Chapter 76: Chapter Seventy-Six - Chase

Something wasn’t right. I could feel Willow’s unease in my stomach. Perhaps she was nervous about the meeting with the courts. I couldn’t pinpoint it because of the distance.

I hurried and typed up a petition to pass around. I wasn’t sure it would work, but maybe it’d help with any punishment they attempted to give her.

Keith stepped in with a worried look on his face. “Are you sure this is a good idea, Chase?”

I sat back in my chair. “I think it’s the best chance we have at helping her through the courts. I hate that she’s there alone …”

Keith sat down across from me. "These rules have been set in stone for ages, Chase. I doubt a small petition will help it.”

I shrugged and ran my palm down my face. “It’s all I have right now, Keith. Something doesn’t feel right. It may be my nerves or the fact that she’s so far away, but I feel like something is wrong.”

Keith’s brows pulled down in confusion. “She’s safe at the courts. The Alpha King wouldn’t let anything happen to her.”

I didn’t think he would, but that unsettling feeling in my stomach wouldn’t go away. I stood up. “I’m going to ask everyone to sign this petition. Then I want to get on the road.”

I left Keith in my office and jogged down toward the dining hall. Most of the wolves were at their respective tables, so I cleared my throat and made an announcement.

“Willow is being charged for fighting against the rogues. We all know female warriors are out of the question as far as the court’s rules. I’m not going to say that it’s right or wrong. Willow was born to fight and she doesn’t deserve a punishment for fighting against her mother’s murderer. I’m passing this petition around, and I’m going to take it to the courts. I’m hoping I get there before they make any final decisions. If anyone is willing to come sign this, please do. I’m leaving in one hour.”

I put the petition down on the nearest table and walked out of the dining hall. I could hear feet moving behind me, hopefully, to sign the petition.

I jogged up to our room and I felt a heaviness hit my heart at her smell lingering in the air. I grabbed my duffle and piled some clothes into it for the night.

I wasn’t sure what the night held, so I grabbed Willow a change of clothes as well. By the time I walked into the hallway, I felt Alpha Gerald nearing. His heart was pitter-pattering in his chest, and then I remembered I’d left Iris with him. I’d forgotten all about her.

He rounded the corner with her tagging along and he stopped. “Can I speak with you in your office before you leave?”

I knew by the ghostly color of his face that something was wrong. I opened my office door and pointed for Iris to go sit on the couch. I turned to Alpha Gerald and he had both hands on his hips.

“She isn’t mine."

The pain in his voice slithered underneath my skin. I promised Willow I would let her tell him if she wanted. “What do you mean?”

He shook his head and tears ran down his face. “Willow isn’t my daughter. These girls,” he said, pointing at a clueless Iris, “they all look alike. They look like Willow. What are the odds that they do? The odds that their father killed my … my mate? It all makes sense now. It wasn’t the rogue I fought in the alley. It was because she was with him before me.”

I couldn’t get my mouth to work. I wanted to deny it to him but I couldn’t lie. Instead, I stared at his sober face and waited for him to say anything that led me to know his true feelings, but I was sure he was in a state of shock.

“If that’s true, it doesn’t change the fact that Willow is your daughter.”

He nodded. “Why didn’t she tell me?” he asked. “I would have loved her the same. She was my mate …”

I thought about it. If he knew Willow’s father was part of the rogue pack, would he have treated her the same way? Would it have deterred his feelings for Willow? I had no idea.

I put my palm on his shoulder. “Does it matter now at this point? Willow is an adult, she’s known you as her father her entire life.”

He nodded and a single tear fell down his face. I could feel the sorrow twisting in his heart. The betrayal. “You’re right,” he said. “It explains so much. Willow’s appearance. She didn’t look like me at all. She had her mother’s face, but those blue eyes and blonde hair weren’t either of ours.”

“I’m sorry this happened.”

I looked over at Iris fiddling her thumbs in her lap and then back at him. “I have a petition in the dining hall to allow female warriors. I’m sure it’d make Willow feel good to have your name on the list.”

He nodded and swiped his palm over his face. “Sure.”

“I’ll take Iris back to her siblings while you do that. I’m leaving within the hour to get it over to the courts. Come on Iris. Everything is going to be okay," I told him.

She hopped up and followed me out of my office. Her small strides hurried to keep up. “I’m taking you back to your siblings. I need to go help Willow.”

“Where is Willow?” she asked.

“She’s at the courts with the Alpha King.”

Iris made a small noise under her throat and I looked down at her face.

“Do you know the Alpha King?” I asked.

She shook her head. “No, I’ve never seen him but I heard my daddy talking about him one time. He doesn’t like ‘em.”

I could imagine a rogue wouldn’t like the Alpha King, especially if he’d left the rogue pack because he was royal.

Her two siblings were awake in the spare bedroom when I dropped Iris off. They stared at me with worried eyes. “Iris had her breakfast already. Let the guards outside the door know when you two are ready to eat. I’m leaving but my beta, Keith, will be in charge while I’m gone. Ask him for anything you might need while I’m away.”

I turned to leave and Iris grabbed my wrist, which made her siblings gasp. “Can I stay here with you, Alpha?”

The innocence on her face broke my heart. “You’re all welcome to stay here as long as you want or need.”

She smiled and I felt my heart melt inside of me.

I met Rex and Liam on my way out of the warrior’s cabins. Liam was bruised up pretty badly, but otherwise, he looked put together.

“We heard about Willow getting taken in,” Rex said. “I’m sorry.”

“I’m going to deliver this petition to the courts to allow female warriors. It’s worth a shot.”

Liam snorted and gave me a look. “Come on, Chase. You know that’s not going to work.”

“I don’t need to hear anything from you, Mr. Negativity. I promised Willow I would try and I don’t see a better time than now to do it.”

Rex nudged my brother’s side. “Come on. You know she’s badass. Don’t be mad that she’s better than you.”

“Yeah right,” Liam said.

I ignored my brother and turned to Rex. “I’m going to get the petition and I’m leaving in a few moments. Do you want to come?”

Rex nodded. “I’m up for a drive.”

“Call me if you need me,” Liam called over his shoulder.

Rex and I walked into the dining hall and picked up the petition. We had well over 200 hundred signatures from the pack.

Regis's name was on the top line. I was shocked, but it seemed as if he’d made a one-eighty. “I just need to grab my duffle and we can leave.”

“Are we staying the night?” Rex asked.

I shrugged. “I don’t know. I guess it just depends on what happens.”

“I’ll grab my duffle then and meet you out front.”

I ran upstairs where I left my duffle and grabbed it. On the way down the stairs, I felt a strange feeling of fear in my chest. I stopped on the staircase and put my fists against my chest.

Willow was oddly scared. More scared than I’d ever felt in my entire life.

Rex stepped down beside me. “Are you okay?” he asked.

I nodded. “Willow’s scared. Something isn’t right.”

“Maybe it’s just the courts—,”

“No,” I said, shaking my head. “It’s a tremendous fear. Something isn’t right. We have to leave now.”