Moon Child |✔|

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Solivagant [ so·​liv·​a·​gant | \ sōˈlivəgənt \ ]

a solitary wanderer 

***

~ONE WEEK AFTER~

Alpha Jay walked down the dirt road silently, listening to the rustle of the trees as the wind blew past- in and out between the leaves.

He was on his way to see Doctor Schulman. He had not heard from the man since the heartbreaking meeting that had occurred just a week ago.

The Alpha thought to how his Beta had been handling the news since. Locked away with his mate, taking care of her and loving her.

It pleased him that he had taken his advice. When he saw his Beta slink out of the meeting room an hour after he had left, he stopped him to make sure he was okay.

"I can't stay here," his Beta had said flatly.

Without even thinking Alpha Jay pushed his fist back and punched his Beta in the jaw. The impact caused him to fall hard to the ground.

"What?" He could feel his anger surging forth to fast, and he silently tried to reign back in his wolf, already regretting his punch.

John stayed on the ground though in a daze.

Taking this moment to talk sense into his Beta, Alpha Jay crouched down and pushed him to sit upright against the wall.

"Listen to me," he said, his dominant command forcing his Beta to refocus and stare at his Alpha. "You do not have the luxury to be a coward. Suck it up. Your mate is going through hell and needs you. You need to love her until you have her. Don't you get it? Don't do anything stupid that you'll regret."

Shoving him aside, Alpha Jay stood and brushed himself off. Realization seemed to hit Beta John's face as he gasped and sunk into himself. "Thank you, Jay," he said, tears starting to form in his eyes.

"Go to her," Alpha Jay said. He watched John as he scrambled against the wall, conflict still within his eyes, but a goal now in sight.

Alpha Jay shook his head away, clearing the memory from his mind. He didn't like comforting others. Even though he oversaw a pack and many lives depended on him- he had always been silent and in the background. It was John who stayed up front and people pleasing. But if Grace didn't make it then neither would John. The Beta already couldn't stand the thought of losing his mate. If the actual reality were to occur, he would join her.

Alpha Jay cleared his head again from these thoughts that swirled around. He didn't need to think too hard about what the future held just yet. He needed to focus on the present and what he could do NOW to help Grace.

He could see the clinic now. It was coming into his eye's view, surrounded by trees, and hidden by the growth of plants and the forest.

Alpha Jay smelled the air for reassurance that Doctor Schulman was indeed present. He could have called but instead decided that he needed the walk. Many pack members had heard about Grace and John's sorrow and approached the Alpha throughout the week bombarding him with questions of how they could help. He needed to get away from them.

He wrinkled his nose at the scent that hit him when he entered the clinic. Stale BO. It was unpleasant and he soon found the source of it when he walked into Dr. Schulman's office.

The doctor looked a mess. He was still in the outfit he had worn to the meeting. Blue shirt and jeans with boots on, his white coat discarded across his chair. His hair stood on all ends as he had pushed his hand through it in frustration so many times. Stubble was visible on his face. But what caught Alpha Jay's attention were his eyes. Red rimmed but determined.