Chase (Chasing Tails Rewritten)

Fifteen - Midnight Run

Julie falls asleep listening to the hushed whispers from the guards outside her door. Her body is quite tired despite the fact that she hasn't moved much at all today but her mind's been distracted. There's a tension like no other filling the house and even though she isn't downstairs in the mix of it, she can feel it. A kind of glumness takes over during the silent periods. Dresden has been moodier as of lately when giving out orders. She's heard him yell and curse at some of her pack members at least a dozen times today alone. By the time he returns to the room, she's already sound asleep, leaving half of the bed opened for him.

Mating season hits Dresden harder than ever before the moment his eyes land on his sleeping beauty. The tension in his muscles could use a distraction and honestly, he needs nothing less than to simply hold his mate and inhale her scent and fighting those instincts is beginning to tear him down, little by little.

He hurries into the shower before he can do anything that might jeopardize what trust he has built up with her. She's finally started to use his name although he's noticed that whenever someone is in view, she'll quickly go back to calling him Alpha. And even though she still mumbles and tosses in her sleep, he feels like she's getting more rest than before. She's starting to feel comfortable here.

He hopes that lasts. With the recent attacks and Trisha missing, Julie is the only peaceful and good thing he's got. Ollie breaths down his back constantly. The two packs are working together to search for Trisha but there's this unexplainable gut feeling he has that Ollie isn't telling him everything. The Alpha seems to be distant, closed off in a way that normally wouldn't bother Dresden but when it comes to something as serious as this, it's the complete opposite of how Ollie would normally react. To Dresden, it's a sign of bad fortune. He just doesn't know when it's going to take effect.

Ollie is needed for the well-being of his pack, despite the fact that Dresden hates him. He's something of a reminder for him when everything was black and white and there wasn't any sort of grays that fuck everything up. He keeps Dresden in check too, keeps him constantly holding back his temper, reminding him of the implications it could cause should he ever truly let loose. He's a good leader and a good Alpha that served as a good opponent for Dresden. After all, Ollie is the only one around for miles who would dare challenge him. Everyone else fears his title. He likes his title. He likes the power but the boredom that comes with him nearly drives him insane and Ollie is good at keeping him from going overboard. Having a bad relationship with Ollie...Rather, having a worse relationship with Ollie would be detrimental to him, his mental state and his pack. Not only that, he has to think about Julie now. Her brothers belong to Ollie and getting into a war with him would only make her miserable.

He refuses to let war anywhere near her. Whoever is attacking those small packs, those special little wards of Ollie will regret it if they ever set foot near Dresden's lands. He'll kill them and he'll do it before anyone realizes what happens.

Dresden towel dries his hair and changes into a pair of sweats. He doesn't like to sleep with too much on. He's used to sleeping naked, running hot in even cold environments but he's learned to manage the small civility of wearing something when he sleeps - for the sake of Julie's innocent but devious little eyes.

He opens the door quietly even though Julie doesn't have the sensitive ears like he and everyone else does. She barely moves and he can pick up the sound of her voice mumbling in her sleep. As he nears, he sees her twitching, jolting even and he frowns. Her once calm expression is now torn by fear and pain. All sorts of emotions begin to cross her features and her voice continues to get louder all though she's making more sounds than words now.

"Julie?"

His fingers brush over her shoulder and he winces. Her skin is ice cold and covered in sweat. At first, he thinks she's fallen ill but when his fingers drift over her forehead, he realizes that isn't the case.