"What the hell, Eli! You can't just accuse people of murder." Atlas bellowed. The two stood alone in the dark wood. The only witness was the wind.
"I know how to do an autopsy, Atlas. I'm not some fucking idiot. Why didn't you say anything? Why would you blame it on a rogue we don't have? You need to take responsibility for your actions." Eli strode forward and pressed a finger against his Alpha's chest. "Serena may still forgive you if you come clean."
Atlas backed away and ran a hand through his curly hair. He blinked and swallowed hard before meeting Eli's gaze. His face was expressionless, and his eyes were vacant.
"I-I can't do that." His voice was almost monotone and unyielding.
"Why the hell not?" Eli screamed. "You need to say something, or I will."
"No!" Atlas bellowed. The wood grew silent. Eli stood, shocked, his mouth gaping, before Atlas.
"Why not. I demand an answer. Tell me why I shouldn't tell Venus or Serena." Eli crossed his arms firmly and leaned against the tree. "As your Delta and the closest thing you've had to a brother, tell me why I shouldn't tell the one I love most about your murder of an innocent man for your own gain."
"He's not innocent." Atlas spat venomously. His eyes burned with rage, his jaw tight.
"Oh?" Eli quirked a brow.
"I can't tell you anything, but I know that man wasn't innocent." Atlas stormed off toward the pack houses. Eli ran after him. He grabbed Atlas' arm and spun him around.
"Tell me why you did it. I can see why you would from the mate perspective, but that had very little sway over you at the beginning. You just wanted your pack to be safe. Serena was just an expendable girl until Venus convinced you to give her a chance."
"He..." Atlas closed himself off as soon as he started. He exhaled and continued walking, determined.
"I can help you. Tell me what happened. Did her father attack you? Did he kill someone?"
"No." Atlas flexed his fingers and shoved him into his pockets.
The rain began to pour again. A heavy, mournful rain. Cold for the autumn day. Cold enough to soak through the sweatshirts and chill the two men in minutes.
They ran toward the pack house and through the door. Atlas split from Eli and closed himself in his office for the rest of the evening. He refused entrance to anyone, especially Eli and Serena.
"What happened?" Venus snuggled up to Eli on the couch later that evening. "You said you were going out to talk with Atlas about Serena. Did it not go well?"
"No, sweetheart. It didn't." Eli shot a glare at the office door. He turned toward Venus and smiled. "Don't worry about it. I'll get him to talk about it sooner or later."
"Hopefully sooner. Serena is nervous she did something wrong. She really likes him, you know. And with everything that happened yesterday, he is the only guy she is willing to be alone with." Venus nuzzled her nose into Eli's neck and kissed him gently.
Eli pulled away slightly and leaned his head back onto the wall.
"I know... That will take time. She's been through a lot, and Atlas has too. They were made for each other. He's been a better person since getting to know her. He just has a hard time opening up. Maybe he'll get there soon." He closed his eyes and exhaled slowly. His thoughts swirled, and slowly, he drifted into a restless sleep. Venus pulled a fur over him, kissed his forehead, and left for their house.
It was a week later that Atlas spoke again to Eli.
"We need to talk," Atlas whispered into Eli's ear at the brunch table.
Eli nodded, whipped his mouth, and rose from the table. He followed Atlas into the office and slammed the door closed, sealing him from the rest of the pack.
"What do you want?" He spat as he flopped into a chair.
"I would like to thank you for not saying anything to Venus, Serena, or any other pack members this last week. I cannot tell you the exact reason for my murdering James Clell, but it was necessary. He has wronged many of the pack members, Serena, and her mother, and that is all I can say." Atlas twiddled his thumbs on his desk, avoiding Eli's angry looks.
"You will need to tell me. Maybe not when there's half the pack outside the door, but soon." Eli shoved the chair back and pounded a finger on the desk. "You owe me that, or you can find a different Delta." Eli spun on his heel and exited the room in a storm.
Atlas leaned back in his chair and ran his hands over his face.
"If only you knew..." He whispered as everything he had been suppressing washed over him in a sudden wave. His brows knit together, and his lips pressed together tightly. Tears formed but refused to fall. Atlas sat like that for hours, neglecting his work and addressing his mind.
A soft knock sounded on the door. Atlas shot up and spun his head around the room, wiping his eyes with his hand.
The knock sounded again, reverberating in the walls of his office.
He cleared his throat and strode toward the door. He coughed and spun the nob.
Serena stood before him in her nude-colored pajamas. Her hands were behind her back and she was rocking on the balls of her feet. As her eyes fell on Atlas, her face lit up brighter than the morning sun.
"Hey!" She smiled.
Atlas swallowed hard and blinked.
"May I come in?" Serena leaned her head around him and looked into his office.
He opened the door wide and motioned for her to enter. She walked barefoot across his floor toward his desk and sat on the wood. He followed a few paces behind, avoiding her swaying hips and bare feet.
"I wanted to thank you." She spun a finger in her hair and avoided his face. "You have been supporting me and not asking about what happened between me and Silas last week. You have even made me an official pack member, regardless of how the ceremony ended." She rambled, her voice cracked toward the end of her sentences, and Atlas hovered his gaze at the floor.
"Serena." His voice crackled and gave way as he spoke her name.
"Yes?" She tilted her head and gazed up at Atlas' face.
He was a mess. His clothes were dirty, and his face was tired. His hair curled at odd angles and bags formed black under his eyes. Serena slid off the desk and pressed a hand against his chest.
"What happened with you and Eli?" She asked as she smoothed the wrinkles of his shirt.
Atlas sighed and clutched her hand, stopping her smoothing.
"He found something." He began, avoiding her puppy-like eyes.
"Okay... What did he find?" She moved her free hand to fix his hair. He grabbed that hand and held it close to his chest with her other hand.
"Serena. He found your father."
She froze. Her face and body turned white as a sheet. Her hands tightened against Atlas' hands and her nails dug into his skin. He winced at the pressure slightly. Her lips parted into a small oval, and her eyes no longer had any playfulness behind them. Rather, they held relief, fear, and sadness. These emotions mixed into tears that flowed steadily down her cheeks, plopping on Atlas' hands below her chin.
"Where." She demanded as her voice and body shook before her mate.