Caught ✔️ (sequel to Pursued)

Chapter 38

She was sitting in Luke's lap, in the kitchen, with her pack around them. Only her twin brothers didn't join because they were at school. Doc had rung and told her to take the week off because he didn't want to deal with a newly bonded Alpha. He was rightly concerned that Luke would try to follow his mate everywhere, now that he had finally been allowed to claim her. She laughed and told the Doc. "I was going to come in to work regardless of my mate, so that had better not affect my school review."

"You might be an Alpha now, stubborn female, but that doesn't mean anything to me... I'm still the Doc and you are still my apprentice."

"Yes Sir, thank you, Doctor Boss, Sir." Juliette replied cheekily.

"And I should drop your grades, smarty, because I now have to try and find another apprentice to replace me since you won't be joining us. By accepting him, you took our future Alpha and our future pack medic."

"Vet."

"Medic, vet... Po-ta-to, Po-taaa-to... same thing, isn't it?"

Juliette laughed. It wasn't until she hung up with the Doc that she looked at Luke and asked. "What will happen with the pack now that you are with me?"

"Adrien has been trained to take over too. It's common practice if there are several children from the Alpha line. Even Camille has been trained for the position but it's more likely that she will be the mate to an Alpha from a different pack."

"Will Adrien be happy with this change of plans?"

"He will be laughing his ass off because you had a higher position and I moved to your pack, my stubborn, little human."

She stiffened at the term human but he kissed her and grinned. 'Baby, I know what you're thinking but it's a good thing that you aren't fully human... I am thankful for them saving you and even more thankful that it has given you a way to protect yourself.'

Rianna stepped out of the shadows and to his credit, Luke didn't even flinch. 'Just because she accepted your furry ass doesn't mean the rest of us has!'

'Actually, you kinda have to, shadow walker... I'm your Alpha's mate and you are part of our pack... no matter how you turn it you are below her, me and the Beta.'

Ben laughed. 'Careful, Boy, she is Silver Heart, they answer to only one, it used to be the king and now it's your mate. They have always been outside pack hierarchy.. even in the King's pack.'

Ryker stayed in the shadows but he met Juliette's eyes without emotion and nodded. His loyalty was now solely to her. Juliette cocked her head, looking at her friend thoughtfully. She didn't understand why he had chosen to join her pack. Or even why he had submitted to playing human just to be her bodyguard for the last few years, she could only guess how hard it had been on him to pretend to be an ordinary young man, sit in classes, go out to crowded cafes and clubs. Without thinking further she stood up. Everyone fell silent as she stepped closer the corner of the room, furthest from the window. Her face was a mess of emotions and she was leaking her worries into the pack link. But above everything they could feel her shame at not having realised how different her friend was. Only Rianna and Juliette could see Ryker but everyone looked at the empty, slightly shadowy corner she was focused on and Ryker stepped out of the shadows to meet her half way.

"Why Ry?"

He knew what she was asking and answered in the link. 'In the beginning, simply because Ben asked. You needed protecting when the pups weren't at school. By the time you moved to the city for school, I did it because I had seen the real you. I had been drawn in like all the other supernaturals around you and felt the need to protect you. It helped that the queen made it an order from the court, Ben had made you her family and by giving his necklace to you, the king couldn't argue even if he'd wanted to. I have protected many people over the course of my life but only ever felt the need to do so for my sister. You and Ri are a lot alike, smart, beautiful and strong willed. Even your sense of humour is similar, as you have proven by ganging up against me with her numerous times, from the moment your two met. In you, I see what my sister might have been if we hadn't been trained to kill for the wolves.'