PROWESS. (COMPLETED)

Chapter 59

Anastasia POV;

The pack run seemed to have a revitalizing effect, and within the pack mindset, I certainly felt the overall anxiety decrease. I had managed to isolate the individual questioning my authority to the same girl who'd challenged my authority at the initiation. Vince's sister, Abigail. While she hadn't said anything to me directly, there was discomfort within the pack members whom she associated with about her conduct; she'd been insulting me and badmouthing me as leader to anyone who would listen. It had been five days since my return from the hospital, and I'd left the matter of Abigail unresolved while I dealt with pack matters and attended meeting with other Alphas. Out of courtesy to Vince, I'd pulled him aside and made it very clear to him that if Abigail's conduct remained unaddressed, I would be making an example of her. It seemed only fair to give him the chance to set an example to her and give her the chance to change her behavior. As I returned from an Elder meeting, I met a few of the new recruits in the lounge on arrival, their sudden rushed reactions to hide something between their backs had me narrowing my eyes. Standing quickly, they all bow - everyone except Abigail.

"We're were just reading today's newspaper." She says in a sickly-sweet voice. Standing up straighter and pulling out the newspaper article they'd hidden on my arrival, she holds it up for me to see. I could've guessed what it said from the questions shouted at me by the news reporters that were currently skirting the outside of my territory, and who'd been following me around all morning. The headline read;

MATES NO MORE? HAS PROWESS SHOWN KELLEN THE DOOR?

While glancing over it with disinterest, my phone rings. "Prowess speaking." I answer immediately, Abigail opens her mouth to interrupt but quickly shuts it at the venomous look and raised hand I give her. I make my way to the office as Brody's voice greets me.

"Prowess, I've been trying to get hold of you all morning. I wanted to give you a heads up about this morning's news-" begins Brody as I shut myself into my office

"No need. I've just seen it, and I've had reporters following me around all morning." I tell him bluntly, beginning to feel pissed off as the withheld annoyance of the morning seeps into and under my skin.

"Look there is a lot of things I need to discuss with you, but first I have to ask. Is there any truth to the story?" He asks concerned.

My anger hits a new high. "You son of a-" I curse, slamming the phone down on him. I promptly throw it as hard as I can at the door, the phone shatters on contact. How dare he?! Was Brody now suffering from short-term amnesia as well? Or were the four consecutive days I spent at Kellen's bedside while he'd been in a coma now irrelevant? Christ, it had only been five days ago. I was too angry to answer the landline as it started ringing. Instead, pulling the bookcase forward, I make my way down to my hidden basement apartment. It wasn't much; as you descended the stairs, you arrived into the bedroom with my double bed in front of you, either side of that near the ceiling were two small rectangle windows. To the right were floor to ceiling filled bookshelves, in the middle of which was a double set of doors; one side for my walk-in wardrobe, the other for my en-suite bathroom. To the left of the room was an open-plan mini kitchenette and lounge with an open fire along the wall and TV in the corner. Cursing profanities under my breath, I chuck my clothes on the bed and head to the bathroom, the ice of the shower cools my temper before I switch it to warming me up. Leaning my head against the wall, I just breath as I feel the water soothing my muscles like the hands of a masseuse performing a massage.