The Alpha & Beta’s Regret – Chapter 33

Jack POV

Jack was watching Luci, who sat quietly at the table to eat, had once been so very lively and animated, would once have sat there with them and chatted to nearly everyone, had fitted into this pack like she was born here. The pack had liked her as well, she’d had so many friends when she’d lived here. She was not herself anyone.

The twins were very curious about the goings on around them and had, from what he could see, her actual personality, openly looked about and at other pack members, that moved about the room.

He wanted to mind-link her, but wasn’t exactly certain how she would feel about it. He knew she could mind-link him, hell, to anyone in this pack that had never left her. She was still a member of the pack. Yet she’d not once initiated any sort of conversation with either him or Rafe that he knew of. Alari had, but that was because she’d been agitated about being pumped full of adrenaline. Hadn’t liked it.

Alari had severed his attempt to connect with Luci the day she had saved the pack from Victor. Had severed it today from Rafe, and interrupted Rafe from mind-linking to his own son. He was likely going to need to find a way to connect with Alari herself to re-establish a good healthy bond with Luci and Kali.

Though if Alari had come along because Luci had been heartbroken as Addison had said, it was possible that Alari simply surfaced as a way of protecting Luci from them. Likely from the pain they were caused by he and Rafe that day, still had when having to interact with he and Rafe now.

Alari was strong and detached from the pack, detached from both him and Rafe, therefore she was the one who would be best to handle them. They did not upset Alari at all. Probably had no feelings about them, knew who they were but didn’t particularly care. He didn’t want to upset Alari, Kali or Luci.

He really just wanted to get up, walk around the table and hug her right into his chest, tell her he was so very sorry, that everything was going to be okay. But he didn’t think that would go down so well. Likely to set off all her defences and bring Alari right to the surface, he might get his a*s kicked clear across the room. Didn’t want that, also thought it might set both the boys off as well, go into protection mode. Like they had with Orien and Addison. He didn’t want to be suddenly on bad terms with his son.

He didn’t really know, but did know he was going to have to try and soon. He couldn’t let this silence go on forever, it would only widen the distance that was already between them, something that had never been there before. Something he and Rafe had created by being stupid and careless.

Though even that thought bothered him, they were not the stupid, careless types. Never had been, not back then, not now even. They were actually respectful of their pack and its members, and had always treated Luci well. Thinking about that very day, he didn’t understand his own actions.

He also had to find out where she would be comfortable living as well. He had not liked hearing her state ‘she couldn’t stay here.’ She hadn’t wanted to shift in front of them, hadn’t really wanted to come inside the packhouse either. Looked very uncomfortable being in here. Likely she had been in this very packhouse when they had come home. It was the last place she had seen them in all likelihood.

He really did need to know what it was; she needed or wanted. To start making her feel anything other than uncomfortable. Mind-linked to Rafe about what homes were available close to the packhouse, just from watching her he knew she was not going to be comfortable inside it. A place that she had once called home, had her own room upstairs. It was still there, and they still considered it her room. Wondered now if Luci being a Triune was why Hannah and her sisters never went into that room. Luci herself had witch’s b***d in her veins. Intruding on a witch’s place of residence was never welcomed.

‘There is a cottage just past the single wolf apartments, which has three bedrooms. Belonged to Tamara and her two siblings, but she mated off out of the pack on the last mating ball and I gave permission for her to take her siblings with her, it’s clean, neat and tidy.’

He thought about that for a minute. ‘I think that might be a good option for Luci and the boys for now, until she is willing to tell us where she wants to be.’

‘You don’t think she’ll stay in the packhouse?’

‘No. Look at her, she is extremely uncomfortable.’ He was a little annoyed with Rafe right that minute, for not noticing it, or if he had, still thought she would be willing to stay inside the packhouse. It was very clear to him how uncomfortable she was.

He looked right at Luci and bit the bullet. “Luci, there is a vacant house not too far from the packhouse, would you and the boys like to look at it?”

Her brilliant green eyes met his as she spoke “Thank you.” she said, her words were softly spoken, she nodded her head and then returned her attention back to her children.

