Chapter Six

Charlie

I was at the training ground overseeing the training of our pack. Today it was Peter’s turn to be on patrol duty so I was responsible for training. Our pack was relatively small and our alpha, Hayden, had ensured that nobody missed training.

He was a disciplined guy who wanted all of his warriors in the best shape and ever since he had taken up the post of alpha, our pack unanimously agreed on everything.

Well, everything except one.

I shook my head at that thought and instructed the pack members, correcting their stances and showing them what they were doing wrong.

After two hours of solid training, I decided to end the session for the day.

My mind was not in the training session anyway. Hayden hardly missed the training session and he would even join the pack members as a student to train with them.

Seeing him join as a student who the beta or even the gamma would train, made the others know how important it was to take it seriously.

But today he wasn’t around. Hence, I decided to talk to him. Hence, I went to his home and knocked on the door to see Raine.

She smiled at me and I greeted her with an equally bright smile, “Oh, I didn’t know you were going to extend your stay.”

Raine faked a frown and placed her hands on her hips, “Bored of my cooking already? I must see what your chef is feeding you, maybe he is adding some magical potions to the food.”

I chuckled at that and was about to reply when I heard a voice behind me, “Probably some hallucinating stuff that makes your alpha forget where not to poke his nose in.”

Surprised at the unexpected voice, I turned around to see Garron standing behind me. My eyes furrowed and I let out a growl, “As an alpha of another pack, you shouldn’t be the one crossing our territory just to say that though I appreciate the effort.”

I added with a mocking tone and Raine rolled her eyes. Garron had been smiling at me whimsically but when he saw Raine his smile faded.

Even Raine who had been smiling at me suddenly fell silent as if she was at a loss of words.

Garron’s eyes stayed on Raine’s for a second before he turned back to me.

“Why don’t you say that to your alpha, Charlie? Do you think Hayden is some God who doesn’t make a mistake? Looks like this time, he did.”

“Cut the crap, Garron.”

I growled and took a step in front to look him in the eye. We were staring at each other when I heard Hayden,

“Stand down, Charlie.”

Seeing him made me feel relieved. I was worried as to why he hadn’t shown up at the training and seeing Garron in front of his house could only bring bad news.

Garron was trouble and so was his entire pack. His relations with other packs weren’t too great either but Hayden just didn’t like him for some reason.

Hayden walked up beside me and gently put his hands on my shoulder to pull me back. Despite wanting to punch Garron in the stomach, and wipe his smirk off, I obeyed my alpha.

Meanwhile, Garron’s eyes flicked from mine to Hayden’s, and a slow smile appeared on his lips again.

“Oh, I see. I get it now, you didn’t even tell them, did you?”

His question was directed at Hayden but I couldn't help jumping in.

“Tell us what?”

Seeing him had attracted the other wolves too and those who had been training had gathered around to see what the fuss was about.

Hayden only looked around at the others and they quickly dispersed while I stayed beside my alpha. I wasn’t going to leave him alone while Garron was around.

His eyes asked me to leave but I stayed my ground. I knew I was going to hear from him about this but I couldn’t care less right now.

Garron rubbed his hands together, making a show out of it, “Oh, you still have your chance, Hayden. Either you tell them or I will share where you were last night.”

“Enough”

Hayden just said one word and Garron’s smile disappeared. Despite being alpha of another pack, we all knew that he feared Hayden a little.

“Let’s go to my office if you want to talk about something. We are outside my home.”

Garron’s eyes flicked to Raine’s who turned around and left inside without another word. Meanwhile, Hayden waved his hand in front of Garron,

“I am standing here, alpha Garron.” He tried to distract Garron who saw the door close behind Raine and nodded his head at Hayden.

I motioned to follow but Hayden raised a hand, “Later, beta.”

He said only two words but I knew what he meant. He didn’t want me to overhear their conversation. Something was going on that I had no idea about.

Garron had never stepped inside our territory ever since our last scuffle with his pack. So I was curious as to what was going on. But, I had already disobeyed him once so I couldn't risk it again.

Though he treated us like family, the way he had said ‘beta’ instead of ‘Charlie’ made me realize that he wouldn’t let it slide the second time.

As such, I decided to wait until Garron left and took a seat near a tree from which I had a clear view of his office.

Madeleine

After toiling in the sun for what felt like hours, we were finally done planting all the seeds, adding manure, and watering them.

I knew that Tisha and Freya had no interest in gardening or any other work and they had been only around to ask me as much as they could about Hayden.

But, I didn’t have much to go on. I had met him just once and barely spoken a few lines to him.

The more they talked about him, the more I learned that he was a fierce warrior who would at times go the extra mile to protect his pack members.

I felt a pang in my heart at that. How I wished that I was in his pack. The girls didn’t like me and the guys in this pack hated me for having no wolf.

But, there was no use daydreaming. I couldn’t leave this pack, I had nowhere to go.

Luckily, neither Steve nor the alpha and his beta had shown up till late at night and I hoped that they would stay away for as long as possible.

Sadly that is not how fate worked. I heard Steve walk into my room in the small wooden cabin that I had begun to call my home since the last week.

I immediately sprang up from the bed and ran to take cover behind the door. He was swaying and appeared to be drunk again.

“Oh Madeleine, where are you? I need you to do something for me.” His voice drawled out and I felt like I wouldn’t escape him this time. His voice was filled with contempt and hatred.

“Come on, don’t be shy.” He said as the bottle from which he had been drinking clinked against the door. 

I willed myself to not cry and clenched my fists, my nails were digging into my palms as I tried to hide behind the clothes that were hung on the door.

“Your precious Hayden wont be there to save you from me… it’s just you and me honey.”

He cackled through the small cabin and I looked around for the closest exit. He had turned around and was moving in the opposite direction when he said something that made me stop dead in my tracks.

“I have ensured that your savior Hayden doesn’t see the light of the day tomorrow. And, tonight you are going to make me happy in all the ways possible.”