Pip held onto Krey for as long as it took, which felt like hours. Krey and Victoria ran through the woods for miles and miles. The snow thickened as they travelled further up north.
Pip wished he could ask Krey where they were going. He hoped they were travelling to another pack house, but Krey didn't seem to have many friends in the werewolf world.
By the time Krey slowed, Pip's hips were stiff from keeping his legs tightly around him. His shoulders ached when he sat up. Pip watched Krey sniff around, wondering what he could smell. Earth? Other animals? Other wolves? The thought made Pip shiver.
Krey moved slowly through thickening trees, stopping every few metres to sniff the air and scan their surroundings. Victoria did the same, though the woods were so thick, Pip could barely see her.
Pip kept opening his mouth to ask Krey something, but remembered that Krey couldn't reply, well, not with actual words. Pip wanted to know how much further they needed to travel, or where they were going, or why they weren't going back to the Shadow Pack if Krey was sure they would win the fight.
He doesn't want to risk it, not with me with him. For that, Pip was thankful. He knew he was useless in a fight. Pip would probably break a wrist by trying to punch someone, or trip if he tried to run. I made it out of the first fight. Pip glanced to Mark who stared glumly ahead. If Mark hadn't helped me from the windowsill, I might have been captured. Why did he come back for me if he hates me so much?
The woods eventually parted and Krey stopped. He sat down to let his mate off his back. Pip almost stumbled into the snow but kept his footing. The snow was halfway to his knees, but at least he didn't shiver from head to toe after almost two hours of burying himself into Krey's warm fur.
Pip and Mark stood awkwardly as Krey and Victoria shifted to their human forms. Krey stood first and stretched his arm above his head to crack his shoulder into place. Pip was still a little stunned by watching him transform. He wanted to ask why Krey kept his clothes but decided that if he wasn't going to ask why he could shift from human to animal, then the clothes were insignificant.
"We're by the Sea Claw Packhouse," Krey said lowly, looking around.
Pip stared at the tall, muscular, sharp jawed and dark eyed man before him. Riding on the wolf suddenly felt like a dream. When will this feel normal?
"We're allies. They should let us in."
"The Alpha, Viktor Junes wasn't at the annual meeting. My mum sent an invite, but they never responded. Are you sure they're allies?" Victoria asked.
"As far as I'm aware, I've done nothing to piss him off."
Victoria opened her mouth, then closed it sharply.
"What? Krey growled.
"Nothing."
"Say it." Krey said whatever he wanted to anyone's face all the time. It was only fair that they do it back to him.
"Well," Victoria clasped her hands together. "it's just that since your father died, everyone kind of blames you. So, your dads allies are not really your allies. You have to tread carefully here Krey. Outside of family, you don't really know who to trust."
Pip watched Krey's reaction. To Mark or Victoria, Krey made no reaction. To Pip, his eyes leaked guilt, and his face hardened to mask anything else. "They're your allies, aren't they?" Krey asked stiffly.
"Yes. I suppose you want me to do all the talking?" Victoria looked to Mark and motioned him closer. "Let's go to the gates. I'll tell them what's going on."
Krey grabbed Pip's hand, keeping him close as they trudged through the snow and onto the path. Two guardsmen dressed in dark blue jumpers and trousers, patterned with green wolf heads, tensed when they saw them approach.
"Stop," the guards demanded, so they paused.
"Tell Viktor Junes that Victoria Graymer is at his gate with her mate and friends. Tell him it's very urgent."
The guard recognised her name and nodded curtly. He spoke her message through a slit in the wall.
Then, they waited.
The cold seeped back through Pip's clothes. He stood closer to Krey when he couldn't control his shivering.
Krey was starting to see the ripple his dad's death had made around him. Krey was starting to see how his careless actions tore everything apart.
Pip jumped when the gate suddenly opened up from the middle, screeching violently on weathered hinges.
Ah elderly man, robust around the middle and strong on the shoulders, stood with crossed arms and half a frown. Two people stood behind him with suspicious eyes.
The elderly man, who Pip assumed was Viktor, smoothed grey hair over his spotted head. His eyes lingered over Mark and Pip before landing heavily on Krey. "Krey Graymer," Viktor looked him up and down, staring at his hand intertwined with Pip's. "Are you here to take my wife and make empty threats until I give you my land?" Viktor smiled smugly, and the guards stifled their scoffs.
"No," Krey said through gritted teeth, not bothering to show him any warmth.
Viktor grinned at Krey's hostility. He had known Krey's family before Krey was even born, and he knew that Krey with a scowl was his honest self. "You'd best come in then." Viktor looked back to Pip who clung to Krey's arm. "Before that human freezes to death."
Viktor turned and walked down the path, he moved fast for an old man.
