The Imperial Wolf Series Books 1-3
Chapter 20

Erick

POV

I send Cassie and Andrew to get Wan. This is not something I want to tell him over the phone. I want him to come here to talk about what happened and see if he knows what his mother knew about Kate. This all seems odd and happening relatively fast. Why would

someone be so concerned with hiding Kate's past?

Angie is cleaning the house in a fury. "Just leave it for now. I will have some people help her tomorrow," I say to Angie.

"It is fine. I do not mind helping you both. I did not thank you for releasing me from the Omega house," Angie says.

"It is fine. It was all bullshit. You should not have been there anyway. There should not even be an omega house as far as I am concerned, but it is the perfect place to keep my mother tucked away," I say.

"Do you think your mother did this?" Angie asks.

"I don't think so, but I am not ruling anything out right now," I say.

Angie is moving and cleaning things out of the way. "She is upset tonight. I want to help her make this place home," Angie says.

"I know. Kate is not acting like herself. She is on edge, and it is scary to me. Did she tell you that she hears her pack?" I ask Angie.

"No, she did not mention it. She was trying to figure out how to clean this place up. She wants things to be perfect," Angie says.

"I don't need things to be perfect. I only need her to be happy," I say.

"Then you should tell her that so she calms down. Erick, think about it. She was raised with nothing, and now she belongs somewhere with someone. She probably is overwhelmed. She found a place with you and her mate all in the same week. She has a lot going through her head," Angie says.

"I guess that is a lot for one wolf to take on so quickly. I asked her to marry me. Maybe I should have waited until she settled into her life with me a little more," I say.

"I hope she said yes," Angie says.

"She said yes," I say.

"I am happy for you both. You both deserve to be happy. Now go take care of her. I will wake you when Wan gets here," Angie says.

"Thank you, Angie. I will try to make up for everything my family put you through," I say.

"There is no need, but thank you," Angie says.

I leave Angie to take care of the house. I return to Kate. She is lying on top of the covers in my bed, sleeping. I crawl into the bed beside her and fall to sleep as soon as I have her in my arms. Sleep is short. I awake to Kate screaming. HE IS COMING! I shake her awake. "Kate! Kate Kate!" I scream, shaking her. Kate does not wake. She continues to call out in her sleep. Angie runs into the bedroom to check on both of us.

"I cannot wake her," I say to Angie.

Angie comes closer. Kate's eyes are rolling under her eyelids. "Kate, can you hear me?" Angie asks her. Nothing. She says nothing. As quickly as it happened, it stops. Kate falls back into a deep sleep.

"What the hell happened?" Angie asks.

"I do not know, but we damn sure need to replace out," I say.

Angie leaves the bedroom, and I follow her. "How long until Cassie and Andrew return?" Angie asks.

I look at the clock. "At least two more hours," I say.

"I hope Wan knows what in the hell is going on with her," Angie says.

"Me, too," I say.

"What do you think we should do?" Angie asks.

"We cannot wake her, and I guess we should let her sleep," I say to her.

"I am not so sure that is the answer," Angie says.

"I am fine!" Kate screams from the hallway coming into the kitchen.

I turn to see her walking into the kitchen. Her eyes are slowly turning a vivid blue. I go to her. "I am only worried about you," I say to her.

"Don't be, like I said, I am fine," Kate says. I brush her hair away from her face to reveal a mark above her forehead. "What the hell?" I ask aloud. "What is that?" Angie asks.

"Why are you both staring at me like that?" Kate asks us angrily.

"There is a mark on your forehead," I say to her.

Kate runs to the bathroom to see the mark. She begins to scream as she looks into the mirror. "They branded me! The wolves! They marked me!" Kate screams.

Angie and I make it to the bathroom as she curls up on the floor, screaming and rocking. "Help me with her," I say to Angie.

Angie and I grab her off the floor. She begins to fight us as we pick her up and carry her back to the bedroom. She kicks and screams. Kate kicks Angie in the head and scratches me. "What the hell is wrong with her?" Angie screams at me. "I don't know, Angie!" I yell. "They are coming for me!" Kate screams. "Who?" I ask her. "My brother and his pack are coming for me!" she screams. Kate lays on the bed and falls back into a deep sleep.

I sit in the chair next to my bed. "I will stay with her. Just go. I don't want her to hurt you," I say to Angie.

Angie leaves the bedroom. I hear the front door open and close. I don't blame her for going outside. This is scary. Whatever is going on with her is bigger than us.

I sit in the chair by the bed, watching Kate sleep. She seems peaceful most of the time, but occasionally she will cry out or stiffen her body. I have no idea what to do for her or how I can help her. I know nothing about the imperial wolves or their pack. The only person that might help her is Wan, and now that someone has killed his mother, he may not want to help us.