Caleb

December 31,

Finally, I was not feeling as shitty as the last two weeks and a half. The gnawing tortuous pain that roamed all inside my body was replaced by a dull pain in my chest. I was almost empty. For a while, I had felt not only my pain but also hers. It had been excruciating, but I missed it now – not the pain, but feeling her emotions and sensations. The connection we had was slowly fading away, and my wolf had not talked to me since the last time I saw her.

The doctor saw me once more before discharging me. My mom came to pick me up. She brought me clean clothes. I noticed my phone was not among the things she brought. I needed to call Anna as soon as possible.

"Mom. Could I borrow your phone, please?" I asked as we walked to the car.

"Phone? I did not bring it with me. Use the mind link."

As expected she was not carrying on her phone. Most members of this pack do not even own a phone. Only teenagers and young adults do. I only began using mine after I had that argument with Anna on our first date. Oh, our first date. I wish I could go back to those days; Except the part where I fucked up. I would not do that again.

"Where are we going?" I asked noticing that we were driving in the opposite direction to our house.

"We are getting lunch and then we are going to Chris' trial. Your father and the elders of the pack will issue the verdict today. They are just waiting for your testimony."

"Couldn't we just throw him into a cell and forget about him," I asked.

"He needs to be used as an example for other people considering turning against you. We want to get this over with as fast as possible," my mother said.

"There are more pack members who would turn against me?" I asked surprised. 

I knew many girls in the pack are mad at me. They always get over it once they find their mates, though. I considered that so far, I had been doing a good job as future Alpha. I always treated everyone with respect and stood up for the weaker members.

Mom sighed. "Having your own Third in Command turning against you is a sign of weakness in front of your pack and other packs. The fact that you have spent so much time in the hospital does not help either. The rumors about how he beat you are already extending through the pack."

We stopped by some dinner and ate lunch. Besides the situation with Chris, I was also in a bad position with other packs. My mother explained to me that after I refused to make an appearance at my birthday party, she and dad had notified the attendants that they could stay anyway. However, many Alphas and other guests from different packs found it insulting that I was not there.

I had spent the week following that day locked in my room or the gaming room and refusing to talk to anyone but Samuel, Matt and Chris; Except for the day Chris insisted we went to the city to look for her, and then, to the movies, so I could calm down after we could not find her.

***

After eating, we went to the pack court. As soon as we got out of the car an old looking woman approached us. Her clothes were dirty, her hair was disheveled and her eyes bloodshot. I recognized her as Chris' mother.

She had not left her house since the death of her mate and Chris had moved to the pack house because it was nearly impossible to deal with her. She went mad. Recently, Chris had begun spending more time at his own house with the excuse of taking care of his old mother.

"Let him go! Give me my pup!" she yelled clinging at my clothes.

My mother growled and pushed her away. "Your pup tried to kill my pup!"

"He did what he had to do! That excuse of future-Alpha was going to bring the girl with the King of Rogues' blood back to this pack!"

"Felipe and Emma were loyal members of this pack!" My mother's eyes were golden. I had never seen her this angry.

People were gathering around us, whispering among them. As my mother said, this situation is beginning to get out of hand. If the Alpha family is seen as weak, we will have other werewolves challenging my father for the Alpha title.

"That monster killed my mate and my other child! I know it!"

Two pack members grabbed each arm of the crazy woman and escorted her into the building. She had to testify. She kept screaming and yelling in her way there. "You covered all it because she was your best friend!"

My mother calmed down and smiled at the crowd. "We will get her to calm down and receive medical attention after this. She is clearly affected for everything that has happened."

She pulled me toward the building.

***

I explained everything that had happened the last couple of weeks with Chris. I said that I had thought that his weird behavior and his aggressiveness resulted from the stress of dealing with his crazy mother again. I also said that he slandered the future Luna of the pack, and lastly, attempted to kill me. 

Samuel supported my story but added that he always thought that "Chris is kind of a dick."

Chris' mother testified saying that my mate was the daughter of a rogue who killed the late Third in Command out of spite that he was about to receive the Alpha title, and that her eldest son never came back because Anna's father had somehow killed him as well.

