Chase (Chasing Tails Rewritten)

Nine - Moving

 Dresden crouches low in the bushes, observing James's house as closely as he can without alerting the senile Alpha of his presence. It's a small two-story building that's covered in old yellow paint with white borders. Part of the paint is chipping off and there're weeds growing outside around the house. Though a tiny window, he can see his mate busying herself in a small kitchen, tears silently falling down her face. She looks to be cooking something and she tries to focus on it but she keeps pausing to glance at her hand or look at her stomach's bruises. Clearly, she's lost in her own thoughts and he can smell some of the vegetables burning through the opened window.

Quickly, she fixes her mess up before it gets too bad and gathers the food onto a plate. He watches as she disappears and returns without much trouble but frowns when he realizes she's not eating anything. His heightened senses can pick up the sound of a television set and he can smell the Alpha's scent all over the house but he doesn't see James once. Julie stays still in the kitchen, cleaning up the dirty dishes and busying herself by reorganizing things. She does so quietly, flinching whenever one of the pots bangs against something.

A man, taller than Julie and him, with more wasted muscle mass than ever appears behind her. Julie instantly senses him and whimpers as she finishes the dishes before turning to him. His dark hair falls around him in a greasy fashion. He smells of alcohol and his face is scrunched together in a deep scowl. He opens his mouth and Dresden listens as the man begins to scold Julie for being a failure to him and for tricking him. There were other bullshit excuses too but Dresden tries to hold back from listening to them. He's already angry enough as it is.

The man slaps her. He touches her with those vile hands of his and Dresden growls, stepping forward to attack. But then James pulls on Julie's arm until they disappear and reappear on the back porch where he locks her out. She fights, begging for forgiveness and to be let back in but James doesn't budge. He locks the door and leaves Julie out for the night.

Dresden growls lowly, watching as his mate cries at the door on her knees. He wants nothing more to run up there and rip into James having enough evidence that James is the culprit behind Julie's wounds. But he doesn't want to scare Julie.

It takes her about half an hour to calm down. She crawls towards a bench and shivers herself to sleep. Dresden waits until she's passed out before he shifts back into his human form. He draws back to one of the supply boxes Were always leave around and grabs some jeans and a jacket. Then he steps forward. He walks towards her slowly, admiring her sleeping form. Her arms are wrapped around her, her legs nearly up to her chest but with her bruises, he knows it's painful. Her cheeks are still wet with smeared tears and he can see her shivering. He takes the jacket and wraps it around her. His fingers brush against her skin and he winces at just how cold she is.

Her wolf really did leave her.

His fingers find their way to her face and he brushes her hair behind her ear. His thumb rubs against her cheek, admiring the smooth, silky skin that's now red and swollen thanks to the slap.

He'll kill James.

"Is there a reason you're on my porch?"

Dresden doesn't turn from Julie immediately, having already sensed that James was nearing. He lets his eyes wander over Julie's face, kissing her head in an attempt to keep calm before he faces off with the dying Alpha. He stands slowly, facing the man who claims to be Julie's Alpha and glares.

"There is."

James glares back, wondering who the kid thought he was. "Care to explain?"

Dresden takes a menacing step forward, glancing at the man carefully. He doesn't smell strongly of his wolf and his muscles looked weak like they haven't been used in a long time. He can't help but smirk at the disgrace before him. What kind of Alpha doesn't keep up his own strength?