Running With Wolves [On Hold]

Chapter 43, Eleanor

I have no idea what happened, one minute Orson was light, happy even, and the next minute someone is knocking on our door, who I know to be Lark now, but whatever he had said to Orson had made the air seem very thick and suffocating, right up until the moment Orson left the room.

Now I'm stuck with a Lark who hasn't stopped staring at me, and it's beginning to make me very annoyed.

I sigh out and drop the book in my hand. "What?" I ask loudly, noticing him flinch at my raised voice. "You've been staring at me for the past hour, it's creepy." I point out, noticing him roll his eyes.

At first, he doesn't say anything but after a few minutes, he moves from the wall and comes over to stand in front of me. "Eleanor... I was thinking.." He says slowly, dragging his words.

I squint my eyes at him and sit up straight. "...Okay? About what?" I'm curious to know, maybe then he will stop staring at me so weirdly.

"Do you know anyone called Chase?"

...... Chase?

"Where did you hear that name?" Of course, I know a Chase, but how would Lark know that name. "He was a friend growing up.. we were practically glued at the hip at one point." I pause and stare at Lark's new facial expression which turns curious.

Why would he suddenly bring up Chase? It's not like I'm close to him anymore, I haven't seen him in the years since I left Queensland, I only briefly saw him when I was settling my mot- June's estate.

Lark keeps his lips tightly shut and says nothing as he moves away from the bed and back into the corner, deep in thought.

Did something happen... to Chase? But why would it... he's in the human realm, with his family, he's safe, there's no reason for-

Wait, no.

No way.

"Is Chase a werewolf?" I whisper out, catching Lark's attention. "Oh my god."

Is he here for me? Did he look for me? Is that what Lark came here to tell Orson? Is that why he was so weird when he left? Is-

"Eleanor, I'm sure it's nothing, really- forget I said anything, the Alpha-"

I grab my shoes from beside the bed and hurriedly put them on. "Cut the crap Lark, you suck at lying, just like how you lied to me about how you hurt your arm." I say rolling my eyes.

I knew he didn't hurt his arm hunting, it's bandaged tight and Orson mentioned one time that werewolves heal pretty quick, so whatever hurt Lark actually hurt him, wolfs can't be that badly hurt from 'hunting' theirs just no way.

His face begins to twist in panic. "Eleanor-" 

I stand up and stare him down, he's just a tad shorter than Orson but I don't let that intimidate me.

"Where are Orson and Chase, Lark?"

Lark rubs his forehead with his uninjured hand and groans out lowly. "Eleanor I can't, I shouldn't have even said anything..." He mumbles out.

He mutters something quietly in his language but I caught the gist of it, he's worried Orson will punish him for it now, but I don't care, if Chase is here I want to know why.

Why the hell Chase... who was my best friend at one point in my life... lied to me, every day until I left... why didn't he tell me, knowing now about the mystery revolving around my life, he could've trusted me, I was part of his world, even if I couldn't change into a wolf, I was like him, so then why?

"Please." My voice begins to crack, my confidence slipping.

His eyes soften and he groans out loudly. "He's downstairs interrogating your... friend."

As soon as he finishes, I'm moving towards the door and opening it, heading straight to Orson's office to find out what the hell is going on and why Orson felt like I shouldn't be part of something that clearly has to do with me.

I thought Orson would share this much, it's Chase, not the people who actually want to kill me, Chase would never hurt me, never.

"Eleanor wait- You can't go-" I ignore him and begin to run down the hall, hearing Lark mutter 'shit' behind me as I hear him sprint off after me, but I can't stop, if he catches me I'm pretty much never gonna be able to escape his grasp.

Everyone here is so damn built and tall, like a bear, escaping Orson during the night when I need to pee is proof of that, his death grip makes it impossible to wiggle out of when I'm seconds from leaking on his leg.

I reach downstairs without slipping or falling, earning a few curious and alarmed gazes from the people also in the pack who are in the building, not missing the way their eyes drift past me, no doubt to the ogre trying to catch me, Lark.

I make it to Orson's office and I'm beyond panting and trying to catch my breath, I reach the double doors and use my fists to bang on the door, I keep looking back and see Lark look completely on a mission to drag me back into my room.

I bang my fists on the large door until Lark grabs hold of me. "Let... GO!" I shout, trying to shake Lark's death grip on my arms, pulling me away from the door.

He only stops when we both hear a growl from behind the door, making myself and Lark freeze, even though I did nothing wrong, even I felt like shitting my pants- along with Lark whose face has now paled.

The double doors open and they reveal a very pissed- but handsome Orson. "WHO THE FUCK..." He pauses once he sees me in Larks hold. "Eleanor?" 

His eyes go to Lark and Lark releases me, then lowers his head. "Alpha.. I-"

"Eleanor, what the fuck are you doing her-"

A voice behind Orson speaks up, and I'd recognize that voice anywhere. "Elly?"

Chase... in the flesh, he's actually here..

And... he's dressed in some type of robe and cape, but I ignore that for now, he's actually here in the building, in Orson's office...

In an instant, I feel him coming forward, moving past Orson and wrapping his arms around me, pulling me into his chest and I wrap mine around his, the familiar scent of Chase fills my nose, the only true friend I ever had growing up, he's here, he's actually he-

He's being pulled off me by Orson and slammed roughly into the floor by a snarling red-eyed Orson who looks ready enough to kill Chase, leaving all who are near stunned by the sound Chase's body made hitting the ground.

What... just happened? I look to Lark to do something but in an instant, Adan and two others I don't recognize are pulling Orson back and stopping him from changing into his giant wolf in the middle of the doorway of his office.

I look to Chase then Orson, chaos erupts and everyone is shouting, yelling, and growling, Orson is snarling and snapping his half human half wolf teeth at Chase, who looks equally pissed off but his eye color hasn't changed, apart from his nails are now deadly sharp.

What the hell just happened?!