The Alpha Next Door

Chapter 22 ⦔ Flame Vine

Jack was worried. Hugo had left him. He had taken his things and packed them up into his car and he had driven off. Jack wasn't mad but he was terrified for Hugo. They had gone to sleep that night after a beautiful date and everything was normal.

However, Jack had woken up to Hugo having a nightmare at three in the morning. Hugo had sweat dripping down his back and he was speaking pure gibberish in his sleep when Jack had shaken him awake.

Jack never wanted to see that look in Hugo's eyes ever again. His eyes were scared but also so empty. He looked confused and his voice had become strangely high, like a child's. Jack was scared for the man he was beginning to love.

Hugo had flown out of the bed and began to shove his things into his suitcase without the usual precession Hugo normally packed with. Hugo was whispering to himself as he went about a woman called Adelia.

It had only taken twenty minutes from the time Jack had woken Hugo up to the time Jack had heard Hugo's car start and back out of the house they had rented. Before Jack knew it he was sitting naked, alone, and stressed in the bed. He just wanted this to be a bad dream.

Adelia was in peace as she read on her bed. The young werewolves that had become part of her life had all gone on a run together. That's why when Adelia heard footsteps in her house she grew concerned.

"Hello." Called Adelia and the footsteps stopped. They began again and Adelia reached for her bat. She was about to swing it at the man who appeared in her doorway but stopped when she realized it was her brother.

He looked horrible. He had large bags under his eyes, his hair was a mess and his clothes were mismatched and ill-fitting.

"What are you doing here?" Asked Adelia as she hugged her brother close.

"We have to go."

"What?"

"We have to go. Come on we need to go. We don't have time to pack." Shouted Hugo as he tugged his sister down the hall.

"Hugo, what is happening?"

"He will come for us."

"What the fuck are you talking about?"

"Father will come and he will punish us. He will kill us." Shouted Hugo as he pulled at his sister.

Adelia grabbed Hugo and stopped him as he tried to drag them down the stairs. Hugo collapsed to the floor and snapped his neck back. Adelia cringed as her brother's head bounced against the wall while his eyes remained numb to the pain.

His hands shook and his arms flung out uncontrollably. His breaths caused load croaks to spill out of his mouth as he struggled for air. His eyes were still blank though.

Adelia had seen her brother like this. She didn't know what to do though. Just like the times before she watched, frozen. This time though she had to stop him. She had to save him.

Adelia dropped to the floor next to her brother and snatched his hands in hers. He slowly stopped shaking and Adelia would think it was an improvement if his eyes showed any spark of life. Instead, they were cold, blank.

"He's gone. He's dead. We're safe now. You made us safe, Hugo. You don't need to worry anymore." Sobbed Adelia in hopes of getting it through her brother's head that he didn't have to worry anymore. He takes his life back from the monster who was still controlling them even after death.

"You are too good for this world. If I was a good brother I would kill you, before they can ruin you. But I'm selfish." Whispered Hugo and Adelia let go of her brother's hands so she could hug him close to her.

"You aren't selfish. You did everything to protect me." Cried Adelia but Hugo shook his head furiously. He didn't believe her. He would always believe he could have done more.

The pair curled up together in the hallway and cried. The thing for Hugo was that Hugo was surrounded by it. He would forever be tied to Adelia and he couldn't leave her. She was his sister and if Hugo believed in souls he would believe that Adelia was half of his. Because Adelia lived in the house Hugo could never escape it. No matter how much she decorated it the house was still the same. It's was still suffocating him with memories and the feeling that he was still looming over them.

It was three weeks later and Adelia was making her daily trip to the Saint Mark's Mental Hospital where Hugo was. Each day she would arrive at 2 pm to see her brother. Some days they would let her see him, some days they wouldn't. Adelia would still stay for the full hour.

If she could see her brother they would sit and talk. Sometimes she would paint for him. Sometimes they would sit in silence.

If she wasn't allowed to see him she would spend an hour wandering the grounds. Sometimes Hugo would see her from his window and sometimes he wouldn't but Adelia didn't care. She knew her brother felt like she was there beside him as she walked through the garden.

Slowly Hugo was getting better though. The panic attacks had diminished. He allowed himself to be angry, upset, sad, and afraid for the first time since he was just a small child. He took pills that made him feel like he had control of his outbursts. He was learning to talk things through.

There was no overnight fix. However, Hugo began the long road to getting better. That was all that mattered.

Laila opened her door to the Luna of her new pack standing in the hallway.

"How can I help you?"

"Would you like to come see Adelia with me?" Asked the Luna and Laila squinted her eyes at her.

"You shouldn't go back. I think it would hurt Hugo and Adelia would be numb to you."

"You don't know what you are talking about."

"I do. I lived with them. They know you are alive. They could have sought you out if they wanted to. You are still their mother in your eyes but I honestly think they believe the only family they have is each other. If you go I will come but if I were you I would write them an apology and then respect their choice to never see you again."

Laila meant to be cruel. She liked the way the Luna flinched at her words. She had hurt Adelia and Hugo. While Laila didn't know the full story she had an understanding of what had happened. Besides, Laila was scared she would break Hugo even more.