Chapter Eight - Down Goes My Mate

*Kelly's POV*

“Stop ignoring me Kelly! I said I was sorry already a million times” Rose whined while following me around my apartment as I got ready for work.

Ever since that stunt she pulled two days ago on my lunch date with Anita, I haven’t been talking to her. Though that was kind of hard, since she had a key to my apartment.

“Rose you need to leave. I have work to attend to” I blasted, putting on my blazer.

“I’m not going until you say you forgive me. I’m sorry for ruining your date with that woman” she grumbled.

“Hey! That woman has a name!" I yelled. "Her name is Anita and I don’t forgive you. Once again, you were sticking your nose in a place it doesn’t belong. My love life is mine and I don’t need you or my mother messing around in it” I told her.

“What love life? You haven’t dated anyone in months!” she sighed.

“And that’s my business, not yours. Instead of worrying about me, go and get yourself a boyfriend. That way you can bother him and not me” I frowned, placing my laptop in its case.

“Kelly I’m sorry, okay? I promise from now on, I’ll stay out of your super personal life” Rose sighed.

I looked at her to see if she was serious.

“Thank you. Now seriously, you need to go because I have to leave” I said.

“Okay. I’ll call you after work” she said, smiling and giving me a hug before leaving.

Minutes later I followed out the door and started toward the company.

When I walked into the building, I greeted the secretary before heading up to my office. My whole day was going to be filled with reviewing the budgets for some of the company's new projects.

As I entered my office I placed my computer on my desk, sat down and started reading over the pile of papers.

I was two hours in when I started feeling this slight pain on the right side of my stomach.

It wasn’t too bad but, something about it made me worried and for some reason I felt compelled to call Anita.

Standing up I pulled out my phone and searched for her contact. She didn’t answer the first time, or the five times after, and that made my heart clench.

Why? I had no idea, but I could feel in my gut that something was wrong.

*Anita's POV*

"George, I pulled you out here because I feel like I need to train you more just one on one” I told the little boy as we sat on the grass in the woods.

“It’s because I suck, right Alpha?” he mumbled.

“No, actually it’s because you are really good. You are a little more advanced than everyone else, which isn’t surprising considering the fact that your dad is our head warrior. So, I want to give you tasks and trainings that are more challenging to you” I explained.

“Really?” he asked, beaming with a smile.

“Yes. You are-” I started, but suddenly stopped when I felt a cold feeling rush over my body.

Something was off.

“Alpha?” George questioned.

“Run and get your father and Henry. Now!” I told him hastily.

He quickly nodded before running off into the trees.

Slowly I stood up and turned around. Someone was watching me, and soon I heard the animalistic growl.

I didn’t wait and shifted into my wolf as a rogue stepped in front of me.

I shook my brown fur before barring my teeth in warning.

As I looked over the dirty gray wolf in front of me I noticed something.

A rogue usually had red eyes that showed that they were no longer humane, but this one's eyes were black and soulless. They looked like holes of emptiness.

The rogue stepped forward ready to attack, but I quickly pounced on him.

He tried going for my neck as I dodged him. As we fought, I noticed he was almost as strong as me which shouldn’t be possible because this wolf was the size of an untrained Omega.

I was thrown against a tree causing me to release a whimper and then a howl of pain when it slashed my side.

Biting it’s high leg, I caused it to fall back into the dirt.

Quickly I got up and locked my canines on its neck. With one strong jerk, I broke the rogue's neck and dropped it’s lifeless body.

When I shifted back, I had to grab onto a tree as my body became increasingly weak.

Glancing to my side, I saw the three slash marks from its claw. There was some yellow liquid in the deep wounds and when I smelled it, I realized what it was - wolfsbane!

It was the reason why I wasn’t healing, but what I couldn’t understand is how a rogue had it.

“Alpha!” I heard David yell as he came through the trees with Henry behind him.

“Anita, you okay?” Henry asked as they came over to help me.

“Her wound is really deep and it isn’t healing” David commented.

I moved to take a step, but my legs gave out and I tripped. Luckily, they caught me.

“W-w-wolfsbane” I muttered as my eyes slowly began to close.

“We need to get her to Leila, now." Henry mentioned, looking at me very worried. "Don’t worry you're going to be okay” he assured me.

I tried to form another word in response, but before I could even move my mouth, I was out like a light.