Chapter 6
I stand there rooted to the ground, unable to look away from his eyes, the eyes of an Alpha.
Everything around me doesn't exist as I stare into the eyes of a predator, and right now Ryder looks at me like a predator watching its prey.
I pull his hand away from my cheek, walk tentatively to grab Sam's hand and pull her behind me.
“Leave us alone.”
Ryder shakes his head. “I can't do that. I need you to tell me what happened last night because something has definitely changed. After you tell me what I need to know, then I'll leave.”
I grit my teeth. “I'm not telling you anything.”
Before I have a chance to finish talking, the two wolves standing next to Ryder shift into human forms.
Both Bane and Silver stand completely naked. “What the hell!?” I hear Sam gasp behind me. I turn around to see that Kellan has shifted too. Wow.
I take in his whole appearance but blush when my eyes finally meet his.
Shit!
He totally caught me checking him out. I clear my throat and turn to face Ryder.
“Why don't we just beat it out of her?” Bane growls.
Silver curls her arm around Ryder's waist, pressing her chest seductively against his arm. “I'll do it, Ryder, I'll give you what you want.”
She looks at me and smirks.
Ryder pulls Silver's hand away and walks towards me in his black wife-beater and ripped jeans, he stands in front of me. “Tell me everything and I'll leave.”
His eyes are back to emerald green. “Please.”
I gently nod and turn to open the door only to be met with Sam's wide-eyed stare, and her mouth wide open.
I look back to what she's staring at but only see that she's looking at Bane.
I quietly giggle to myself and poke Sam in the ribs before she gets caught. She instantly closes her mouth and clears her throat, murmuring a quiet thank you when she passes to enter the house. Silver soon follows after Ryder but not before she nudges me with her shoulder to pass. Bane says nothing as he follows with a sneer on his face.
I turn to see that Kellan's stopped in front of me with a warm smile painted on his face.
“That's where it bit you?” He points at my shoulder. On instinct, I touch it. “Yeah.”
“I promise that whoever did this to you won't live to see another day.”
“Thank you.” I sigh. “I haven't really thought about that night.”
“It's a lot to take in I know, but you'll realize with your new abilities what amazing things you can do.”
I smile. “You know, I never thanked you for last night. You stepped in and stopped Bane from hurting me.”
He shrugs. “Don't mention it. I only did what I thought was right.”
“I know but thanks. It meant a lot to me.”
As the both of us turn to enter the house, Ryder stands in the hall with his hands in his pockets, looking at the two of us curiously. He indicates with his head to the living room.
When I enter the living room, I see that Bane and Silver have taken place on the sofa covered in Afghans thanks to Sam who sits in the armchair. She's still looking at Bane again with a huge grin on her face. Ryder takes his place standing by the window, while Kellan remains by my side.
I leave the room to grab Kellan a spare blanket but when I return I notice that nobody has said a word.
After what feels like hours of intense silence, Sam decides to break the ice.
“Alright, what the hell is going on?”
When nobody answers, she looks at me questioningly.
“Alice?”
Here goes nothing.
I look around the room to see that everyone's looking at me expectantly. “Last night at the diner.” I gulp and look away from everyone. “I heard Bane threaten our regular Paul, for staring at all of you, and I knew something was wrong when I was able to hear everything.”
I look towards Bane to see him staring at me with the same sneer still on his face.
“Then, the milkshake incident that you all saw. I'm certain that the time slowed itself down for me to catch it. If that weren't possible that milkshake would have been all over the floor.'
Ryder sighs loud enough for everyone in the room to hear. “We all know about what happened at the diner. Quit stalling. I want to know why you fought the change?”
Sam turns to Ryder with an annoyed expression on her face. “Back the hell off and stop rushing her.”
Silver growls from her seat on the sofa that instantly makes Sam turn to her. “And you? Quit acting like a bitch in heat and shut up.”
Kellan grabs a hold of my hand and calls my name silently, I look at him to see worry etched on his face, “You don't have to tell us anything if you don't want to.”
“Yes, she does.” Ryder scoffs. “If we have any chance of knowing how to catch whoever's murdering people in this town then yes, she has to tell us everything!”
“Whoever bit her might not even be responsible for the murders!” Kellan yells back.
“What murders?”
Everyone in the room ignores Sam again. “For God's sake! Someone, please answer me!”
Ryder clears his throat. “There's been a few murders in this town that have been kept on the down low. Major signs of animal attacks. We don't know who's responsible for the murders or why they're killing these people, but the number of bodies are piling up and the murderer knows how to cover its tracks. The four of us have tried finding a scent at every crime scene, but we never catch the scent.”
“Are you positive the attacks are caused by a wolf?” Sam asks.
“Of course we are you gormless prat!” Silver spits, “Kellan's father's a cop and he tells everything to his son. All murders are the same, bodies ripped to shreds. What kind of animal can do that? A wolf, and so far it's been five bodies. Mr Daniels was the fifth victim. We're recognizing a pattern so it's not just some random killing spree.”
“What's the pattern?” I ask quietly.
“One body every month.” Bane murmurs. “There's no way in hell we're gonna catch this fucker.”
A man of few words.
“Look if it helps either of you, I could describe to you what the wolf looked like.”
