Chapter 7

• (Demetri’s POV)
• I’m deep in thought as my son and I follow this young man to the trainee housing. It’s been fifteen years since I inherited the pack. It’s quite uncommon for the pack to be passed on like that unless the ruling alpha dies in battle while his kids are still kids. Then it becomes the oldest child’s responsibility to assume power over the pack. Neither of those things happened to me. I know finding out I was an intuitive had something to do with dad’s decision to pass the pack down to me.
• I’m the youngest of four. My older brothers and sister somehow didn’t share the same vision for the Crimson Dawn pack as my father. It was finding my abused mate at eighteen that ultimately changed my ideas on maintaining a sanctuary for those in need. I’ve only been the alpha for fifteen years, small change for most alphas. Damian was only three and Lucas just over a year when dad passed in his sleep. It may take a lot to kill a werewolf without a silver bullet to the heart but we’re not invincible and we do age.
• Dad had been slowing down for a while and I had taken on more and more of his duties. When the Moon Goddess finally called him home it was supposed to be a seamless transition for the pack. Unfortunately, it wasn’t. Mom left to join him just a few years later.
• Like most alphas, I try to maintain two separate reputations for my pack. A zero tolerance for unannounced wolves in my territory. Like all alphas, I like to keep that rumor as hard core as possible. You come onto my land unannounced and you will never be seen again type stuff. But those who truly know me understand that I know the difference between a troubled wolf and a troublemaker. Those with this inside knowledge will often recommend my pack as a temporary sanctuary until things get ironed out for a transfer into another pack. Some have even chosen to join my pack as permanent members.
• It’s the tug from Damian on my link that bring my thoughts back to the present situation.
• ‘What’s going on with him? He told me on the bus that he wasn’t new to this and he’s older. Twenty-three I think he said. He started struggling with his anxiety before he got off the bus.’
• ‘I don’t want to jump to any conclusions as he just got here and it is possible that he just has severe anxiety.’
• ‘But you suspect something else?’
• ‘Yes. I suspect abuse may be in his past but the bigger concern is if abuse is in his present.’
• ‘I thought abuse stopped once the child becomes an adult.’
• ‘Unfortunately, that only happens if the child can find a way out of the situation. If this is indeed Alpha Redmen’s son then getting away from Red Fang without going rogue or killing whoever is abusing him, would be extremely difficult. It’s not like here where once you turn twenty-one you can request a transfer or a female that can leave for her mate’s pack.’
• ‘So he’s using the warrior program as a way out?’
• ‘Possibly.’
• I end the link with my son as we enter the apartment complex. Cole has stopped about five feet inside the door allowing us enough room to enter. He seems confused and highly agitated.
• “Cole.”
• Even with my voice calm and level just hearing it makes the young man startle badly.
• “I failed to ask you if you were against being separated from your pack mates. It’s entirely up to you.”
• “I’ve only got one real friend so I’m not that much part of the group.”
• “I didn’t think so. Come this way.”
• I gesture to my right as we start making our way to the row of doors located on the eastern side of the complex.
• (Cole’s POV)
• I follow behind Alpha Demetri and his son a short way across the main hall on the first floor. They stop at the first door they come to, the numbers 101A are screwed into the center. I stop a few feet from them as I prefer keeping my distance from everyone. I only get close to those I’ve observed for a while and I have a motive for learning from them.
• I can hear a short beep briefly before the sound of the door unlocking. Alpha pushes down on the handle and allows the door to swing open before looking back at me and encouraging me to enter.
• I move cautiously as I have never been beaten this badly by my dad before going to another pack’s territory. I would think the risk of another alpha discovering my secret relationship with my father would have been too high for him to be so careless. Yet the beatings have only gotten worse with each pack he’s sent me off to. Combine denying me my medication with the hardship of hiding my injuries and he’s making it easier for them to discover the abuse I’m suffering much sooner. I’m certain that this alpha has already figured out that I’m being abused and I’ve barely been here an hour.
• It’s become clear to me that he’s using the warrior program as a new way to abuse me. I can’t think of how many times he’s told me that I’m too weak for any alpha to accept me into a second run and it seems like every time I come back I must deal with the council poking around. He will refrain from abusing me while they’re there but the moment they leave I’m chained up and beaten three to four times a week until he decides to send me on another run. So it’s not difficult for me to go pack when my dad tells me to, that I'm going to whatever pack he decides is next for me in the lineup. I need to get away from him just as badly as he hates seeing my face in his territory.
• I step inside the room several feet, completely neglecting to even search for the light. It’s as I place the pack I’m wearing on the bed that I’m startled by the light being flipped on. I turn quickly to see that Alpha and his son have stepped inside the room with me. The alpha gives me a smile but says nothing. It seems he’s started observing again. I turn and start moving slowly around the room taking in everything.
• “Would it be okay if I put your wet clothes in the washer?”
• Alpha Damian asks, causing me to freeze and look at him. He lets out a nervous chuckle as I study him with my head cocked to one side.
• “It seems like you haven’t been met with much kindness.”
• I let out a slight hum as I run my hand nervously over the left side of my head.
• “Not from alphas.” I speak quietly. “Yes. I would appreciate that. You said you stock soap and other stuff like that?”
• “Yes, I’ll show you where it’s at once you’ve explored a bit.”
• I nod my head as Alpha Damian makes his way over to a large closet at the back corner of the room. I watch him open it up revealing a full-size washer and dryer stacked inside.
• “I’m going to run this through a quick rinse cycle before you do a full wash.”
• I nod again with a quiet thanks. Exploring the large room has taken my mind off the events that had just happened and it seems like the alpha has picked up on my calmed demeanor.
• “Cole, it’s very important that you tell me the truth. I promise you nothing you tell me will result in you being removed from my first run. The only things that I will remove you for is if you steal, fight, rape, take recreational drugs or drink until you're stupid. I don’t tolerate any of those things. Are you usually on medication for your anxiety?”
• I freeze in the doorway of the bathroom.
• “Yes sir.”
• I speak quietly, ashamed to admit that I have an issue.
• “It’s not something to be ashamed of but it’s important that I know what you're on and the dosage.”
• I shake my head slowly before I speak again.
• “I’ve been on several different combinations of medications over the last several years. Dr. Carter tends to change the combination every time my dad forces me off them, trying to figure out the combination with the least number of side effects. The last set of three with either Xanax or Valium to help me at night on rough days, I did well on. Minimal side effects compared to other combinations and I wasn’t a zombie or felt like I was drugged. I was close to....”
• My thoughts wander off track as I walk around the rest of the room.
• “You felt close to normal?”
• Alpha finishes for me. I nod my head in agreement as we continue to talk.
• “How long have you been off of it?”
• “Three, almost four months. My dad has been getting more persistent at blocking all my efforts to get to it while I’m home.”
• “He doesn’t want you on medication?”
• “No. He says taking medication is an admittance to weakness and he refuses to tolerate any shows of weakness from his son.”