Unmarked Mates

Chapter 19: "Grief divided is made lighter"

Alyssa, pack doctor of Howl Pack above

Terry POV

I walk between the buildings, the packhouse is burning behind me. That was a very small pack, but it disappear completely today. We lost some men, men we shouldn't have lost if Jordan wasn't trying to be an unnecessary hero and stuck to my plan. I hear the howling and whimpering, the sounds of agony. There are dying, those who are not dead will die soon.

I know Jordan is still in front of the packhouse, he and his people managed to get the Alpha alive and are now in the process of killing him slowly. Tough guy, he hasn't made any sound, at least not yet. Since we should leave soon I also hope that Jordan will finish him quickly.

By the corner of my eye, I notice the movement and someone jumps on me, that wolf isn't big but seems determined. Why is it still here, they should have run, not many who survived should run away as fast as they could.

My instincts kick in as Doggy jumps into the fight, Eric is also very quickly next to me to help. He manages to push it away from me and when it jumps at us again I shoot. The wolf lies on the ground bleeding, I gulp trying to ignore the sight of her big pregnant belly.

There is someone standing at the entrance to the nearest house, how old is this boy, seven? Eight?

No movement comes from him, he just looks at me, he doesn't make any sound, just looks at me.

I carefully look around but it seems there is no one here, except us and the boy.

I hear Jordan's voice through the walkie-talkie as he asks me if I found anybody alive.

"Nobody, we are done," I say not looking at Eric.

None of us utter a single word as we just turn around and leave, the boy is still looking at us.

His face is a blur to me, if I bump into him ever again I would not recognize him, I'm sure of it. Just like I'm sure he will recognize me. Sometimes when I am in the mall or in cities I haven't been to before and some people look at me I wonder if they recognize me. If they saw a monster I'd been. If their hatred will be stronger than their fear and they will try to take my life.

Sometimes I wonder if I try to protect myself or not, do I care enough to protect myself?

I open my eyes, and when a nightmare strikes I don't wake up screaming, just covered in a cold sweat and panting hard, just like today. I glance at the clock, 3 in the morning. I know I won't be able to sleep anymore so I stand up. I am moving slightly Pearl to the edge of the bed. She was so persistent on sleeping with me so I agreed but only in her wolf form.

She must know that at her age she can't sleep in one bed with the man, and since I didn't want to start to explain her flowers and bees this one rule seemed to be better to close the topic. Doggy stirs in his sleep, he has never slept in bed with me. But Pearl couldn't understand why her wolf can sleep in the bed and Doggy can't. Well, in just a couple more weeks, she will turn him into the lapdog, and I won't be able to do anything about it.

I sit in the kitchen with a cup of hot tea wondering how I should spend the hours left to dusk when Pearl enters the kitchen.

"Daddy can't sleep?" she asks sitting next to me.

"I had a nightmare, and you why are you up?"

"Worried about Daddy but Daddy okay."

I smile at her waiting, she usually plays with her fingers when she wants to say more and that is what she does right now.