Chapter 6: Too Familiar

“Someone else was found dead this morning.” Kendrick heard someone whisper as he walked out of his home the following morning. Somehow, he slept through the night again even though he had planned to join the patrol unit last night. 

Hearing their words, his heart sank. 

Another pack member had lost their life while the Alpha refused to investigate the cause of the one behind the killing. 

Following the scents of the blood and the people going and coming, he soon arrived at a familiar building and the closer he walked the more agitated he became.

‘Oh please, goddess, no!’ he prayed as his steps became faster and more hurried.

As he arrived at the destination, he breathed a sigh of relief as he noticed Helen sitting in the living room. However, his relief turned to worry as he noticed the blank look on her face. 

“What happened?” he asked, to no one in particular. Not that he couldn’t tell what happened but he needed to hear it. 

He needed confirmation that what his nose was telling him wasn’t true.

The blood scent was too strong. Too familiar.

“She’s gone,” someone whispered, and Kendrick turned sharply to face the speaker. The man looked away, unable to keep eye contact with him. 

Kendrick’s throat tightened. “Who’s gone?”

“Helen’s mum,” came the broken reply.

Kendrick felt like the ground beneath him shifted. His eyes snapped back to Helen, who sat motionless on the couch. Her hands were clasped tightly together in her lap, her shoulders slumped, her eyes unfocused.

“She... she saw it happen,” a voice said quietly behind him.

He didn’t turn this time. He couldn’t. All he could do was stare at her—his student, his responsibility, his friend and possibly his future mate. 

“Helen?” he called softly.

No response.

He stepped closer, slowly kneeling before her. 

“Helen, it’s me. It’s Kendrick.”

Her lips moved. Barely. It was a whisper carried on the breath of pain. 

“I locked her out… it's my fault she died.”

“No, Helen,” he muttered. Even though he didn't know the full story, he knew her too well to know she wouldn't hurt her mother... Or anyone else.

“I did,” she repeated, her voice choked up. “It came for me and I... I…”

“You were scared. You didn’t mean to.”

“She told me she loved me,” Helen said, her voice cracking like dry twigs underfoot. Her eyes flicked to him. “And then she screamed.”

Kendrick bowed his head, swallowing the lump in his throat. He gently reached for her hand. She didn’t pull away, but she didn’t respond either.

“Did you see what the killer looked like?” Kendrick asked and she remained silent.

“She didn't remember,” Nancy, the pack doctor replied with a sad smile. “We've questioned her about it but she couldn't remember what they looked like.”

“We should give her some time,” Kendrick replied.

“Well, I think now is the right time to know. Now when everything is still fresh in her memory,” Another warrior replied. 

“Well, there is nothing we can do if she doesn't remember.” Nancy breathed out. 

“I should have joined the patrol,” Kendrick muttered under his breath, angry at himself. “Has the Alpha visited?"

No one answered.

“Where is the Alpha?” he barked this time, his voice rising, sharper than before.

A young she-wolf glanced up, fear in her expression. “Still sleeping, I think. He hasn’t come out yet.”

Kendrick cursed under his breath but said nothing as he looked around the people gathered. 

“Everyone, leave. Give her space. I’ll take care of her.”

Slowly, the others filtered out, murmuring and whispering. Some gave Helen sorrowful glances. Others looked away, ashamed. Once they were alone, Kendrick walked back to her.

“I’m going to stay with you, okay?” he said gently, grabbing a blanket and placing it over her shoulders. “You’re not alone, Helen.”

For the first time since he walked in, she blinked. Slowly. Her lips parted.

“The wolf…” she said, barely audible. “There's something familiar about it. I can't remember what it looks like but I swear It looks familiar." 

“Familiar? Like someone from our pack?” Kendrick asked in surprise. 

“I don't know.” She confessed as tears fell down her eyes. “I want to find the person. I can't allow my mother to die in vain.” 

“I know,” Kendrick muttered, his hand clenched beside him. “We will find them and I promise they won't go unpunished.” 

While they were in an uproar about the consecutive death, Kendrick stayed with Helen until she fell asleep, after which he left her in the care of Gina, a pack nurse. 

“Let me know when she wakes up,” he instructed as he walked out the door. 

Once he was out of hearing distance, he punched the closest tree, leaving a bold fist print on the trees as the leaves fell. He let out a growl, finally letting his emotions show.

‘How much longer!’ he thought to himself. ‘How much longer do I have to watch these people die without me being able to do anything?’

‘Without my father doing anything to stop it?’

“Are you okay?” A gentle female voice interrupted his thoughts; as he turned back to see who it was, he noticed it was the girl from the training the previous day. 

Taking a deep breath, he let out a dry chuckle. 

“As okay as I can be when I wake up to the news of dead pack members almost every day,” he replied, and she pursed her lips, not knowing how to reply to him. 

Seeing her silence, Kendrick let out a sigh before gesturing to her with his chin. 

“Are you okay?”

“Oh you mean the training from yesterday?” She asked and he nodded. “I'm fine. She'll heal in no time.”

“She didn't mean it,” Kendrick muttered. “She's not always like that.”

“I know. You don't have to tell me.”

“So what's your name again?”

“I'm Kayla, and you are beta Kendrick, right?” She asked in return and he nodded. 

They both remained silent as they turned to look in the direction of Helen's home. 

And while he was lost in thought he heard her mutter. 

“If the Alpha is irresponsible, you can be the responsible one.”

“You don't need the Alpha to give you a go-ahead before you keep your people safe.”