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Chapter 4 Fear

  • Declan's POV
  • I observed her leaving the diner. When I informed her of my name, her heart rate increased. She has every reason to be afraid of me, but I don't want to frighten her. My wolf desired her. I felt the same way about her. Never in my life had I desired something as much as I desired her to be mine, but the most intriguing aspect of her was her ability to fight my Alpha's voice.
  • I could tell she wanted to submit by the look on her face, but she was also adamant about not to reveal anything about herself. Her fragrance was filled with apprehension. It took everything I had not to run after her and brand her.
  • The man behind the counter approached me and introduced himself as Chris, jolting me out of my reverie. He smelled like a human. We gave him our orders before moving over to the table and chairs where I know Abby always sits after school. Marley arched an eyebrow at me when I moved, but he still followed.
  • "So, what's the game plan?" He inquired.
  • "Well, if she's not going to talk, maybe her kid will," I reasoned.
  • Chris brought our dinner to the table and placed it in front of me. I started eating after looking down at my food. It was excellent. The door to the diner was opened after around 30 minutes.
  • As expected, the little girl dashed to her normal position right across from us and began working on her homework. While they were gone, we finished our meal, but I flagged Chris down and bought additional coffee, hot chocolate, and cookies. He went to put the hot chocolate and cookies down after putting the coffee on the table. I bowed on her and pointed to the girl. He swiftly placed them in front of her and thanked me before the cheek and walking away.
  • I could feel people looking at me. My mate had to be monitoring me closely to determine if I was going to injure her puppy.
  • The girl raised her head and smiled before thanking me. She went about her work, and after a few minutes, my mate brought her a sandwich , which she placed on the table in front of the girl while she looked at her work.
  • "Where is Jenna?" inquired the young lady.
  • "She is still in the doctor's office." "That one is incorrect, try again," she remarked, pointing to a page of math work before walking away to serve some new customers who had just entered the diner.
  • I returned my attention to Marley. "You should go back to the workplace; I'll stay here for a while." Marley stood up and walked away, nodding.
  • I observed Abby struggling with her homework before rising and sliding into the booth across from her. With her blue eyes and big cheeks, she glanced up at me. Her blonde curls hung down around her face, making her look gorgeous.
  • She raised her head at me. "Hello, and thank you for the hot chocolate," she added. I simply nod and look down at her work, which was three tables. Really they make kids do times tables these days then took the little bags of sugar from the jar on the table and arranged them in three sets of three and told her to count them; she glanced down and counted all nine with her fingers.
  • "Nine," she exclaimed cheerfully.
  • "That's your answer," I remarked, pointing to her page. While I was watching, she began utilizing sugar to help her solve math problems. I eventually asked her some questions.
  • "Can you tell me the name of your mother?" I inquired, pointing to my colleague, who was standing behind the counter, her gaze fixed on me.
  • "Melissa, but she's not my mother; she's my sister," she explained, still glancing down at her page.
  • "So, where is your mother?" I inquired, sipping my coffee.
  • "She died before I was born." Melissa takes care of me. "It's been like way since I was born," she stated matter-of-factly.
  • "How about your father?"
  • Abby became tense. Her shoulders sagged, and her heart rate increased. She was terrified. I could smell it on her coming off in waves, so I changed the question fast.
  • "What grade are you in and how old are you?"
  • She immediately felt at ease. "I'm six years old and in first grade."
  • " How about your sister?"
  • "Melissa is nineteen years old." So she's been caring for her younger sister since she was thirteen? What about the school, I considered.
  • "What age are you?" she inquired.
  • "What age do you think I am?" In turn, I inquired. She laughed.
  • "Old," she said. Her response made me giggle. Kids always utter the first thing that comes to mind.
  • "I'm 28," I explained.
  • "So you're getting old. " She laughed.
  • "When you're my age, you won't think it's old." So you and Melissa are the only ones ?" Abby raised her head. She was mind connecting, I could tell. Her pupils dilated before she nods. I knew her sister was listening in on our talk.
