Mate Massacres

Chapter 52

Krey got out of the car, keeping his eyes on the front entrance. He could see his aunt Saphine and his Uncle Brandon greeting people as they entered.

Krey quickly pulled Pip from the car and stood with his mother, Sid and Francis. Krey was nervous and felt his heart twist in his chest. His face was as hard as the brick walls, and as blank as the snow covering the field. Nobody would tell that he wasn't feeling confident, apart from Pip. Krey looked down to him, seeing the way Pip stared at Krey's expression and worrying too.

Already, Krey felt eyes on his mate, and himself. By now, everyone, even his enemies, knew about how Krey's father died and what Krey did to stir such an attack. It should've been me, Krey thought. No, shut the fuck up. Krey put a hand on Pip's back, between his shoulder blades. Krey had to turn all his attention to Pip. I must not get angry. I must not storm off. Pip reeked of fear. Krey under no circumstances, could leave him alone. If he got angry and wanted to storm off, he would take Pip with him.

"Krey," Pip said when it was their turn to enter. Brandon and Saphine stared at Pip, not curiously, and not kindly. Mortified might have been the right word to describe the way their faces changed. "Can you smell my emotions right now?"

Krey could smell his fear hanging over the top of other werewolves, but he didn't want Pip to worry about that, so he leaned down and whispered, "Not really. There's lot of other scents here." Krey then looked to his aunt and uncle watching him from the doorway. Their stares angered him. He wanted to march up to them and slap their frowns away.

Instead, Krey turned Pip's face towards him and kissed his lips, claiming him in front of everyone. The satisfaction from his relatives' tight faces was almost as sweet as Pippor's scent.

"Come on," Krey mumbled to Pip who looked a little calmer. "Let's get this over and done with."

Krey and Pip walked ahead of Makena, Sid, and Francis. Saphine and Brandon masked their judgement with ugly fake smiles.

"Krey, I doubted you'd come tonight," Saphine said, almost matching Krey's height. Her green eyes pierced him with authority. Pip felt them clashing. Krey gripped his shoulder a little tighter. Krey didn't do well around other Alphas and his hostility showed. "Brave of you to show your face."

Saphine pushed past them to get to Makena. She hugged Krey's mum, mumbling about how sorry she was for her loss and how hard the past few months would have been for her.

"It's been hard for Krey too," Makena said, stiffly patting her back.

"Krey," Brandon said. His cold stare made Pip shiver. "You've brought a human."

"I've brought my mate, Pippor Monty."

"A human." Brandon looked Pip up and down with mild disgust, then to Krey. "That's what you deserve." Brandon stepped through them too, making them stand apart.

Krey knew they would blame him for his father's death. He didn't think they'd be so cold face to face. At his father's funeral, they barely spoke two words, but at least Saphine had smiled his way. Now that Krey thought about it, she was most likely smiling at Makena who didn't leave Krey's side that day to publicly show everyone that she didn't blame him.

Now, Saphine looked through Krey as though he was a ghost, most likely wishing he was the one who died that night.

She has every right to be angry. I'm the reason her brother is dead.

Krey stood tall and glued himself to Pip's side. "Let's get a drink," Krey said, staring ahead to avoid Pip's eyes. He didn't want to see sympathy. He didn't deserve it.