The Pack - On the Run
Twenty-nine

~ LOUIS ~

“So let me get it straight. When you were keeping an eye on Josephine and Mikey, Fallon reported that something suspicious was happening at the borders. You were the closest out of all the Enforcers, so you went there to investigate just to witness three Loupines herding Josephine’s mum onto our territory. And, once she ventured on our side, a rouge suddenly attacked her while Loupines stood there watching?” The Alpha summed up, his voice a few octaves lower than usual.

It would chill Louis to the bone if he wasn’t so furious that his blood was already boiling.

“And when you chased the rouge away, you bumped into Josephine, Mikey, and their unconscious bitten mother.”

“That’s about it, Sir,” Raph confirmed, standing as straight as a foot soldier in front of his general.

“So, how is this connected?” Jack mused, making a tent out of his fingers, his elbows propped on the large mahogany desk he was sitting behind.

Louis rubbed his hand over his face. He had no mind to unpuzzle anything at the moment. He just wanted to go back to Josie and check on her, especially since not only did he know she wasn’t okay, but he also felt it. She’d been guarding her mother like a lap dog ever since the three of them, well, four, counting Raph, had burst into the pack house.

And it was all his damn fault.

Josie would have never gone into the woods alone with her brother if he weren’t such an ass. If his temper didn’t get the best of him. But he had panicked - too afraid to lose her.

Granted, he almost did anyway. Maybe not physically, but they did grow apart.

And now it led them here; to another tragedy.

Speaking of which, Louis started to suspect somebody held a grudge against Josie’s family; was possibly hell-bent on destroying Harts as well. The prime suspects still seemed to be Loupines, though the real question was - why? Why would they single Harts out like that? It was not part of their MO. They hated hunters all right; nevertheless, they had never focused their attacks on one hunter family alone.

Unless...

“We need to replace out who the rogue is,” Jack said thoughtfully. Louis’ eyes flickered to his father’s, and their gazes crossed briefly in a silent conversation before Louis looked away out of respect, shaking his head slightly.

Sure, Louis had a hunch, but he needed it confirmed before he started bringing accusations before his Alpha.

“The mutt reeked like the one who attacked the kids a couple of days ago,” Raph observed slowly, breaking the mute exchange.

“The one that triggered Josephine’s transition?” Jack asked, shifting his attention back to Louis’ right-hand man.

Raph nodded grimly.

“Best to check with the siblings then,” The Alpha stated firmly. “Let’s start with that, and we’ll see where it gets us.”

[*]

~ JOSIE ~

Mum was still unconscious.

She was sickly pale and sticky with sweat. Her eyes fluttered under her lids almost as if her mind couldn’t get rest, and sometimes a whimper or two left her mouth, ripping me from my daydreaming. Every time mum made a noise, I jerked and rushed to her side, hoping she would wake up. She never did, even though her cuts and bruises faded like yesterday’s rain.

Most of them, anyway.

Under normal circumstances, I would probably be delighted mum was healing; however, I was overly familiar with the consequences of such a “miracle”. There was nothing good about it. It led only to more pain - one I wouldn’t wish upon my worst enemy...

The door’s handle jiggled, and I jolted for the umpteenth time today, snapping my head in its direction as the restless animal inside me stood on attention.

We were both way too overprotective of our mother and way too out of it to do anything about our state besides growling. And yet, once the comforting smell of woods and musk wafted to our nose, our snarling stopped.

Louis came in as soundlessly as a wraith. His face was partially obscured by long shadows, but his eyes gleamed in the semi-darkness of the evening like two gemstones. They landed on me, ever so vigilant and enigmatic, and once our gazes collided, his seemed to pierce my soul.

I felt exposed.

My bottom lip started to tremble while my eyes welled with burning tears as my body unexpectedly decided to have a freaking meltdown. It was actually quite bizarre. Suddenly with Louis here, I couldn’t keep my emotions in check any longer.

And then, Everton sighed, causing the dam to burst. A choking sound leaving my throat was the only warning Louis got before the tears gushed out, flooding my cheeks in salty streaks.

Everything became very blurry.

“C’mon,” Louis murmured, suddenly lifting me from the chair I occupied and taking the spot himself as he cradled me.

I burrowed my face in his chest, wailing while I clutched on his gray t-shirt like it was a straw and I was a drowning man. I simply couldn’t stop myself. It was as if all the events finally caught up to me, and all those bottled-up feelings exploded.

Thank God Louis seemed to handle the woman’s tears well. He placed his chin on the top of my head, humming dulcet tones I did not recognize. Whatever it was, though, acted like a balm on my aching soul. Gradually, I started to calm down until I finally managed to get my bearings. And when I did, I was too ashamed of my outburst to look Louis straight in the eye, especially since my snot was all over his once pristine shirt.

“Sorry ’bout that,” I mumbled, vehemently wiping my face as I blew a loud breath. “I don’t know what became of me. Gosh, this is so embarrassing,” I laughed nervously, raking my hand through my hair only to be thwarted by Louis. He caught my wrist halfway through and guided it towards his soft lips, placing a gentle kiss on the inside.

I couldn’t contain the pleasant shiver from running up my body or a soft gasp leaving my mouth at this unexpected sign of affection. It did strange things to my heart.

My eyes flickered towards Louis and, once again, got encaptured by the pools of molten silver.

“No need to be sorry, Josie,” Louis murmured into my palm, his hot breath tickling my skin. “I’ll always be there to catch you.”

I think it was my undoing.

I couldn’t pinpoint when, just that I leaned closer, briefly noticing Louis put my hand on his lap and entwine our fingers together right before I sealed those few inches between our mouths and kissed him.