  • "Melissa told me not to talk to strangers." I turned to see her talking to the owner, who had just walked in. Abby caught my gaze, looked up, and saw Jenna. She squealed and ran over to the woman, putting her arms around her waist.
  • I studied my companion. I could tell she was protective of the puppy, but there was something else I couldn't place. I knew she was a wolf, but the mate link didn't seem to affect her as much. When I touched her and she leaned in, inhaling my scent, I knew she felt it, but most wolves can't help but be all over each other like an elastic band that keeps tugging them back together. But, in general, she appears unaffected unless she is close to me.
  • "She doesn't have a wolf," Tyler said in my brain.
  • "What do you mean she doesn't have a wolf?" Is she a werewolf?" I inquired about him.
  • "She is, but she does not have a wolf." I tried communicating to her wolf, but there seems to be a blockage, or perhaps her wolf perished in some way." I could feel his anguish for her lack of a wolf seeping into me, so I shoved him to the back of my mind.
  • Melissa arrived to clear the table. It had become dark outdoors. She stuffed Abby's belongings into her suitcase before washing down the table.
  • "Melissa?" I inquired.
  • Melissa's Point of View
  • "Melissa?" he inquired as I worked quickly to wipe the table.
  • "Isn't that your name?" he asked, reaching out and holding my hand before standing up and pulling me against himself. He leaned forward, his nose running along my chin to the crook of my neck. I shivered at the sensation. He smelled so nice it made my mouth swim and I wanted to reach out and touch him. I reached up and placed my hand on his chest, relishing his delectable aroma. I heard him chuckle gently before kissing my cheek softly, sending sparks through me .
  • "Why do you smell different from a typical wolf?" he inquired, breaking me out of my concentration. I took a hasty step back.
  • He appeared to be agitated for some reason and took a step toward me, so I quickly grabbed Abby's bag and moved back behind the counter. He did not, however, leave. He sat at the front of the diner, staring at me, and no matter how hard I tried to ignore him, my gaze kept returning to him. When I went out of the back to check on Abby, I noticed she was eating the ravioli Jenna had made. I thanked Jenna before leaving to finish my shift. There's hardly one hour left.
  • When I came back out, I got myself a coffee before returning to the desk, only to see the Alpha seated there now. I sipped my coffee and looked across at the two truckers who had arrived earlier, but they were still eating cheerfully. I replenished the Alpha's mug after deciding to acquire the jug. He grinned at me and continued to stare at me. What the hell is his problem, I wondered.
  • Chris approached me and placed his hand on my lower back. I turned to face him. Alpha Declan's faint growl could be heard over my shoulder, so low that I peered at him, wondering if I had heard it.
  • He fixed his gaze on Chris's hand. Not wanting him to harm my friend, I swiftly took a step to the side , causing Chris to drop his hand.
  • "Abby is dozing off. She had finished her meal. Jenna told me to go to bed early since she can manage it from here. It appears that tonight will be a quiet night." I nodded and walked out the back door, where Abby was fast asleep next to her empty dish. I swiftly grabbed her luggage and removed my apron. I threw it in the washing machine with the rest of the laundry from today, along with all of the tea towels and napkins, and turned it on. I grabbed my jacket and put it on.
  • I grabbed up Abby and headed out to the entryway, where it was pouring outside. I passed Abby to Chris after putting Abby's bowl in the sink and hanging my jacket over her so she wouldn't get wet. She tucked herself into me. Chris followed me, his keys in hand. Jenna followed him out, putting on an apron.
  • "I'm going to let you walk his home in the rain." I nod and thanked him before kissing Jenna goodnight.
  • Alpha Declan rose to feet. "I can bring home."
  • I declined offer graciously. For some reason, he appeared dissatisfied, which made me feel horrible.
  • Driving to the Packhouse was much faster. I stopped him as he was about to pull into the dirt driveway. "It's fine, we can walk from here," I responded as I opened the door before Chris could object. I could feel the stares of the Pack members on us through the trees where they were observing. I snatched Abby from the backseat, unclipped her seat belt, and thanked Chris for the ride home. It was still raining when we came to the front of the Packhouse, and we were both drenched and freezing. The Alpha broke through the front door roaring as I was ready to climb up the porch steps. He came charging at me.
