Chapter 49 - A wake-up call ...

Forgiveness was difficult. So much happened between them. They had done so much that hurt the other, but Lena had no other choice. She had to forgive and move on. In the beginning, she told herself that it was for her son’s sake. Alaric was his father and they had a right to get to know each other. In the end, she had to admit that she was also doing it for her own sake.

She could not spend the rest of her life living with the pack and her mate feeling resentful. There had to be a reason why she went back to the coven grounds that were so close to the pack grounds, and it wasn’t just because it used to be her home. She probably subconsciously knew Alaric would eventually find her. Sighing, she put Ben to bed in his new room right beside theirs.

Things were still uncomfortable between her and Alaric, but they agreed that letting Ben sleep with them wasn’t going to fix anything. It might just make things worse and their little one would get used to it and not want to sleep in his own bed. Ben seemed happy enough since the room was filled with cars and Lena suspected that it was Alaric’s old room.

“Good night, my sweet boy.” She smiled, giving him a kiss on his forehead and he frowned.

“Not good night. I want a story.” He demanded and she laughed. Ever since they came to stay here, Alaric had spent every night telling Ben a story before bedtime. Sadly, Alaric was out with the pack tonight because of some rogues near the border. They hadn’t been attacked yet, but everybody knew that rogues didn’t just hang around for no reason.

If there was any sign of them, they usually attacked soon after. Lena rolled her eyes at her son and then walked over to the book shelf in the corner. Scanning the books, she realized she only recognized one of the stories and it made her want to read all of them. She pulled out the one she knew and sat down beside Ben, making herself comfortable enough that he could curl up in her arms.

“Once upon a time, there was a beautiful princess who lived in a beautiful forest.” Ben sat up frowning at her.

“Princesses don’t live in forests.” He looked confused.

“Well, this one did. Look there,” He couldn’t read yet, but she pointed at the word as if he could and he nodded and settled back down. “The princess had many animal friends whom she loved very much.” She turned the page with some effort and carried on. “There were bunnies, and birds, but her best friend was the squirrel. The princess loved playing hide-and-seek with the squirrel.” Turning the page again, she read on as Ben started to relax more beside her.

“The princess was happy in the forest.” She looked at her son’s closed eyes and slowly and carefully pulled her arm out from underneath his head. She had made up the last part and kept a watchful eye on her son as she put the book back on the shelf and snuck out of his room. She breathed a sigh of relief and jumped the moment Rebecca spoke behind her.

“Story time?” Rebecca looked amused, tilting her head to one side. Lena nodded, smiling and they walked to Rebecca’s room. “I don’t remember that last bit being in the story.” Rebecca frowned, making Lena laugh while she explained it wasn’t. She just made it up so Ben could fall asleep with a happy ending in mind. They said good night and Lena made her way to her room when she heard a window break.

Her heart raced as adrenaline rushed through her body. Could the rogues have made it into the pack house? Her frustration grew as she tried to be very quiet to hear where it had come from and if someone was coming her way. She felt a hand on her shoulder and jumped.

“It’s just me.” Rebecca whispered. “Did you hear that?” She frowned and Lena tried again to listen, but her heart was beating so loudly in her ears that she couldn’t hear a damn thing.

“Do you think they are inside?” Lena looked wide-eyed no matter how hard she tried to be a responsible adult. She was scared. For her son and for Rebecca’s safety. When Rebecca nodded, Lena felt her heart sink to her feet. Lena pointed at Ben’s room and Rebecca frowned.

“Well, there’s no use in both of us getting killed. You stay with Ben and I will take care of this.” Rebecca opened her mouth to say something, and then closed it. She nodded and quietly opened Ben’s door before disappearing behind it, leaving Lena to face the intruders alone. Lena took off her shoes, carefully placing them on the floor so they didn’t make a sound before slowly making her way down the passage. When she reached the dead end where the passage turned right, she pressed her back up against the wall and tried to swallow the knot that had formed in her throat. She didn’t have wolf hearing, so if there was a rogue in the pack house, they would probably hear her before she heard them.

She couldn’t very well stand there all night! When she didn’t hear anything, she rounded the corner and saw a black wolf. Screaming, she ran back around the corner in the hopes that she would run fast enough to lead it away from the bedroom. A pair of hands gripped her shoulders and quickly turned her around. She gasped, closing her eyes. She really didn’t want to see a naked rogue!

“Lena! It’s me.” Her eyes shot open at the sound of Alaric’s voice and she clung to him. Her head rested on his torso while she tried to calm herself. “It’s okay, babe. I’m here. You are safe.” He stroked her hair as tears streamed down her face.

“I thought you were a rogue. Rebecca and I heard glass breaking.” She said between sobs as Alaric pushed her away just enough to look into her eyes, but not letting go of her completely.

“Oh, yeah, well, there was one that broke through our ranks and made it inside the house, but I caught him and he is with Max being questioned. I would never let anything happen to you. I promise. You will always be safe here.” He frowned, searching her eyes, and she took a deep breath. It had been an incredibly emotional evening even though it all happened so fast. Lena felt completely drained as Alaric walked her to their room and eventually helped her into a hot shower.

He didn’t let go of her for more than a second, his hand staying on her hip almost the entire time as he helped her into bed. She could tell that he really wanted to leave and speak to the rogue they caught, but she couldn’t let him go. The last time she was this afraid was when Alaric and the wolves attacked their home.

“I’m okay now if you want to go.” She had to give him the opportunity to question the rogue but he shook his head.

“I’m not leaving you.” He frowned.

“I am really okay. I promise. I know you have things to do. People depend on you.” She tried again, but he made no move to leave. Lena breathed in deeply and cuddled into his arms. One thing that had come out of her terrible fright was that she felt closer to him than she had before.

ALARIC, HOWEVER, WAS FURIOUS. The rogue should never have been able to break through their line. It should never have been able to make it all the way to the pack house, and it sure as hell shouldn’t have been able to get inside! What he was furious about was that. How the hell did that happen?!

He waited until Lena was fast asleep and then slipped out of the room. How was she ever going to learn to trust him if he couldn’t even protect her in their home? He sighed before walking into the cell where the rogue was snapping at Max.

“It is refusing to shift.” Max had the rogue cornered in one of the corners. Rogues were notorious for not talking, and he needed the bastard to talk. Rogues were known to be tough creatures. They had to be to survive their way of life and he wondered if it would even help to try and threaten the beast. With holding food definitely wouldn’t work, since the beast looked as though it was going to keel over from starvation at any moment. Alaric sighed, turning to look at Max.

“Bring me some food.” Max looked puzzled for a moment and then left. Alaric was hoping that the promise of food might get the beast to talk. It was worth a try and, at the moment, it looked like their only option.