Part 40

/Reed's POV/

"Reed, wait for me!" I laughed at the grumble in her voice, racing through the trees, my feet letting me leap and sprint easily over the soft earth in the forest. Looking over my shoulder, I saw the omega running, struggling to close the distance between us.

Usually, we played hide and seek, having known more spots in the forest to hide places that would conceal my fur perfectly but make Erin's pure coat stick out like a sore thumb when she tried to copy me. This time we had chosen tag as our game, and while I could run through the trees, shifting in and out of four furry legs to two sleek ones, Erin struggled to catch up on her pudgy, short legs, and had to stop entirely and concentrate on shifting, giving me more time to run away.

By the third time she shifted, I had managed to scale halfway up a small tree. When the little wolf skittered in front of the tree, she shoved her paws, tripping up as she tried to gain traction.

"Hey!" She yelled, a frown on her tanned face, "You can't do that!"

"More like you can't do it," I taunted, swinging my legs over the branch while she tried to follow up the trees in the forest but never managed to get higher without falling and getting a scratch or gash somewhere on her fragile body.

"It's not fair!" She whined, plopping down heavily on the ground and pouting. "I miss Rowan."

"He would have done the same thing...." I made a face, already thinking of my brother, who stayed back to help our mother with lunch.

"Maybe..."

"Okay, pup. Let's go back and find our parents now."

"I am not a pup," She said firmly, raising her hands. "I'm five!"

"Oh, fine," I rolled my eyes and then jumped down, smoothly landing on the ground, "Let's race back to the river. I'll give you a head start and everything."

Her eyes lit up, and she nodded before sprinting back the way they had come. I gave her about five seconds before shifting and then running efficiently through the forest, passing her in a few minutes. The omega shouted behind, and as the river came into view, I shifted, tumbling and laughing as she caught up to me, her chubby face bright red under the sun.

"You cheated, Reed," She twisted her lips and turned to Rowan. "Your brother is a big cheater."

"Shifting isn't cheating."

"It is when I cannot do that!"

The omega stomped the ground while Rowan rushed to her side.

Laughter rose from the elders, and I turned to look at our family as they watched us with fond looks. That was the last time we gathered near the river and had a picnic either of us could forget.

***

I shook my head at the sudden memory, raking a hand over the curls and tugging. It only made me realise how distant and far away those days seemed. My mother never came with us to any picnic after that, she threw herself into pack duties, and we grew up.

Why did she change so drastically? What happened to Erin all those years ago? When was the best time to ask her about it? All these questions kept swirling in my brain.

"Finally!" A familiar voice screeched. "I've been looking for you all over...." I felt a hand slap against my upper back, making me release a huff in return. Raising my head, I looked up from where I was sitting in the kitchen corner, my eyes finding Charles.

The large, open window next to me allowed an evening breeze to drift through and run along with my hair. My face was hot, and the cold draft felt nice. I was sitting in the kitchen, trying to find a way to distract myself from last night. The voices of people passing by the window were the only form of distraction, and it was as entertaining as one could find it.

"I came back hours ago. I don't know where you have been looking."

The plate in front of me was untouched. A few minutes ago, the housekeeper made dinner—a grilled sandwich with as much as meat she could find in the refrigerator. At least that's what anyone would think, eyeing the double-decker mess with lettuce and cheese on the side of it, along with a small container of ketchup and a bowl of freshly deep-fried french fries. I didn't have the stomach to take a bite out of it, leaving the food to grow cold on the plate. Instead, I decided to munch slowly on fries as I sat back to watch the entrance.

"Your sandwich is getting cold," Charles pointed out.

In response to that, I pushed the plate in front of him. My friend took no time digging into the sandwich, a grin on his face.

"Hey, I got a question," He spoke after taking a mouthful bite. The beta wasn't looking at me at all. It made me chuckle, resting my elbow on the table.

"What is your question?"

I waited patiently as I watched the beta take another huge bite from the sandwich, his attention completely lost and directed towards just the food.

"You went to the witch today...I heard it from Rowan earlier. How did that go?"

A grimace settled on my feature as I recalled back to the time I spent with Jade. Or lack of thereof. As soon as I rushed to her place, I could sense something was off.

I smelled something sharp, poignant, and metallic while on the way there. And when I placed my hand on the door and turned the palms up to my face, I realised my skin had taken on a deep, burgundy colour. Blood. Colour drained my face as I barged in and found Jade writhing on the floor.

My pulse was galloping away, and my ears turned fuzzy, but my vision stayed cruelly clear and precise. Someone attacked the witch.

"Reed?!" A sharp nudge to my side snapped me out of the trance, an exasperated sigh leaving my mouth.

"What's going on?"

"Jade was attacked."

"What?!" He almost screamed when I glared at him, looking around and noticing that we were the only ones in the kitchen. None of my family members stepped out. Maybe they were embarrassed after the way they all acted in front of Erin.

"Scream a little louder. I don't think the training guards heard you."

"Sorry." He mumbled sheepishly.

"But seriously, what happened?"

Taking a deep breath, I squared my shoulders, staring at the beta in front of me. Charles did know the entire story, but some parts of them, and I trusted him enough.

"Jade's search for the poison led her to a valley outside the forest area when someone attacked her. She had no way of knowing who it was as they were in the wolf form and had their scent masked. Somehow she managed to escape and is healing herself now."

"Oh, moons!" The betas eyes widened, frozen in the seat with hands dropping his sandwich. "I think someone knows she is on to them and is making sure to keep the truth hidden."

I hummed at his deduction, arms coming to cross against my chest. "Mhm, sounds like it! The wolf attacking her right outside the valley proves she was very close to the truth."

"Maybe. Now that Jade is not well, I go and find out...."

"Charles, no!" I pinned him with a look, my jaw clenching. "This is dangerous, and I don't want you to involve yourself in this mess. Our enemy is on high alert more than before, so we should act wisely."

He opened his mouth to retort when my phone buzzed in the pocket. I raised my finger, staring at the screen only to see Rowan's name flashing across. Huh? I thought he was in here.

"Why is Rowan calling me from the packhouse?"

"He's not here," Charles murmured, dipping the fry into the sauce.

"What?"

"Just pick up the call!"

I breathed, swiping the green icon and pressing the phone against my ear. The sound of ragged breathing on the other side, followed by low whines, made me still on the spot. What was going on?

"Hello? Rowan? Are you alright?"

He awkwardly chuckled, his voice high pitched. "This is..." My brother suddenly paused, some shuffling in the background. "I need your help, Reed."

"What's going on? Where are you?"

"Erin went into heat." My face paled at those words, a lump forming in my throat, the grip on the phone loosening. He continued, oblivious to my reaction. "So we were having dinner with the staff and then...I don't have time to explain this on the phone. What should I do?"

I opened and closed my mouth when a low whine went off in my ears again. Oh no. Erin was in heat.

"Stay there...I am coming!"

***