Mel ran down the hallway, going as fast as her heels would let her. She stopped in front of the door, took a good look at herself. She had on a grey coloured shirt that was tucked into a pair of washed blue jeans held by a big black belt. Her hair was pulled into its usual ponytail, large hoop earring dangling from her ears and her face free of make-up.
She looked good.
She knocked twice and pushed the door open when she hears come in.
The bedroom was huge. The bed taking up majority of the space. The ceiling was made of glass and she could see the dark sky, it looked like it was about to rain. Lying at the centre of the bed, naked as the day he was brought into the world was her Alpha. He was tapping away at his iPad.
“I take it you have good news.”
Mel couldn’t keep her excitement. “We’ve found him, sir.”
At that, the Alpha looks up swiftly from his tablet. He tosses it aside, the tablet hitting the ground harshly, for there was no carpet covering the ground. It was just smooth marble ground. He beckoned her closer with a flip of the wrist. Mel was about to climb into the bed when her Alpha shook his head.
Oh.
She bit her bottom lip to hold back her giggle as she slip out of her shoes. She took off her jeans, her underwear, her shirt and bra and then finally let her hair free. Her long white hair, falling in a straight wave down her back, stopping right at her waist. She then crawled onto the bed, moving in close until she was sitting beside her Alpha on the bed.
Her cheeks turned a bright shade of red when he Alpha strokes her cheek. “Good girl.”
“Thank you, sir.”
“Where did you find that rat?”
“He’s in Astir, sir. Home of the SilverMoon pack.”
--
“I need to get some things from my house, since ‘m going to stay here for a while.” Cobie said, watching the way Han Se Ju moved around the room. He looked down at the painkillers the doctor had placed in his hand.
“Why don’t you ask Gabriel? He could take you.”
“Why can’t you or Randall take me?” Cobie asked the doctor. “Anyway, it seems like Gabriel is avoiding me.”
Han Se Ju shook his head. He walked closer to Cobie. “He’s just feeling a little guilty.”
“But he didn’t do anything.” Cobie paused. “Did something happen to him too?” as he asked this Cobie goes a little pale. What if something had happened to Gabriel too? Guilt began to grown within him. He hadn’t even thought about the possibility.
“We found you a little late.” Se Ju spoke, leaving out the part where Cobie died. “Michel and I quickly rushed you here. He blames himself because you had called him and-“
Cobie’s eyes widened. He remembered calling Gabriel and he remembered the call going straight to voicemail. He smiles a little as he thinks about Gabriel being somewhere on this huge estate, trying his best to avoid him.
“Is Erik still in a meeting?”
Se Ju nods. “Yup. It’s a teleconference with neighbouring packs and covens.”
“Do you mind telling me where Gabriel’s room is? I have a feeling if I text him, he wouldn’t truly trust or believe it.”
Han Se Ju gives Cobie the direction to Gabriel’s room. He had offered to take Cobie there but the man had shook his head. Before leaving, Cobie grabbed the sunglasses that Han Se Ju had brought for him. He slid them on and gave Se Ju a mock salute before walking out of the clinic. He gets distracted on his way to Gabriel’s room when Kai runs straight into his legs and tapped him.
“TAG! YOU ARE IT!” the little boy screamed and ran away, leading a group of children away.
Cobie laughed and ran after them. They led him straight outside and it made Cobie a bit nervous. The last time he had been outside he passed out from pain. So he does his best to run after the closest child. It was a little albino girl with grey eyes. She lets out a loud squeal when Cobie lifts her up and spun her around.
“SARA’S IT!” one of the children screamed, the lot of them laughing. Cobie places Sara onto the ground and watched her run after her friends, her little hands stretched out, her cheeks and neck red from all laughing.
He stands and watched the kids play. A few minutes later a couple of adults walked out of the house with blankets and a huge basket that Cobie was sure was filled was food. He takes one last look at the children before walking away, his smile still on his face.
He goes down the hallway and up the stairs, humming One Republic’s Let’s Hurt Tonight as he went. He gets to the third floor and turns left. Gabriel’s room was just three doors down. Gabriel must have heard him coming because immediately he got to Gabriel’s door, the door was pulled open by the man himself. Immediately he sees it’s Cobie, his eyes widened.
“Were you expecting someone? I can come back.” Cobie said, pointing his thumb behind him,
“I thought I smelt Erik. I’m sorry.”
Cobie frowned at that. He looked down at the clothes he was wearing and was almost tempted to sniff at his under arms. “It’s possible that I’m wearing your brother’s clothes and I’ve been with him for a while today. So maybe his scent got stuck on me or something.”
