Corey and Thrain met me the night before, ready to help me with whatever I might need. Jerom also met me this morning at the pack border to explain how Simone was going to the mall with the other girls. He told me how she reacted to Roniston's words, her acting weird this morning, and when they were, she was supposed to return.
I had watched her carefully in the mall, Thrain and Corey staying closer to her, flirting with the other girls who didn't seem to notice their identities. When Simone went into the store with an irritated look on her face, I almost panicked. I made Thrain ask about her and finally, the lead she-wolf made Simone walk with them back into the woods on the trail that led to their pack.
At one point, I knew Simone felt my eyes watching her, but she ignored it. Then, when the lead she-wolf told her to run, I first wondered why. Thrain and Corey couldn't figure it out either until a wolf jumped out of the underbrush and chased after them, taking down the girls one by one. I saw Simone stop at the border, just inside, watching the action. When the last girl was taken down, she screamed. Before the wolf could attack her, Thrain lunged toward it and Simone ran again. I went after her, not wanting her to go back to Roniston.
I finally tackle her to the ground and flatten my ears at her scream. People started coming towards us and I glared at them before letting out a warning growl so loud, it made Simone curl up into a ball and start shaking. Corey stood behind me, ready to have my back in case anything happened while I try to settle my mate.
Carefully, I lie on top of her, hiding her body with mine until the only thing that could be seen was her head. The shaking stopped and the whimpers silenced. She lifted her head and eyes to look up at me, eyes wide. I soften my own and nuzzle her neck playfully. Shifting, so she's on her back, Simone reaches up and runs her fingers through my thick black fur, her eyes turning to adoration. "You came back?" she whispered.
I whine and lick her face, making her giggle until she threw her arms about my neck and tightly held me to her. Corey let out a low growl and I looked up to see Roniston walking towards us in a brown coat of fur and bared teeth. I kept my body on Simone's and didn't move. I can't have her doubting me again, can't have her going back inside that house crying.
A large gray wolf jumps in between us and growls at his alpha. Simone finally snaps out of her dazed state and shifts to see what's going on. "Jerom!" she screams just as Roniston lunges and rips out his throat.
With a strength I didn't know she had, Simone pushes me away and hurries toward her friend, crying. Corey growls, but I bark at him to stand down for now. Thrain appears and takes in the scene, understanding everything within seconds. Roniston carefully backs away, looking slightly guilty.
Simone glares at him. "You killed him! You killed Jerom! How could you kill your own pack member!"
Roniston shifts and pulls on some pants. "Simone, he got in the way—"
"Get away!" she growled. "Get away from me!"
Now the alpha narrows his eyes at her. "Simone, you need to come back with me, now. It's not safe."
"Screw safety!" She bows her head onto Jerom's bloodied chest. "Screw you and my mother! I hate all of you!"
I widen my eyes at her claim and shift, standing there naked while watching her cry. Roniston glares at me. "Get out of here! You can't come here and think it's alright to disobey another Alpha's orders on his own land!"
I shrug and look at Simone. "May I come over?"
Her eyes snap to me and she balks at my nudity. "No!" I am shocked by this until she says, "Not until you put something on."
I hurriedly put on pants that Thrain finds and hesitantly step towards her. When she looks at me this time, her eyes are almost pleading for my help, so I run over and pull her into my arms. Sparks light up everywhere and it should feel good – it does feel good – but her sadness and despair take away from it. "Simone, you're going to be alright."
"Take me away from here," she whimpers.
I look at Thrain and Corey. "Bury him somewhere and meet me on the fourth floor of the pack house, end of the hall. We leave as soon as her things are together." They nod and shift, pulling on clothes then coming over to grab Jerom's body.
Simone looks over and glares at them, making them hesitate, but relaxes when I rub her back. She watches them carefully lift the body and carry it away before more sobs break out.
Roniston growls once more. "She can't go with you. It will not only put you in danger, but her as well."
"Well, she isn't staying here." I lift her up into my arms and start off towards her room. My voice turns softer when I say to my mate, "You can take anything or nothing. It's up to you. I can provide you with whatever you need when we get to my pack."
