Chase (Chasing Tails Rewritten)

TwentySix - Forgiveness

 By the time Julie returns home, the bitter cold from the late-fall, early-winter weather has reached her bones. A storm is brewing above her. Dark clouds swirl together with the early setting sun and she knows soon, winter will hit them with snow. But it's not just the weather that keeps the cold from melting inside her. It's the image of red-eyes as they stare into her soul and threaten to take her life.

The sentries regard her with concern and curiosity. They bow their heads as a greeting before returning to focus on distant happenings and Julie makes her way into the warm house. For a moment, surprise hits her when she discovers how many of her pack members are there. It's been so long since she's seen the house this full that she wonders if maybe they've discovered Trisha while she was away. From the living room, she can hear Jack discussing business with a man she assumes is Isaac, judging by the way his hand hangs possessively onto Kennedy's waist. It's her first time seeing him and even without being introduced properly, she can see why the two are mates. They have that natural beauty that only echoes around them when they're together.

"Julie."

She turns to find Dresden staring seriously down at her. His stern expression leaves no room for running or ignoring and she finds herself quickly delivering Ollie's message before he distracts her with something else.

"I'm fine," She quickly tells him. "Ollie says he'll join you soon to go over everything you know. He wants to work together now to find Trisha and perhaps stop the Alpha attacks."

His dark eyes seem to darken if it was possible, but quickly, he lets go of whatever he feels and nods his head, thanking her for playing messenger. Solemnly, he studies her slowly, taking in her white knuckles and her shaking form.

"What's wrong?"

Julie shies away from his concern and strips off her jacket, leaving it on the coat hanger by the door. "I'm fine."

His hand grips her arm and pulls her towards him. He can easily tell she's upset by the news of the all-Alpha attacks. He wonders if Ollie told her on purpose. He didn't want her to find out that Jack was attacked by red-eyed Alphas and he knows no one in his pack told her. Ollie must've been the one to shock her and now, she's closing in on herself with fear and it breaks him down ever second he has to watch.

"They're not going to touch you," He quickly tells her. "They'll die before they get anywhere near you."

Julie softly tugs her arm from him. "They've attacked Jack, Dresden. They're already near me."

Dresden ignores the sting from her distance. He wants to grab her and hold her, even if it's against her will but he can't. He's too focused on her words right now.

"And Jack took down two of the three," He argues. "Now that we know what we're dealing with, it won't be that easy for them to attack a second time."

Julie shakes her head in disbelief. "Dresden, the only reason my pack took them down last time was because I-"

His finger cuts her words. "I know. It was a dire situation. I'm not going to let that happen. Not to you. Not again."

He can see that she doesn't believe him. She fights her instinct to hide and cry, the fear is falling off of her like waves, hitting him with a force he hasn't felt before. He steps near, hoping his warmth will soothe her but stubbornly, she rejects it, stepping away before he can even try. He grits his teeth.

"Julie, this isn't the same. This pack is targeting us for a reason. No others have been attacked. Only wards under Ollie's protection and now, my beta. They must not have high numbers and they must have a reason for choosing our packs. This can and will be stopped before anything like what you went through happens."