Alpha - Forever #1 (Complete)

Chapter 19 - Part 1

Scarlett

The next week went by with everyone on edge and expecting another attack from the rogues, but it never happened. It was like the rogues had backed off totally, which had confused Cade and Blake. It wasn't normal rogue behavior apparently, but then again we already knew that these rogues weren't behaving like normal rogues.

If they'd been acting like normal rogues it would have been easier to try and figure out what their next move was going to be. The fact that they weren't predictable made them more dangerous. We had no idea what they would do next.

Cade became more protective, which was a little hard to handle. I was so used to being able to do what I wanted, when I wanted it and never having to take another person into consideration. It was taking some getting used to and a few times I'd lost my temper with him.

I'd started getting better at handling thoughts, although I was only linked to Cade. There were times when I was training with Hank that he would allow me to hear his thoughts and I did the same with him.

It was getting easier, but I was in no way ready to handle all the thoughts of the entire pack just yet. Just remembering what happened the last time I'd heard everyone in my head was enough for me to take it slowly.

The couple of times Keri had tried to arrange to go out, I'd had to make up some excuse not to go. Also the fact that I was training for at least two hours after school every day with Cade watching was a good excuse as well.

Slowly but surely my body's strength increased. I was also learning to react more quickly due to all the sparring. So far, under the proud gaze of Cade, I had been able to land Hank on his back three times.

Unlike human bodies, mine adjusted to the exercise pretty quickly and the pain from the training lessened each day.

Blake had totally recovered from his injury and was back to his normal self. He annoyed me every chance he got, but I had to admit I was happy he was okay.

Cade and Blake joined Keri and I for lunch every day at our table. Cade would sit beside me and Blake would sit beside Keri. From an outsiders' point of view it looked like Blake had a thing for Keri and I was pretty convinced with the fluttering of Keri's eyelids that the feeling was mutual. I was starting to suspect that they liked each other.

I didn't know enough about the whole mating thing to know whether if what I suspected was happening between Blake and Keri was even allowed.

I kept meaning to ask Cade about it, but it kept slipping my mind.

It was dark and I was lying in Cade's arms in his bed. It was late and I was tired. It had been a long day of school and training. I could tell from Cade's breathing that he wasn't sleeping so I decided to finally ask what I'd been curious about for so long.

"Where are your parents?" I asked softly. I felt him shift slightly underneath me as he pulled me closer.

"They are dead," he answered.

His answer took me by surprise. I'm not sure why it hadn't crossed my mind. The heaviness in his voice revealed that it still affected him deeply so I hugged him closer.

"They were killed about a year ago by rogues," he revealed softly.

I remained silent.

"There had been a couple of rogues in and out of territory a couple of months before, but by the time we discovered that two rogues had entered our territory it had been too late."

He let out a deep sigh and rubbed his forehead.

"I'm sorry," I said. There was nothing that you could really say that would help with that type of loss, I understood that, but I needed some way to tell him that hearing the loss in his voice had affected me, too. I didn't like the idea of anything hurting him.