Chapter Four - Chase

This woman would be the death of me. Her heat hit me in the stomach and dragged around my emotions like a ragdoll. I’d never felt so vulnerable in my life. She needs us, my wolf pleaded. Make her understand. “There is no making her understand,” I grumbled, running my fingers into my hair. “She’s stubborn. She’s … infuriating.” She put that wolf on his ass so easily. I wouldn’t lie and say I wasn’t impressed. But it didn’t mean she could take on a grown wolf in his wolf form. And it didn’t change the rules of the law. Or the rules of nature. I tightened my fingers into fists and found my way to my office. Alpha Gerald had texted me that it was ready for me to move my things in. I had a U-Haul coming the next day with the rest of my belongings. The ceremony was starting in a few hours, and I needed a shower. I needed some therapy. This woman was driving me up the wall. Regis was lucky I hadn’t dragged him through the halls and beat his head into the pack house. When I saw him reach out to hit her, the alpha in me took over. I knew the entire pack was talking about it in the dining hall. I didn’t care. Jogging up the stairs, I walked into my office and smiled. The desk had been cleared off, only a schedule book of my current alpha duties and meetings for the month. There was a warrior’s meeting in the morning about upcoming training. I had a gut feeling Willow would show up. I wasn’t sure how to address her disobedience, but I didn’t have the strength to think about it at the moment. One step at a time. My thoughts moved to the filing cabinet that contained the Rogue file. Curiosity got the best of me, and I walked over and pulled it out. He was right. There was very little in there at all. The file contained a few witness statements from the pack members on the wolves before and after they shifted. There hadn’t been too many guards stationed around the pack lands. The pack wasn’t equipped to stand the ambush at the time. It’d taken them completely off guard. Alpha Gerald knocked on the door, and I put the file in the top desk drawer beside me. “Come in.” He stepped inside with a soft smile. “I heard about the drama in the dining hall. Derrick told me Regis has been bullying Willow for quite some time. I had no idea. She didn’t tell me. I think she thought it would make her look weak.” “I handled it, Sir. I’m sure there is a buzz going around about it.” He laughed. “More or less. Is Willow giving you a hard time?” he asked, scratching the back of his neck. I shrugged. “You were right. She doesn’t want anything to do with me unless I let her train.” “You won’t let her, will you?” There was a desperation in his voice. He was afraid of losing his only daughter. The only person left in his life. “I won’t. It’s against regulation, and like you, I don’t want her to get hurt. She can’t see that now. Tell me, has she ever had therapy since her mother’s death? It feels like she’s guilty about it, and that’s why she’s so determined to fight.” “No,” he admitted sadly. “She seemed fine other than wanting to fight. I doubt she’d talk to one now, for sure. The stubborn thing.” I bit my lower lip and pulled out the file. “Perhaps finding the rogue pack and ending them would help her? How hard did you search for them, Alpha?” “I searched as hard as I could,” he said in a whisper. “Keith and I searched for years. Until the desire faded. Willow always asked me about it. She wanted to find them and kill them so badly.” I nodded. “I’ll look into it like I promised. I have some tracker friends who are coming up this weekend to check out the pack lands. I’ll speak with them about it.” He didn’t look enthusiastic about my chances but agreed. “The ceremony is in a couple of hours, Chase. Do you have a suit?” “I do.” “I’ll see you then. Keith will escort you over when the time comes.” He shut the door behind him. I re-opened the file and glanced over the descriptions of the men. Their tattoos, and clothing. When my eyes began to cross from re-reading everything, I put the file back in the drawer and walked to my suite. Willow’s scent was fresh in the hallway. Her shadow moved along the slit underneath the door opposite of me. Having her across the hall would be good for when her heat arrived. I hated the thought of her lying in pain. I could at least take the edge off if she’d let me, of course. I took a long, hot shower to relieve the tension that had built in my shoulders over the last few hours. It was amazing what one stubborn woman could do to my stress levels. I combed my hair, making sure it was slicked back and in place, before I dressed myself in my favorite suit. It was navy blue, sleek and I wore my favorite light blue tie. It reminded me of Willow’s eyes. Despite her hate for me, she was a beautiful woman. Even her determination was alluring. She’d make one hell of a Luna if she ever let me mark her. My wolf whined at the thought. This wasn’t how we imagined finding our mate. But beggars can’t be choosers. Keith knocked on my door ten minutes before the ceremony started. I’d met him when I first arrived, and he walked me to the office to meet Alpha Gerald. He was dressed in a black and white suit, and he wore the same big smile as before. “Chase, you look great. Are you ready to walk over?” “I am,” I said, shutting the door behind me. “There is quite a buzz about you around the pack. Some she-wolves are very excited about your arrival.” I looked over at him. He obviously didn’t know that Willow was my mate. “Well, they’ll be sad to hear I found my mate when I arrived.” He stopped in the middle of the staircase. “What? Who?” “Willow,” I said. Keith cringed, and I couldn’t help but laugh. “I’m sorry,” he said, shaking his head. “She’s a sweet girl, just …” “Stubborn? Yeah, I caught that. She doesn’t want anything to do with me unless I agree to let her fight.” “Poor girl,” Keith said, opening the front doors for me. “When we found her in the house that night, she was a shivering mess. We’d already moved her mother, but she heard it. And the blood was still in the kitchen. I told Alpha Gerald to tear down the house, but he didn’t have the heart.” “The house is still here?” Keith nodded and adjusted his tie. “Yeah. No one is allowed to live in it. It’s the only empty one along the cul-de-sac on the other side of the road.” My gaze shifted toward the cul-de-sac and I wondered which one it happened in. The looming reminder was so blatant for them both. No wonder she could not move on from it. The chatter from the reception hall was loud as Keith guided me toward the back of the building. A pinch of nerves slithered down my spine as we walked toward the back of the stage behind curtains. “He’ll call you up soon. Congratulations Chase. We’re happy to have you here.” Keith left me in the back room, while Alpha Gerald took the stage. “I won’t talk your head off. It’s been a pleasure being your alpha for all these years. I’m getting old and tired. Now it’s time to pass the throne to a new alpha. One I think will live up to the high standards we have here in our pack. Everyone welcome, Alpha Chase Graves.” I pulled back the curtain and walked out onto the stage. The excitement buzzed along my skin, and I took the microphone from his offering hand. “Thank you everyone. I’m excited to be here. To have this opportunity. Alpha Gerald seems like he runs a tight ship, and I hope I can do the same for you all. I plan to get to know each one of you, but tonight, I’d like to celebrate with my new pack members.” The pack clapped and cheered as I scanned the crowd. Regis stood in the far back corner, his hand no longer broken because he’d healed, but I didn’t see Willow anywhere. I hid my disappointment with a smile. “Let’s eat, everyone.” I handed the microphone back to Alpha Gerald, and he leaned in to whisper, “I couldn’t get her to come. I’m sorry, Son.” “No worries,” I lied. I stepped off the stairs, finding my way around the room to shake random wolves' hands. When I made it to the side doors, I slipped from them and inhaled. Where the hell was she?