Holt

 

I needed to find a way to get everyone back where we all belonged. Those captured needed to be freed. Those who ran and got away needed to be found. Our strength was in our numbers, and having only three of us meant our Pack was weak. My Wolf paced non-stop. It was time for me to step up. Now was the time I needed to prove to my father, everyone else, and myself that I was capable of being the man my father always hoped I’d become.

To this day, I only knew of three from our Pack who escaped and were safe: Dolph, my guard and best friend, my mother, and me. We made sure we stayed together.

I remembered my father telling me he was able to hear his Pack’s voices in his head. I kept sending him messages that I needed to know how many had been locked away with him. I told him several times I was coming to save him. I had no idea if my messages went through because I never heard anything from him right away.

Later that evening he warned me in my dreams not to come. He said it was too dangerous for me to get that close to these men, because I’d risk being locked away with the rest of the Pack members.

I didn’t care about it being risky. All I needed was a plan. I wish I had paid more attention to my father’s teachings. I needed my father to be set free so he could help get everyone back home. And I needed him home because at that time, I felt like everything Trey said about me was true. I felt useless and weak. I was so lost without my father.

 

 

 

 

 

My Wolf howled in agony and woke me from a nightmare. I was panting like I’d run a marathon and was covered in sweat. My heart was thundering in my chest and the blood rushing in my veins nearly rendered me deaf. My head hurt like I’d been pummeled with a sledge hammer. I sat up in my bed and began crying like a baby. As much as I wanted to believe the nightmare wasn’t real, I could feel it deep down in my gut that it was. I felt sick.

It took me nearly an hour to regain my composure. I tiptoed down the hall to just outside of my parents’ room and could hear my mother sniffling and sobbing. She knew. Of course she knew; he was her soul mate. And that meant my nightmare was real.

“No! Oh, my Goddess, why?” she screamed out.

My head dropped and my shoulders rolled forward. I felt gutted. I rubbed my arms and gritted my teeth, but knew I had to go to her. I knocked on her door, then turned the handle and stood in the doorway. I couldn’t swallow.

“You felt it, too?” she choked out through her tears.

“I…I did,” I said. Looking at the distress on my mother’s face was so hard. Our lives would never be the same again.

She patted the bed, signaling for me to sit near her. My feet moved like they had cinder blocks anchored to them. When I sat, we hugged each other tight and wept while our Wolves wailed long, mournful cries. We held each other for what seemed like hours until the sun rose.

I heard Dolph moving around outside of mom’s door, and then we heard him talking to someone. I couldn’t make out the muffled voice, and that made the hairs on my arms prickle with the need to make sure my mom was protected.

“I have to go see what’s going on. Can I get you anything?” I asked my mom.

“No, dear,” she whispered. “I’m going to lie back down.” She sighed deeply. “I just want to die.”

My chest tightened and my heartbeat sped back up. My breaths became fierce and ragged to the point of nearly hyperventilating. I placed both hands on her face and stared into her wet eyes. “No, please, Mom. Don’t say that. You can’t mean that!” I thought I was going to throw up. I couldn’t lose her, too.

She didn’t respond. She reached up and placed her hands over mine, and her lips trembled and pulled down at the corners. She looked sadder than I’d ever seen anyone look before. I leaned in and kissed her forehead.

“Get some rest, Mom; I’ll be back soon,” my voice cracked and I forced a slight smile. She didn’t smile back.

I stood and made my way to the door, turning back to look at my mother. I could hear her weeping and saw her clutching the blanket. She was inconsolable, and I felt completely helpless to comfort her. Maybe Trey was right, I thought. Maybe I’d suck as an Alpha.

I wiped my tears away as I walked into the kitchen. The talking had ceased, but I was shocked when I walked in and saw Dolph and Trey sitting at the table. Both had their heads in their hands. I was stunned, and relieved, to see my father’s Beta sitting in our house.

“Trey?” I said. My voice was shaky. “How did you get away?”

“There was a lot of commotion earlier and my cage door was left unlocked. I tried to open the door for your father, but he told me to run. As I tried to see if any other doors were unlocked, he gave me orders to save myself, then come back to help free the others.”

He lifted his head and his red eyes met mine.

“And then I felt it. Here,” he sniffled, and held his hand over his heart, “and I had to come over, kid. I had to be here. I hope you don’t mind,” Trey said.

“No, I don’t mind you being here. I’m glad to see you. I’m so happy to see you’re alright, too.” My voice cracked as I forced the words past the lump in my throat.

“I hope you don’t mind, but I told Dolph.” He stood and walked to me, shaking his head, then wrapped his arms around me holding me tight. “I’m so sorry about your father, kid. How’s your mother?”

I inhaled a deep breath and fought the tears. My mother was devastated. I had no idea how she’d get herself back together. I had no idea how I’d get myself together.

“Mom’s not doing too well.”

I sat down at the table with Dolph and Trey. We sat in silence for several minutes.

“Are you guys’ hungry?” I asked. I didn’t have any desire to eat, but I knew my father was always one to offer people a meal.

They shook their heads. We sat in silence until I turned on the television.

It hadn’t taken long for the confirmation of the devastating news to be broadcast. I’d felt it when I woke. The story that was reported on TV was that he was euthanized, because the men who’d kidnapped him and the others suspected he was the one who attacked three of their humans and tore them to shreds years earlier. But I knew the truth. My father’s Wolf had been shot after being caged at the preserve. They murdered my father. My father’s Wolf would have never done such a thing.

I moved back and forth across the kitchen floor, stomping so hard I thought I’d put my foot through the hardwood floor. My nostrils flared and I cracked my knuckles. My chest heaved and my breaths were forced out of my lungs as growls. I slammed the cabinet drawers and doors. The anger was taking over my ability to think straight. I wanted to avenge my father’s unwarranted death and it was driving me crazy. I wanted those men to pay for what they’d done. Tears spilled down my face.

“Holt, calm down. Getting yourself all worked up like this isn’t doing anyone any good.” Trey said, tears in his eyes. That was the first time I’d ever noticed him let his guard down. “You can’t do anything that’s going to put you in harm’s way. Think of your mother.”

“I fucking am! I’m going to kill those bastards for her, and for my father!”