Chasing After Ashes

Chapter 7: Edge of a New Beginning

We had been in Tate’s room for more than an hour now and not a word had been spoken as to what had happened earlier. Tate sat on his couch, staring at nothing in particular as he occasionally cracked his knuckles.

I sat on the other end of it, waiting for him to say something, anything about what happened because if he didn’t, I was sure as hell going to say something. And he wouldn’t like it.

What Tate said on that meeting with Wendell echoed in my mind like a broken record I couldn’t break into pieces at the moment because there were other things that needed immediate attention. However, the calmness I had hidden myself in had fully broken apart. What I heard earlier was the only push the anger inside me needed to rise to the surface again, settling right under my skin as I stayed silent and thought about what happened.

Adding to the fact that I needed to question Tate about the Werwulf Council, why they needed to call me out—and apparently had been doing so for the past few months—and if there were other things he was hiding from me.

Unable to bear the silence any longer, I asked, “Are you really going to do this?”

Silence.

He didn’t look like he heard me as he continued staring off into space. I was about to open my mouth and ask him again when he finally spoke. “Yeah, it’s about time I take what is mine. I had been putting it off for as long as I could out of respect for my father, but I cannot let him stay as the Alpha any longer.”

I nodded my head, silently agreeing that he should have taken the reigns earlier. He would be a better Alpha than his father in more ways than one, but he was still immature in and inexperienced in other ways. I thought back to the times he kept following me around like a puppy who was following something it was curious about.

The way he followed me around without fail and him not listening to my constant wish for him to leave me alone, spoke of immaturity. Would he really be able to handle all of the responsibilities, intrigue, and politics that came with the job?

The memory of him doing everything he could to protect his pack a few months ago and him keeping a level-head even if things had gone down the hill in that meeting with Wendell and the rest came to me. It wouldn’t be impossible for him to be a good Alpha, certainly better than his father. And if he wasn’t ready now, then when will he ever be ready? There really was no time for preparation because leading a pack successfully didn’t really have any sort of training besides learning from experience.

“So how will you do this?”

There were three ways he could go about it. For some packs, they only held a ceremony of turning the pack’s leadership onto another when the wolf challenging the alpha had proven itself to be stronger than the rest; and the previous alpha had deemed it fit to follow in his steps without fighting the challenger. Most packs though, anyone who would challenge the alpha fought for the position, and it depended on them if it will be a fight to the death or until the alpha had conceded his position.

Tate’s emerald green eyes blazed with fury as his head snapped towards me. “I would not kill my father just to be the Alpha.”

I raised my eyebrows at him, a little taken aback at what he thought I meant. Did he really think I wanted him to kill his father just for a position? I may not like Hans, but I wouldn’t go so far as to suggest such a thing. Especially to his son. “That was not what I meant. At all. I just wanted to know what you were planning to do.”

“Right, right. Sorry.” He nodded, shaking his head. “I’ll fight him tonight, but not to the death,” he said, sighing as he leaned back on the couch and stared at the ceiling.

I may not like him for various reasons I had no intention of thinking about right now, but seeing someone so worried about what they were going to face, bothered me. The feeling of wanting to help people still nudged at me, especially at inopportune times like these, even if I knew it wouldn’t benefit me.

Although, seeing as it wouldn’t hurt me one bit to help him, I did not stop myself from saying, “It’s going to be alright. Don’t worry.”

He moved his head to the right to look at me. “How can you say that?”

“Because it’s going to be. No matter how shitty things may be at the moment, everything would be alright eventually. The storm doesn’t stay in one place forever. It’s bound to move on and so, you will be all right.”

As I said these words, I realized that this advice was more for me than for him. Whatever I might have been feeling right now towards my family, my pack, the Reons, and everything else, will pass because the storm doesn’t last forever.

With that realization, the arms of the nightmare I had been surrounded in had finally loosened its hold around me completely that I was able to see it wasn’t the end. It sucked, and will probably continue to suck for a while, but we could all move forward from this. I will still prioritize myself as I have promised myself, however, the sheen of darkness I had been seeing the world was finally gone and I could see the possibilities for the future was endless.

“Thanks,” he murmured, a small smile lifting the corners of his lips.

My lips lifted into a smile which eventually turned into a grin as I teasingly said, “Although you know it wouldn’t be a bad idea if you go for the other option. Since your dad might give you hell when you become the alpha.”

He shook his head, chuckling at me. “If it comes to it then it comes to it. At least I know someone else will be experiencing hell with me.”

I snorted. “Right. Don’t kid yourself. Hans will never treat you as bad as he treats me.”

Tate sat straighter on the couch, staring at me with not a hint of the playfulness he had just a second ago. “He will never do that again. I promise you that, okay?”

