Life Straight Up (reposted - feedback wanted)

Chapter Twenty Two

     Alec turned up in the office shortly after Cole had left. Apparently, he had ordered him to stay behind to keep an eye on me. By the sound of the talking and laughing from outside, the party was still in full swing. I was stood perfectly still where Cole had left me when Alec stepped inside. I saw him come towards me, but I was speechless. My mind was spinning with everything that had happened. My mind was so focused on it, that I didn't even notice that Alec had escorted me to my room. He set me down on my bed and covered me with my duvet, he spoke before he left, but I didn't hear a word. I just laid there with my hands rested on my stomach. She was going to take everything from me, she was going to take Cole, Devlin and my babies. She was going to take them all and worst of all, I had no idea who she was. Her voice sounded somewhat familiar, like it reminded me of someone, but it was a little off. I just wish I had gotten a good look at her, a look at her out of her wolf form at least. All I knew was that she had to be a mated wolf, but that could be anyone. How had she got by everyone, surely someone must have picked up her scent? But then again, I didn't pick up any abnormal scents and she was right next to me. Was she a member of our own pack? The thought filled me with dread. Who the hell was she and what the hell did she want with me? As the fear consumed me even further I felt myself slipping into darkness.

"Have you heard anything from Cole yet?" I heard someone say.

"Nothing yet Chris, sorry. I begged him to let me go with him, but he wanted me to stay with her. I couldn't tell you straight away, he wanted to keep it between the two of us," I heard someone reply.

"Why? Does he think I did this Alec, does he think I would put my sister at risk like that? Seriously why the fuck would he keep this from me, he knows I would kill anyone who tried to hurt her," I heard Chris say, sounding a little more frustrated.

"Chris don't be stupid for Christ sake, of course he doesn't think you have something to do with it. He didn't want you to stress out, he didn't want Celeste to get stressed," Alec replied, his voice starting to rise.

"I want to know what you know now!" I heard Chris whisper forcefully as he paced the floor, the sound of his heavy footsteps reaching my ears.

"To start with Chris, I don't answer to you so don't use that tone with me," Alec growled, his authority filling his voice. "Honestly we don't know a lot. Only what Ray told Cole, that she was in the house. That she threatened her," Alec continued getting up off the end of the bed.

"But how the hell did she get inside? The majority of the two packs were here, how could she get past them? Not unless...she's one of us," Chris said sounding slightly shaken.

"We don't know that Chris. We can't make assumptions like that!" Alec said, his voice rising ever so slightly. "Come on Chris we know that there are wolves out there that can mask their scents. There are only a handful of them, it won't take too long to work it out. All we have to do now is catch her and find out why she's doing this."

"Don't be so naive Alec. Sure, there are only a handful of wolves who can do that, which we know of. Who is to say those few haven't taught others? We have no idea how deep this goes. We all know Jude has it in for Cole and he's not the only one," I heard Chris reply sounding agitated.

Suddenly the door burst open, the sound of soft footsteps entered the room. I could tell by their scent that it was Helena.

"You two need to take this discussion outside now!" she ordered, with an authoritative tone to her voice that I had never heard before.

Now that she had had the twins, her Beta genes were fully kicking in.

"Babe...," Alec started, but didn't continue.