“It won't matter.” Ryder sighs. “You see, when you change for the first time, you're introduced to new abilities. Strength, Sound and Scent.” He turns to face the whole room. “Wolves can hide their scent after a long period of time, but only highly experienced wolves can do it. Whoever bit you can do exactly that. When I passed you in the hall, I could smell the venom in your body, but no scent of the wolf that bit you. The scent disappears if you fight the change, and you did. See, if you would've let your body change, you would have been able to identify that bond an Alpha does with its Beta. The chances of you finding that bond now is zero.”
“Ryder I was only trying to help.”
I'm starting to feel sick and tired of being talked to like a child. I knew the consequences of what fighting the change would mean to me, but if the chances were that whoever did bite me is the one killing people, then why all of a sudden do I feel so guilty? It's not like I owe these guys anything.
“Your help means jack shit to us.” Silver sneers at me. “I'm done here.”
Silver stands from her seating position, drops the blanket and crouches on the floor.
She turns her head to look at Ryder. “See you back at the house.”
Silver doesn't wait for his response. Instead, her whole body starts to change into its wolf form. I can hear and see the bones in her body changing, and the whole process seems to fascinate me.
As soon as she changes, she walks towards the double doors that lead out to the garden. Silver waits by the door for Ryder to open it. He cups her face, strokes her gently before opening the door.
Ryder walks towards me and stands in front of me.
“You may not have been bitten by either one of us, but the wolf that bit you seems to have not claimed you as being part of its pack. Perhaps if you joined a pack, your Alpha might find you and claim you back. Now, I'll consider having you being a part of my pack but I'm guessing that's gonna be a problem seeing as two of my Betas can't stand you.”
“Wait, who said anything about being in your pack? Or any pack for that matter?”
“Alice, you're gonna need a pack. An Omega rarely survives on its own. You could get killed.”
“Why would I wanna be in a pack that doesn't even want me? I'd rather stay on my own and live my life like a normal person.”
Why can't things go back to the way they were? “What's an Omega?” Asks Sam.
Kellan clears his throat and pulls the blanket around him tighter. “You have three rankings of a wolf. Alpha, Beta and Omega. Alpha's are considered to be the most powerful, strongest and lethal.” He points at Ryder. “Ryder's the Alpha as we all know.”
Kellan points at Bane. “Bane and Silver are the Beta's of the pack. Betas are the second in command. When the Alpha dies one of the Betas take over. Then you have the Omega. the Lone wolf to be exact. Omegas are considered to being weaker than the Beta's. Wolves can become Omegas by choice or sometimes they can be forced to leave the pack.”
Kellan places his hands gently on my shoulders, “Alice, I advise you to think about Ryder's offer. You won't survive on your own.”
I take his hands away from me. “I can take care of myself.”
I walk towards my front door hoping they get the idea that I want them to leave. Kellan leaves first without a word, Bane follows with an expressionless look on his face while Ryder meets me by the door with a scowl on his face.
“Why don't you ever listen?” He crosses his arms over his chest.
“What?”
“You never listen to anything anyone ever tells you. I'm trying to help you! You have no idea what's coming to you! Have you thought about what this change might do to you? What about your mother? How is she gonna cope?”
“Stop it! I'm sick of you acting like you're already my Alpha! I don't want to be in your pack! So, stick your offer and shove it up your ass!”
“Alice!”
I turn to look outside to see my mother standing in the drive.
Great.
“Sorry, mother.”
I can't believe this is happening. Hopefully, Ryder will disappear into thin air before my mother sees him.
“I raised you better than that Alice.”' She looks at Ryder with a huge smile on her face. “And who's this striking young man?”
Is she checking him out?
Gross!
“He was just leaving.” “Alice!”
I sigh. “Mum, this is Ryder, Ryder this is my mother”
“Lovely to meet you.” He can act being humble all he wants, but I wonder if he can actually speak a whole sentence without sounding like a moody son of a bitch.
“Likewise.” I look at Ryder and motion for him to leave.
“Right it's getting kinda late. I'll see you tomorrow at school.”
“No, you fucking won't.” I mutter.
Mother swirls around, “Who are you, and what have you done to my daughter?”
I don't see Ryder off, and head back into the living room where I see that Sam hasn't moved from her position on the couch.
“I feel like I've been mind blown.” Sam wheezes. “I can't believe I looked at Bane's crotch and I'm not even sorry!”
“Sam I think you're overreacting.” “How? Did you even look Alice?”
“I refuse to take part in this conversation.” I turn off the TV, walk into the kitchen where I see my mother making herself coffee.
“Hi, Tina.” Sam joins me in the kitchen and sits on the counter.
“Sam, how are you?”
“You know what? I'm very good. I've been completely mind blown from seeing the size of a man's penis today.”
I groan in embarrassment just as my mother bursts out laughing.
“Sam, please leave.” I plead.
“Alright, I better go before Alice starts combusting and hates me forever.” She waves and leaves out the front door.
My mother chuckles. “She's a funny one isn't she?” “Or delusional.”
“Well, I'm going to turn in early honey, I'm completely exhausted.”
My mother tips the rest of the coffee down the sink and kisses me on the cheek. “I love you.”
“Love you too, Mum.”
I look at the clock to see its 8:30 and decide to turn in too. It's been one hell of a long day.