Mate Massacres

Chapter 21

"Francis," Krey hissed. "Get over here." Most of the wolves were in the dining hall, having dinner. Francis was about to go in until Krey called her from down the corridor.

Francis hurried to him without arguing that she was hungry. "Yes, Alpha?"

Krey took her arm and dragged her down the rest of the corridor. Other wolves saw them, and their suspicions grew about the rumour. Nobody would dare question their Alpha about whether the tale was accurate about Francis being his mate.

Krey stopped when they were alone. He looked up and down the long corridor. "I need to see Pip tonight. The bond is getting stronger, and I think it's making Pip sick."

"I was going to mention that to you yesterday when you got back, but there were too many wolves around for us to talk." Francis lent against the wall, feeling a little more comfortable in her Alpha's presence, which in her opinion, should be like that all the time. Krey didn't need to be feared by everyone to be powerful. "I've been researching soulmate bonds, just in case you have questions and can't go to your mum about it. They say, if your mate is human, the longer the bond is unconnected, the sicker the human will get."

"How do you connect the bond?" Krey felt a sense of sudden urgency. Pip couldn't get ill because of him, Krey wouldn't allow it.

"It's quite simple, actually. You have to be in your wolf form, and Pip has to be comfortable enough to hug your wolf for at least a minute."

Krey sighed. "Pip is terrified of my wolf form."

"You've shown it to him?"

"Yesterday. Pip was getting chased." Krey scowled and picked at the skin of his thumb. He had a splinter from running in the woods. "His fear was deep. He didn't warm to me even when I was calm."

"I gather whoever was chasing Pip saw you too? I haven't heard more rumours, but if I do, I'll dismiss them and say a large fox has been spotted around the area."

Krey stared at Francis. She looked down with a polite smile. "You act more like a Beta wolf than my Beta. Why are you only an Omega?" Krey continued to pick at his thumb.

Francis watched him, and to avoid answering his question, took his hand and started squeezing the skin.

Krey growled and tried to yank his thumb away.

"Stay still, Alpha, or you'll never get it out." Francis concentrated until a door opposite them opened and Makena stepped into the corridor.

Makena saw them standing close with Francis holding her son's hand. Krey never willingly stood close to anyone. He even hated when people sat next to him at tables.

Francis leapt back, abandoning the splinter. She smiled at Makena and bowed her head. "I'm going to get some dinner." She hurried down the corridor, leaving Krey alone with his mother, the one person he had tried hard to avoid.

"Krey," Makena said, slowly approaching him. The corridor was still empty. "I noticed you've been in and out of meetings today with some of your pack members. I'm proud of-"

Krey walked away. Every time he saw his mother, he wanted to yell but yelling never solved anything and Krey was tired of always feeling angry. He longed for the tranquillity that Pip radiated.

Also, he kept expecting an apology from his mother for embarrassing him the way she did, but Makena avoided the subject as much as Krey avoided her.

He marched down the corridor, texting Francis to meet him by the gate in twenty minutes. Krey planned to go to Pip's house and watch from the darkness for a while. He needed Francis because back-up was always a good idea, and Krey couldn't trust anyone else to go with him.