The Haunted Memories (Forgotten Series, #4)

Chapter 5

Three day later

I watched as the small female carried a basket towards the post where Lucas was tied. I had learned her name was Willow, like the tree, although I knew, for some strange reason, she liked to be called Will. She had to be one of the bravest juveniles I had ever seen. We had her healed up and passed off to her parents and when the moon was high in the sky I had watched as she carried a basket over to the post, sat down beside Lucas and fed him.

He hadn't wanted to eat at first. He had hunkered down in shame and had turned away, refusing to look at the juvenile he had attacked. But for some strange reason she was persistent, she moved her hand towards his face no matter where he had turned it to. After a while he gave up and I had watched her feed him small bits of food through his muzzle.

I didn't particularly understand it. Any other juvenile would have been utterly terrified to go anywhere near him but despite how she shook, she seemed to force herself, to work through the fear to help him. No matter how confused I was by her actions, that small female showed me a lot about our pack's future. Setting aside feelings and fear to try and create unity.

Just as she was doing now. Each time she went near him she seemed to take a big breath and pull her shoulders back as if trying to bolster herself before she would push on. She would make a strong member of the pack when she grew older, I could see it. Perhaps become a warrior in her own right. We needed more pack members like her. She was something to aspire to, something that we all should aim to aspire to.

I watched her for a few more moments before I turned away from the window and headed out of the office. I believed it was time for Avery to meet the little female taking care of her mate. She was getting too reclusive. She pretty much shut down after I had tied Lucas to the post. She had curled up in their room and hadn't come out. Linnette had to go in and make sure she was eating and doing okay.

I stayed away. She seemed to be having enough difficulties without Lucas for me to add to it. I provided for her outside of the general care, making sure she had enough to get through the few days without Lucas. She trusted Linnette enough to be with her and that was fine with me. I stepped into my shoes, not wanting to deal with the snow as I moved out into the cold air.

It would do well for Willow to meet Avery and it would do good for Avery to meet her as well. I came closer to the post and Lucas's ears flicked in my direction. He immediately hunched away from the juvenile and whined as he tried to hide behind the post. I stared hard at Lucas, just because the little female had forgiven him, it didn't mean I had. He had done something that bordered on the edge of unforgivable. I was half tempted to pull rank on him but I knew it was better for Avery if I didn't.

"Come with me, Will." I motioned for the wide eyed juvenile to follow me as I turned around. I didn't like spending any unnecessary time around Lucas. Willow might have forgiven him but I wouldn't forgive him until my wolf and I were satisfied with his punishment. My wolf bared her teeth in agitation, it would be awhile before she felt satisfied and I didn't blame her. What he had done was beyond anything I thought was possible for my ranks and it would be a long time before I trusted him with any of the pack members while Avery was around.

I had always held a belief that perhaps Lucas' aggression was maybe holding Avery back from getting better. That she felt okay to be scared because he was always there to protect her but now I could see that she wasn't entirely a good thing for him. His behavior had progressively grown worse the longer her progress plateaued. The less she interacted the more aggressive he became. I needed to get Avery out of her little shell if Lucas was going to be allowed to keep his rank.

I could hear footsteps following behind me and there was a faint whine from Lucas but he didn't attempt to contact me through the mindlink. He had learned his lesson. I shut him out completely or simply responded with shoving the memories of Will's wounds at him. I had no want for him to give me a litany of excuses in my own mind. He had done what he had done and the punishment was a result of that. There were no justifications for it, he would stay where he was for the next day and then I would let him off his leash and then the real punishment started.