Chapter 4

Benji’s POV

I scoff at the idea of getting away… “Ciara Bear, I know where you are going with this, and I don’t need a vacation right now. I have way too much on my plate for that!”

“What about for a medical mystery?” Alpha King Mars holds out a thick blue folder to me, his face scrunched with concern and worry. I remember what Hunter had said earlier that he hadn’t seen Alpha King Mars this worried since Ciara was taken by the Dark Alpha. I shiver at the memory before returning to reality.

“What is this?” I say, taking the folder and flip to the first page. I push my glasses up the bridge of my nose before reading the first page. My eyes widen as I scan over the documents. My hand moving over each page, quickening my pace as I read. “What? Wait! HUH? But How?” I am not particularly asking anyone in the room these question words but trying to rack my brain to what I am reading. I look up at Alpha King Mars in complete confusion. “What is all this?”

He leans back in his chair, “I had a call earlier today with a man named ‘Doctor Lancon’. He’s the chief doctor over in the Northeastern territories of the North. Alpha King Brandt asked me to talk to him as a favor.”

“I remember The North’s Alpha King. Alpha King Brandt. He is Ciara and Freya’s older brother, right?” I say as I look at Ciara who nods.

“Doctor Lancon requested help from the Sherlock of Medicine. Werewolves are falling ill from some sort of disease or virus. According to him, they are turning into feral creatures and attacking pack members at random before dying. It’s getting worse by the day. Those are the test results from some of the patients who have died.”

I rub my forehead in frustration, confusion, and horror. This isn’t just some simple medical issue like a common cold. This is a complete cluster of medical unsolved anomalies. “This doesn’t make any sense, are you sure this is real? I mean look at these results?! Every test has resulted in a negative result! I would have ran the same tests. How can so many wolves have this many different symptoms? I don’t know if I can help this pack.”

“Packs…” Beta Hunter speaks up.

“What?” I look at him with confusion.

“More than one pack is dealing with the illness. The North is divided into territories; each territory has an Alpha who governs that section. Then the territories are divided into werewolf packs and managed by Alpha Commanders. The Alpha King rules over the whole North. Kind of like a…”

“Pyramid… You are calling the North a Pyramid scheme!” I can’t help but be snarky. “So, Packs… With an “s” are being attacked?”

Alpha King Mars continues to explain. “As of right now, only one territory has fallen ill, but that doesn’t mean it won’t spread to the other territories. These wolves need help.”

“I know what is happening I just read through that mess.” I lightly toss the folder back onto the desk. “Again. I don’t think I can help. We are talking about multiple werewolves. I can’t be at all the packs at once. It’s not feasible. Plus, what about the trials? Mars, you and I have worked tirelessly to get to this point in the trials.  We can’t stop now! And my patients need me. I have never traveled out of the States and who knows when I will be back.”  

Ciara squeezes my hands. “Benji, you are my best friend, so I am going to be blunt. You are 26 years old, and you are going to burn yourself out if you keep going like this. Dr. Nancy can handle the patients. You know this. She is the Chief of Surgery at our hospital after all and you have a complete army of nurses and researchers working on the trials. You don’t have to be present for the trial results to be sent to you for review. All we want is for you to consider reviewing the North's research.”  

I know Ciara is right, but I am not sure why I am so reluctant to take this on. Could it be fear of being away from a familiar place? I take a few deep breaths and reach for the folder one more time. The cogs of my mind begin to turn as I re-read the tests results, doctor notes, autopsies, and data provided. With each page I turn, I realize that this requires a team.

“I would like some time to think about it, I will also need to talk to my team.” I know I am stalling, but fear was wrapping itself around my heart and I just wanted to get out of this office so I could think clearly.

Alpha King Mars nods in agreement. “If you decide to go, send me your team list and I will compensate them extra for time away from their families. I also think you should bring some warriors with you for protection.”

“Alpha, Artemis would be a good fit.” Beta Hunter says to all of us. “As Head Warrior, she can take this opportunity to learn new warrior skills to bring back to the pack.” Artemis is Hunter's twin sister and took over Gregory's position after his passing. She has become one of my dearest friends and I wouldn't have asked for a better person to take up the mantel of Head Warrior. 

Just as we were finalizing the meeting, a little girl with blonde hair and smokey gray eyes burst into the office, running up to Alpha King Mars. Her eyes wide with excitement. “Daddy! Daddy! Come see! They exploded the whole kitchen!”

“Who exploded the kitchen, Isabella?” Ciara asked her daughter as she gave me the side eye. I turn my head away, trying not to laugh as I avoid her glare. Dammit. Keep it together…

“Mommy! Axel and Archer! They went boom!” She jumps up and down. “Come on Daddy! I show you!” She tugs at his hand. She was definitely a daddy’s little girl.

Ciara and Mars’ eyes cloud over as someone is mind-linking them. I look at Ciara Bear with confusion when she starts laughing hysterically to herself.

“Benji Dear, do you know anything about a small accident involving soda in the kitchen?” She bites her bottom lip, and I begin to smirk. Well, that didn’t take long. I try not to laugh, because I can see Mars is seething and smoke is escaping from his ears.

“Accident! The Chef called it a sugar explosion of candy parts and soda! It’s all over the walls!” Mars spats. “Dinner is ruined and she’s having to order pizza instead. Someone find those boys now! They have a mess to clean up!”

That’s it. I lost it laughing and knew I was in deep trouble along with a pair of mischievous set of twin boys…. Again…

Before I leave the royal packhouse, I am given a scolding from the chef who reminded me that science experiments do not belong in her kitchen! After I promised to never give the boys mentos again, she handed me a large cheese pizza to take home with me. “Science belongs outside or in a lab. If you plan on continuing on doing these wild experiments with the kids, please do it away from my kitchen!”  

“Auntie Bee!” Isabella runs up to me with her mother in toe, holding out my car keys. “Uncle Hunter said he got a warrior to bring your beetle to the packhouse. Did you see the kitchen!” She covers her mouth with her little hands and giggles devilishly. “I would NEVER do something like that!”

Oh, sweet girl. Just you wait. I will be teaching you how to be even more mischievous as you get older. But I keep my thoughts to myself and give her a hug before shooing her back into the building.

“Are you sure you won’t stay for dinner?” Ciara Bear says as she hugs me.

I look away to avoid seeing the sadness in her eyes. “Sorry I really need to get back to the hospital. Can I take a rain check?”

She nods and squeezes me one more time before walking back in the palace packhouse. I watch as she leaves and sigh. Closing my eyes, I whisper a silent ‘I’m sorry’ to her before making my way to my car. Pulling out my phone, I decided going home to an empty lonely house was something far from my emotions could handle right now. “Hey, you free tonight? I have pizza. I could pick up some beer?”