Chapter 9: Chapter 9

ETHAN

Alex and I burst through the infirmary doors, our footsteps echoing off the sterile walls. My heart pounds with frustration and fear as I take in the sight of our two pack members lying on cots. Each one looks pale and sickly, with dark circles under their eyes and a faint sheen of sweat glistening on their foreheads.

“What the hell happened?” I growl at no one in particular.

The pack healer, Bethany, approaches us with a grim expression. “They’re sick, Alpha. But I’ve never seen anything like it. They have no memory of what happened. They only remember going out for a drink last night and then waking up in the Scourge.”

“The Scourge? Fuck!”

I think back to my men who were murdered, and the weird presence I felt in the forest. This has to be connected. Someone is after my pack. I take a deep breath, forcing myself to remain calm.

“There has to be something we can do.”

Alex steps closer, placing a hand on my shoulder. “We’ll figure it out, Ethan. We always do.”

I nod, though the weight of responsibility feels heavier than ever. “Maybe there’s something they can tell us that will give us a clue.”

We move to the first cot, where a member of the pack lies, her breathing shallow. I kneel beside her and gently shake her shoulder. “Can you hear me? It’s Ethan.”

Her eyelids flutter, and she lets out a weak groan. “Ethan…what happened? I feel so strange.”

“You stumbled in from the Scourge,” I explain, keeping my voice steady. “Do you remember anything at all? Anything unusual?”

She struggles to focus, her brow furrowing. “I…I remember being at the bar. There was a man…he bought us drinks. That’s all I remember.”

I exchange a glance with Alex. “A man? What did he look like?”

She shakes her head weakly. “I don’t know. It’s all so hazy.”

My frustration mounts. This is getting us nowhere. “We’ll find out who did this,” I promise, though the words feel hollow. I rise to my feet, turning to Alex. “We need to find that man. I’m willing to bet he’s the same person behind those murders.”

I move to the next cot where the other ill pack member lies. Her skin looks almost translucent.

As I get close, she states, “Ethan…I don’t feel right. Everything’s spinning.”

“We’re going to help you,” I say, though I’m not sure how. “Do you remember anything from last night? Anything at all?”

She tries to focus, her eyes glazing over. “There was…a smell. Something like a mix of earth, sandalwood, and whiskey. I think it came from the man. I can’t remember his face, but he bought us drinks.”

“What else can you remember? Anything about the Scourge?” I ask

She shudders. “It was dark…so dark. Run-down buildings everywhere. Nothing like the pack house. We found our way out, but it was like a nightmare.”

I straighten up, my mind racing. A mysterious man, a strange scent, and lost memories. Fuck! This isn’t good. My pack is in danger, and it’s up to me to protect them.

“Alex, start spreading the word. No more bars until we figure this out. It’s not safe. Make sure pack members are hyper aware of their surroundings. Something isn’t right.”

“Got it.” He jogs down the hall to start spreading the word.

I head to my office to think.

Raking a hand through my thick hair, I pace back and forth across my office in agitation. Now not only do I have to reconcile the regret I feel for torturing my mate, there’s still a threat out there to my pack.

Scarlet. She is my mate. I should have handled her differently. Then maybe she wouldn’t be desperate to reject me. Just the thought feels like a knife stabbing my heart and twisting it mercilessly.

“Argh!” I let out my rage as I punch the wall, my fist going straight through the plaster like it’s a piece of paper. I don’t know what to do now. ~How can I earn her forgiveness? I’ve never apologized to anyone in my entire life. I don’t even know where to begin.~

A loud knock coming from my office door suddenly pulls my attention. “Come in!” I call out before turning around to see who it is.

Xander swings the door open and steps into my office, quickly taking in the scene in front of him. “Geez, what did that wall ever do to you?” he asks sarcastically.

I sneer at him in irritation. “Shut up!”

He gives me a mocking smirk before walking over to the bar in the corner of the office. He grabs a couple of tumblers before reaching for a bottle of bourbon and pouring it neatly into cups.

Walking over to me at a leisurely pace, he hands one of the glasses to me before taking a seat on the sofa. He makes himself comfortable and leans back, placing one foot on the opposite knee. “So, do you want to talk about it?” he questions me seriously.

I plop down on a chair beside him and pinch the bridge of my nose, closing my eyes to try and calm myself and clear my head. I try to focus my mind on the pack, but my thoughts keep drifting back to Scarlet.

After taking a deep breath, I open my eyes and straighten up before sipping my bourbon. Savoring it for a minute, I finally allow my body to relax into the chair and give my brother a contemplative look.

