“My beta, Patrick, was the one who delivered the ten strikes with the belt to Luke’s backside. He, like Lucas, has expressed a deep distrust towards you. Even though I believe today’s events may have lightened that up a little he is remaining unchanged.” I can feel him tensing up again at the thought of another member of my pack hating him. “Hey, bud. Everything is okay. I assumed the worst as well considering they held the same opinion when I talked with everyone Tuesday but Patrick assured me that he doesn’t hate you. The rumors make him nervous and we honestly have never had a wolf like you come through the program.” “Everyone keeps telling me that you’ve rescued a bunch of wolves but now you’re telling me I’m one of a kind.” “Both are true, Cole.” He’s finally starting to truly relax as I tease the base of his head with my fingertips. “Patrick isn’t my original beta. Although he returned ten years ago when I started into the prospect program he wasn’t a huge participant as
“You managed to graduate a full year early?” Patrick voices how impressed we both feel. For him to turn his schooling around that quickly is a sure testament to his intelligence and perseverance. “Nearly a year, yes sir. It made it a lot easier to get into the apprenticeship with Jon. Dad was under the belief that I dropped out of school. I think that made him a little more willing to let me move in with the Jenkins three months after I turned eighteen.” It’s as he’s talking that several of us notice Madilyn quietly crawl out of her seat beside Lucas. She’s had tears falling for several minutes but I didn’t want to interrupt Cole to ask what was wrong. She makes her way in between her mom and I, gently placing her tiny hand in mine. “What’s wrong, Lynnie?” I ask her softly as I gather her into my arms. “My tummy hurts again. I don’t want to eat.” She whimpers as I bring her against my chest. “I know it hurts, baby. Mine got tight too. Is that why you started hitting Lucas?” Her
He’s panting just as hard as she is, his left arm is wrapped around her body holding her tightly to his, his right is still on her stomach. “What the fuck was that? You’ve got to take her away from him, dad. All he’s doing is hurting her.” “Shut it, Lucas.” I state, tired of his comments. “Dad!” “Shut it!” I place my hand on Madilyn's head. She’s shaking hard with a soft whine. “Madilyn.” I try to encourage her to talk but I don’t think she’s quite ready so I switch to the link. I’m relieved to find that despite the harshness of the release her overall pain level is a lot better but she’s nervous because she can feel Cole’s claws. I rub the back of Madilyn’s head as I come out of the link with her. “Just relax Madilyn, everything is okay.” I reassure her as I try to connect with Cole. Everyone seems to have come to the same conclusion as me, Cole has taken a dramatic change that even he seems afraid of.I’ve slowly started allowing my parental aura to start taking hold. The
He pulls away from me but his head is bobbing, almost as if he is fighting sleep but I can tell that it’s different. His refusal to open his eyes is having quite the negative effect on him and he keeps moving towards Madilyn as if he wants to scent her. “Wait, what? What did Lucas tell you that makes you think Demetri would do such a thing?” “That his father would never leave Madilyn with someone who would hurt her. That the pack house was in a frenzy searching for her.” I can’t help but glare at Lucas, who is the only one nonchalantly eating his food at this point, everyone else has stopped. “I saw you with Madilyn before you stopped and tried to sit with Jamie. I will admit that it made me nervous to see you coming from the dorms to the playground in a change of clothes but I know better than to attack you. That’s not the way this pack works. No, I linked with Demetri and he told me that he and Lilly felt it would be good for both of you to be with each other. That you respond
“That’s a decent laceration. What happened to cause that?” “Andre and the counter ganged up on me.” We hear him mumble into Madilyn’s hair. “What?” Patrick looks at me confused. “His head was slammed into the counter before his meeting with his father. The incident in the hall that I’m talking about was when Lucas smacked him on this side of his head. The problem that I’m having now is why?” “Alpha, I need to speak to you in private about my encounter with Lucas and the young lady he was with last night.”Everyone stares at us at Cole’s request to meet with me. It’s quite a first considering how afraid he is of me. “After dinner when I get you settled back into your room upstairs. I know this incident with Madilyn and your wolf has you quite unnerved but I still need you to eat. All you’ve managed so far is to push your food around your plate.” “I’m sorry alpha. I’m not going to be able to eat.” “Cole.” I sigh. If you can’t eat on your own then we will have to put the feed tub
(Cole’s POV) I can’t believe I’m doing it again. Every pack I’ve been to has done this at some point. They act like they like me. They ask questions trying to get to know more about me or my pack but these questions only serve to do one thing, to break me down. Olivia’s screams from being belted by my father, a year after we first met, are tearing through my already sensitive head. The migraine I had when I arrived two nights ago had just started to subside when Lucas’s multiple kicks to my face brought it right back. Madilyn’s gentle snores against my neck seem to be the only thing keeping me from a full on breakdown having such a conversation creates. I push my plate away, cringing as I turn my head into her neck, desperate to keep the innocent little one from experiencing the chaos, the demon that threatens to break loose from within me. “Cole?” I barely hear the alpha’s gentle voice. My breathing is tight and fast making my ribs scream in pain. “Her screams, alpha. Goddess, w
