C42

Brooke had left school earlier that day with Alec, but her attention was focused on Harry who was getting into his car. She could feel her body aching for him. Her nerves were tingling at the mere thought of him. Her heart started to race and her head pounded.

"Brooke," Alex said, watching Brooke cautiously as they made their way to the car. Brooke wasn't aware that Alec had spoken. "Brooklyn!"

Brooke blinked and looked at Alec with dreary eyes. "Yes?" She said tiredly.

"Are you okay?" Alec asked.

"Do you even care?" Broke groaned.

"No, but I have too," Alec said. "You don't look too good."

"I don't feel too good," Brooke admitted and fumbled with the car door handle.

"Is it because of Harry? Why would he do this?"

"He isn't doing anything," Brooke signed and sat in the car. "It's because I'm away from him. This is what happens when pure away from your mate. It gets better the longer you've been mates, but after a while you feel the same." Brooke paused and rubbed her eyes. "I expect your mate is experiencing something similar."

Alec looked away from Brooke and started the car.

"You don't look very concerned about that," Brooke commented. "Have you been mates for long? If you have then she'll be able to go longer without seeing you."

Alec stiffened and drove away from the school. "I've never even met her," he blurted.

Brooke gasped. "What? What do you mean?"

"Somehow Rogue knew that she was my mate. He dragged me to this town after taking down my pack. He only needed me to look at her to confirm that she was my mate. She doesn't even know who I am, or what's going on."

Brooke frowned. "He took you to this town to see her? So she lives here?" Brooke looked at Alec with wide eyes. "If someone from this town was missing then people would be looking for her, but there's no one missing. Apart from... This leaves only one explanation-"

"Don't say another word," Alec snapped.

"It's Alice, isn't it? She's your mate?"

"Shut up-"

"Tell me!" Brooke demanded. "She's one of my best friends! God, after everything the least I deserve is an answer-"

"Yes!" Alec exclaimed. "Fucking hell yes. Yes, your friend is my mate."

"You have to tell Kal," Brooke whispered. "She's his sister!"

"You don't think I know that!" Alec snapped. He tightened his told on the steering wheel. "God, I've found out as much as I can about her!"

"Why didn't you say who she was?"

"Because Rogue said not too. If he says jump, I jump. If he says not to do something, I don't," Alec said bitterly. "Rogue can't know that you know."

"Alec, the reason I'm here, the reason you're doing this is because of Alice," Brooke said. "If you could help us-"

"No!" Alec sos firmly. "I'm not risking her. If we do as Rogue says then she'll be safe."

"I can promise you that if Alice knew what was going on then she would want to fight. Alice isn't one to back down, she would never give up."

Alec chewed the inside of his cheek and sighed. "What is she like?" He asked, suddenly seeming extremely vulnerable. His usual careless demeanour was gone.

"She's a very unique character. She'll definitely keep you on your toes. She hasn't got a bad bone in her body. She's funny, friendly, loyal... she doesn't deserve this, Alec."

"No one deserves this," he snapped.

"Then help!"

"I am!"

"How?"

"By doing what Rogue and Ben tell me to do!"

"That's not help!"

"Its stopping her from getting killed!" Alec yelled. "Which is more than you're doing!"

"Alec-"

"This conversation is over," Alec said sternly when they pulled up at the house. "Get out and get inside."

Brooke sighed and opened the car door, but as soon as she stood up her world went blurry and she lost consciousness before she hit the ground.

*

Brooke felt like death when she woke up. She groaned and rubbed her eyes. She attempted to sit up but she was pushed back down into the bed she was lying on.

"W-What?" She said groggily and looked around. "What's going-"

"Just stay still for one moment." Ben was next to her, a syringe in his hand with a very sharp needle on the end.

"Ben-" Brooke gasped when the needle was plunged into her neck. "What are you doing-" Another needle went into her neck and she grimaced.

"All done," Ben said. "The pain and illness from the mate bond won't bother you for a while."

"What did you just inject me with?" Brooke demanded, holding her hand to her neck.

"Nothing bad. A top up to block your silly little mind link between you and your mate, and the other injection stops you feeling the pain of being away from your mate," Ben explained. "It's why you fainted."

"Please!" Brooke groaned. "Just stop this-"

"I will. When Harry pays for what he did," Ben said.

"You don't have to do this-"

"I do and I will," Ben said. "Now, keep being a good girl and behaving or your friend dies."

Brooke groaned in frustration when Ben left and she yelled out angrily.

What was she going to do?

*