Everyone is staring at me again, shock on their faces as to the treatment he receives at the hospital. Once again Patrick is the only one capable of keeping the conversation going. He starts rubbing the back of his neck nervously as he asks his next question. “I need a little help understanding why we would need to remove Dr. Carter from the territory when Cole is getting really shitty care from the hospital as well. Is the abuse he’s getting from his father systemic through the pack? Why is he hiking miles to get to the general hospital when every pack house is mandated to have a hospital wing?” “My understanding is that Dr. Carter is the only alpha doctor that is willing to defy Alpha Charles. He is the only one that can treat Cole when he’s in a crisis or so badly injured by his father that he has to be hospitalized. I also suspect that purposely giving Cole an insufficient amount of money for medical care is how Alpha Charles is keeping the council at bay when they’ve come to in
I watch as everyone remains silent. It’s hard to tell if they are simply shocked at Patrick’s declaration or if, they too, wish to back out of working with Cole. I shift in my seat, as these hard dining chairs are not meant for long meetings. “Since we’re all done eating, I’d like to finish this discussion in the common room. The couch is looking quite comfortable right now.” I announce as I stand with my plate in hand, gently taking Lilly’s as she follows. I rinse our plates and silverware, placing them in the dishwasher before doing the same with the cups Lilly brings with her.We head to the common room, which is the largest room in the pack house that I often use for my monthly barbecue with the entire pack. It’s as I pass the table that my boys follow suit. I hear the water turn on as Damian comes out of the kitchen for the rest of their cups and silverware making it easy to assume that Lucas is rinsing and stacking the dishes. I make a quick link to my head housekeeper letti
“Everything about Cole just feels wrong to me. I saw him struggling on the bus to interact with me. The obvious fear he had of having done something wrong when he addressed me as Alpha Black and I asked him not to. The anxiety he had when he thought you were going to send him home because you decided to treat him as an individual and separate him from his pack. The strangled yelp he had this morning when I touched him during the asthma attack. The way he weakly tried to get away from you when you got close enough to him to help. The way he screamed when you put your hand on the back of his neck and the way he begged you not to hurt him when you ordered him to submit. It’s wrong dad. You’ve beat my ass twice and forgave a third I more than deserved. You’ve grabbed me in a painfully hard submission hold when I’ve crossed line and wouldn’t back down but to fear calling you by the wrong name?” He’s shaking his head hard and I’m struggling with the pain I see Damian going through, trying
I look around the room, making sure I get a nod of understanding from each one of them. He’s already had several extreme reactions to me touching his neck and considering the bruise I see on his neck that’s one trigger I need to limit activating.“Now, more immediately speaking. I feel it’s fair to update you on the young man. With a lot of patience and support we have broken the panic induced asthma cycle. To the best of my knowledge, it has never been broken in a day. As long as he continues breathing normally, I will be looking at moving him from the medical wing to the medical room that’s next door to mine on the second floor tomorrow. I know I have tasked you, Damian, with moving Jamie to the efficiency next to Cole but I would also like you to get into Cole’s room and bring him some clothes. The only thing we didn’t cut off today was his sweatpants.” I get a nod from Damian. “I plan on keeping him in the pack house until he’s better acclimated to his surroundings and the medic
Saturday, January 20th(2 days before leaving Red Fang territory; Cole’s POV)(Content Warning)I enter the pack house, kicking off my shoes and putting them in the locking box I created several years ago when my shoes kept disappearing. I slip on my house slippers before entering the main living area. The twins, Taylor and Tyler, are loudly arguing over how to play GTA on the PlayStation. All prospects attending the next set of runs always move into the pack house a week before they are scheduled to leave so they can be taught the rules of the program. Normally that would mean seventy-five warriors from three packs, ours plus White Fang and White Moon, all take up residence in the pack house until the three buses going to three different packs show up around five Monday morning. This is the first time Crescent Moon has participated in the warrior program since dad completed the betrothal contract with Alpha Robert. To the best of my knowledge we now have 120 wolves attending this w
(Content Warning)I drop quickly to my knees again, catching my father off guard enough that he lets go of my neck before I scramble to my feet. He grabs a hold of me but I feign a trip granting me a reprieve from his grip. I dart again down the hallway towards the main house in the vein attempt to get to my room. I’ve memorized every hallway, every exit and every office with a window I can safely jump from without shifting. But escape just isn’t in the cards for me today as I collapse against a locked office door.A sudden hit to my lower spine with his belt sends me into agony as the painful shocks from my nerves radiate down my legs making them useless against his attack. I groan and yelp as the kicks rain down on me. I’m wheezing hard after several minutes and over a dozen kicks. I’m blinded by the tears welling up within my eyes as he forces me to my feet. His hand is around my neck again as I yelp and scream, trying desperately to get out of his grip only to be met with a hard p
(Content Warning)I yelp loudly again as he strikes me for the first time. “Knock that noise off. You know the penalty for yelping. I don’t want to hear your pathetic cries.” “Dad please. Just let him hang like this for an hour. I’ll keep an eye on the door and release him after that time. I already slammed his head into the counter and we both kicked him in the gut. Isn’t that enough?”“You’re going soft on me Andre. Are you willing to stake your luna’s reputation on the word of a pedo?” “You said yourself that there’s no proof.” “It doesn’t matter Andre. He’s marking little girls. I gave him permission to rape the one girl he was dating when he was sixteen and ever since then I’ve got six year olds running around with his mark. I don’t need proof to tell me he’s raping them. If it makes you feel any better about his punishment, the father of two girls, twin sisters, came to me yesterday. They both had his mark on them. I assured him the pervert would be dealt with.”I’m whimperi
Wednesday, January 24th; 9pm(Cole’s POV)I wake up screaming, thrashing and fighting. My body aches as if the beating had just happened hours ago not four days and I’m in an absolute panic again. I’m vaguely aware of my door opening quickly, slamming hard against the wall. “Cole!” I can hear my name being called but I’m lost and completely unnerved, struggling hard to come to my senses. It’s only as I feel the strong presence of the alpha over me and his voice, commanding my attention, that I finally start mentally grabbing hold of where I am. I start concentrating on one sense at a time, allowing myself the time I need to slowly come back to reality. I stop screaming and still my body as alpha’s tightening hold makes it difficult to move. I concentrate on my breathing next as the slight wheeze I’ve developed makes it difficult to hear. I steady my breathing in an effort to take in the smell of the room and those who are in it. The bed is clean. Not a single other scent is on it
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