Krey ran down what felt like an endless maze of corridors, stopping when he reached the top of the stairs to catch his breath. The guard at the door leading into the corridor stood up straight when Krey approached the last step.
The Alpha's mere presence was terrifying, especially when he scowled for no reason, so nobody knew if he was angry or not. Krey snapped at unpredictable times.
The guard opened the door for him, and he stalked down the corridor until his mother's door opened. Krey rolled his eyes. "Do me a favour and get a life," he growled.
"Hey," she hissed, looking left and right. "Where's your mate? Can I have a word?"
Krey stared hard at his bedroom door. All he wanted was to curl around Pip's body and to keep him warm. "No."
Makena jumped in front of him and held onto his broad shoulders. "Please, you need to hear this." Makena hurried him into her room and shut the door. She sat at her desk and opened a news article on her laptop. "I've been researching Pip-"
"Why?"
"Because I recognised him, and I had to know why."
Krey crossed his arms, looming over her. "You probably saw him the night he trespassed."
"No. Anyway, I typed his name into the google and the tragedy with what happened with his parents came up."
Krey looked to the laptop, then to his mother's serious face. He slowly sat on the end of her bed, leaning closer to hear what she had to say. "I knew his parents had died, but I didn't know why. Does it say?"
Makena nodded. Her mouth twitched downwards. "I'm glad you're sitting for this. It made me open my window for some fresh air."
"What does it say?" Krey snapped as his mother scrolled through the article.
"The reports say they were savaged by wild dogs."
Krey wasn't stunned often. Her words were so shocking, his face forgot to hide how he was feeling.
"I know," Makena continued, double glancing at his frown releasing like floodgates. His eyes widened. "It made me sick reading. But that's why I recognised him. His face was in the papers. Pip's young there but he still has quite the babyface. I remember reading about the tragedy when it happened because your father was dealing with humans who pinned the blame on us."
"Well, what actually happened? Was Pip there?" Krey asked, so shocked, his body tingled, and he wanted to shiver. Pip feared dogs. Krey had asked him why, but Pip didn't want to talk about it. His parents must be why. Krey rubbed his forehead with a heavy sigh. That explains why he was beyond terrified when he saw my wolf.
"It says that Pip's parents and another person's parents were reported missing after not coming home from a camping trip. It says the kids were not with them, but one woman was found barely alive. Blood belonging to the other three people was scattered around the woods. It's reported that whatever attacked the humans must have eaten the other bodies."
"Who was the survivor?" Krey asked.
"Not one of Pip's parents. Though it says that absurd amounts of their blood was found around the scene. If it were werewolves that attacked them, they wouldn't have left any bones, though they wouldn't have left someone behind either."
"What else could it have been? There are no wild dogs around here." Krey could barely believe that his mate's parents were mauled by werewolves, the one animal he was trying to get Pip used to seeing, and liking, and loving. "Why did it happen?"
"I don't know. it's so awful."
"Does it say that they were eaten by dogs, not wolves?"
Makena nodded. "I remember your father pressing that they say dogs because in their original print, there was discussion of wolves and even a witness. It's a good thing the human government knows about us otherwise we could have had a hunt on our hands."
Krey's head was ringing. Pip had so bravely accepted him as a werewolf despite what happened with his parents. Krey thought back to Pip's nervousness around the farmers dog on Crescent Hill, and how he had quite literally frozen with fear when he saw his wolf in the woods. Krey had scared him so much, Pip was almost sick.
"Will you talk to him about it?" Makena asked, watching her son with intense brown eyes.
"No. He wasn't ready to talk about it, so I won't bring it up." Krey glumly stared at his hands. Pip didn't even get to bury his parents. Werewolves ate them whole.
Makena closed the news article and sat back in her chair. "Where did you go, anyway? I smell Francis up here."
"I went for a run," Krey mumbled, standing up. His mother had plaited her long grey hair, but it was wonky at the back. His father used to do it so perfectly. "I'm going to bed now. It's late."
"Me too." Makena stood up with a sad smile and edged closer.
