Loving The Beast Within (Sequel to Shifting Love)

Chapter 26: Dropping The Bomb On Me

It still hadn’t registered in my mind that yesterday afternoon we buried my mother. My mind couldn’t wrap around the fact that both my parents were dead now.

I aimlessly stood in my closet as I failed at picking out today’s outfit. What do I wear to a trial for a man whose actions caused the death of three people I loved?

I sighed before settling down onto the closet floor. This was going to take longer than I thought. I wanted nothing more than to confidently march into the Alpha meeting hall and watch Alpha Walter pay for his crimes but I couldn’t concentrate.

Everything was different now and I found myself having a hard time adjusting. Everyone acted differently when we came back from the hunters’ land. Out of everyone, Dante was acting the strangest. His temper was out of control. He shifted five times in just two days out of anger. He couldn’t control it and it seemed like he wasn’t even trying to.

Teague was quieter than ever. After my conversation with him last night I hoped things would be better for him. I knew he was having a hard time finding his place in our twisted family. I just needed to show him that he belonged here and we, I, needed him.

I was having a hard time myself trying to return to my normal routine. Every night I dreamt about Tristan and his offer to stay with him. I knew I made the right choice but I couldn’t help wishing he was here with me now. He deserved to still be here. I hadn’t plucked up the courage to tell Dante about it and I didn’t know if I wanted to. He wouldn’t understand.

“Are you ready, baby?”

He popped his head into the closet and chuckled when he saw me sitting on the floor still in my pajamas. I smiled over at him and reached my hands out for a hug.

I could feel his calm emotions running through our bond. How could he be so calm when we were about to go to a murder trial? Alpha Terrence was dead, which left only Dante, Christian, Regan, and Daniel on the Alpha “jury”. They argued for hours whether Dante should be allowed to have a say in the verdict but in the end he won. He always got his way.

“I am scared, Dante,” I admitted.

He cupped my cheek with his left hand and leaned his forehead against mine.

“There is nothing to be afraid of, Ari. Walter is going to answer for his crimes and I promise you, he won’t get away with any of it. He is going to die.”

“I know, but I am afraid of what is going to happen after. Tristan and Terrence are dead with Walter close behind. There are only four of you left. What is going to happen to the packs? Alpha Terrence and Walter didn’t have any children. There is no one to take after them.”

He sighed and softly placed a kiss on my forehead before pulling away from me. He ran a hand through his thick hair as he tried to find the right answer to my question.

“The Alphas have been discussing it for a few days now. I wasn’t supposed to say anything until the final decision was made but I suppose it can’t hurt to tell you now.”

My heart plummeted into my stomach at the tone of his voice. I could already tell whatever he was about to tell me I wasn’t going to like.

“After Walter’s trial and execution, some of the Alphas want to move their packs.”

I furrowed my eyebrows in confusion. Move? They were going to leave? Where would they go? Our packs had been here since my grandparent’s parents settled here.

“I would think they would want to stick close by for protection. Who knows if there are any more hunters who know about us.”

He sighed again and I knew he was trying to keep something from me. His eyes begged me to just drop it but I couldn’t. I needed to know what had these Alphas running scared.