Alpha Instincts

Chapter 24

"So, your mum is alive," Hanna concluded in a daze.

It was a sentence with so much meaning, but Hanna made it sound so casual.

"Yeah. She is."

We were sitting cross-legged on my bed, since apparently my grounding meant I was limited to my bedroom most of the day, and I'd just finished telling her all of today's events. Hanna had been disappointed in me at first for not telling her, but when I'd pulled the best friend card and asked for her to forgive me, she couldn't stay angry for much longer.

Hanna flopped backwards onto my bed and looked up at the ceiling. "I can't believe it. In one weekend, you've managed to show a human werewolves exist, capture and interrogate a rogue, find evidence that your mother is alive, and then you discovered that the rogues are working together to eradicate the werewolf species, and your father grounded you. It doesn't seem possible."

"I can't believe it myself."

Hanna rolled over onto her side and stared at me doe-eyed. "Are

"Are you going to keep looking for her?" she asked.

"I'll never stop looking for her," I replied immediately, determination soaring through me. "But now I'm grounded and I don't think it will be easy to get out of the pack house unnoticed."

"So, this 'Red' guy....he's got your mum locked up?" she asked.

"I think so. Lars just wanted to get on my nerves and stated otherwise."

"But how would that explain Lucille and Red walking through the Strongshade territory? And Andrew said they'd appeared calm."

I was getting a headache with all of these unanswered questions. "All I know is that my mum is good. She wouldn't work with anyone that could risk harming anyone's life."

Hanna nodded in agreement. "Can you promise me something?" she asked.

"What is it?"

"Will you take me on your next lead?" She asked apprehensively. "I want to help you find your mother."

My mood deflated. "I'm sorry, Hanna, but it's so dangerous."

"Oh, stop being a martyr! I can handle myself. Besides, if I was looking for my long lost mother, wouldn't you want to help me?"

She had a point.

"Fine," I stated. "But you can't talk about it – Monroe thinks I'm not trying to find her anymore."

Hanna clapped her hands together in excitement. "This will be so much fun!"

I raise my eyebrows at her enthusiasm and she froze.

"I mean, contained fun, obviously." Hanna cleared her throat. "So, where should we start looking?"

I bit my cheek. "Actually, I already know where we need to go."

"Perfect. Where?"

"Harper Corporation. I don't know exactly where it is, but Nathan does."

"Nathan?" Hanna piped up, the name of a boy catching her interest. "Who's Nathan? Is he a werewolf?"