He stood the moment everyone was done eating “This way.” He motioned for everyone to follow him and saw both Luci and Addi get up along with the boys. “I believe it’s got three bedrooms as well.” He said calmly, trying to get her to talk to him or interact in some small way. She didn’t say anything, though “I will have the kitchen fully stocked before dinner as well.” He offered. Still got nothing from her.

He walked outside and they all followed him. Rafe had fallen in step with him. “Luci, I’ll go and collect all your things from your place if you’re alright with that. Jack and I will leave you and the boys to settle in. Addison will stay with you.”

“Thank you.” again those softly spoken words.

They walked all the way to the cottage. It had a nice white picket fence, was unlocked because there was no need for it to be locked; no crime here inside the pack. He held the door open for her and Addison, then the boys. They all went inside and both he and Rafe followed as well.

The cottage was fully furnished, though if she didn’t like it, and wanted to stay in it, he would purchase her whatever she liked. It had a tidy kitchen with relatively new appliances, a neat little lounge room with a small lounge suite, seated three and had a matching armchair. There was a TV attached to the wall above the open fireplace.

A dining nook with a large window that overlooked the front yard and down the short hallway were the three bedrooms, two with a jack and jill bathroom between them and the master bedroom with its own ensuite.

The place had hardwood floors but nice dark blue rugs in each of the rooms. If she and the boys liked it, it was theirs for now. He’d talk to her once she was properly settled in, about the type of house she would prefer and where.

He was a bit worried about putting her right on the water’s edge of the lake now, like she had been for the past six and half years. With Victor knowing what she was and trying to take her for himself. A house out on the very far edge of the packs border was likely not the safest place for them to be, especially her. He had wanted to give her that originally, but now?

From what he could tell, that man was not interested in her children and there was no way he would have missed that they were hers, not seeing as his Beta had been brought down by either his or Rafe’s son. There wasn’t a mark on that man, so a siren call had been unleashed on him. He knew they were hers yet hadn’t tried to take them either. Only wanted Luci.

He left her with Addison in the cottage to settle in and mind-linked to the head chef and organised them to take over food to fully stock that kitchen pantry and fridge. To have someone go over and ask what she wanted food wise.

Informed her it was Luci and her two children in that house. That she was feeling uncertain as to being back in the pack and not to push her, upset her and not to make any comments about the children that were with her. Got a ‘Yes Beta. Congratulations on your son. I’ll go myself. I always got on with Luci, it will be nice to see her again.’

Left his chef, Nadia, to handle it, he looked at Rafe. “Nadia will go herself, to the cottage.”

“That’s good.” Rafe nodded “They don’t eat much.”

“No protein,” Jack nodded. “Could be to do with how far they live from town. I didn’t see any electricity in the house.”

“House?” Rafe muttered “that’s not what I would call it.”

He did agree with that statement, but it was their home. “We need to clean it out. Bring their things here. Before Victor finds out where she lived and goes there himself looking for something to leverage, to get her out of the pack.”

“Sara is there still, I believe. Petra would have ordered a detail on the dwelling. She didn’t look happy about that place.”

“No, she did not, and I’m betting our parents will be on their way back from their vacation within a day.”

Rafe laughed “Vacation? They’ve been travelling for two years now.”

“A good vacation.” Jack smiled “Do we want to deal with Ian and Allen or Luci’s things first?”

“Let’s kill two birds with one stone, we’ll take Ian and Allen with us, talk while we walk.”

They did just that but opted not to walk, to head on over there on quad bikes. It would be quicker and they could get all their belongings and put them on the back of the bikes for an easier trip back as well. Though it was going to be dark by the time they got back.

They left Petra in charge of the pack while they were off pack territory. She’d been in charge before, knew the rules and was a good warrior, fierce and loyal. They would likely come home to find a full protection detail prowling around Luci’s cottage. He’d not done that so as not to overwhelm her, but he knew Petra had orders and protecting the Heirs to the pack, while he and Rafe were not there would be her number one priority.

