Chapter 50
Willow
“WAAHHHH…
A resonant wail pierced the recesses of my subconscious, abruptly wrenching me from. slumber. Startled, I sat upright in bed, momentarily oblivious to the persistent throb of the headache that had accompanied my awakening. The source of this unsettling cry became evident, it emanated from none other than Lori.
“Lori,” I exclaimed, hastily rising from the bed. Hurriedly, I made my way out of the bedroom and descended the staircase.
Why was she in such distress? A sense of unease gripped my heart, for my children were. not accustomed to cry unnecessarily. Rarely did the sound of their weeping reach my ears after they had crossed the threshold of three years. Guided by the mournful echoes, I hurried into the dining room, where Reuben, too, made his appearance almost simultaneously. Evidently, he had rushed downstairs upon hearing Lori’s lamentations.
Our eyes locked for a fleeting moment, long enough to resurrect the memory of the kiss we shared just the other day and the recollection of last night when my tears sought solace against his chest. Disentangling our gaze, we both directed our attention to the dining room, only to discover Walter cradling a tearful Lori in his arms, with a concerned Wyatt standing by his side.
“It’s okay, it’s okay, don’t cry,” Walter reassured her.
Concerned, I swiftly entered the room, Reuben following closely behind.
“What happened?” I inquired, my eyes scanning the scene. Wyatt, with urgency in hist voice, rushed toward us.
“Mummy, daddy,” he implored, “Uncle Walter is leaving, but Lori wants him to stay. Please, stop Uncle Walter.
My gaze shifted to the stack of Walter’s luggage by the room’s edge, and Lori’s sobs echoed once more. Since their infancy, Wyatt and Lori had found a nurturing guardian in Walter, particularly after our friendship blossomed on the day he protected my children from intruders attempting to breach the female cleaner’s quarters.
Our initial encounter, marked by animosity, had indeed been unsightly. Subsequent events had only intensified my disdain for him. Yet, with a sincere apology and a genuine desire for self–improvement, Walter sought redemption. Slowly, we became best friends, reaching a point where he assumed daily care for Wyatt and Lori while I attended my lectures.
He swiftly grew intimately connected with them, tending to their needs as if they were his own progeny. At one juncture in our friendship, he confessed his regret about not being their biological father, professing a love for them that surpassed even his own life. It was this profound affection that bound my children to him, explaining Lori’s unwillingness to part with him.
“Lori, I promise I’ll come back to visit you, baby girl,” Walter reassured her, casting me a forlorn smile. The time allotted for his stay in the Emerald Bright Pack was nearing its end, and in compliance with the law, he had to depart promptly.
“Lori, come here, baby, I attempted to embrace her, but she adamantly clung to Walter’s chest, her cries intensifying.
After several futile endeavors to pry her away, a sense of helplessness engulfed me. It was then that I witnessed Reuben pass by, extending his hand to rest gently on Lori’s little head. “Lori, come to daddy,” his voice tenderly urged. With just a single word from Reuben, a tearful Lori relinquished her hold on Walter’s chest, seamlessly transferring herself into Reuben’s arms, surprising me.
He handled her so smoothly!
“Why are you crying?” Reuben gently wiped the tears from her small face.
“Uncle Walter… is… going…” she sobbed.
“Yes, he has to go.”
“Why?” she inquired.
“If he doesn’t go, how can he come to visit you again?” Reuben patiently explained, his words surprising me. Did he imply that he permitted Walter to visit the pack again?
Lori ceased her tears, casting a hopeful gaze at Walter with her large, watery eyes, seeking confirmation. “Yeah, I will go and then return with a lot of toys for you,” Walter reassured, offering a bright smile.
“Okay,” Lori nodded, but as soon as she witnessed Walter grabbing his luggage, a tear welling up in her eyes. Another bout of tears seemed imminent. If she started crying anew, no explanation would suffice to cease her tears, a reality unbeknownst to Reuben.
“If you cry again, Uncle Walter won’t stay for lunch before leaving,” Reuben suddenly declared, surprising not only me but Walter as well.
Wait! Did he just mention lunch? Reuben turned to me, then to Walter. “Join us for lunch before leaving.” he whispered.
Lori’s tears remained suspended, her eyes no longer shedding them. Instead, a broad smile adorned her lips. “Uncle Walter! You’re staying for lunch!” she exclaimed in a joyously childish voice.
Walter found himself momentarily taken aback by the unexpected turn of events, a surprise shared even by him. However, the warmth emanating from the little radiant smile melted his heart. “Yeah… I am going to have lunch with Lori and Wyatt once they return from kindergarten,” he grinned, cradling her in his arms and affectionately kissing her puffy cheeks.
Wyatt and Lori both hugged Walter happily.
My gaze shifted to Reuben, who wore a composed expression as he observed his. children in the arms of another man. His dislike for Walter remained, yet, for Lori’s sake, he permitted the extension of his stay. Reuben’s newfound flexibility surprised me. The Reuben I had known tended to be indifferent to the emotions of others, but now… he displayed a concern for others beyond his own comfort.
Reuben shifted his gaze to me. “Are you having a headache?” He gently touched my cheeks to gauge any signs of fever.
