Adjusting - 9. Chapter 8 - Information

After walking for fifteen minutes in our human forms, Jude and I agreed on running the rest of the way back in our wolf forms. It was getting colder and Jude would get hypothermia if he walked the rest of the way back in only my jacket. So we stripped our clothes off, folded them up, and shifted into our animal forms. Jude picked up the jacket in his mouth while I pick up the rest of my clothes in my own before setting off. We decided to settle our pace at a jog, following the group's scent back to the pack house.

At our even pace, it didn't take long for us to break through the trees into the large yard. We went back into the cover of the trees to shift and I handed Jude my boxers this time along with letting him wear my jacket again. I knew how it felt to be around a pack as a wolf. You felt so incredibly closed in and on edge, as if someone would attack you at any moment. Being naked and vulnerable certainly wouldn't help to ease those feelings.

Luckily, the rest of the pack seemed to have retired to their homes ages ago. The sky was at its darkest yet, indicating that dawn was about to break. I realized in that moment just how exhausted I was, but I pushed myself through the patio doors and up the stairs into the Alpha's office.

I peeked my head through the doorway. Only Brian, Alpha John, and Alex were in the room, and they all seemed tired as well. Alex was sitting on one of the loveseats, his head in his hands, his elbows on his knees. Alpha John was sitting behind his desk, massaging his temples, while Brian paced in front of him, his hands in his pockets.

Once we entered, I plopped down on the open loveseat, my fatigue beginning to consume me. Jude hesitated before sitting down beside me. All three heads popped up when we entered the room and watched Jude and me for a silent moment.

Just when I was about to doze off, Brian spoke. "Well? What can you tell us?" he said with a glare pointed towards Jude.

I barely held myself back from snarling at him, knowing that it wasn't too late to still be kicked out of my new pack.

Jude began to wring his hands nervously, staring down at the carpeting as he did so. Brian seemed to have lost all of his patience because he slammed his hands on the back of the loveseat on either side of Jude's head. He snarled at Jude, their face mere inches away from each other. Jude's entire presence was oozing fear with his wide eyes and trembling limbs.

"Tell me, rogue. Or I'll force it out of you."

I quickly stood up and attempted to push Brian off of him. "Move!" I yelled. "Let him go!"

Brian simply ignored me and growled at Jude, causing a whimper to fall out of the pup's mouth.

"Brian," the Alpha said, his voice commanding. "Leave him alone. You can catch more bees with honey than vinegar."

Brian stayed where he was for a few more seconds before yanking away from Jude and going back to his pacing. I sat down next the Jude and gave him some soothing words, taking his hand in mine, treating him like a child who is afraid of the dark.

After a few moments, Jude had calmed down significantly and looked up at Alpha John, who gave him a small smile.

"Now, you said your name was Jude, right?" he asked in a calming tone.

Jude gave him a nod, biting his lip.

Alpha John smiled softly. "There we go. Alright, Jude, can you tell us what you know about the rogues in this area?"

Jude glanced at me and I nodded, encouraging him to continue. He turned his eyes back to his knees and took a deep breath before telling his story.

"I became a rogue about two months ago. After a week of being alone, about five other rogues ambushed me. They circled around me in a clearing, preventing me from escape. One of them told me that if I did what they said, they would feed me, clothe me, and teach me some of the tricks that rogues learned over the years. If I didn't listen, they said they would... t-they would torture and kill me."

Jude took a minute to compose himself. His eyes were squeezed shut, his hands were gripping the fabric of the boxers tightly, his chin was tucked into his chest. After several deep breaths, he pressed on.

"We would always meet by a lake three miles east of here. I don't know if there are more than the five I met. I would always meet with the same guy, and each time I carried out a task, he would reward me somehow. A new wolf pelt, new tricks and tips, food, clothing. The amount of things that I would do almost anything for since becoming a rogue are endless."

"So what, he paid you in lollipops and chocolates each time you murdered a pack member?" Brian suddenly snarled out, his canine teeth long and wicked in his mouth, indicating that the fuse keeping him from mauling Jude was burning up fast.

Jude's head shot up and he looked at Brian with confusion. "What are you talking about? I only ever gave them information."

Brian growled at Jude. "You're lying," he said.

Jude's eyes grew wide with fear and he began to frantically shake his head. "I promise I'm not!" he yelled out while pushing himself back into the loveseat.