Krey took one last look around before following. He didn't have to look to see if Pip was with him. He felt his mate shivering by his side. "I need a phone," Krey said digging hands in his empty pockets to make sure his phone wasn't on him.
"I have mine," Mark mumbled, pulling out a red smartphone. Victoria took it and passed it to Krey, who didn't even look at the phone before he lobbed it as far as the eye could see.
Mark stopped dead in his tracks. "What the fuck!"
Krey dislodged Pip's hands from his arm and stormed to Mark, still fuming from when he shoved Pip down the slope. "Be thankful that was your phone and not you," he growled in his face. "Touch Pip one more time and I really will end you."
"I'd listen to him if I were you," Viktor said as calm as if Krey had just told him what he had for breakfast. "Mister Graymer here likes to act on impulse. You piss him off, he will hurt you before he thinks about the consequences."
Krey ground his teeth and fought against muttering under his breath. Pip was freezing and tired and needed a safe place to sleep. Falling out with Viktor wasn't on his to do list.
As they approached the building, Krey was handed another phone.
"Make your calls," Viktor said, looking Krey up and down again. "Your father was good to us, so we'll be good to you."
Viktor left and yelled down the corridors for more wolves to guard the perimeters. Viktor's Beta wolf hung back to sort them with rooms.
Krey glared at the Beta wolf who stared blankly at Pip. "You can have one of the empty Omega rooms for the night." The Beta wasn't pleased about their intrusion, but Krey was just glad they were inside and not sheltering under a tree.
"I need dry clothes for my mate," Krey said, eyeing Pip's soggy jumper, jeans and shoes. Even Pip's hair was a little wet from the snowflakes.
"Sorry, no." The Beta couldn't have been blunter.
Victoria pursed her lips. If she wasn't family, she would struggle to look Krey in the eye, let alone reject his command.
Krey clenched his fists and stopped in front of the beta. Pip watched him tear the Beta down with just a look. "I wasn't asking, I was telling," Krey growled.
The Beta then lowered his head. Krey had a reputation, and by now, the death of Krey's Beta wolf was spreading. Krey had killed Jordan for trying to kill Pippor. Krey didn't see what was so shocking.
"Fine, but they won't fit him." The Beta wolf pointed towards a door. "You're in there." He turned and pointed at an opposite door and looked to Victoria. "You're in there."
When the Beta was gone, Krey and Victoria gave each other a nod and entered their rooms for the night.
Pip rubbed his hands together. The small window by the single bed was open. Krey closed it and the bed creaked under him. Pip was reminded of his bedroom at his aunt and uncles house. The room was small, bare and dull, but it was out of the snow. Pip couldn't be more pleased to be somewhere with light, and a room shared with Krey was a room worth sleeping in.
He sat next to Krey on the bed, who stared at the phone in his hand. "Will you phone Francis?" Pip wanted to talk about connecting the bond. He felt different, but he wasn't yet sure how.
Viktor didn't ask why we're seeking refuge, Krey thought. Was he expecting us? Viktor either didn't care or knew more than he should. "Pip." Krey's voice was a little quiet and very deep.
Emotion shaped Krey's features. Pip saw worry glazing his brown eyes. "Are you scared to phone in case someone is hurt?"
Krey nodded, pleased that someone was starting to understand him.
"I can phone her if you like?" Pip smiled, deepening his dimples, and Krey's heart warmed.
"It's okay." Krey softly pinched Pip's cheek. "But thank you."
Krey dialled Francis's number. The phone rung four times before she answered.
"Hello?"
"It's Krey."
"Krey! I'm so relieved to hear you! Have you found Pip?"
"Yes. He's with me now." Krey eyed his mate shivering next to him. As soon as he was off the phone, he would chase down the Beta wolf for clothes. "We're at Sea Claw Packhouse. Crescent Packhouse has been taken."
The silence was almost painful.
"By southern wolves?" Francis's voice was heavy with disappointment. "That was their plan all along, wasn't it?"
"Yes." Krey felt the anger rising. He wanted his home back. "Who's dead?"
"Nobody from our pack. Your mum is with me, and Sid's pretty hurt but he's doing okay too. We could stay here at Shadow Pack, but I get the feeling we're not welcome. Saphine and Brandon haven't shown face since the fighting happened. They sent no pack members to help us."
Krey's eyes darkened. "Get yourself out of there. Let mum travel on your back and bring everyone to Sea Claw Packhouse. We'll make a plan to rescue the rest of the pack from Crescent Packhouse when you're here."
"Yes Alpha. We're on our way."
Krey hung up first, feeling lighter after knowing that Francis, his mother, and his Delta wolf were still alive. Krey wouldn't rest until he saw them with his own eyes.
The Beta wolf soon arrived with clothes for Pip. Krey locked the door after him, knowing he wouldn't rest at all in such an unfamiliar place.