Gabriel looked at him. That wasn’t the answer at all. Yes, Cobie was wearing Erik’s clothes but that wasn’t the reason he smelt so strongly like Erik. Instead of replying. He takes a step backwards and welcomed Cobie into his room.
Gabriel’s room was a pastel blue colour, every inch of the floor was covered by a white rug. A canopy bed was elevated higher with four steps leading up to it. A dresser was pushed to the side of the room with a big mirror designed with a ring light, spread out on the table were different make up products stacked and arranged neatly as well as a couple of sprays and perfumes. On the other side of the room were three doors, a white L-shaped couch.
“Your room looks amazing.”
Gabriel blushed at the compliment. “Thank you.”
“So, I wanted to ask you if you could accompany me home? I just want to grab a few things.” Cobie said, going straight to point, never one for beating about the bush.
“Did Se Ju say you can leave?”
“He said it was fine? As long as I don’t stay out too long and as long as I go with a member of the pack.”
Gabriel nods. “Immediately you feel, even the slightest pain, we’re coming straight back.”
Cobie watched Gabriel walk towards one of the doors and pulled them open. Hiding behind the closed doors was a walk in closet, complete with hanging fairy lights and a white couch at the centre of it. Cobie watched as Gabriel walked to the cabinet by the side and pulls out a black fedora hat and a pair of sun glasses.
“Okay! Let’s go.”
“Is there a reason for the hat?” Cobie asked as he followed Gabriel out of the room.
“It goes with my outfit.” Gabriel replies, spinning around slowly so Cobie could see it. Gabriel didn’t have on much make up today. He had powdered, done his eyeliner and applied a red lipstick. He had on a white shirt tucked into a pair of blue shorts that stopped mid-thigh, a pair of ankle socks and white vans covering his feet.
“You look good.” Cobie agreed, nodding his head as he spoke.
“I know.”
No one bats an eye in their direction as they walk out of the house. Gabriel leads him to the garage, the doors sliding upwards. It felt like he was in an automobile shop. Different cars, motorbikes, bicycles and skateboards were in there. Gabriel leads him towards a red convertible mustang with the top pulled off, hopped over the car door and slid into his seat.
“How are you liking your stay at the pack house?” Gabriel asked as he presses the start button.
“It’s good. I’ve only seen a handful of people though.” And that is probably the strangest thing. Most wolves he has seen often lived in the pack house. Yet, here at Erik’s, Cobie hasn’t seen many people. Hell, he hasn’t even seen teenagers.
“Oh, they’re there but they don’t want to see you. They make sure they go out when you’re inside your room.” Gabriel tells him. Cobie sighs at that answer. He reaches underneath the sunglasses to rub at his eyes, smacking his lips as he does so.
“They shouldn’t worry. I’ll move back home soon and everyone would be happy again. I don't mean to make anyone uncomfortable.”
Gabriel snorts. “I doubt Erik will.”
“Yeah, well, your brother is a grown man.”
“Speaking of, why are you still wearing the sunglasses? I have seen your eyes, you know.”
“Yeah but I have learnt not everyone likes them.” Cobie replied, reaching up to absentmindedly slide the sunglasses up the bridge of his nose. He focuses his attention at the road ahead of them, taking in the scenery. Gabriel, who wasn’t sure what to say, flips the radio on. Start A Riot by BANNERS flit in through the speakers. If your world falls apart, I’d start a riot. If night falls in your heart, I’d light a fire.
They get to Cobie’s clinic three songs and a comfortable silence later. The first thing Cobie noticed was the slight change in one of his glass doors. He knocks against it and squints his eyes but he just couldn’t place a finger on it. So instead he focuses on the reason he was here. He pulls his keys out of his pocket and opens his door, Gabriel walking in after him. He feels a slight ache in his chest and fights the urge to raise his hand to rub it.
He takes the stairs one at a time, so as not to increase the ache. He walks straight to his bedroom, heading straight to his closet. He kneels down and pushed his clothes aside, successfully finding and pulling out a brown duffel bag. He unzips it open and checks it, his bullets, maintenance tools, spotting scopes and holsters were in the bag. He smiles in satisfaction at that. He grabs another bag and stuffed a couple of shirts, jeans, underwear, shoes and toiletries in it.
“Let me help you with that.” Gabriel offered, taking the bag containing clothes. Cobie makes sure the door was locked three times before making his way downstairs. The closed sign was still there so he doesn’t bother changing it. He locks the doors instead.
“That is a huge bag of guns.”
