Enforce Me

Chapter 14: Sweet As Sugar

My wolf was pacing back and forth, around in circles and over and over again. The crowd had slowly dissipated and Dustin had been told to leave and get washed up by Alic long ago.

''Tatum.''

My head didn't sway at my Alpha's late arrival and concerned words as I just kept pacing. Back and forth back and forth.

When seconds turned to minutes my father's muscled body stood as a barricade in front of me effectively blocking my path that seemed almost engraved in the stone flooring.

''Shift.''

I did as he commanded and felt the coolness of cold autumn air blowing through the mouth of our den. The air licked and lapped at the open wounds on my naked flesh but they were healing and barely hurt anymore.

''He may be a middle rank but he still has the claws and teeth of a high rank dominant.'' He observed my body and nodded when he saw the wounds slowly but steadily pulling together.

We stared at each other for a few minutes not saying any words but trying to read each other. We spent most of our time doing this when around each other, only talking where necessary and always watching each other like level grounded predators.

''Your mate should be taking care of you.''

''He can't.'' My lip curled in self-hate and I went back to pacing the opening of the cave occasionally being chased and hit by falling leaves flooding into safety from the cold.

''It's what a mate should do. If I got into a fight, your mother would have been the first one there to stop it and clean up.''

My feet faltered at my mother's mention.

''I hurt him.''

''Hurt him how?'' My father never moved from his spot, never changed his expression of stone.

''He tried to break it up but I was deep into my wolf I couldn't stop and he moved between us as I was going to attack Dustin.'' His name fell off my tongue in daggers of hate.

''Did you remove your toxin from him?''

''No-''

Slap

Rage flashed through his eyes but his face still remained stoic, the sound echoing throughout the cave, my cheek stinging from his action and scratch marks burning from a vicious scratch that followed the large palm.

''Go and put some pants on and tend to your mate.'' His face still hadn't changed as if nothing had happened.

I bowed my head as I left in the opposite direction towards my room.

''I once bit Avalyn and she suffered on her own.'' There was a pain in his voice. ''I'll never forgive myself for that.'' With our backs to each other, I nodded my head and kept walking.

It didn't surprise me that Jaidan wasn't in my room so I quickly put pants and a shirt on but when I turned out of my room to search for my mate I came face to face with Dustin.

''I'm sorry.'' Words I never expected from his mouth came out but it did nothing but make my shoulders shake in early stages of the change. ''I'll tell you why I abandoned my runs when I find out what it is that I have been smelling lurking around.''

''Something's running our borders?'' My shoulders stopped shaking.

''Not just ours. It's running Rick's borders too. I first smelt it the night of the full moon gathering.''

''That's why you weren't there?''

''Yes.''

My mind wandered and I nodded my understanding to him but it didn't ease the tension and he knew it.