Lose it

~Hannah~

“Liam Durk! Get yourself out here!” Cathylene roars marching into the living room. As expected, she’s very furious. Her phones are ringing non-stop. Harinth is beside her, suggesting things and telling her to calm down. Which I doubt she will be doing any time soon. Jaxon Blackwood’s prospect of becoming the next Alpha has tremendously jumped, leading Liam by a big margin whilst Liam's has drastically reduced. And not just that. Liam faces the threat of being removed as a candidate. This will make Jaxon the ultimate winner. 

“Where's that jerk?” She yells and spins at the sound of Nathan's entrance. “Are you happy your best friend has the chance to win my son?” She slams at Nathan. 

“I sent him on an errand,” Harinth chimes in calmly. Cathylene hiss. 

I stare at Nathan, the scene at the yard replaying in my head. Does he know Olivia is his daughter? He can't know. He should never know. 

Liam looks downcasted.

“I will take care of this. Don't fret.” Cathylene assures him before she zooms off. 

After an hour, she returns. Goes to Liam and pulls him to his feet. “I have spoken to the elders. This will pass. You are not going to be removed. But–”

“But what?”

“You will need to do something for me, son. First, you will visit the orphanage. You know the one Hannah is from.” She says it with irritation. “Play with the kids and give them some goodies. And another thing, you will make a short video to apologize–”

“Mum!”

“It’s okay son. We got this. You will keep it short. And one last thing, the full moon festival is in two days and you will be among the festival shifters.”

Liam flinches back, his face set tight. “Mom, I'm never doing it!” He growls. 

Festival shifting is mostly carried out by the common members of the Pack to entertain the influential ones. They roll in the sand, growling and howling and even doing funny things while in their wolf form. Things Cathylene considers as ‘classless and local’. They engage in wolf fights and huntings. Whoever catches the biggest kill is named the winner and blessed with prizes.

She holds his shoulders until he looks at her. You must show them you are a changed man. Listen to me, son. Don't worry you don't need to change. You only need to make them think you have changed.”

Liam's face softens before she continues. “I have told you, son. You can do everything you want. But don't allow another eye to see it. Because they will judge you and this is not the time for it. Soon, you can do whatever you want.” Liam shrugs but finally agrees. 

“What's my next appointment?”

“A meeting in the next thirty minutes.” Harinth replies.

She stops in front of me on her way out. “What were you doing when this happened?” She looks at me with sheer disgust. “You can't even take proper care of your husband. Remember, that you are here now doesn't mean you will be here forever. No one here, I repeat , no one here, except my son and I, is not replaceable.”

In the night, I see Nathan leaving the house through the back gate and trail him. 

“Ma'am, where are you off to?” a voice asks, jerking me to a stop. 

“Off to take a walk. Wanna tag along too?” I snap. It's Sylvia—my new personal maidservant—Liam's spy. She's been stuck to me ever since she was brought in. I didn't think Liam would go as far to keep his threats.

I make sure Sylvia is off my radar before I go after Nathan. 

Nathan stops after a while. Seconds later, another figure emerges. I squint hard, the frame of the figure familiar. 

Jaxon Blackwood? Why is Nathan meeting Jaxon Blackwood secretly? 

I can't hear what they are saying as they are speaking in extremely low tones and I'm very far from them. Shifting forward is impossible as I don't see any other spot to hide. What are they talking about so seriously?

“He knows.” Nina suddenly whispers to me. 

“Don't try to distract me.”

“Nathan knows,” she repeats. 

I sigh. Fine I will give you attention. “Know what exactly?”

“He knows that Olivia is his daughter.” 

My body stiffens. “Impossible…”

“Ask him then.”

Pulling myself back and it turns out Nathan and Jaxon have vanished. I turn and head back home, Nina’s words echoing in my mind.

If he knew, why hasn't he confronted me? Nina is mistaken. He doesn't know yet… 

It continues to bug me so much I can't fall asleep. 

But then I get a chance to ask him in the morning. In the training center. 

“Do you remember when Olivia was rushed to the hospital?” I start, taking a spot in the shoulder press machine beside him. 

“Yeah. Why?”

His shirt is soaked and I can smell him. A mixture of sweat and wolf. It still doesn't stop him from looking hot. 

“Uhm–!” I clear my throat, slapping myself mentally back to senses. “She kinda…had some issues. Didn't Liam mention it to you?” 

He stops and exhales, his eyebrows knitting together. “We don't talk personal talks. We are not that cool.”

“What about Doctor Hem or the nurses? Did they say anything to you.”

He abruptly stops handling the machine. “Is there something you wanna tell me, Hannah?”

*Uh—no, actually no. Never mind.”

“Is Olivia doing alright?” He asks. 

“Sure of course she is. Why wouldn't she?” I feel so stupid and know I sound the same. 

I feel like getting out of the house for a while since I don't have to be in school today. I offer to do groceries for the house. 

“Let me drive you.” Nathan offers, literally appearing from nowhere. 

“I can have the driver take me.”

“He's off today. Get in.” 

A lump forms in my throat as I regard him stylishly. He's on white tee shirt and blue denim. The side parting he did to his hair compliments his grey eyes so much I almost blurt it out. He gets a business call on our way which keeps him busy all through the ride to the mall. 

“Here comes the slutty son!” Someone yells as soon as we drop from the car. Two jerks are smirking and pointing snidely at Nathan. 

“Just ignore them,” Nathan mutters motioning me towards the mall entrance. 

“Bastard! Murderer! Slutty slutty son!” They keep chanting and following us towards the mall entrance. 

I instantly lose it. Full moon is approaching, making Nina even more hyperactive. My dress shreds apart, my fangs and claws elongating fully as Nina fully emerges and takes over. I charge at the jerks digging my claws into the chest of one and burying my fangs into the other. I grip him with my claws and flings him. Then I charge at him, mount him and rain scratches all over him. 

“Hannah… it's alright…it's alright..” Nathan calls. His voice calms me. I stop and paws back. My tongue tastes the blood in my fangs. I look up at him. He's expressionless. What have I done? I gasp and break into a run. 

“Wait! Don't run!”