HEADQUARTERS OF THE FOXWICK PACK
( FUHAL)
" Not tonight, Rosie." Fuhal said with a forced grin, gently loosening the hands the buxom blonde had clamped around his neck.
Rosie, however, was not one to give up easily.
" Just come with me Fuhal." She told him,standing on her tiptoes to whisper into his ear.
" I can make you feel better." She pureed in that kittenish tone of hers that got on his nerves. " I appreciate the offer Rosie." He said, his cheeks hurting from the effort of the forced smile " But I really don't feel well, I think I'll just go lie down." He added.
" Maybe next time then." She said before slobbering all over his cheek and sashaying back to her friends on the other side of the ballroom.
" Well, you did get something out of that." A voice said from behind him.
Fuhal didn't bother turning, he had known Segal for too long not to recognize his voice, even with his back turned in a room full of people.
They had known each other since they were barely a year old, and had been friends for almost as long.
Not to mention, the overly pungent smell of a woman's juices he was carting around with him.
Only Segal would dare take a woman into a bathroom in the middle of one of the alpha's parties and return to the dance floor holding two cups of mulled wine.
Fuhal still hadn't figured out if it was bravery or outright stupidity. Probably a little bit of both.
" I don't know about you," Fuhal replied.
" But having slobber all over my face isn't really my idea of fun." He added.
" Lighten up man." Segal said, poking him in the back with an elbow, probably because he had no free hand.
" Rosie's got a nice tongue on her, you should let her have her way with you."
Fuhal did turn this time, but it wasn't because he wanted to see his friend's face, it was because he wanted to glare at him and make sure he got the full effect.
" I neither need nor want your leftovers," he told Segal coldly.
" Chill man." Segal said, shoving one of the paper cups in his hands at Fuhal.
" At least now you have a reason to leave. If anyone asks, I'm sure Rosie would be glad to spread the news of you needing a rest because you spent some time with her." He continued.
Chugging down his mulled wine as fast he could, he handed the paper cup back to his friend and gave him a good-natured jab in the biceps.
" I'll see you later, don't fuck too many women, leave some for the others." He tells Segal, before making his way to the back door through the press of wolves, a couple more women try to get him to either dance with them or send the night with them, and several men try to have a conversation with him, but by keeping a heavy scowl on his face and limiting his reply to single syllable words, he is soon free of groping hands.
Closing the door behind him, he looks up at the clear blue sky and inhales deeply, finally able to breathe properly.
" You really should learn to stay longer at parties, son." A voice said from behind him.
Suppressing the groan of frustration that always comes with hearing his father's voice, Fuhal turns and bows to his father.
" Good evening father," he said.
" I didn't know you were here." He adds.
" Of course I'm here." His father replied.
" I'm the pack beta, I can't leave the Alpha all alone, now can I ?" He asks.
" You really should learn to enjoy the parties." He barreled right on, not waiting for a reply from his son.
" You know, dance with your friends, have a few drinks, frolic with a few women." He continues, motioning with his hands as he speaks.
" This is when you have fun, once you become a beta, you won't be able to." He finishes.
" Yes father." Fuhal agrees with a nod.
" But I don't feel too well right now. I'd like to go lie down." He adds.
A look of concern quickly replaces the look on his father's face. " Are you alright?" He asks, laying a hand on his son's shoulder.
"I'll be there as soon as I get some rest," Fuhal replies.
" Go on then, go lie down, I'll send one of the healers to you." His father said.
" No, no, there's no need," Fuhal says, grabbing his father's risk.
" All I need to do is lie down for a few hours and I'll be fine." He adds.
" Go on then." His father says, lightly tapping him on the back.
"I'll see you in the morning." He adds, before turning back and returning to the party.
Fuhal takes slow steps until he's a reasonable distance from the house and music before taking to his heels. He runs as fast as he can till he comes to an overlook on the very edge of Foxwick property, his favorite place in the whole world.
Crouching at the foot of a huge tree, he digs his fingers into the soft moss and pulls out a small waterproof case.
This case holds his most prized possession, his mother's ring and scarf, a trophy he had won when he was ten and the former alpha was still alive and a pair of gloves Shandy had knitted for him. The case also held a small tablet. Pulling it out, he briefly closed his eyes and reverently ran his fingers over the screen.
He knew this was wrong, he had no right to spy on her, but he just couldn't stop. Over the years, being able to watch her and know where she was had done a lot to keep him sane. He liked to joke with himself that it also improved his will power, it took a willpower to keep himself in check and not charge after every asshole who dared to be rude to his Shandy.
He liked where she lived now, she had a nice apartment,a decent job and friends who liked her. She should be at work by now.
"Noooooo!!!!!!" Fuhal cried, going to his friends and letting the tablet fall and break.
" No, it can't be, it just can't." He murmured over and over again on his way back to the house. He had a bag to pack and several notes to write, he was going to LA.