day when she found out that her mate had died, she has been mute and walking around looking like a zombie. Her state was worsening, its like she went back to being a child again and Anita must be the one to think for her. Like when she is hungry, she does not say, Anita must come back from training and make her food then feed her.

When its time for her to bath, Anita must run a bath for her and help her get cleaned. She had to be strong for her mother seeing that she was not coping, she had to put aside her own grief and take care of her. What she hated the most was the fact that no one was helping her, her uncle is busy trying to get adjust into his new position as alpha and she did not want to bother him.

The only person who would come and stay with Laura just to give Anita a break was Nicole. She is her mother’s closest friend and the pack doctor. She had suggested that Laura be taken to a therapist so that she can get help, but Larry had been too busy and promised to investigate it when he has the time. “Mom, come and eat breakfast is ready.” Anita told her mother, but Laura was just laying there in bed staring at the ceiling.

Anita sighed then moved closer to the bed as she was standing by the door. She removed the covers and helped her up. Then went with her to the bathroom, she helped her brush her teeth then took out clothes for her. They then went downstairs to the dining room; pack members were there eating breakfast and when they got in, the conversation ceased.  They were looking at them with pity and they were a pitiful sight.

They looked nothing like the alpha family they used to be. But how can they be the same when they lost one of their own? Anita did not mind the stares they got from pack members; she found an empty chair then helped her mother sit. She then took a plate and filled it up then fed her like a child. Larry came in and stopped in his tracks when he saw this. His beta Nico had told him about this, but he did not think it was this bad.

Looking at Laura now he felt nothing, but disgust and his eyes turned cold. He hated how the pack members had even stopped eating looking at Anita feeding her mother. “If you all are done eating then leave the table.” He told the pack members coldly and they averted their eyes. But we all know that it was impossible for them not to steal glances at them now and then.

Larry moved to the head of the table and took his seat. An Omega came and served him. Yes, he was different from Xavier, he wanted to be served by Omegas while Xavier would serve himself from the food that was on the table. Larry though was not Xavier, he wanted Omegas to take his food order for each meal so that they can prepare what he wanted to eat. For breakfast they must ask him what he will be eating the night before, if he was going to be available for lunch, they had to ask him after breakfast what he wanted to eat. Then same thing for dinner.

Things had changed in only one week, but Anita did not even notice the changes as she was occupied with her mother and training to notice. “Uncle, good morning, may I have a word with you after breakfast.” Anita asked her uncle, she wanted to talk to him about her mother’s condition. Larry look at Laura and then back at Anita. “I was going to talk to your mother anyway after breakfast, we can talk when I am done with her.”

Anita did not say anything after that, she finished feeding her mother then wiped her mouth with a napkin. She took her own food and ate while her mother sat there staring into space not moving. Larry watched her closely but there was no change in Laura, she still looked like a crazy woman. ‘He is dead! Why the hell can’t she get over it?’ Larry thought to himself, he was not pleased at all with Laura.

After breakfast Anita, Larry and her mother went out together. They walked to the forest and took a seat in one of the benches. “I will just take a walk and let you guys talk.” Anita told her uncle and he nodded. She left them alone, Larry turned to look at Laura, she still looked beautiful regardless on her lifeless eyes. “Laura, am sorry for what happened, and I hope that you can just learn to live without him.” He paused and looked at her, but she was still the same, no reaction whatsoever.

“Laura, I love you, I always have, this could be our chance to be together and all you have to do is just snap out of it my love. I am here, willing to love and give you the best life. Please come back to me.” Larry finally confessed his love for her, he had always loved Laura since the first day he met her when he came back home for UK. After their parents died, Xavier had called him to come back home to take on the beta position and help him with the pack.

He did not refuse since he got his freedom while their parents were alive and lived his life how he wanted. He met Laura first when he came back, and he fell in love with her. He wanted her for himself but later learned that she was his brother’s mate and soon to be his Luna. Larry buried his feelings and tried to accept Laura as his brothers’ mate. He never found his mate and never looked for her.

Now that Xavier was dead, he hoped that Laura would give him a chance, but she decided to become a vegetable which irritated him. “You better snap out of it soon Laure because I can’t stand how pitiful you are right now. I am giving you a week to get over this so that we can start a life together.” He told her but it was like he was talking to a break wall, Laura was not responding, and she did not even look like she was blinking the way she was staring into space.

Anita returned to them and took a seat next to her uncle. “She needs help uncle; she is not coping at all and she is getting worse. She is not talking and am not sure if she even sleeps. She can’t go on like this.” Anita sniffed letting some of her tears fall, she was still hurt by her father’s death but did not have the time to grieve because her mother needed her to be strong.

“I know that, I have spoken to her and she knows what she has to do.” Anita did not know what he said to her mother but hoped that it would work and bring her mother back. “Can you organize for her to see someone?” asked Anita and Larry frowned. He has never heard of anyone being able to help a werewolf that lost his or her mate. They helped themselves by finding something to live for than letting grief consume them.

Some killed themselves when the pain was too much, he thought by confessing his love to Laura, that he was giving her something to live for, something to look forward to and something to make her want to live. He hoped that in another week she will be back to her senses and he would help her get back to her old self again. “There will be no need for that peanut, your father’s death is still new to her, lets give her another week and if she is still the same then we can look for someone.”

Larry promised, but he was sure that Laura would be fine in another week and there will be no need to find someone. “Okay then.” They went back to the packhouse and Anita took her mother upstairs to her room. They sat on the balcony as she read her one of her favourite books that her father used to read to her. “Tell Xavier to come and read the book himself. You don’t sound like him and I like it more when he reads it to me.”

Laura spoke for the first time in a week, Anita looked at her but there was no change, she was still staring into space like she did not just speak. “Mom…?” she called out to her but got no response. “Mom, please talk to me.” Laura did not respond. Anita’s bottom lip quivered as she wanted to cry, but she reminded herself that she needed to be strong for her mother.

So, she bit her bottom lips hard that she tasted blood in her mouth, it was bitter and metallic in taste, but she did not mind. She would do anything not to cry and make things worse for her mother. She blinked the tears that wanted to fall way then took a deep breath and resumed reading for her again. Hoping that she would say something again, but she said nothing.