I look up again into alpha’s eyes. I linger there a moment really studying him. “I’m sorry about last night.” I finally whisper. He shakes his head as he reaches slowly towards me. “I know your head is sore, I’m not going to hurt you.” He whispers as he touches the side of my head. I can’t keep myself from closing my eyes and turning away from his touch.“You have nothing to apologize for.” “Yes I do alpha. I don’t force the pups to do anything. Last night, we forced Madilyn to accept my help. Her age and fear made it so there was no other way.” “Is that what you tell yourself when you force yourself on to the pups? That you're helping them.”“That’s enough Lucas.” Alpha growls at his son but it doesn’t make a difference. “No dad! Enough is enough. Why are you pussyfooting around with him? You should have gotten rid of him like you did that idiot, Dallas and his friends. He’s the same damn thing. He’s a violent, unpredictable, rapist getting his kicks off of little girls.” “En
“Let me take Lynnie.” Luna states quietly, taking the sleeping pup from my arms. The weight difference throws me off as I stagger slightly backwards into Dr. Pierce. “What happened at dinner to make you so tense and fearful?” She asks as I try to get out of her hold. “I’m not certain, Angela. It looks like we need to get more information from Demetri.” Luna responds when all I can do is shake my head. “Let’s get you in your room. I’m going to help you get out of your pants before you get in bed. I’m going to use your thigh for the shots and I need to change the bandage on your left leg.” I’m panting hard as I struggle to move, her touch is gentle on my arms as I step forward only to stumble back into her. I’m tense and struggling to contain my desire to fight. My movements are instinctual as I pull my hands away from hers. I whine in frustration as I try to move again towards the room but my muscles just won’t cooperate. Luna backs away as Dr. Pierce struggles with me. She tries a
The very breath I breathe is knocked right out of me as he has never commanded me to do anything. Even his father has made a strangled growl in response to his statement. “Even though you are an alpha, I am commanding you to come back.” His tone has softened but the seriousness in his voice has not. “I will return or I will die trying.” I somehow manage to whisper. Luna steps up next as Alpha Damian steps back wrapping her arm around me as Madilyn grabs my neck. I can feel Madilyn trying to wrap herself around me. Luna loosens her hold as I timidly take the young pup into my arms. “No! Don’t leave!” She starts off yelling. “You don’t deserve your daddy. He hurts you when you’re a good wolf. Please stay. My daddy can be your daddy. I promise I’ll share him.” She barely makes it through the last two sentences before breaking down crying. I hold her tightly as I look at luna’s face, her cheeks wet with tears. “I’m sorry.” Is all I can manage to whisper as she takes the little one
(Cole’s POV)It’s a shock to say the least to see Lucas come out to the porch let alone to see what appears to be a forced apology from him. I have a hard time believing what he has to say. I have never heard of Wolfington Academy and the only hint he gave was that he would go away. Not something I would ever want to happen to a newly shifted teen but I certainly wouldn’t want him to continue being a danger to the preshifts either. It’s been easy enough the last few months for me to avoid interacting with him even though I have sincerely missed the twins. These last two months, while they have been terribly hard and mentally painful for me, have also been the best for showing me the support I will have when I’m not myself. Alpha and luna both have gone out of their way to help me through my own decision to return. Every night luna and the twins would come to my room after dinner with a plate of food wrapped in cling wrap and several drinks. They would put the food and drinks in the
He finally lifts his head and stands from the stairs, walking slowly towards me. Suddenly his pace picks up and has taken on a more aggressive look. I start moving to intercept him as he’s headed straight towards Cole. ‘Stop me. Please dad, I don’t want to hurt him.’ His call for help is real, he genuinely fears hurting Cole. I step quickly into his path, silently wrapping my arms around him. One around his waist, the other under his arm allowing me to curl around and place my hand on the back of his neck. He freezes in place and stifles a yelp as I hold him close. I’m struggling to put together what these new symptoms mean. “Lay your head. I need you to relax so I can submit your wolf without causing you pain.” I whisper in his ear as I guide his head down. He whimpers quietly as I massage his neck looking for the best pressure point. “I need you to talk, Luke. To anyone. I don’t care if you confide in your brother, your mother, any of the doctors or nurses in the wing, tell
I wrap my hands around his, sliding my fingers gently between his hands and hair. He surprises me with how easily he gives up his stimming. “Stand up son.” I keep my voice gentle and reassuring, waiting for him to respond. He fights me briefly as he stands, trying hard to get out of my hold. “No, Cole. Accept the contact.” I persist as I refuse to let him run from me. Surprisingly, it seems he wants to run towards the van picking him up, not back into the house. “Stay with me a moment son. Allow me to calm you.” He relents to my desire, slowly giving me the calm I know he needs to make a rational decision. “I know you heard the conversation. I need to know your thoughts.” “Dad sent him.” He whispers, his voice fearful. “I know. Your dad requested the change but the council honored it so the plan remains the same. You have pack members at White Ridge which gives your father no excuses for picking you up.” He nods against my shoulder before slowly pushing himself away.