  • She stepped behind me, quickly depositing Abby on the ground. I motioned for her to come inside . I could tell he was after me. His gaze hadn't left mine since he crashed through the door, nearly breaking it.
  • I stepped back and to the side of the house. Abby dashed behind him, up the porch steps, and inside the house as he approached my position. He hit me in the face, causing me to stumble. When he raised his fist again, it made contact with my jaw. I could detect the metallic flavor of my blood. I deflected him and stepped out of his reach the third time he tried to hit me.
  • "How dare you bring a stranger to our country."
  • "It was only Chris, and I didn't know." He dumped us off at the bottom of the driveway. "I'd never bring someone to the Pack home," I said to him.
  • He was deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafeningly deafen Pack members began to gather to see what was causing the uproar. Alpha Logan lunged toward me, but I jumped back at the last second, which turned out to be a major mistake. He was irritated when he missed, so he decided to shift. This time, it was his beast who seized command. His wolf was a frightening dark brown with black patches.
  • He was roaring and moving closer to my position. He swung his massive claws at me, tearing deep into my rib cage. I stumbled backward and onto one knee, clutching at my bleeding side. Another wolf jumped in to block him when he tried to lunge at me again. I immediately recognized the grey wolf. It was Griffith, his Beta. He had a mind link with me.
  • "Melissa, come inside." I jumped to my feet and hurried up the stairs into the Packhouse. Outside, I could hear growling. Griffith was the only reason I wasn't dead right now, I realized.
  • I slammed the door shut as I ran into my room, pushing up against it for support. Abby was hiding beneath the bed's blanket. "It's okay, Abby, it's just me."
  • She poked her head out from beneath the blanket before sprinting at me. Abby sobbed and clutched my waist. When I flinched on impact, she took a step back, observing the blood. I closed my eyes as I slid down the door into a sitting position. The excitement had worn off, and the pain was beginning to set in. I could feel my fangs erupting. When Abby took a fearful step back, my gaze was drawn to hers. I could hear her heartbeat and the blood pulsing in her veins. I could detect it.
  • I dashed through the kitchen to where the basement door lies, knowing it wouldn't be long until my hunger took over.
  • I threw it open and sprinted down the stairs, tripping halfway down and rolling the rest of the way, causing me to groan in pain.
  • After reaching the bottom, I crawled to the back of the basement, where various herbs and plants were dried and stored. A gloved hand grabbed the wolfsbane for me just as I reached up to grab it. I observed Beta Before delivering the herbs to me , Griffith placed them in a bottle of water. I glanced at him, perplexed and terrified. How did he figure out who I was?
  • I grabbed the bottle and downed it.
  • It felt like acid was searing down my throat, but I knew if I didn't, Griffith would turn into a meal.
  • My bloodlust was swiftly subdued by Wolfsbane. I could feel the wolfbane searing every cell in my body as I lay back on the cement floor.
  • My stomach churned furiously, and I groped for the nearest object, a box, and threw up the full contents of my stomach, which wasn't much. I sat up and rested back against some shelves before returning the bottle to my lips and forcing myself to sip more. My throat was throbbing. I could feel the fire all the way down to my stomach, making me want to scream.
  • "How?" My voice was choked and breathless as I inquired.
  • "At least all of the founding Pack members have always known. I watched your mother feed you a couple of times after you joined this Pack. "The Alpha swore us to secrecy," he explained.
  • I fixed my gaze on him. His brow had been slashed, but it was almost totally healed, despite his garments being a shambles. You'd never guess he'd gotten into a fight with a werewolf, let alone an Alpha.
  • "It doesn't matter if you're a Hybrid; you're still one of us." Everyone else agrees, but Melissa, you need to get out of here," he says.
  • "Please tell me something I don't already know." He won't let me take Abby, and given that the dick is officially her father, he'd find her right immediately!" I replied coldly.