Her eyes lift to meet mine and they blink away the tears. "I just need my journal. I don't want anything else." I nod and enter her room.
She climbs out of my arms and goes to her bed where she takes out a small book from underneath, then takes a piece of paper out, writes on it, then crumples it in her fist. From somewhere in her nightstand, she pulls out a lighter and burns the paper, making her let out a deep breath.
Simone goes to the bed again, sits down, and begins to cry again, silently. I go over and hold her in my arms again, setting the book beside us and wrapping her arms around me, whispering soothing words in her hair.
A half hour later, Corey and Thrain appear in the doorway, nodding to me. I sigh and make Simone look up at me. "Time to go. Ready?"
She grabs her journal and nods, studying the two men with careful precision. "Who are they?"
"Thrain and Corey, both my friends and second highest rank in my pack." I stand and pull her up with me. "Both are trustworthy and will not harm you in any way."
We walk out of her room and downstairs where people were gathered around. I look at them, seeing disgusted expressions directed at Simone while others are sympathetic towards me. I growl and pull Simone closer to me, making my way to the door where the alpha waits. He blocks the door and glares down at Simone. "Think about those around you, Simone!" he hisses.
My mate looks up and glances at me before shifting even closer, so her arm was touching mine. "I have."
He growls again until Thrain steps in front of Simone and levels a look at Roniston. "Move," he says with a death glare.
Simone tenses up as she watches Roniston stare at my Beta before glancing at us. "You are no longer accepted into the pack, Simone. I forbid you to ever come back for any reason."
Simone nearly collapses when she gasps for air. I hold her tight as she looks like she's choking before letting out a strangled cry. Corey nearly lunges at Roniston when he moves past us and slams a door somewhere from inside the house. "Reed, I think it's best we leave now," Thrain observes.
I lift Simone's limp body and kick the door open. "And that, we shall."
Corey pulls keys out of his pocket and leads us to a silver car waiting nearby. Thrain opens the passenger door for me and I set Simone down, buckling her belt. I make her look at me and see she's almost different, because there isn't a spark of life in her eyes anymore.
"Simone, it's okay to be sad."
"I'm fine," she says, her voice as toneless as a zombie.
I kiss her head which makes her flinch back for a moment before staring at me. I stare back, aware of the audience we have in the back seats, but her eyes are captivating. "I'm just as sad as you are, Simone. I lost my mother a couple of days ago, murdered the same way as your friend. It's okay to let it go."
She shakes her head. "If I let it go, I won't be able to stop."
"I'll help you."
Simone looks at me with narrowed eyes before reaching up and pushing some hair past my eyes. "I don't want to be banned from the pack, Reed. I thought the Alpha liked me, but never expected this."
I sigh, kiss her again, then shut her door and make my way over to the other side of the car to the driver's seat. When I'm belted in, I look at my friends in the back. "Thrain, you take Simone. Corey, you stay with me. If we get separated at any point in time when we're out on business, always meet up at the destination or back at the pack."
Simone looks at me with curiosity. "Why Thrain?"
"He's able to concentrate and get to where we need to be since he doesn't have a mate yet. Corey has a mate, but she's safe at home, so he'll be able to keep me focused. Plus, Thrain is probably the safest option for you at this moment in time."
"I can fight," she announces.
"I'm glad. I need a female who can fight and kick ass," I say with all seriousness.
Her amber eyes widen in surprise. "You…you aren't like in the stories."
"I thought you didn't know about me?"
"I don't, but I've heard about mates." Corey stiffens along with me when she says this. She notices and glances at my friend. "I thought…I was told mates are dangerous, disloyal, cruel."
"Who the hell told you that?" Corey growls.
I give him a hard look which makes him check himself before looking at Simone for an answer. She hesitates for a long moment. "My mother, Alpha Roniston, and others. The only one who said otherwise was J-Jerom."
As I start the car, I'm starting to wish that boy was still alive, if only to see a little more confidence in my mate like the last time we met. He gave her strength like a brother, not like a lover. I knew she considered him as family, and for that, I was grateful she had someone who could make her happy, smile, laugh, even when shit happens.