The Crime of the Winter Wolves

Chapter 3: The Date

{Anna's Prov}

During the questioning with Alaric, my wolf was running circles in my head while yelling "MATE!". I tried to ignore her; I could tell that he was having the same issue. Whatever his wolf was saying to mine was calming her down, but she is still driving me crazy. After talking to Alaric, we went back into the other room. Alaric had shooed everyone out of the room and back to what they were doing before we came for the investigation. I then leaned into my partner and told her "We should leave since we are done for now." I could tell my partner was getting uncomfortable, so we started to head out. As we were leaving Alaric says "Wait, Anna can I ask you something please?" I looked at my partner giving her a reassuring smile to go ahead and wait in the car. After she left, I turned around and looked at Alaric and he said, "I can't wait for tonight." I smiled and kissed his cheek, and left.

When I got back to the car my partner asked, "Why did he want to talk to you, Anna?" Stella had some curiosity laced in her voice. She had the right to be curious because he is our primary suspect in this murder case of ours. I answered her with a lie. "He wanted to know some details about Tyler's case. I gave him minor details, but nothing major." She nodded and we went on our way back to the station.

When we got back to the station it was about 2:30ish. I could not stop thinking about tonight and what Alaric had planned for us. Alaric had the whole night planned out from a movie to dinner to even a romantic walk. He took me to a fancy restaurant named 'Radiant Lovely', and then to a movie called "A Miracle from Heaven". We even had a walk through the town, and we even watched the sunset. The whole night was so romantic. Our wolves were still a little crazy and I had to fix the problem fast. The only thing I could think of was to kiss him. When I kissed Alaric, it took him by surprise, but it quieted our wolves. When we parted, we were out of breath.

We walked back to the car in comfortable silence. I thought to myself "Will I regret this in the morning? I just could not help but think what would happen when Captain Ella found out I was "dating" one of the main suspects in this case." Alaric had pulled me out of my thoughts by saying my name and by touching my hand. When we got into the car, I turned to Alaric and said, "Alaric babe we can't let my police captain find out we are dating yet understand?" He looked a little hurt after I had said this, but he understood my reasoning behind it.

Alaric looked at me and said, "Anna I understand the first reasoning but is there another reason behind you not wanting anyone to find out about us?" I looked at my hands and thought 'is there another reason why I do not want anyone finding out yet or is it just my past I'm afraid of'. I looked at him and said, "There is another reason...I'm running from my past and I'm terrified that it will catch up with me and I'm scared to get too close to anyone and now--." Alaric looked shocked when I said the other reason and asked in full respect after cutting me off. "Anna babe there is nothing that can ever stop me from loving you but what's got you so scared that you keep running. I looked at him and said with fear laced in my voice "My old pack, the Alpha was driven mad after the Luna and their unborn pup were killed." He looked surprised and then asked like he was walking on thin ice. "Ok, babe what does that have to do with you?" I sighed and started to explain the reasoning behind it.

"Well, Alaric it is obvious I'm not from Washington and that I live on neutral ground for a reason. It all started when the Luna and the alpha pup were killed. The Alpha had gone crazy trying to find who had killed them. That is where I come in Alaric. I was the best fighter in the pack, and I am also the sister to the Alpha. What the Luna did not tell the Alpha was that she was having complications with the pregnancy from the beginning. During the last visit, someone had come into her hospital room while the Alpha was gone to do paperwork and kidnapped her and the pup. Naturally, the baby tries to hide itself to survive when the mother is hurt in any way, but that is not what the young alpha did. When our Luna was injured, the Alpha could feel her pain. He had come to me in the Beta's house and told me to find her. The beta's sister was my friend before she was killed. The Alpha had started to panic and became hysterical about her missing." I sighed and realized Alaric was concentrating on the story while he was driving. So, I continued with the story.

"He came to me on his knees and tears streaking his face to help find her. Little did I know that the person who kidnapped her was part of our pack let alone part of our own family. That is when he went berserk on everyone. When I went to the room, she was in I recognized the scent as our younger brother. When I told my findings to my older brother, he was outraged and demanded I to search for our younger brother's house while his mate was out. He even used his Alpha tone on me, and he never used it on his family. So, I did every nook and cranny and I found absolutely nothing. Finishing up my search I had heard someone outside, so I had turned on my recorder as I hide. When our younger brother came home, he was on the phone with someone.

He had said 'Yeah man my older brother is suspicious of everyone he even has my sister searching for her. Be careful she is exceptionally good at tracking and fighting. Just make sure no harm comes to the Luna and their baby. Ok, this is the only way to get my brother to start a war with the vampires that killed our parents." I showed what I had recorded to my older brother, and he could not believe that our younger brother would betray him like that. He went on a rampage killing our younger brother after he had found his mate dead and their unborn pup cut out of her stomach. He killed everyone in the pack except for those who had run. I ran away from my pack when they needed me to rein in my older brother and I just left them to die. I left when they needed me the most."

With tears streaming down my face in complete and udder guilt for leaving them all to die at the hands of their Alpha. Alaric had pulled the car over, pulled me into his embrace, and allowed me to cry and he never said a word until I stopped crying. Then Alaric said "Anna, my love nothing will make me think less of you and I promise that I will protect you until I die and even afterward. You will never be alone in this world without me by your side and that even includes our pups. Anna, I promise to love you and cherish you every day until there is no more love in the world. I admit that means it's forever and ever and ever." I looked into his eyes which looked at me with sadness and sincerity but also full of understanding.

There were no more questions on why I was running and never stayed in one place too long. Now that my past might catch up with me and there was no way out of it. I looked at Alaric and said "Alaric, my love are you truly ready for the dangers that my past holds. Are you willing to stay by my side for it all?" He looked at me with hope and love in his eyes and said with confidence "My love there is nothing that will keep me away from you and your past. In other words, yes, I will be by your side through everything. I have only one condition though, move in with me at my home so I can protect you from your past with the strength of the pack. Please consider this for more protection and you will get to see me every day." I smiled and looked at I am and the next thing I know we were at my house. Where there had happened to be guards from his pack at my door thinking when did he mind link anyone to get over to my house. Thinking back when I was telling the story he could have done while he was driving me home. He says it is for my safety, but I think it is more for his sanity.