CHAPTER 7

 

 

 

 

Celeste POV

 

"You think we're doing the right thing? I asked looking over to my handsome husband. Phil looked over to me with a small smile on his face.

"Yes, I do."

"But I feel bad setting her up like this. What if this goes horribly wrong? She will never forgive me. And she will probably punch you in the face." I said.

"That's true" He said looking a little worried. That caused me to stifle a laugh. Even a big bad Alpha is scared of Alex. "But at the end of the day Alex is Jonah's mate and she belongs with him, so it will not go wrong. She just needs to get out of her own way and then she will open up to the idea of having a mate and what it means." He finished.

"I hope so. All I know is that if he hurts her heart, I'm going to punch his pretty face until its unrecognizable." I said while pounding my fist in my other hand repeatedly. Phil laughed and then abruptly stopped giving me the side eye.

"You think he's pretty" He asked raising an eyebrow. It was my turn to give him the side eye.

"Yes I do" I said. He growled. “But" I continued "your prettier" I said rubbing my fingers across his mark.

"Damn right I am" He said smiling. Men! Such egos.

A few hours later we crossed the boundary line between the two packs and made our way to a house that I haven't been to in quite some time. The car stopped and so did our conversation.

"Are you going to be alright? Do you need me to come with you?" Phil asked taking my hand in his. I turned away from the window and sighed.

"No, I'm fine I won't be long." I replied as I leaned over and gave him a peck on the cheek and then hopped out of the car.

I stood at the end of the driveway staring up at the dark house before me. It looked sad. As if it could feel the pain of its inhabitants and was reflecting it on the outside. Alex and I have known each other since we were little pups and her parents were my parents as well. I spent many nights and weekends at their house just as she had at mine. I also called her parents mom and dad because that's what they were to me. My second pair of parents. So when her mother died in that car accident it was my mother that died as well. We all took it badly but I thought it was my place as Alex best friend to be there for her and help her through the pain. In the end it was she who helped me.

I don't visit as much as I used to. In all honesty I don't visit at all. The house held to many memories. Even though they are all good memories I still didn't want to face them. What can I say I'm a coward? I know I was standing outside too long when the fifth pack member walked pass me and asked if I was okay. I put a smile on my face and nodded in reply. Taking a big breath and letting it out slowly I walked up to the front door and paused. I didn't knock, I didn't have to, I had a key. Opening the door and closing it behind me quietly I stood in front of the door looking around. There was a lamp in the corner of the room that was letting off a dim light throughout the living room. That was the only light on. The house was quiet and void of any warmth and comfort that I used to feel whenever I was there. The smell of homemade bread or even a pie was replaced with a smell of loneliness and pain. If those feelings could have a smell anyway. I instantly felt depressed. I stood with my back to the door just taking it all in. Nothing has changed. It was the same furniture sitting in the same spot since from when I was a kid. I don’t know how Alex can stand it.

A picture hanging over the fireplace caught my attention and I walked over to it. It was a picture of myself and Alex at the age of twelve with her parents when we went camping one weekend. I know it's strange to hear about wolves going camping in the very woods that they live, run and hunt in. But Alex mom was the type of person who wanted us to experience everything that life had to offer. That included human life as well. We did many human based things such as going on vacations to water parks, amusement parks, and my favorite of them all, the beach. There was nothing like flocking in and out of huge waves in your wolf form.

As I was reminiscing, I heard movement coming from the stairs. I walked over to the steps but stopped when Alex dad emerged at the bottom of the stairs.

"Hi dad" I said in a small voice and plastered a smile on my face. "How are you?" I asked. He didn't respond. He just looked at me or through me; I'm not quite sure which. His face showed no signs of recognition and his eyes were void of any life. They were just dark and empty. He still had on his work clothes which consist of boring gray scrubs. He looked as if he hadn’t slept in weeks and he was in need of a haircut. His once handsome face that used to always carry a big bright smile now only carried a straight lined mouth and wrinkles. As wolves we age a lot slower than humans, but since the accident Alex dad looked as if he aged at least forty years since the last time I saw him. “OK” I said feeling a little uncomfortable under his stare. "Are you hungry?" I asked. He stared at me a little longer and then slowly turned and walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table. That was his answer. I smiled and walked over to the refrigerator and peeked inside. Thankfully Alex keeps the fridge stocked. The freezer consists of quick fix frozen dinners and other meals that can be either popped in the microwave or oven. Instead of grabbing one of those I put a pot of spaghetti noodles on the stove and pulled the ground beef out of the fridge. I quickly cooked up the dinner and made us two plates.

The only sounds that were heard throughout the house was the clinking of the silverware as we ate in silence. Once I finished eating I put my dishes away and sat back down across from him. He was looking down at the table. "So....... Alex will be gone for a while at the neighboring pack on business." That got his attention. He quickly looked up at me with and actual expression. Concern!

"She's fine! She will be working with their security team setting up new defenses for them. It shouldn't take long. Maybe a few weeks to a month, two at most." I said looking at his reaction. There was none. His face went back to its normal stoic state and he went back to eating his food. So I continued. "Umm... So I will have Justin pick you up each morning and drop you off after work.” He didn’t reply. I continued. “I will also come by in the evening just in case you need anything before bed." He finished eating got up from the table and walked back up the stairs. "Great talking to you” I said quietly. “I miss you”