Krey edged back. "See you tomorrow." He felt his mother's eyes on him as he left. He could hear his father's words as if he just said them. Your hostility won't solve your problems. Krey would have gotten a good smack on the back of the head for being so prickly towards her.
Nobody was there to scold his mother for being even sharper.
Krey calmly entered his bedroom, rather than stomping in and making lots of noise. He was aware that midnight had come and gone.
Francis was sat on the couch, scrolling through her phone. She looked up when Krey entered and gave him a tired smile. She tiptoed over ready to say something but paused at Krey's expression. "You look like you've had some bad news. Are you okay?"
Krey did his best to mould his face back into his usual scowl, but he was just too appalled at what his mother told him about Pip's parents.
His heart ached as he looked to the bed.
Pip was in the middle again with the duvet pulled up to his chin, and his burgundy bobble hat almost over his eyes. Cute.
"You should get some sleep too," Krey whispered, knowing that Francis was prepared to sleep on the couch if Krey hadn't returned all night. Pip was obviously very comfortable in her company to fall asleep, or just extremely tired. "I might have to send you into Crescent Town tomorrow to get some clothes for Pip. We might have to go to the annual meeting." Nobody in the institute would be small enough for Pip to borrow their clothes. Krey knew fine well that he wouldn't stand smelling another wolf on him.
"Sure, whatever you need," Francis smiled. "Night, Alpha."
Krey gently shut the door behind her and tiptoed to his bathroom. His mother had cleaned the bathroom from top to bottom. Pip's blood no longer sat in a full sink, and it wasn't splattered all over the tiles. Fresh towels hung on the rail, and a new bathmat was placed, so the other one could be cleaned of any blood.
Krey shook his head and changed into his pyjamas, a black t-shirt and black tartan bottoms.
Pip had a rough introduction to the institute, yet he soldiered on, stronger-willed than what he let everyone believe.
As he brushed his teeth, Krey stared at himself in the mirror. His brown dark eyes, slightly bloodshot and a little droopy, looked more tired than normal. He was hoping for a good night's sleep.
When he was done, Krey leaned against the door frame, watching Pip. His mate's face was peaceful. Krey hoped Pip's face was never frightened, or angry, or sad ever again.
Krey turned on the lamp and turned off the main light, so the room felt as calm as Pip's face in a dim orange glow. If Krey were to crawl in bed beside him, he wanted Pip to see him, not freak out in the darkness.
Krey paused by the side of the bed. Should he sleep on the couch instead? Would Pip appreciate his arms around him or find them too invasive?
Pip nuzzled his head into the duvet and his teeth chattered. Krey then knew what he had to do; keep his mate warm.
He climbed on the bed and slipped under the duvet. Pip must have felt the mattress dip because he turned and whispered, "Krey, you're back." Pip was so tired he didn't even open his eyes.
Krey scooted closer and Pip reached for him. Pip's fingers were cold, so Krey wrapped his arms around his mate, making sure to trap Pip's hands against his warm chest. Pip immediately pushed his face into Krey's shoulder, mumbling something about his warmth.
Krey was glad Pip was half-asleep. He didn't want him to notice his fast heartbeat. Krey could barely contain his excitement and was suddenly wide awake with his mate contained safely against him.
"Go back to sleep," Krey whispered and planted a kiss onto Pip's soft hair that curled around the rim of his bobble hat. No other situation was more ideal. His mate's breath stroked his neck, Pip's hands rested against his chest, their bodies lay together, bundled in warmth.
Krey closed his eyes and filled his nose with Pip's sweet smell.
He wasn't sure how he coped with an empty bed before. Now, he hoped there wasn't a single night without Pip to hold.
Krey's heart needed almost 30 minutes to settle. By then, Pip was fast asleep, not shivering, and not worrying himself awake to check if the moody werewolf had returned.
Krey would have stayed up all night to listen to Pip's breathing, and his steady heartbeat. He soon fell victim to sleep, capturing Krey in the dark behind his eyes, dragging him down and down until Krey switched off for the night, with his mate in his arms, and an untroubled mind.
Krey was glad that werewolves only ever had one dream in their lifetime, because he was sure he would have dreamt about Jordan, his father, Pip's parents, or something equally as troubling.