“You can’t promise that. But thanks.” Because nobody could promise something they had no control over. I stood from the couch and stared at him. “Go call Lowell, Mark, and Quentin now. They’re going to be devastated if they don’t know what’s happening and they don’t get to help you in this.”

He nodded his head and I left.

* * *

The fight for leadership would happen tonight. Tate wasn’t backing down at all, changing his mind, or moving it to a later date.

Before the sun had gone down, Mark, Lowell, and Quentin were already in Tate’s room getting the gist of what was happening and helping him with what he needed to prepare. They had to call pack members back to watch the fight. It wasn’t necessary for everyone to be there, just a few members were enough to make an audience to see what was going to happen. To spread word about the details and result of the fight afterwards.

I came back as soon as I had talked to Elizabeth whose emotions were as strung up as I had ever seen it. She had postponed whatever meeting or party she was going to, to stay by Hans’ side and discuss what would happen. Hans was pretty confident when I saw him, not looking one bit like the sweaty pig I had seen him act before in front of Illia. Which was pretty arrogant seeing as he knew his son was a better fighter than him.

Tate was faster, stronger, and smarter when facing opponents. It wasn’t overconfidence at all. He knew what he was doing and he fought like it, taking down his enemies as quickly as he could. He didn’t underestimate them, something Hans was prone to do.

Frankly, I knew the fight wasn’t going to last long. Before it could even start, I could already imagine Hans making a few comments about how he was going to win, undermining his opponent, and eventually giving up because he was in for his head. Nonetheless he was a good fighter. His son was just a better one.

“This is too crazy!” Quentin’s voice was high enough it could have made my ears bleed. He was waving his arms around, hyped up on his emotions and whatever energy drink he had earlier. “You’re doing this too fast dude. Most of us aren’t even here to watch the ceremony!”

“Chill. You know it’s not important for all of us to be here,” said Lowell as he leaned back on the couch opposite mine. Tate and Quentin sat beside him.

“Are you sure you’re ready to do this?” asked Mark as he looked at Tate. His black hair was a mess of a nest on his head and he was only wearing a black sleeveless top and brown capri shorts.

“I am.” Tate jerked his head, as serious as ever. He looked at Quentin who was sweetly panicking for him, at Mark who was only worried but understanding, and at Lowell who knew Tate had already thought this through and no amount of talking to him would make him back out.

These guys were going to be an important part of his command, I thought as I watched them. They may not immediately have the position because Frank, Hans’ enforcer, the Beta, and others were still going to be in their positions until these three will fully take over. Because just like with anything else, the position wouldn’t simply be given.

It couldn’t be handed over even if the alpha himself wanted you in it because you had to fight for it. And as I watched Tate and the three discuss tactics and plans, I knew Lowell, Mark, and Quentin fully understood the situation and were going to do everything they could to help him. Their Alpha

“He knows what he’s doing. Let’s just call the others and make sure everything is ready for tonight,” added Lowell as he pulled out his phone from his pocket. He dialed a few numbers and walked to the far side of the room, quietly talking to the other person on the line with him.

“Keep up to date with the network. There had been recent sightings in a few cities around the Kaneria region,” added Tate, looking at Quentin and Mark seriously. They nodded their heads with a somber look on their face.

Quentin cleared his throat, side-eyeing me as he talked. “The other group closest to the last one that was seen, weren’t successful. The woman had gotten away. Several were injured in the process and two died.”

“Has she been seen again?”

“No. They’re patrolling day and night. They had already set up watch over all human-populated areas the woman could have slipped through and hidden in but still no sight of her.”

Tate nodded. “Okay. Just update me on this. And tell Frank if he doesn’t catch this woman soon, he will be hearing from me.”

I raised an eyebrow, confused at what they were talking about. “What sightings?” As far as I knew, everything was okay with the other packs, even with the magical community. Except for the rumor about that man-eating forest at a small town named Evermoore, there hadn’t been much danger. So, they couldn’t be talking about anything besides finding the other members of my pack, Damar, and one or two more of their associates. Right?

Tate turned to me, his blonde brows scrunched together in confusion and the small smile on his face wobbled as if he was uneasy. He opened his mouth, about to say something when the door to his room slammed open. Trisha rushed in, all high and sprightly compared to the mellow version I had seen of her earlier.

“Tate-y!” She dropped down to the couch beside Tate, immediately taking his hands into hers. “Are you okay? I heard what happened!”

The sight of her holding his hand like she was his made my blood boil. For totally unrelated reasons I wouldn’t rather think about. However, I couldn’t keep my mouth shut as I snarkily said, “Of course he’s okay. The fight hasn’t even started yet.”

I looked away, ignoring Tate as he raised an eyebrow at me in question. “Yeah. Thanks for asking. Will you be there later?”

