Chapter 5

I didn’t stop running until my lungs felt like they would implode. I dropped to my knees, panting heavily and waiting for the black spots to disappear. My mind wouldn’t stop replaying the conversation with Mike over and over. Did Harry know what the alpha had planned? I stared up into the cloudless sky through the trees. No, he couldn’t know. Harry was a good person, despite being a werewolf. He’d never allow Dean to be framed to start some stupid war.

Bitter rage filled me. I wanted to do something, to stop the alpha, but what? I was just a stupid human. Mike spent the last three years making sure I knew I never had a chance against them. I may be a mere human but Harry wasn’t nor was Dean. I could warn them of the alpha’s plans. I stood with determination, but when I looked around and saw only trees, I realized I had no idea which way I’d come from.

I took out my phone and sighed - no signal. Great. I looked at the sky, trying to judge where I was according to the sun. It always rose in the west and set in the east right...or was it the other way around. Man, I couldn’t remember. I was so screwed! The moss! I thought with a flare of hope. I heard moss only grows on the northeast side of the tree. I leaned over to examine the nearest tree -it had no moss on it, of course.

After a quick but unsuccessful search for a mossy tree, any mossy tree would do, and coming up empty I gave up. I spun a slow circle, hoping for some kind of indication of where town was. Why couldn’t nature come with proper signalization? How do people find their way around here? I mean come on would it hurt to have a sign with ‘town is this way.’ I don’t think so. I huffed with indignation. “Deep dark forest. Can’t be that hard. Well, come on feet,” I said, paraphrasing a line from one of my favorite movies. I picked a direction with the hope it led anywhere but deeper into the woods. I mean what choice did I have anyway? It wasn’t like anyone would come looking for me here.

The sun had nearly set by the time I finally made it out of the woods. I would have jumped for joy if my legs didn’t hurt so much. They were doing all they could to keep me standing - jumping was completely out of the question. Why would people walk for fun? I took out my phone again with the idea to tell Mom and Harry I was okay. Only, my phone was dead. I sighed and wondered if this day could get any worse. Fearing I was tempting fate, I glanced upwards. “I didn’t mean it. Seriously, no need to prove me wrong.”

I shuffled to a small park and sat on one of the swings. Man, it felt so good to sit down. My feet throbbed from walking so much. Once again, I went back over the conversation I had with Mike. Would Harry even believe me if I told him? Mike’s dad was his alpha and his kind, I was just his stepdaughter and human. How serious was Mike about his dad hating me? Should I maybe leave sooner than planned?

I pushed and started to swing. As soon as I got some height, I stopped and let the back and forth motion ease some of the tension. When I had almost slowed to a stop someone called my name, my actual name. It was Dean.

“Hey,” I said when he reached me. Putting my feet down, I stopped myself.

Dean’s expression grew more worried as he looked me over. “Hey, where’ve you been and what happened to your lip?”

“Isn’t it obvious, Mike happened,” I said, dully.

“What happened and where have you been? Your parents are worried. No one’s seen you all day.”

Anger suddenly flared up inside me. “I told you Mike happened.”

“What’s wrong? You’re acting kind of strange.” Dean’s words came out slowly in a deep rumble. “Did he hurt you?”

This time I laughed. “When does he not hurt me?” I shrugged. I know it wasn’t his fault and he didn’t deserve my attitude, “Sorry, Dean, I don’t mean to be rude or anything, it’s just been a long day.”

“Brook, talk to me,” Dean said, giving me that puppy face of his. “Tell me what happened, let me help you.”

Remembering what Mike said about his dad’s opinion of Dean’s family and me I said, “You can’t help me and it’s probably best for us both if you stay as far away from me as possible.”

“Stay away… did Mike threaten you?”

“More like warned,” I replied. “Mike’s Dad wants to start a war with your pack using you. He wants to frame you for something, anything.”

“I figured, but why did Mike tell you that?” His expression was dark and he was so tense he looked like he might snap in two if he tried to move.

My shoulders lifted in a shrug. “I don’t know. He had been drinking. Maybe he was a talkative drunk.”

Somehow Dean managed to look even tenser. “So why I should stay away from you. Did Mike… did he…?”

My eyes widened at the anger I saw in his face. “We just talked. It’s a bad idea for us to be seen together because neither of us is popular in this pack and who knows what Mike’s dad will do.” Just how far would the alpha go? I didn’t want to find out.

Most of the anger in Dean’s face left. He offered me a smile that I guess was an attempt to be reassuring. “Don’t worry about Mike or his dad. I can keep you safe.”