Everyone laughed at her. Apparently, Anna's mother was very loved by the pack. I had heard about Emma before, but I did not know that she was Anna's mother. I remembered the secret Anna told me. She said that her dream showed three men and that her father had killed one of them. Maybe the crazy lady is not so crazy. I need to talk to Anna.

Chris refused to talk. He kept his head low and just shook it no when he was asked his reasons. I could see he was completely healed now.

It was decided that his title would be taken from him, he would be publicly whipped and thrown into a dungeon until he turns twenty-one, when his future would be determined. According to his progress, it would be decided if he could stay in the pack as an omega, if he would be exiled from the pack and turn a rogue or if he would be killed. Sadly for him, I am not letting him off the hook so easily. Once I become Alpha, I will let Anna decide his real punishment.

***

By the time the whipping was over, the sun had already set. Chris and his mother were taken to the dungeons. She had requested to stay with her son.

I was with both of our parents on our way to the pack house to celebrate New Year's Eve with the rest of the pack members. My phone was in my room in the Alpha House.

"Father. Do you have your phone with you? I need to make a call," I said.

"No," he said.

I ran my hands through my hair. Why is it so difficult to find a phone in this place? Even pay phones were removed years ago.

"I really need to make a call," I said.

"Tell me that you want to fix things with your mate, please."

"That is exactly what I want to do."

"A call is not enough, then. Tomorrow I will call Alpha Jones and request him to accept you in his territory. Hopefully, you will be there by January 3, but I need you back by January 5 because of the Alphas meeting. We have to go save face, and Alpha Jones and Beta Amores will be attending anyway."

"That would be nice. Thank you."

After we arrived at the pack house, I literally did not have a moment to sit down or do anything else. My mother made me greet and have small talk with every single member of the pack. I spent the whole time walking around and talking. I was not sure if this was her punishment for my behavior. The worst part, there were no young pack members here. They were celebrating somewhere else. They were supposed to come at midnight to watch the fireworks with the rest of the pack. 

Once the younger pack members arrived, my father made me work offering drinks and appetizers to everyone. He kept his eyes on me the whole time as if challenging me to not obey him. My mother made me stay behind to help clean the pack house. Yep, this is punishment. She may not look like it, but I know she is furious with me rejecting her best friend's daughter. After one hour of cleaning, I was finally allowed to go to the Alpha House. However, I was told that I had to go the next day to finish cleaning.

As soon as I reached my room, I sprinted to get my phone from my desk. I immediately called Anna, but she did not answer. I kept calling her nonstop for an hour. She never picked up. Maybe she does hate me now. She did say that she would talk to me once I grow up and learn to trust her. I swear I thought I was mature. It seems that she was right all along. I am a kid. I stood up and got her scarf from my closet. It still smells like her. I laid on my back and put it on my face. I fell asleep from tiredness. However, a feeling of uneasiness woke me up. 

I called Anna again. She still did not answer. I decided to read the letter she gave me for my birthday again. I supported myself on my elbows, but before I could stand up, the most intense pain I had felt in my whole life struck me. I fell on my back clutching my shirt and screaming in agony, but no sound would come out of my mouth. 

My body burned; It felt as if my insides were being ripped out and my soul was being pulled out of my body. It was excruciating, racking, intolerable. Hours that felt like weeks passed, and as sudden as it came, it was gone. I looked at the window and sun rays were already illuminating my room. However, a feeling of complete emptiness lingered. I realized I could not feel a single thing from Anna anymore.

I ran out of my room and to my parents' bedroom.

"Father! Call the Silver Fang Pack, please," I yelled as I shook my father awake.

He growled but as soon as he saw my distressed expression complied. He called and someone answered. After twenty minutes of trying to get the person to connect him with the Alpha, Beta or some other high ranked werewolf, he groaned in frustration and hung up.

"I am sorry. The girl said that everything is okay in the pack but that everyone is busy and the borders are closed - no exceptions," my father said.