Chapter 125
I gingerly pull it away from his mouth, shocked to see no bite marks on it.
“Is that all you were going to do the first time?”
He slowly shakes his head, looking at the ground. I feel the light tug of the link in my mind as I gather a plan for getting Cole up.
“Give me a minute to get Cole standing, then you can ask your question Lucas.”
I hear him sigh but the pull from the link disappears. I squat down again trying to catch Cole’s downward gaze.
“You will never be punished for the truth.”
He looks up, briefly catching my gaze.
“Let’s get you up.” I encourage softly as I stand again.
“Take my hands.” I direct him as I hold them out to him.
It takes a lot of effort for him to grab hold but he finally does, holding his breath as he stands. I know he’s fighting to keep his yelps and screams at bay but that’s not what I need from him. He sways even harder as he tries to orientate himself to standing.
“Take a step towards me, then I need you to not move.”
He takes the step forward as I step back, waiting for him to start breathing again once he’s done.
“Good. Now stay where you are. I’m going to step into you. I want you to lean into me. Let me hold you.”
He stiffens but doesn’t speak as I step forward and take him into my arms.
“Lay your head on my shoulder.” I encourage.
I’m surprised when he relaxes and lays his head on me.
“Lucas, you wanted to speak but you know my feelings about using the link when we have prospects around. If it’s an appropriate, non-degrading question, then you have my permission to speak.”
He takes a moment to collect himself which tells me he’s still struggling with the internal strife he has with Cole.
“Why are you giving him a pass?”
I can tell he wants to say more but he decides not to.
“What do you mean, give him a pass? Dad’s never given a prospect a pass. He’s always by the book.”
“He’s a fucking nut job and dad’s given no indication of putting him on a 72 or reporting him to the council! What’s wrong with you, Damian?! Are you as blind as the rest of them towards the fact that he’s attacking himself?! Who the hell is next?! Madilyn?!”
“Enough Lucas! Dad would never put Madilyn at risk! Dad is by the book. He’s never given a prospect a pass!”
“Easy there, Day.” Patrick speaks up. “You sit back down, Lucas. That’s enough.”
Even though they are born alphas, all of my kids were taught to respect adults of every rank. It’s in a situation like this that I rely on others to enforce what I need.
“I’ve helped your father, periodically, the first five years he was in the program and have been the lead trainer for the last five. I assure you that your father has made exceptions for those in significant need of a break.”
Angela stops next to us after finishing the bed.
“You changed your mind?”
I nod as I run my fingers through his hair cutting off the barely perceptible whimpers coming from his throat.
“I know you didn’t say it out loud but when he was in the wing what you explained you wanted for him was a semi off book run. Are you officially changing your stance to an off book run with Cole?”
“No!”
He cries out as he pushes himself off of me. I know I look confused as not a single one of the prospects that I’ve taken from their packs had ever heard of an off book run and they had been on more runs than he has.
“Cole, what do you understand about off book runs?”
“The previous alphas, all of them, told me I was going on an off book run before putting me in the hospital, keeping me there for weeks until they sent me home.”
His eyes are wide with fear as he tries to step away from me.
“Don’t step away, son. I know you don’t trust me but I am doing this so I can help you.”
He’s shaking his head slowly, his eyes are darting between making eye contact with me and looking at the wall behind me.
“Cole, I see the fear but I need your help to understand what happened with the other packs. I believe you said you’ve been to three, before mine.”
“Yes sir.”
Even his voice wavers with fear before he attempts to step back again, cringing in pain as he tries to put weight on his left leg.
“Are you in with him? Did he order you too?”
“What would make you think such a way?!”
“Easy on the defensiveness Patrick. Cole and I are on the same page.”
I respond to Patrick’s outburst calmly catching Cole’s eyes in mine as he studies me.
“I was wondering the same thing. I have not directly spoken with your father. With every pack there is an assigned contact that deals with the prospects. Only half the alphas involved in the program will talk to another alpha about the prospects unless you are inviting a wolf back for a second run. It is your delta, David Thomas, that I spoke with when Dallas, Richard and Andrew were sent back but that doesn’t mean that your father didn’t reach out to the others. It is also possible that your father had Delta David say something to them but I assure you, that is not the case with me. Is there anything that was said to you by the other packs that would make you believe that he ordered them to make you an off book run?”
He shakes his head slowly, studying me hard, looking for the truth.
“I have looked you up Cole. You are in the council’s prospect database. They have you listed as spending time at Yellowtail, Blue Mountain and Red Moon packs. Yes?”
He seems to be calming down as he nods his head.
“Okay. So, an off book run is one that is throughly documented by the pack’s alpha but very little makes it into the database.”
“If Cole’s runs at the previous packs were unremarkable, why would all three choose off the books?” Lucas spits as if Cole is trying to hide something.
“Calm the tone, Lucas. Off book runs are not something that can be requested by the prospects. They can only be implemented by the pack’s alpha and are used to hide the alpha’s actions with particular prospects.”
“The most common reasons for off book runs are to hide a prospect’s mental health issues so the prospect can continue in the program, to hide the implementation of inappropriate or illegal discipline, or, in my case, it allows me to hide from your father the level of care and interest I have in you.”
I take over Patrick’s explanation as I use my hand to guide Cole into looking at me.
“I don’t know why the other pack’s did an off book run with you. While it is possible, considering the level of injuries we have found on you, that your father contacted the other packs and gave them instructions on how he wanted them to treat you, my motivation is to protect you.”
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