He can keep me safe? Seems like Mike wasn’t the only one hitting the bottle today. “Look, that’s sweet and all. I’m sure your alpha is very proud of you, but this is Mike and his dad we’re talking about. They’re alphas and I know enough to know that means they’re a step above the rest. Plus, I don’t want to tempt Fate. She hasn’t exactly been on my side.”

“I’m not afraid of Mike, my uncle, or Fate.”

Must be nice, I thought a little bitterly. “Dean, nothing good can come of whatever this is that you’re trying to do. I am not a charity case, okay.”

“I never said you were.”

Geez, this guy was harder to get rid of than a cold. “Will you just leave me alone? You’re doing no one any favors if you get hurt or worse, and believe me, I think the alpha may not object to murder.”

The anger returned to Dean’s face and his eyes turned an icy blue. “I can handle myself. There are things you don’t know about me.”

“Yeah, you’re right, I don’t and I never will. Forget about me, I’m just a sad little, insignificant human, Dean.”

“I’m not Dean!”

I blinked and stared at him. “What?”

“I am not Dean. Dean is my brother,” he said and stood. “My name is Ryder Williams, future alpha of the Blue Crescent pack.”

My jaw dropped. A future alpha? I’ve been arguing with a future alpha? Oh God, this was bad. Man, I should’ve never wondered if this day could get worse. I tempted Fate, and she answered. Maybe I deserve to be called Missy Mistake after all. “Oh,” was my brilliant response after a moment of mental scrambling. I tried to remember everything Harry told me about alphas, I lowered my gaze, sinking in on myself to seem smaller and less threatening. “I’m sorry...I didn’t mean…”

Dean or better said Ryder, suddenly knelt in front of me. I flinched as he took my face in his hands and forced me to look at him, face to face. My skin warmed where he touched me. “Brook, don’t. I told you I’m not Mike. I don’t want... I don’t need anyone to bow to me, especially not you.”

Especially me? Why me? My breath caught as he leaned in towards me. He wasn’t going to...was he? His lips brushed against mine gently as if waiting for some kind of sign before he pressed them firmly in a definite kiss. My eyes closed by their own will and I had no idea what to do. Yes, I’ll admit it. I am seventeen, and the closest thing I’ve come to kissing is when I was nine. Gerald, a stick of a boy, gave me a slobbery peck on my lips behind the dumpster at school.

I kissed him back, praying I was doing it right. My heart turned up to hummingbird speed when he pulled my swing towards him, so he was kneeling between my legs. Okay, this blew Gerald’s kiss out of the water.

When it ended, and Ryder leaned back, a hot flush bloomed in my face and I blurted, “Why did you do that?”

“Because I’ve wanted too since I met you.”

He wanted to kiss me since he met me? Heat flooded through me. I went tomato red. That’s right, just call me Brook ‘Beefsteak’ Dawson. My stomach clenched on itself and sent a jolt of shock from the top of my head all the way to my toes. I swallowed and was unsure what to say. I am proud to say I didn’t stupidly ask him why he’d want to kiss me. The only thing I could think of to say was a change in subject. “So, uh, why are you pretending to be your brother?”

Ryder grinned as he sat on the swing next to mine. He pulled the seat of my swing to the side, so we were still facing each other. Was this real? I am starting to wonder if I didn’t pass out in the woods and this was all some dream. “My uncle suggested our packs do an exchange as a show of faith in that sad excuse of a peace agreement he and Dad made. My brother would live with them and my cousin, Beth, would live with us. Something didn’t seem right, so I told my dad I’d go in his place and figure out what he’s up to. My uncle never saw my brother or me before so he wouldn’t know. And Fate was on my side, I found you.”

Confusion and butterflies in my stomach made me feel lightheaded and strange. “Found me? What are you going on about?”

Ryder grinned again, pulling my swing closer to his. “Brook, there is something else I need to tell you. You’re…” His phone loudly came to life. He glanced at his pocket, looking conflicted. The phone kept ringing and Ryder sighed, taking it out. “It’s your dad - I mean Harry.” He put the phone to his ear. “Yeah, I found her...no, she’s okay.” As he spoke, Ryder hooked his leg around mine, keeping our swings close as he set his hand on mine. “Alright. We’ll be right there,” he finished and hung up. “I have strict orders. You are to come straight home with no dilly-dallying. Harry’s words, not mine. Your mom is going to want an explanation.”

My throat tightened, and I had to bite my lip hard, the pain stopping me from doing something stupid like crying. “I can’t… she can’t know, De - I mean, Ryder.”

“Brook,” he started and I shook my head.

“She can’t. You didn’t see her; see how she was. I’ll think of something to tell her.”

“Fine, but it better be good. If your mom is anything like mine, she’ll want a blow by blow of where you were today.”

“Yeah, mine is the same,” I replied, but I had lots of practice coming up with explanations.