“Come.” I state as I gently pull him up and into me. He whimpers and fights briefly before taking hold of me tightly. We simply stand in silence, waiting for the trauma of leaving to subside. I wait for him to push away first, following his lead for when he’s ready to start out towards the front door. “Would you like some Ativan? It won’t take effect until you're well on your way north so it won’t alter your ability to decide to stay or go but it will make the trip easier to handle.” “Please.” Is all he manages to whisper against my neck before he pushes himself up to stand on his own. “Stay.” I whisper just as quietly as I step away from him into the attached bathroom, opening the cabinet and pulling out the low dose Ativan that I keep there. I return in front of him cupping his chin in my hands, lifting his head so he’s looking straight instead of the floor. He whimpers subtly as he pulls away but I don’t allow him to leave me. “Easy there, son.” I whisper as I use my thumbs
His eyes are wide with my explanation but he slowly removes his shirt as I’ve requested. “Put it on my desk.” I keep my calm helping him along when he appears lost. “Please.” He pleads helplessly. “It’s okay.” I try to comfort him. “No sir. It’s not okay. I’m not okay.” “I know. That’s why I’m doing this. Don’t step away.”I instruct as I close the distance between us. He accepts my embrace as I pull him into me again. There’s one test that I’ve never done with him as I’ve respected his sensitivity towards his back being touched but today I’m using that sensitivity to break him down in the hopes that he’ll be better able to handle leaving. It could also lead him into a complete breakdown requiring me to place him on a mental health hold but I’m taking my chances. “What are you going to do to me?” He asks as he struggles to lay his head on my shoulder.“I’m going to touch your back.” I explain as I guide his head down and pet the back of his head. “Please, sir. You don’t know h
It’s as we sit in silence that his frantic sobs finally quiet and are slowly replaced by the steady rhythm of his slightly wheezed snore. He hasn’t slept or ate right in the last two months and his condition shows it easily as he’s nearly back to the same weight he was when he got here despite our efforts to counteract his depression by upping his medication. I close my eyes and lay my cheek against his head as I listen to everything around me. I reassigned everyone that normally helps in the pack house to other tasks, closed the med wing with the exception of emergencies and canceled all the meetings that were scheduled today. I knew today would be tough but nothing could have prepared me for the brutal reality of this young man choosing to leave. The pack house is eerily quiet as if the house has been swallowed whole in preparation for the sadness, the sheer trauma of his departure. I have no idea how long I’ve been sitting with him when the shuffle of my mate’s feet starts down t
Friday July 20th; 8am(Cole’s POV) It’s been a month since my meeting with alpha discussing my options for getting out of the hell I call home. I was allowed to take the hard splint off for good two weeks ago but that hasn’t kept me out of the med wing. I’ve been in a steady slide into severe depression and I’ve had to seek the comfort of both alpha and Dr. Pierce when my feelings have become too extreme for me to handle alone. My mood swings have been so wild that I’ve gotten extremely nasty with Jessa. I so much as begged alpha to send her on a trip with Alpha Damian until today because I knew how badly I was hurting her. I didn’t mean to hurt her and I know I’m going to pay dearly for my lack of control when I return. Sleep is scarce at best and eating is nearly impossible. I can’t begin to describe how many times I have screamed myself awake, fighting alpha’s hold around me just to break down and cry in his arms. The anticipation of returning after six months of relative peace
“This is also the reason why we don’t want you to wait for the committee to remove you. The information that your father has access to without much digging on the process says if you make it to the final step in the investigation ten members of the council will move into your pack and you will be simultaneously moved out. The move is permanent no matter if you go to trial or not as the council members that move in are not simply investigating you.” I stop my gentle rub just under the hem of Jessa’s shirt and cock my head slightly as this was where Dr. Pierce had essentially stopped when breaking down the process.“So what are they doing when the committee starts their nine month investigation?” “What they’ve done for ten years now is remove the wolf being investigated to a temporary sanctuary pack within an hour’s drive of the regional committee’s headquarters. The pack has constant contact with the committee and as soon as any feral behaviors are seen the wolf is placed in the pack