“It’s a protection thing.” Cobie tried to explain but it comes off short and clipped. He doesn’t want to fully answer because it’s a long story and not one he liked to remember or tell. Gabriel must have sensed this because he doesn’t probe further. They stuffed the bags in the backseat and off they went.
Kiwi by Harry Styles comes on and keeps them company half way through the ride back to the pack house. Just as the song finished, something swift and blurry runs past the car. It was brown and smelt murky. There was something off about the wolf. He turned to Gabriel, ready to say something when he sees Gabriel’s eyes were yellow.
“I’m guessing it’s not one of yours.”
His question is cut off by loud howls. It seemed to be coming from everywhere. Cobie could hear screams, snarls and his heart beat thundering in his ears. He looked behind them, grateful that the top was pulled off because running now far from the car was another wolf with dark brown fur and yellow eyes, the same murky smell in the air. He unbuckles his belt.
“Step on it.”
He carefully jumps to the backseat, hastily pulling open his duffel bag. He grabs the first gun he touched and pulls off his sunshades. It was his brown, X-Bolt Hell’s Canyon Speed 7mm. He checks to see how many bullets he had left in it. He puts off the safety and aims the gun. The wolf was catching up to them and Cobie couldn’t risk it. He closes one eye and focuses on the wolf, the gun steady in his hand. Without any more hesitation, he shoots twice. The two silver bullets hitting the wolf right in the neck.
“The berserkers are at the pack house.”
“I’m gonna need to know the difference between your wolves and these…berserkers.”
“Clumps of fur are missing from their skin. They smell like they crawled out of the sewers and the hair on their paws are bright red.”
Cobie makes a mind note of this as they drive. They were almost at the house when Gabriel pulls his cap off his head as well as his sun glasses and throws it out. Screams were still loud and seemed to be coming from every direction.
“Drive. I need to shift. I’m faster that way.”
“I know you are but I can’t drive and be on the lookout at the same time.” Cobie replies. “We are almost there.”
Something moved so fast within the cover of the trees. Even from the car, Cobie could hear the heavy thud of the wolf’s paw hitting the ground. He grabs his gun and shoots, firing without pause or ain. There was a loud whine and everything fell silent.
It lasted for one, two, three seconds before a wolf jumped right out of the forest to the front of the car, one eye bleeding. Gabriel swerves as he tries to avoid the wolf, the car spinning out of control. Cobie lets out a loud grunt and holds the door to the car tight or else he’d be thrown out. Gabriel managed to get the car under control a few seconds later, ramming straight into the wolf’s legs.
“Aim for the head!” Gabriel screams, pulling down the gear stick and turning the steering wheel. Cobie does as he was told, this time aiming for the forehead. Gabriel managed to reverse the car at the same moment Cobie fired. The wolf tried to bat it away but it was too late. The silver bullet sunk into its head and it fell, dust collecting around the body as it did.
The pack house was under attack by the time they got there. There were wolves snarling and biting at each other. Cobie tried to see if he could spot Erik or spot his wolf but he doesn’t. He grabs a hold of the steering wheel as Gabriel jumped out of his car, shifting as he does so. Landing on the ground with four paws. Cobie tried to aim the car for the garage door, struggling to jump into the driver’s seat. He aggressively slaps the off button on the car, successfully killing off the engine, just as the car almost crashes into the wall. He grabbed his duffel bag and ran to the house. Immediately he enters into the house, he is punched in the stomach and kicked in the knee.
“I am….” He wheezes. “Here to help.”
He takes a deep breath, his free hand rubbing at his stomach. He distinctiveky hear someone say. Its okay, he's with the Alpha. He opens his eyes and comes face to face with four tall men who only had shorts on.
“Why are you in here instead of outside? They need your help out there?!”
“We have to protect the children and the pregnant.”
Cobie sighed when he heard this. He hadn’t even known there were pregnant people in the house. “I’m gonna need one of you to follow me. I need to find the best spot where I can see the front and back of the house.”
None of the men move and Cobie was a lash length away from punching one of them in the nose. And he almost does until someone stepped forward.
“The best spot would be the Alpha’s office.”
“How big is it? Can it contain the children and pregnant ones?”
Another guard replied. “It’s big enough for everyone.”
“Good. One of you has to lead me there while the rest of you bring the children and others to the office. Two of you can stand guard and the others can go out and join the fight.”
The guard who had told Cobie Erik’s office was big enough to fit everyone leads him towards the office. They take the stairs by two, the both of them running. Cobie didn’t have time to look at Erik’s office and instead just opened all the windows and pulled the curtains down.