  • His gaze flickered anxiously up to the door before returning to me. " Get her to refuse the Pack when she crosses the border." You do the same thing and then depart the city. "Melissa, we can't fight him, but we 're all sick of his trash and watching him mistreat you," he said quietly.
  • I could sense the sadness in his eyes; he genuinely cared for Abby and me.
  • I nod, not knowing what else to say.
  • "But her wolf hasn't woken up yet." "How can she reject the Pack if she hasn't yet awoken?" I inquired.
  • "Melissa, you don't need a wolf to reject the Pack. You should be aware of this given that you lack one as well. You have the option to reject the Pack at any moment. It's the wolf's genes, not the wolf! "
  • I lifted my top, nodding my head. Five big gashes go over my ribcage. My blood was collecting on the floor as it ran down my stomach and thighs.
  • Beta Griffith grabbed a cloth and applied pressure to the wound until it stopped bleeding before applying a waterproof dressing. It was going to take a few days for it to recover. I can't heal as quickly as a wolf, but I can heal faster than a human even without blood.
  • "Thank you," I mumbled.
  • "I'd give you my blood, but the Alpha would notice if your scent changes, and then we'll both be dead, with no one to care for Abby."
  • "You don't have to explain; I get it. " I dragged myself up, gripping the shelf, before slumping back and recovering the feeling in my legs. Griffith handed me the jug. It contained two wolfsbane water syringes and bottles loaded with a gold liquid.
  • "Show Abby the syringes in case she ever needs to use them on you in case you need more." They have concentrated wolfsbane levels. "I know wolfsbane can't kill you, but they'll even put you on your arse for a while, okay?" he added, gesturing to the syringes of gold liquid. "And please don't let Abby drink from the bottles," he said.
  • I gave him a skeptical glance. "It's all right. Every time you were hurt, my wolfsbane supply was depleted or entirely depleted. I realized it was you. I could also smell it on you."
  • He shoved me towards the stairs, which I climbed. Every step is painful. Even breathing is painful.
  • Even breathing is painful. With each movement, I could feel my wound stretching. Griffith's friend Elizabeth was standing in the kitchen when he reached the top step. She tenderly hugged me before saying .
  • "Your chamber is filled with steamy stew. "The Alpha is passed out drunk, so eat and then take a shower," she remarked before handing me a box of painkillers. She led me to my room and stood there watching me and Abby eat the stew. It was delectable. I hadn't realized how hungry I was until I went in and smelled it; my stomach immediately began rumbling. I ate the entire bowl and even soaked up all of the liquids with a piece of toast.
  • Elizabeth shoved the pills back into my hand and brought me a glass of water. After explaining to Abby what they were, I quickly drank two of the small tablets before getting up and placing the jar and bottles of water in the duffle bag.
  • "Keep in mind, Abby, you can't drink these." They'll murder you and just use these on me if you have to," I added, making sure I spoke clearly enough for her to understand what I was saying.
  • Before bringing in the towels, Elizabeth removed the bowls and bread plates. I stood up and dragged Abby down the hall to the bathroom, which was in the middle of the house. I turned on the light as I walked in.
  • The bathroom was larger than our bedroom and featured a large clawfoot bathtub as well as a spacious shower with many showerheads. The walls were grey tiles, and the floor was black tiles. The fixtures were a gorgeous gold color.
  • I switched on the shower and let it heat up the room before removing my clothes. Abby removed hers as well and stepped into the water. My dressing was already soaked in blood as a result of the incision reopening with movement. Climbing in after her, I increased the warmth of my shower head. My muscles began to relax, oblivious to how tight I was. Looking down, I saw blood and grime go down the drain.
  • The painkillers were starting to take effect, and everything felt a little dull. I didn't feel any pain, but my body felt heavy. I switched off the faucet and put a towel around Abby. We rapidly brushed our teeth after grabbing our toothbrushes . I looked in the mirror at myself. I had a massive black bruise on my jaw and a black eye on the other side. Now I need to borrow cosmetics from someone before I go to work tomorrow.
  • Abby changed into her pyjamas, and I changed into a shirt and pants before climbing into bed. It didn't take long for the drugs to knock me out and send me to sleep.