Stepping into the place where Luci and the boys lived, he sighed out loud. Although she had made it like a home, it was just a single room with one bed, had a small thin table and two chairs. He was willing to bet the boys sat to eat and Luci stood. There was a simple clothing rack that hung clothes, and there weren’t all that many. Though they were all clean and looked to be in good condition.

But other than her work uniform and the boys’ school clothes, there were only a half dozen sets of clothing for each of them, two pairs of shoes each was all he saw, just the bare basics and that was all.

If they’d been able to handle this properly, it was likely the boys would have been raised inside the pack and wanted for nothing at all. Neither would Luci have, for that matter, he would have made sure she had the best of everything. Ian and Allen set about packing everything up and it didn’t take long at all.

Jack walked the outside, in the same way Petra had herself, found Sara’s eyes on him. “It’s not much.” She commented.

“It’s not.” He acknowledged, and it wasn’t, though there was a well-maintained vegetable garden and a couple of fruit trees out here. Likely what they ate most of the time. Accounting for why she’d vetoed the sweets, could well be as simple as their bodies weren’t used to processed sugar and fats, and could well make them all sick.

There was no electricity, so no meat for the boys, though his research did show him that Sirens in their natural habitats would eat fish and sea creatures, so it was possible that Alari went hunting for fish and they ate that all the time.

Though he wouldn’t know that until he could sit down with her and talk properly about things. Nadia may be able to report to him what they ate after she’d been to talk to them. Though he was of the opinion; from what he was seeing here, what he’d seen them eat in the packhouse, it was all going to be fresh fruits and vegetables.

No wonder all her softness was gone, and she was all lean muscle. He could only hope that she did actually eat enough to sustain her as a double shifter. Though he was certain she would put her children’s needs above her own, if there was less food, she would be the one to go without.

Looked at the garden and wondered if she’d want another in the pack. Their chef did actually have quite a few large, raised garden beds for growing fresh foods. Nadia could likely help with something like that. He’d have to talk to her about it. He didn’t think Luci was going to be eating inside the packhouse on a regular basis, at all, once their Mates came home.

The only thing this place had was portable gas and running water. She’d adapted and lived as was needed. He didn’t really understand how one could do such a thing. Not from how she had lived in her old pack, then in their pack, supposed she just had no choice in the matter, wondered how she managed when the twins were tiny babies. Though he also knew that Sirens were not materialistic creatures, so perhaps she’d just let it all go, allowing her Siren side to dictate most things, it was possible.

Wondered just where the boys had been born, whether she had birthed them all alone or gone into town to the local medical centre, sighed heavily, just something else she’d had to do on her own.

“Anything?” he asked Sara.

“Nothing out of the ordinary, Beta.” She answered him, “You want me to burn it down?”

“What? No, why would you say that?”

“Don’t want Victor coming across it. Even with her gone.”

Jack thought about that, he didn’t think that Victor knew where Luci had lived. If he had, he’d never have tried taking her in town. Also, would have known about the twins and would have come with more troops to contain them.

“No, just clean it out, leave no trace that they were ever here. It was where she and the boys lived. Grew up, I can’t destroy that, they likely have many good memories here.” He’d heard the boys giggle, seen the way they had played, were likely happy children all the time. This was simply their life. They didn’t know any better, it was home to them. They were Siren-Wolves; likely didn’t need a million possessions either.

“Alright.” She nodded.

He found Rafe standing out on the Jetty staring towards the pack, and walked over to him. “You alright?”

“She can see it from here. Likely Victor and his men came right past here and that’s how she knew they were going to attack us…Alari would have swum to the pack, they left the boys unprotected and defenceless to help us.”

“I don’t think the boy are defenceless,” Jack commented.

“I know that, but still…she risked them to save the pack…to save us.”

Jack sighed “Something we can talk to her about later on. When she is more comfortable and settled in,” he did understand the concern about their boys being left alone, “No one knew about them, that’s why she did it.” He tried to offer some sort of reasoning. “Don’t be mad at her.”