Alrick released her and let her escape for the time being. He was breathing like he’d taken the stairs at a run. Alrick adjusted the front of his jeans. He sat at his desk again. Alrick would take care of what was in his pants later. He grabbed his cellphone up off the desk where he’d dropped it when he’d first entered. Toying with it and sent out a few random texts. He was searching to get his mind off her. She infuriated and fascinated him. It was bothering him. Why was he so disturbed by her inaction? Why was he keeping her around?
Alrick could smell her in the room. Even though she’d touched nothing. Her scent was on his very clothing. Ugh, he felt so tired. It was lunch, and he wanted to eat before sleeping. That’s when he got the brilliant idea.
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Craig found a moment to himself since the attack earlier in the evening. The clean-up and retrieval took much longer than expected. It would take weeks to repair the damage. Right now, he needed some sleep. Everyone's still tired from the fighting only days ago. The new pup and mother were asleep across the hall from him. The mom was gentle but timid, and it worried him. There’d been very few young women and fewer pups in the Iron Hill Pack. But they’d the same expression and mannerisms. They were all withdrawn and on autopilot. He wanted to take a run but didn't feel it. Their pack’s doctor was busy with the injured. He couldn’t come and visit the new mother and pup until the morning.&nbs
Alrick woke to a warm body in his arms. This was an unfamiliar experience. His previous encounters ended with either he or his partner leaving at the end. It confused him at first. Then Alrick remembered who was in his bed with him, and he realized it didn’t upset him in the least. She smelt like jasmine and honey.All warm and soft. He could become used to this. His body was responding in the most predictable way. Then he realized why he’d awakened. Someone was banging on his apartment door and now the warm body beside him was throwing herself from his bed with a scream of shock and dismay.She huddled in the corner of his room by the closet door.Sheshivered therein fear. He hated that smell. Sheneededto calm down.
Alrick wasn’t enjoying the morning as he thought he would. “Drug manufacturing. They weren’t just manufacturing drugs; they’d a hedge mage cursing it so that their clients became addicted after the first dose.” “As if those drugs aren’t bad enough alone. Cursing them? How does Jessica-Lyn fit into this?” “I hate to say what the hedge mage claims because we’ve not verified it for accuracy. But he claims Jessica-Lyn was the one that paid him for his work.” Alrick said as glowered at Craig over the news but stayed silent. “Everything I h
Alrick didn’t think about privacy. He’d worked himself up with his own thoughts and concerns. Entering the bathroom, he found damp clothing draped everywhere. Confused by the sight he’s found, Alrick continues looking around the small room. He finds her slight form in fresh clothing but curled up on the floor by an open toilet. Her hands and knees cradling her head. Jessie’s hair covered her face. It was still damp from showering. It took him some time to understand what he was seeing. She’d done what he told her to do. She’d showered and changed. Washed her clothing and hung it. How few clothes did she have? But she was now ill. Why? Nothing made sense to Alrick. He knew she shouldn’t be alone.
Alrick couldn’t bear the doctor removing him from his own apartment while Jessica-Lyn received an examination. He hated the not knowing part. Not knowing if she was ill or getting worse. He’d other fears, but his mind wouldn’t process them. It all made him antsy and hence he was acing the hall.Craig leaned against the banister that overlooked the pack house entrance. There he watched his friend work himself into a ball of stress.“You’re going to hate me for what I’m about to say. Calm down and get your head straight. I need you with me. We have things to deal with.” Craig’s phone chimed just as he finishes speaking. “The team of enforcers we sent out are back. They’ve locked the mage and evidence up.”“Good, what’s taking him?” Alrick watched his apartment door again. It had only been twenty minutes at most since they had left Jessica-Lyn with Doc. J.J.“We need to
Alrick could take her out to visit some others. Craig kept talking about the new mother. He should organize a meeting. He could deal with both by gathering everyone together.Maybe host a gathering that wasn’t just him welcoming them. He could find out their concerns and they could meet others of his pack.“Here’s a thought that will cover multiple needs. You want to see them. I need to know their concerns. A meeting hosted here would fix that. At the end, we host a gathering where both packs meet. A formal welcome and all the trimmings. What do you think?”Jessica-Lyn was quiet for so long that he feared she wasn’t listening. But she said. “It would help them. No one listened before.”“Good, that’s something that will happen. I’m going downstairs to get some things done. You’re coming with me. That water is only a stopgap. So, while I suffer paperwork. We’ll have food brought for you
Alrick dismissed Craig and Dale, leaving him alone again with Jessica-Lyn. She was curled up in a chair after finishing a little food. He couldn’t tell whether she was ill, pretending to be ill or making herself ill. But the information he was sitting on. It now contradicted so much that it frustrated him. He looked at her. Alrick now saw her as a victim of her brother. Just like the rest of her pack. He decided to bring her into the fold. If he was wrong, he would have to explain why he harboured a fugitive. With NARC’s rules, his pack may lose access to needed resources like medical services. He hedged on the side of caution and punished her. What if he was wrong? She was innocent and that was punishment. Would that make him worse than her brother then? If he was careful, he could tr
They sat there for minutes. Still connected to each other. Panting as their world returned to its previous norm. That’s when he felt her shudder. It was out-of-place now. He lifted her from his lap as the moment became awkward. Her hair hung in such away he never saw her face. But he needed to get things done. Not fuck the afternoon away in an attractive piece of entertainment. He needed to remember that he couldn’t. He wouldn’t get involved with a criminal. “It’s time to get dressed. I have things to do. Your jobs today is dusting the books in here. Leave my desk. Take the cart back to the kitchen. Don’t forget in a few hours we will gather to initiate the pack’s newest members.” She couldn’t respond beyond a nod. Jessie was at a loss. She did