“Help me set up the rifles.” He asked the guard, throwing him the two long black guns. "Set them close to the windows.” He instructs, doing the same thing with two other guns. He fixed the rifle scopes on all four. He up turns the bag onto the table, his guns and bullet clanking as they hit it. He hadn’t had time to clear the table, Erik’s papers still scattered about.
The doors were pushed open and the children were ushered in, some teenagers behind them. The guards led in eight pregnant women and four pregnant men, helping them find a comfortable place to seat. They were all staring at Cobie who gave them a small wave before turning back to the issue at hand. As ordered, two of the guards leave while one stood watch outside, the other staying in with Cobie.
Cobie bends down, pulling his rifle close as he stared through the scope. He remembered what Gabriel said distinguished the berserkers from Erik’s wolf pack and looks for that. Cobie’s bullets were made of silver, laced with wolf’s bane and poison ivy. His very own special mix.
“Can you spot the difference between them and u-“
“Yeah. Gabriel gave me the specs.”
“Can you aim for a neutral part of the body just in case?” One of the teenagers asked and Cobie just nods, not looking away from the scope. He was about to shoot, his finger almost pressing the trigger down when he sees him. He zooms in on Erik and he is heart almost fell out of his chest. He was still in human form. Why the hell wasn’t he shifting?
Cobie wanted to ask the wolves in the room but he spots something hiding amongst the trees. He zooms in and growls when he sees it’s a wolf. He angles his gun in the direction and takes a deep breath, watching the wolf’s movement. When it was about to strike, he shoots, his finger pressing down on the trigger repeatedly until the wolf was on the ground. He sees Erik look up, trying to find the direction the shots were coming from and Cobie snickered. He wants to say yes, Erik. It’s me. But the berserkers might hear him too even if he whispered and he can’t jeopardize the safety of those with him. They’ll talk about this later.
Like he promised, each wolf that fell from his bullet were shot in the leg or shoulder. He leaves the side of the window and crosses the room. The view on this side was of a huge field. Any other day, Cobie would gawk at the size but today was not it.
Wolves fell from his bullet and he tries his best to make sure it was strictly the berserkers he hit. It took a while but the dust finally settles. Lying all around the house were wolves bleeding. The wolves at the pack house let out loud howls as if alerting the rest that the pack house was safe. Their howls were replied to with echoed ones.
“Astir is safe again.” The guard translate for Cobie.
“How did they even get past our borders?” one of the pregnant women, who had been praying during the fight, asked.
“Alpha Erik will investigate this, Lilian.” The guard replied.
“I’ll go down and check. You stay here with them and if by any chance, one of those berserkers manage to get in, shoot it.” Cobie says, pushing a rifle into the guard’s hand. He walked out of the room, giving a brief nod to the guard outside. He ran down the stairs and out the door. He doesn’t even know it yet but immediately he sees Erik standing outside, he realises it was Erik he had been running towards. He doesn’t hesitate. He jumps right into Erik’s arms, his legs going around Erik’s waist. They hug tightly for a moment, two, three, then seven, before pulling back.
“You’re okay.”
Erik smiles at him. “I’m okay.”
He smiles back at Erik and jumps down. The wolves surrounding Erik began to turn and soon standing into their place were Randall, Gabriel, Michel, Se Ju and others whose name he didn’t know. He could also see Jody and Vanessa behind them. They were all naked. Cobie blushed as he tries not to look away from Erik, focusing his stare only at Erik's face.
“How did they get past your borders?” Cobie asked, jabbing his thumb at the direction of the wolf lying motionless behind him.
“I’m not sure yet but I will find out.” Erik says, pulling Cobie closer to him, his hand going around Cobie’s waist. There was blood plastered on Erik’s body, his shirt was torn and so were his shorts. Cobie was about to ask him why he didn’t shift when he sees Kai run out of the door.
Se Ju who had been the closest was about to run to him when the wolf who had been lying down on the ground, heaved itself up and latched onto Kai’s legs with his teeth, his fangs digging into Kai’s leg.
“NO!” Randall screams, running towards his little boy.
Se Ju tries to get close to the wolf, his claws elongating. Since the wolf was injured Se Ju was able to catch up. Randall tries to run but he had sustained an injury during the fight and thus Cobie and the others reached for the wolf. Tearing it, limb from limb.
Se Ju kneels beside Kai, pulling the little boy into his arms. Kai held onto Se Ju, his little claws digging into Se Ju’s skin.
“Shh…” Se Ju cooes, rubbing Kai’s back as he cried. The wound was slowly healing but it had been so painful. “Don’t cry, adeul. My brave boy. Daddy’s here. Daddy and papa are here. We’ll take care of you.”
--
bet no one was expecting that.
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*author whistles and walks away*