His touch ignited a warmth in my cheeks, and in an instant, the memory of our kiss from the other day flickered in my mind. What was happening to me? Since when had I become so attuned to Reuben’s touch? Could it be… my heat? Yet, what about the heightened beat of my heart, pulsating with our proximity?
I withdrew from his touch, feeling the urgency to take my medications promptly. “I… think Mia is there to pick up the children,” I stated, turning to grasp Wyatt and Lori’s hands, signaling our departure. However, as we stood in the middle of the room, I paused and glanced at both Walter and Reuben. Their exchange of glances revealed a swift unraveling of the masks they maintained in front of the children.
I issued a warning. “No fighting in my absence. If you two can’t get along, then wait for me in the study. I’ll be there shortly.” With that, I left the packhouse.Text content © NôvelDrama.Org.
Reuben and Walter exchanged another displeased look before dutifully making their way to the study, adhering to my instructions.
Unbeknownst to me, both of them adhered to my request and maintained an air of indifference towards each other. Seated in the study, Reuben immersed himself in the report detailing the mysterious attacks on the top three packs. Obtaining the report earlier that morning, he was determined to unravel the enigma shrouding all three packs. Meanwhile, Walter silently surveyed the office, perusing Reuben's certificates, awards, and photographs until his gaze fixated on the photos laying on Reuben's desk.
"Hmm? Why does it look familiar?" Walter leaned in, placing both hands on the desk, scrutinizing the photos documenting the mysterious attacks on the top three packs. Reuben's hand halted abruptly at Walter's observation. "What do you mean familiar?" He locked eyes with Walter.
"I don't know why, but I find it familiar," Walter mused, his expression pensive as he delved into deep thought.
"Do werewolf packs in Britain also experience mysterious attacks?" Reuben inquired with a grave tone. He struggled to fathom why Walter would find these incidents familiar.
"Mysterious attacks? What's this about?" Walter's curiosity was piqued. Reuben contemplated for a while, weighing the decision to share this information with the hunter. Eventually, he chose to disclose the details of the attacks.
Taking a seat across from Reuben, Walter attentively listened while examining the photos, files, and reports one by one.
Holding a tray of coffee in my hand, I paused upon hearing Walter's words.
"Wait, now I remember why I find these attacks familiar!" Walter exclaimed, slamming his hand on the desk.
"Where?" Reuben's attention sharpened.
"Eleven years ago, I heard from my father's friend in America about a mysterious incident that wiped out a werewolf pack. The whole pack was engulfed in a fire, and not a single pack member was found. I remember it vividly because it was an exceptionally rare case," Walter explained. Reuben frowned in response to the revelation. "Wait, does it mean these mysterious attacks took place years ago too? It's not the first time?"
"Honestly, I think so," Walter affirmed.
"Which pack was wiped out? What was the name?" Reuben pressed for more details.
"I don't know. My dad's friend is no longer alive, and at that time, I didn't care about a werewolf pack mysteriously being wiped out, especially when it was none of my business." Walter shrugged nonchalantly.
Reuben's frustration mounted. "If what you're saying is true, how come I didn't hear anything about it? And I believe if it had happened in the werewolf realm, these incidents must have been recorded in books too," he questioned, a mix of confusion, and curiosity evident in his tone..
"The only explanation is that someone intentionally kept the news of the attack from spreading and concealed the incident," Walter remarked, observing Reuben's darkening expressions.
"So this fucked up mess is rooted in the past!" Reuben growled, his eyes intense as they fixated on the photos on his desk.
"If you suspect a hunter's involvement, let me assure you that no hunter can single-
handedly eliminate shifters in one night," Walter explained solemnly to Reuben. Despite being from a different country, he held a strong belief in justice, especially when it came to matters involving hunters.
"I know it's not the work of humans or witches," Reuben murmured, his gaze shifting to the photos depicting the decimation of all three packs.
"Not even a work of witch? Then it could be a werewolf..." Walter inquired with curiosity.
Reuben shook his head. "It's not the work of a normal werewolf," he murmured, lifting his eyes to lock with mine as I stood by the door.
"Normal werewolf?" Walter furrowed his brows in confusion. "Are there different types. of werewolves?"
Maintaining eye contact with me, Reuben was fixated on the unsettling threat looming over Shine Moon Pack and the impending danger to Wade Moon Pack.
Reuben kept his eyes locked with me as the Shine Moon Pack's horrifying attack and Wade Moon Pack being the next target threatened my heart. He rose from his seat and approached me until we stood face to face. Reuben suddenly asked, running his finger along my cheek, "Is there something you're hiding from me?"
"What do you mean?" Confused, I blinked at him.
He leaned down to my neck, inhaling my scent deeply. "Why has your scent grown so strong suddenly?"
His question caught me off guard, and my hand tightened on the tray. My heart raced when I realized he had detected my heat.
"It's because I am sweaty," I lied, holding my breath.
"Really?" Still leaning close, he glanced at my expression with a smirk, "Then I advise you to take a bath quickly. He whispered, licking my neck softly. I moaned as the tray dropped from my hand, a sensation between my legs overwhelming me. "Or I am afraid of tasting every inch of you...."