PROWESS. (COMPLETED)

Chapter 58

Chanel POV; 

Unsettled, I shuffle about the pack house looking for things to clean. I'd already mopped the floors and dusted anything and everything I could find. I just couldn't be still; the restlessness had been building for a few days since the Prince had been found and taken to hospital. Truth be told, I wasn't the only one in such a state of unrest; the pack (predominantly its original members) were uneasy about Ana's absence due to the Prince's condition. Ana had only been in contact since to issue orders regarding the running of the pack throughout her absence, which we had been diligently attending to. Every night, after all the new recruits had gone to bed, we gathered to hear our orders, and try to gauge from Ana how she was coping and whether there had been any improvement in the Prince's condition. To no avail. We were forbidden to mention anything in relation to what had happened, and instead we'd had to accept the story of acute flu which had been fed to the media. Those of us who knew Ana well suspected she wasn't coping, yet having not seen her for several days, we had nothing to confirm this. Even I, who had grown up being best friends with Ana, couldn't read her anymore. Not only did this upset me, it deeply concerned me.

Eventually, I find myself back in the lounge and Rick pulls me into his lap, rubbing circles into the tops of my thighs to help calm my building anxiety. Our connection warms with love, soothing me a little. These past months, the change in Ana's demeanor had been noticeable; the combination of added pressure arising from pack matters and increased media attention had to be taking its toll. It wasn't that Ana was showing the strain and that was why we were all concerned, it was that she wasn't. I'd seen less and less Ana, and more and more Prowess. I wanted my best friend back.

Earlier this evening, Anya had managed to confirm from a doctor friend of hers at the hospital that Ana had left hours ago. I'd texted her several times, with many of the others trying to ring her but her phone was turned off. I'd tried mentally reaching out to her only to meet with an impenetrable wall: unless it was an emergency which would automatically link Ana's mind with ours, we only met with mental barriers. Had something bad happened to her? The last time Ana was this silent, it was because James had attacked her...

"The Prowess may merely be visiting another Alpha," Spoke Samson, seemingly reading my thoughts on my face. Rick, Samson and I were the only ones still waiting up. Rick had ordered the others to go to bed given that it was creating concern amongst the newest members as to why we needed to stay up late, and suspicion as to what they might be being excluded from. I hated that Rick would have to deliver that bad news as soon as Ana got back; a small group of the new recruits were questioning Ana's authority. Her absence and the continued border patrols by our pack members were making them doubt Ana's ability as Prowess to protect and serve as leader. It made my blood boil to think about the very indignation of it! They didn't know her like we did, Ana – The Prowess – was the most incredible person I knew. I lived in awe of her, not only as my best friend but as my leader.

"Do you really have to tell her about the new recruits?" I ask Rick trying to soften the annoyance in my tone by wrapping my arms around him lovingly. As soon as the words leave my lips, the painful ache in my temples springs, serving as a reminder that there can be no deception or dishonesty when it comes to your pack leader.

"Yes." Says Rick softly, coving the hand at my temple with his and pulling me forward to kiss my forehead. "You know I have to." The ache throbbed as agreement.