He might not be the best person to talk to about her. For years now, he has been a bit of a cynic when it comes to mates. I can’t say I blame him, but it does mean that he may not be great at giving advice in my current circumstances.

Xander watches me, his usual aloofness replaced with a flicker of curiosity. “Ethan, you can’t keep bottling this up. You’ll explode. What happened with Scarlet?”

I down another gulp of bourbon, the burn barely registering. “I thought torturing her was the right thing to do, that she was involved in the murders. But now I’m not so sure. And even if she was, I crossed a line.”

He raises an eyebrow, his expression serious. “Look, I know you’re caught up in this whole ‘mate’ thing, but you did what you had to for the pack. They come first, always.”

I frown, his words a cold comfort. “But I went too far. How can I expect her to forgive me?”

Xander leans back, swirling the bourbon in his glass. “Forgiveness isn’t a given, Ethan. You did what you thought was right. The pack needed answers, and she was a suspect. That’s the reality of our world.”

“But what if she’s innocent? What if I’ve pushed her away forever?” My voice is raw, the vulnerability foreign and uncomfortable.

He shrugs, his skepticism evident. “Then you deal with it. Mates or not, the pack’s safety is paramount. If she’s worth anything, she’ll understand why you did what you did.”

I mull over his words, feeling a mix of resolve and doubt. “So, what now?”

“Now, you keep your eyes open. If she knows something, you need to find a way to get her to talk. So, the torturing didn’t work as planned. Maybe get her out of this pack house. Go for a run together. Runs always make me feel better.”

I’m surprised at his advice. It isn’t half bad.

“Now onto pack business. I heard about the wolves that came out of the Scourge all sick. What are you gonna do about it?” Xander asks.

“I need to update Caleb.” Caleb is my beta, and he’s been taking the lead on the murder investigations.

“I thi—” Xander’s words are interrupted with the sound of my office door opening.

I see the last person I want to see. “What are you doing here?” I ask, my voice coming out harsh and stern.

Nicole slightly tilts her head as she pushes her lower lip out in a pout. “Ethan baby, aren’t you happy to see me? I came to visit you!”

“And that’s my cue.” Xander sets his glass down and hurries out of my office.

My eyes narrow dangerously at her. Nicole is a problem that needs to be dealt with. However, getting my mate to forgive me is my priority. I’ll have to deal with this later. “I’m busy,” I state brusquely.

“You’re always busy, baby.” Nicole walks over and starts to rub my shoulders.

I shake off her hands. “Seriously, Nicole. I can’t talk right now.” I use my alpha aura to get her to listen.

“Okay, okay. I’ll come by later then.”

I grunt in response as she makes her way out.

I mind-link Caleb, “~Meet me outside the elevator on the top floor in ten minutes. We need to talk.~”

“~You got it, Alpha,~” he responds.

I ride the elevator, anxious to talk to my beta. The door opens, and Caleb is there waiting. He’s always on time. I always appreciate that about him.

“Caleb. Give me the updates, anything new on the murder investigation?” I start walking to the room Scarlet is staying in and motion for him to follow.

“Hey, Alpha. We are still investigating. I wish I had better news, but we haven’t found anything new. Did you ever talk to your mate about why she was covered in that scent that we traced back to the Scourge? Or why she was in possession of a dagger that had the victim’s blood on it?”

“No. She hasn’t been willing to talk to me,” I answer grudgingly.

Caleb nods in understanding. “Do you think she has anything to do with it?”

I sigh and shake my head. “I don’t know, but both my gut and my wolf are telling me that she doesn’t. Doesn’t change the fact that she was covered in that scent, and she had the murder weapon though. She must know the people behind it. She might even be close with them,” I reply, anger bubbling up as I consider that she might have had an intimate relationship with one of the killers who attacked my pack members.

We stop in front of Scarlet’s room.

“I’ll get a team together, and we’ll go back to the Scourge,” Caleb states as he tucks his hands into his jean pockets.

I nod. “Did you hear about the two she-wolves in the infirmary?”

“Yes. It’s fucked. I haven’t visited them yet. Are they going to be okay?”

“I don’t know. Bethany says she’s never seen anything like it before.” I pause, remembering the conversation with the ill wolves. “Wait! They did say something important. They remembered a man who bought them drinks. He smelled like a mix of earth, sandalwood, and whiskey. If you find someone that matches that, bring him to me. I want to kill him myself.”

“You got it, Alpha,” he agrees.