Chapter 37 New Idea

Chapter 37 Chapter 37

I barely registered the passage of time on the drive back to Vermont. I moved on autopilot.
After I left Zayne's new cottage, I headed for the inn. I checked out of my room and got in my car. It was about five hours to Vermont and another hour to the pack house.

It all passed in a blur. I must have made the journey in half the time at the speed I drove.
I was on the outskirts of the pack before 3am. There was a wolf I used to frequent with Zayne when we were younger and had fewer responsibilities. Now, we didn't get to hang out at bars as much.

They were closed for the day but one look from me and the owner didn't protest. He let me in and immediately dropped a jug full of strong wolf ale in front of me.
I chugged it in record time and signaled another.
“You know what? Just get me a damn barrel." I yelled at the man and he scurried away in obedience.

My thoughts were jumbled in my head. One stood prominent.
Never seeing Marissa again.

Zayne hadn't used those exact words but I knew that's what he meant. He said he would send for me when he needed me, but he wouldn't need me. Not until he had successfully won Marissa's heart again.
He would return with her and her children, triumph written all over his face.

I chugged down another jug. The alcohol was strong and my throat burned from the intensity but I didn't pause, not even to take a breath.
" Might wanna slow down. It's his strongest brew yet.” The bartender advised gently. He had obeyed and rolled a barrel of werewolf appropriate beer beside me.
" His?”
" My last cub. He has a talent for this. Been coming up with different recipes for the past few months.” He rubbed his eyes and dropped into the stool beside me.

I grunted absently in reply. I didn't care about who made the booze as long as it was strong enough to knock me out. I also didn't care for small talk but the bartender apparently didn't either. He dropped his head onto the counter and sighed tiredly. I'd woken him from a deep sleep.

I carried my barrel to a table at the back and prepared to drink myself senseless.

“Beta? Beta?!”
I groaned, feeling my muscles creak from being in one place too long.
“Beta Elias." The voice called again.
“Oh shut the hell up." I moaned, hating the fact I was being disturbed.

“He's out bad." Someone mumbled in the background and I realized I was being woken up by more than one person.
I cracked an eye open and promptly shut it back with a shout of pain as the light seemed to sear my eyeballs.
" Turn that light off.” I growled.
" It's the sun.” A woman replied.
" Well then shut the damn windows, Goddammit!”

The room darkened a bit and I opened my eyes again. It was still painful and my head was beginning to throb badly.
Groaning in pain, I peeled myself off the floor to a sitting position. But that was all I had strength for. I dragged my knees forward and dropped my head into it. I could smell the stake beer all around me, and something else that smelled suspiciously like vomit.

The pain was spreading from the middle of my head to everywhere else. My shoulders, chest, limbs.
" What the hell was in that beer for God's sake.” I groaned.
" I tried to warn you, it's very strong.” The bartender said with a light chuckle.

I heard the unmistakable sound of a blade drawn and the bartender yelped in fear.
" What was in it? Poison? Was it laced?” The woman growled threateningly.

With my head a little clearer, I recognized the voice. Kimara.
" It's not. My son makes it. It's just really strong….” The bartender was pleading.
" Where's your son? He has questions to answer.” She growled.

" Let him go, Kim. He did warn me.” I mumbled as I attempted to lift myself off the floor again.
Hands grabbed me under the arms and supported my ascent.

Kimara sheathed her blade. “As you wish, Beta."
“How did you find me?" My words were coming out slurred and my feet shuffled and staggered despite the support. Not a good look for a Beta.
“He made the call at dawn." She answered, gesturing to the bartender who now looked scared as well as mildly pissed.

I nodded once. Or at least I intended to but my head seemed to move on its own and give several jerky nods.
" We gotta take him home. Before someone else sees him like this.” Kimara instructed and I felt my legs leaving the floor as I got carried out.

The world faded to black once more.

The next time I woke up, it was in my room, in my bed. I'd been stripped of my puke stained clothes and clothed in silk pajama bottoms. My mouth felt heavy and my throat painfully dry. Like someone has dragged sandpaper through it.

My head was still woozy but considerably better than earlier. It had been hours since Kimara and her men had come to drag me out of the bar. The sun was fast sinking down the horizon.
I reached for the glass of water left on the bedside table and gulped down till empty.

I had just managed to get to my feet when a sharp knock sounded at the door.
" Beta, It's Kimara.”
I gave an internal groan, " Come in.”

She walked in dressed in her usual garb of a long leather coat, black slim fitted pants and a grey tank top. Sleek leather boots clacked against the tiled floor as she approached.
“Sleep well?" She folded her arms across her chest.
“Like a baby." I sneered.
“Wanna tell me what that was about?"
“What what was about?"
“You being shit drunk at a bar and me having to come pick you up."
" A man can't have a few drinks anymore?”
" Come on, Elias. You're not being yourself. What's going on?”

I grunted and shuffled to the bathroom, leaving her question hanging. I took my precious time relieving myself, rinsing my mouth and face.
When I stepped out, she hadn't moved a muscle. I wandered to the wardrobe to grab a shirt.

“You're gonna answer me or what?" She asked, getting irritated.
“I don't know what you want to hear from me, Kim. I left Hallowden, decided to have a drink, over did it and passed out."
“Decided to get a drink by 3am?"
“It was 2am. And yes."

She shook her head in disappointment, “Fine. Why did you leave? I thought you were supposed to be with Alpha Zayne?"
“Supposed to be." I scoffed. “Apparently there are more important things that need my attention here."

If she noticed my sarcasm, she made me comment on it.
" I suppose so. There were a few leads with Diana…” She began but I held a hand up to stop her.
" Nope. No no no. I don't want to hear it. Not now.”

" Alright. You need to get the alcohol out your system first anyway. I'll have the servers bring up some food. You'll find a comprehensive report on our searches so far waiting on your desk tomorrow morning.” With a salute, she stomped out.

I didn't want a fucking report. I didn't want to be here. My place was beside Marissa.
I found my phone amongst my belongings in the wardrobe and powered it on.

The first missed calls from Marissa came in almost immediately. Followed by texts.
Ashlynn had fallen sick?! Admitted in the hospital?

My hand was already swiping to the contact icon and tapping the call back icon before I could stop myself.
I ended the call before it could ring.

I wasn't allowed to contact her at all. It would be disobedience to my Alpha.
I groaned in despair as I tossed the phone onto the bed. She would be worried if I didn't reply or call back. She didn't need the extra concern on top of being worried about Ashlynn. But there was hardly anything I could do.

I wanted to tear my hair out and scream. I needed to find a way out of this. A way that won't look like blatant disobedience. But I could think of nothing.
And I couldn't stop myself from worrying about little Lynn. She'd feel upset Uncle Elias wasn'
t there with her in the hospital. I felt like I had failed her.
Failed them all.

Time for another drink.