“Where is Ashleigh?” Axel asked, looking around for his sister.
“She left early this morning to help Bell with Renee,” Corrine replied.
“Really?” Axel asked. “Couldn’t that have waited? I an Granger–”
“Axel, he isn’t leaving the pack or going to another country,” Corrine sighed. “It’s just the southern territories. Only two hour’s drive, less on paw.”
“Still, shouldn’t she be here to say goodbye?”
“You worry too much. I’m sure Ashleigh and Granger have already said their goodbyes. And likely will be in constant contact anyway,” Corrine said with a smile to Granger.
Granger returned the smile, though he was viciously tearing her face off inside.
She ant it when she said there would be no contact between Ashleigh and him. He hadn’t been able to see her in the past twenty-four hours, much less try to get her back on his side.
“It’s all good, Axel,” Granger said, then looking at Corrine, he added. “After all, we will be spending the rest of our lives together. What’s a month in the sche of things?”
Axel thought he noticed a strange atmosphere between his mother and Granger but assud he had imagined it.
Granger picked up his backpack, double-checking that everything was strapped correctly and that his water bottle was filled.
“Are you really going to hike down?” Axel asked.
“Yes, when Dad and I talked last night, he expressed so concern about the outposts between the territories. So we decided it would make sense for to check them along the way.”
“How long is that going to take?”.
“About a week. I will walk the border fences as I go, just to make sure all is well,” Granger smiled.
“That’s really great of you, Granger,” Axel smiled.
“It’s nothing. I an, shouldn’t the future Beta take an interest in the pack’s security?” Granger grinned.
“You’re right….” Axel said, thinking, “maybe I should go with you.”
“What?” Corrine and Granger asked simultaneously.
Axel looked at them with confusion.
“I just an, you’re right. You should take an interest, and I, as a future Alpha, should too.”
“That is true, but–“ Corrine began.
“Plus, it’ll give us so good brotherly bonding ti,” Axel laughed, patting Granger’s shoulder.
Granger laughed awkwardly.
“Of course, but really you don’t need to do that,” Granger stated. “You must have tons of work to do, and then there are your lessons….”
Corrine nodded in agreent, not wanting Axel to get closer to Granger. But then she turned to look at Granger with a question on her mind.
‘I know why I don’t want him to go, but why don’t you?’
“It’s only a week,” Axel laughed. “Besides, Father has wanted to show initiative. I’m sure he will see the benefit in this plan.”
Granger could only smile in answer.
“It’s settled. I will join you on the border tour,” Axel gave a broad, joyful smile. “I’m excited! Just give fifteen minutes to get my stuff together, and we can head out.”
“Sounds great,” Granger answered. “I will wait at the tree line.”
Granger gave a final smile and a wave before turning to walk away.
‘Damnit!’ he cursed in his mind. ‘This complicates things.’
***
“Bell?” Ashleigh called out as she entered Renee’s ho.
She gasped when she saw the state of it.
“It’s shocking, right?” Bell said, coming out from the kitchen. “Worse in there.”
“What happened here?” Ashleigh asked, stepping over a broken mirror.
“Don’t know for sure, but it seems like it was all done by Renee.”
“What?” Ashleigh asked, looking around at the destruction. “Why would she do this?”
“Maybe she was lashing out? Maybe she was in pain? Maybe there was a really annoying and persistent fly that she just had to kill… I don’t know.”
“When did this all happen?” Ashleigh asked, righting a table that had fallen over.
“Well, the last person to see her in a normal fra of mind was your mom the night before the full moon.”
“She did?”
“Yea, she was visiting you and ran into Corrine on her way out, proceeded to tattle on though,” Bell said, her voice lilted into humor.
Ashleigh recognized the coping chanism. Bell was hoping to make the heaviness of the situation fade into the background of their conversation.
“Oh? And what juicy gossip did she have to share this ti?” Ashleigh asked.
“Well, she told Corrine that there was a man in my house,” Bell said with a dramatic southern drawl.
Ashleigh laughed. “Was she right? Did you take Galen ho with you? Oooh… naughty girl.”
She knew better than to suspect Bell had really done anything she was playfully implying. Bell was a flirt, but generally speaking, she was too closed off to allow for that level of intimacy.
“Actually, it was Alpha Caleb.”
Ashleigh had been reaching down to pick up one of the pictures on the floor but found herself frozen in place.
“Yep, he ca to visit, just him and behind closed doors,” Bell said, watching Ashleigh’s reaction. “It was a while too. The night just got away from us.”
Ashleigh cleared her throat. Grabbing the discarded picture and placing it on the table.
“How did Galen feel about that?” Ashleigh asked, trying, but failing, to hide the bitterness in her voice.
“I saw no reason to tell him. We’re all adults. We all make our choices,” Bell responded casually. “I chose to invite Caleb in that night.”
Ashleigh clenched her jaw as she picked up a small ceramic figurine.
Bell could see the effect her words were having. She smiled to herself and decided to try one last poke.
“He’s such a strong, masculine type. On the other hand, I was surprised by how gentle he was.”
That was too much.
Ashleigh growled deep and low as she gripped the figurine firmly, crushing it in her hand.
“Oh shit!” Bell shouted, running over to check Ashleigh’s hand when she saw the drops of blood falling.
Ashleigh pulled her hand away with a growl.
“Oh, knock it off!” Bell growled back. “You know damn well I was just pushing your buttons! Now give your hand!”
Ashleigh took a deep breath and submitted to Bell’s care. Sitting down on the floor to give her better access.
Once Bell had cleaned the wound, she found it wasn’t as bad as it looked. For now, the first aid kit she carried would be enough to take care of it. But she would still insist that Ashleigh get it checked at the hospital when they finished up.
“Why’d you do that?” Ashleigh asked quietly.
“Why’d you choose Granger?” Bell countered.
Ashleigh looked away. “He’s my mate.”
“That’s the line you keep spitting out. It’s losing its aning.”
“Did you really have Caleb in your house?” Ashleigh asked.
“Yes,” Bell replied. “He ca to talk about giving you blood after the wolfsbane.”
“Why?”
“Because he is a really good guy,” Bell replied firmly, quickly adding. “There’s also sothing hinky going on with the information being shared between the packs, but that’s not the point right now.”
“Wait, what?” Ashleigh asked, sitting up.
“I said, that’s not the point right now!” Bell growled. “Why did you choose that lying, manipulative weasel over the guy who is so connected to you that his heart literally stopped when yours did?”
Ashleigh’s eyes widened as the words crashed against her understanding.
“What… did you say?”
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