Look at this guy, I thought as I casually listened to their conversation as I watched Lowell and the other two talk to each other quietly in the corner of the room. One touch from Trisha is all it takes for him to start their horrendous affair again.

“Yeah. My parents quickly got back in town when they heard what’s going down tonight. But…” Trisha paused, making me look back at her to see she was biting her lip.

Tate looked worriedly at her, leaning closer as he asked, “What?”

“Mum and Dad wanted to know if you had heard their pleas regarding her.” As she mentioned her, she lightly jerked her head towards me.

“Excuse me?”

I was promptly ignored as Tate answered her, “You mean their complaints along with everyone else’s? I heard. And same as what I said before, no.”

“But you have to! She has to know!” Trisha suddenly stood, removing her hands from Tate’s. His eyes blazed with emerald fury as he commanded her to sit down. The force in his voice made her unwillingly slam her butt down again on the couch.

“What the hell is happening?” I asked. Which went deaf on anyone else’s ears. Everyone was completely focused on Trisha as she crossed her arms under her bouncy bosom and muttered, “You’re being stupid.”

“Don’t you dare talk to our alpha that way,” growled Mark, taking a step forward to Trisha. He only stopped when Tate held a hand up to him.

“This is my decision. If you, your parents, or anyone else can’t that, then tough. You have to deal with it either way”

“You can’t protect her forever!” yelled Trisha to Tate, gesturing her hands wildly to me.

Yeah, but what am I being protected from? Morons like you? I thought. I could have said it out loud and not remained quiet as their argument became more heated. No one would have noticed what I said either way, just like they had been ignoring me since earlier. Wait, I thought as I looked down at myself and felt my power. Nope. I wasn’t deep into the void. They were just ignoring me like I was but a dust in the air. So nice, I sarcastically thought.

“I can and I will,” growled out Tate, biting his words out. His shoulders were tense with the anger he had coiling inside him.

Slowly, the meaning of what they were saying dawned on me. What does it mean, protect me forever? Protect me from what? Has something else been going on that I didn’t know about?

“She has to know his,” Trisha grounded out.

“No, she doesn’t. She has been through enough already and I will not let you cause further damage that will force her to retreat further into her own mind.”

“I don’t care how much you care about her but she has to know what we feel about this. It’s her family that has caused the annihilation of hundreds of our kind! She needs to know this is definitely not okay, and that she’s being called to answer for her actions and the actions of her pack. This is not something you can protect her from!”

Oh, now I get it. Caden’s call earlier now made more sense. And I didn’t even have to ask Tate about it because it, and a few other things were just laid out in the open like a fresh wound.

“If I have to do everything I can and more to protect her from this, then I will do so. You cannot stop me from doing this. Nobody can stop me from protecting my mate when she needs me the most.”

As I watched Tate who was gripping his fists hard enough for it to redden, I couldn’t help but feel shocked at what he had done. A little annoyed, yet there was a hint of gratefulness as well that I hadn’t expected I would feel for him of all people. He has been protecting me from this? That’s really…unexpected.

“One thing though,” I piped up. And for the first time in the whole conversation, everyone in the room who ignored me earlier stiffened as they turned to stare at me. “While I—admittedly—appreciate you doing this really nice thing, I would have appreciated it more if you had told me about it. Let me handle my own well-being.”

“And…” I added, raising a finger at him. “You will tell me more about this Werwulf Council business, how long you had been putting my meeting them off, and other things you may have been keeping from me.”

Lowell tapped Tate’s shoulder, muttering a short excuse me as he glanced at me. “It’s time.”

Tate nodded his head, getting off the couch smoothly. I stood, about to follow him downstairs and into the field where they were going to fight when he took a few steps towards me. “Do you know what you are asking from me?”

“I’m asking you to tell me about the things that concern me?” He was hiding things that concerned me, so of course I had to know. I didn’t get why he even had to ask. It was so obvious.

“No,” He shook his head, a small smile lifting the corners of his lips, and making him look like he had caught a huge fish in his pond. “You are asking me to treat you as my mate, to be completely open to you, and to discuss not just the matters that concern you, but concern the pack as well.”

My eyes widened at what he said. Completely flabbergasted, I wanted to say, Nuh-uh. I was only asking for me, not for anything else, yet the words that came out of my mouth were straight up gibberish.

He chuckled and reached over to pinch my cheek. “I would love to share everything with you. But only after this fight, okay?” Seemingly getting the answer he needed despite my not saying anything, he smiled one last time before turning around and leaving.

The others immediately followed him while I was left staring at his back, mouth opened in disbelief at what just happened.

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Book 1 of the Rosewood Trilogy - Alpha, Do I Know You?

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Book 2 of the Rosewood Trilogy - Chasing After Ashes (this book right here!!! :))

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