Chapter 53: Chapter fifty-two

Del

Ajax shut the door but it wouldn’t close entirely it was good enough for those passing by not to see the ugly words on the wall.

“Damn it,” he spat.

“What is this?” My voice trembled.

All my paintings were smashed in and the shelves were broken.

“Someone found out about your Dad,” Ajax mumbled.

“My Dad, what about him?”

“He was a member of the Dark Riders. Lots of people hated them.”

I trembled so far that hadn’t been a problem. Ajax and I haven’t spoken to anyone about it. How did they find out?

“Hey, relax, it’s okay,” Ajax rubbed my shoulders and willed me to look at him but all I could focus on was the ugly words on the wall.

“What now?”

“We’ve been banished remember? This couldn’t have happened at a better time, mate.”

I swallowed and some of the nerves eased. A fresh start beckoned us before the real trouble began, but the real question was where would we go?

“I’ll have someone clean it up. You have to resign from your job and say goodbye to your friends, Delanie.”

“Do you even know where we’re going?” I asked as we settled back in the car.

“There are dozens of tribe packs, babe. I have a house in the Opal Pack or we could move to Silver Lake. They don’t have a dominant pack.”

After what happened in Star City that may not be the best place. It stung that I was leaving the life I’d built here. I had friends, a job and a studio even though it’s been ruined but it was more than I had in Black Vapour.

I’d never had a real friend before and here I had three great friends. I might have been brought here a slave but I felt more value here. No one looked down on me, well aside from Reign but I was looking forward to a pack without her for a while.

I said goodbye to the girls at the clinic and there were tears and rage at Oscar’s decision but there was nothing we could do. A part of me was happy my mate wouldn’t have to go to war with the Diamond pack. I called Ainsley who balled her eyes out. She was bummed about Ross leaving too. I guess a part of her was interested in him after all.

After wiping my tears Ajax and I drove back to our home. Goby was just getting comfortable there too. Ajax gripped my hand as he drove. A white truck was parked in our driveway.

“Ross?” I asked.

Ajax shook his head. “Damn it. What does he want?” He grumbled and climbed out of the car.

I thought it was General Maximus, but when we walked through the front door I was shocked to find Alpha Odin and a man close to Ajax’s age in the living room.

“Dad,” Ajax grumbled.

“Don’t listen to him, son. Oscar doesn’t know what he’s saying.”

Ajax was seething. I laced my fingers through him, hoping he wouldn’t explode. Alpha Odin had become a shadow of his old self and it was heart-breaking. The man who accompanied him nodded at Ajax before walking out the front door.

“You should have thought about this before you made your choice. I’m done. I’m not cleaning up your messes anymore.”

“You’re just going to damn everyone to hell! You’re so selfish. This is just like you wanted to do six years ago! You were going to damn everything for a woman!”

Ajax lurched forward and yelled in his Father’s face. “A woman I loved!”

Odin trembled with rage. “What about the people here? The Diamond pack will destroy us.”

“Why don’t you tell Oscar that? Tell your beloved son about your fears,” he said, calmer which was just as frightening.

“He won’t listen. When Mystic Pack falls the tribe packs will fall too. So wherever you think you’re going this will come back and bite you in the ass.”

Ajax grumbled. “Damn it.”

I tugged on his arm. “He has a point.”

“What? Don’t side with him.”

“Ajax, you’re just pissed you don’t want to leave. You have a business here and this is your home.”

“Listen to your mate,” Odin said.

Before Ajax could open his mouth to protest the front door burst open and the guy who left us stormed in.

“Odin, the pack’s under attack!” he panted.

“What?” Odin gasped. “Already? So soon? Now?”

A howl sounded in the distance. Another howl sounded closer followed by other cries. Some sounded like battle calls while others were cries of pain. My blood run cold.

“Wait here,” Ajax commanded.

“But—” Odin started.

“Stay here you’re an old man!” he barked.

He raced out the door with the other shifter. I ran after them.

“Delanie, you can’t come. I need you here where it’s safe.”

I fisted the front of his shirt and pulled him close. “Please… be safe.”

He cupped my cheeks and tilted his head. “Worried?”

“Losing my mind,” my voice cracked.

“I’ll come back to you, sweetheart. The thought of seeing you again keeps me going. Your eyes are my motivation.”

“Promise?” I sniffled.

He pressed his lips to mine in a hard but passionate kiss. It ended too quickly. I missed his lips on mine instantly.

“Alpha, we don’t have much time,” the shifter barked.

“Lock the doors, close the windows it’ll be over before you know it.”

I watched him rip his shirt off while the other guy shifted into a massive brown wolf with spiky hair. Ajax leapt ahead of him and raced down the road.

I marched back to the house and locked the front door. It felt wrong to sit here while the pack was under attack.

“He’ll be fine. Battle is Ajax’s favourite sport,” Odin said and smiled.

We sat on the couch while the howls outside continued. Odin had to have seen his share of battles, but he wasn’t confident about this one. He had faith in Ajax but fear still gripped his features.

“What deal did you make with Oscar? It’s just the two of us here,” I said quickly.

Odin let out a shaky breath. He didn’t turn to meet my eyes when he spoke. “I’ve made many mistakes in my life and my time as Alpha.”

“Oscar knows, doesn’t he?”

Odin nodded. This time he looked at me. “I made a mistake and that dictated my decisions. Ajax was meant to be Alpha. He should have been, but Oscar… he’s a bloodsucker and his wife is no better.”

I rolled my eyes at the thought of her. “Tell me about it.”

“I had no choice…” he trailed and looked at the window and stared beyond the curtains.

Odin made a huge decision that had major consequences. How bad was his secret that he couldn’t face the music?

“Whatever you did… you did to Ajax, didn’t you? Otherwise, you wouldn’t have been so scared.”

Odin didn’t turn his head. He curled his fingers into a fist and I got my answer.