Cry Wolf, Cry [Welcome To Wolf's Peak] (manxman)

Chapter 10 - Cat And Mouse

I'm dedicating this chapter to @DeathMasterTara for leaving me such a nice comment on the last chapter. Thank you.

I know things are moving slowly between Jason and Bram but it takes time to rebuild trust and build the foundations for a relationship. The mating does not automatically make them love each other and want to be together forever. The potential is there but the love comes later, it builds and grows just like any relationship. I promise that things will start to heat up very soon ;)

Jason's POV

I was speechless for a few seconds trying to digest the facts. My brother had beaten up a future Alpha because of me. An action that was punishable to the fullest extent of were's laws. A part of me was honoured that my brother cared so much for me that he would risk punishment, yet concerned that he would be so careless as to risk that punishment. Yet another part of me, a small part that I didn't want to study too closely, felt remorse for what was done to the man standing before me.

He seemed genuinely sorry for what he'd done, unless he was an exceptional actor. He'd tried to change himself as best he could, but still he was stripped of his birth right and punished. I could see the hurt in his eyes when he'd told me that fact and I had been tempted to tell him that he would soon be stepping up to the role he was born to fill.

But I hadn't.

That was not my news to tell and I didn't want to suffer the wrath of the Alpha if he found out that I'd done it.

"But..." I began but was cut off by the sound of my phone ringing. I frowned as I fished it out of my pocket and looked at the display. Mouse. He'd tried to call me earlier in the evening but my mother had stopped me from answering him. We had already talked to each other earlier in the day so I couldn't help but feel that something must be wrong. "I'm sorry, I really need to get this. Excuse me." I told Bram before moving away to take the call. I noticed a look of slight disappointment before I'd turned away from him and it ate at my gut.

I hit the answer button. "Mouse?" I asked concerned.

"Oh thank the heavens. Jason, I don't know what to do. I found him outside the apartment window when I'd called him for his lunch but he never came so I went looking and then..." He broke off in a fit of sobbing that muffled his words.

"What? Calm down and tell me everything from the beginning." I stepped through the doorway into the hall and closed it behind me. I listened to him trying to calm himself as I walked in the general direction of my bedroom.

"Norman." He managed to sob out.

Ah, Norman. His fat spoiled ginger tabby cat. Mouse had found him behind the dumpster when he'd gone to take out the rubbish about two years ago. The cat had been emaciated and lethargic and we'd held out little hope for his survival. Still, Mouse had gently tucked him into a box lined with a warm blanket and had taken him to the closest vet. When he had miraculously pulled through Mouse had adopted him and brought him home to live with us. He loved that cat like it was his child and spoiled it every chance he got.

It was obvious by the little I'd made out and how upset he was that something had happened to Norman.

"What happened, is he okay?" I felt dumb asking that. Obviously he wasn't okay or I wouldn't have been listening to my devastated friend. Yet I couldn't bring myself to ask outright if his pet was dead.

"I w-went to look for him." He sniffled and gave a little hiccup, something he always did after a particularly bad bout of crying. "He was outside on the balcony just lying there. At first I thought he was just asleep but he didn't move when I called him so I put my hand out to scratch behind his ears but-" He started crying in vain and I let him take his time.