MY MARRIED MATE

36.

"Life has changed so much in just a few weeks." Drew said, "I am still not sure how react at the loss of so many pack members. You know, I couldn't bring myself to go to Peter's funeral or any other." His eyes had a far away look when he said this. He was looking nat the paper in his hand but I am sure his focus was somewhere else.

Seeing him like this was very difficult, he had shut out everyone. He made sure to avoid any topic related to him or Jake. It is not healthy at all. He has to talk, I'll make him talk to me. I can't leave him like that, beating himself up over things.

He sensed my stare and meet my eyes, raising a brow.

"I did. Carmen's parents were also there. It was hard to see two families weeping for their dead child. I didn't get too close though." I replied. He nodded and resumed his work. Peter died shortly after his accident so were the other two. Carmen couldn't take it, she followed him. People were dying and so were their mates even though almost everyone in our had chose someone to be their mate. They loved each other so much that they chose each other.

I'd be lying if I say I wasn't expecting this. Peter was badly hurt and the lose of him was too much for Carmen.

Once our pack was so happy, slowly everything had turned upside down. People are either dying or leaving. Now we are not even hundred which I know will surely lessen in the future. It is depressing to say, and a depressing person is in front of me. Drew.

He had this aura around him, making him not approachable. He was pushing away everyone. I couldn't help myself and closed the distance between us. He immediately went stiff when I hugged him, it took him two full minutes to hug me back and when he did, his hold was tight that it was nearly hard to breathe.

I didn't say that, of course. He buried his face in my neck. We both are nearly same height so it was good to hold him. At a point I thought he was going to cry by the way his body was trembling. But he is stronger than this, he clutched my the back of shirt but didn't let a single drop of tear fall.

"Thanks Oliver." He said clearing his throat, stepping back. I just smiled which he returned. We went back to work.

I was still shocked to see so many applications. When Marcus told me to handle this I wasn't expecting that. I was surprised but, couldn't possibly think of something else. After the recent incidents, it was clear that life here, in the pack, was not any more safe not untill council take some actions.

"These are so many. I can't believe we have come to this point where people think it is safe to live alone rather than be with a pack." Drew commented as he scanned a few papers. He also wasn't very happy with it but what can we do to stop anyone? Nothing.

"Do you think they will, ever come back?" I asked. He sighed and took a seat on the nearby chair. He looked tired. There were dark circle under his eyes, his normally fitted shirt was loose on his shoulder. He had lost so much weight in last couple of weeks.

"Do you want them to come back?" He questioned instead, "Personally, I think they should go if they want to. What is the point if they feel unsafe here? No matter how sad it makes us. We shouldn't stop them just because we don't want them to." He finished.

We worked for a couple of more hours, Drew left when it was time for lunch. I suggested we should eat together but he declined. So this is how I ended up in Elliot's room. He was very engrossed in his tablet. His head was resting on the headboard, one hand mindlessly running circles over his left thigh.

Not to startled him, I opened the door a little loudly than nessecery. He looked up and gave a nod of acknowledgement.

Okay, he could have smiled.