"Stop it, Brian. He's telling the truth," Alpha John said.

Brian looked like he could spit nails, he was so angry. He glared at his father before stomping out of the room and slamming the door behind him.

"All I did was tell them things like when the guard was switched out, how many wolves were on watch at a time, things like that. I swear, that's all I did!" Jude said hastily, still trying to prove his innocence.

"I believe you, Jude," the Alpha said soothingly.

Jude bit his lip and nodded before telling us that he didn't have anything else to tell us. The Alpha seemed to be trying to work something out in his mind.

"Why did you become a rogue?" he asked.

Jude hesitated a moment before quietly saying, "I was kicked out, sir."

"Why?"

Jude blushed heavily. "They found be in a... compromising position with the next male Beta of the pack."

The Alpha frowned and turned to face Alex.

"Take Jude to a guest room and then lead Adrian back to his room. We're done here," the Alpha commanded.

Alex nodded before standing up and leading a shell-shocked Jude and me out of the room.

We walked throughout the house in silence, with Jude on my right and Alex to my left. The silence was only broken when we reached Jude's temporary bedroom.

"What's going on?" Jude asked as he sat down and marveled at the bed, much like I had the other night. "Why did the Alpha let me stay? I have nothing to offer. Are they going to torture me for more information?"

With each sentence, the fear in his eyes grew, and his head suddenly shot up to face me.

"I don't know anything else! He'll kill me once he figures that out!"

He began to shoot his eyes around the room spastically, most likely in search of an escape.

I kneeled down in front of the pup and grasped his face in my hands, forcing him to keep his eyes on me.

"Jude. No one is going to harm you. I promise," I told him, keeping eye contact the entire time and making sure I was close enough so he could hear my steady heartbeat.

He began to relax when he realized that I was telling what I believed to be true.

"But why would he let me stay here then?" he asked, needing further assurance that the boogie man wasn't going to get him while he slept.

"My dad was inviting you to our pack," Alex suddenly said.

Both Jude and I jumped at Alex's voice, forgetting that he was also in the room.

Jude looked at Alex, his eyes wide with excitement and disbelief. "Really?!"

Alex smiled at the pup. "Really. He did the same for Adrian."

Jude whipped his head back around to face me again. Poor kid was going to have whiplash from all this excitement. I nodded my head, knowing he still needed reassurance that this wasn't a dream.

"Oh my gosh," he whispered, falling back on the bed. "A pack. I have a pack again."

I smiled and was about to stand up when two large hands appeared in my face. I blushed and grasped Alex's hands, He yanked me up and I fell into his chest, blushing hotly. I looked up at him, his arms around me, and I chewed on my lip, desperately wanted to taste his. When I heard a small giggle I blushed even harder and pulled myself out of his arms. After giving a quick 'good night' to Adrian, I left the room in search of my own.

Once at the door to my room, I felt something behind me and I turned only to quickly back up against the door in surprise. Alex was standing there with an adorably fake pout on his face.

"You didn't tell me 'good night'," he said, creeping forward.

I felt my temperature shoot up, scaring the daylights out of me. What was happening to me?

"I'm sorry, good night Alex," I quickly said.

I wasn't quick enough, and was soon pinned against the door.

"I know another way you could say 'good night' to me," he whispered before leaning down and capturing my lips with his.

The kiss felt... strange. Unlike the kisses I'd had before, this one felt... good. It was hot and sent sparkles of electricity through me. I had no idea what I was supposed to do, though, so when I tried to kiss back it was messy and unsure.

The kiss felt wonderful until I felt his tongue sliding along my bottom lip.

Smack!

"Next time I lick your lip, you'd better open up. Got it?"

"Yes!"

Smack!

"Good. Now let's try that again, pet."

Instantly, I shoved the man on top of me away before dropping to the floor, hyperventilating. The hallway was swirling around me and everything was blurry. I thought I heard someone call my name, but I couldn't respond. All I knew was that I had to get away. I didn't want that man to take me again. I didn't want to feel the pain, the disgust, any of it.

"Get away!" I yelled, pushing myself towards the door hastily.

My vision was starting to go black, but I still fought. I heard someone yell out my name again, but there was no way I could reply. I lost all my energy to fight and gave up, descending into the soothing darkness.