Page 26 of Wolf Trapped
I spin to her with a glare. I need information, and she is the only one who can give it to me.
I put my hands on my hips. I know that something terrible happened, but Archer promised he would be back soon, and again I have been locked in my room all night. I’m completely frustrated. “Where the hell is Archer?” I growl.
“He is dealing with an emergency, Jara. One of the wolves on patrol was murdered last night.” I gasp, sitting heavily on the bed. One of the wolves was murdered? Tears form in my eyes, and I blink them away.
“Who? What happened?” my voice wobbles.
I don’t know many of the wolves in the pack yet, and if Archer keeps locking me in my room, then I never will.
“Jacob was attacked from behind. Carter was too far away to stop it. He took off after him and chased him into Greyson’s territory.” She says, sighing.
She sets the tray down on the table in the corner, and this particular scenario is all too familiar.
The strange wolf in our territory killed someone? That’s awful. My pulse accelerates as I remember how close I came to that same possible fate. Would I have met the same fate if Angela hadn't shown up? Is it my fault that Jacob is dead? Guilt tugs at me. If he had gotten me the other day, would he have left the pack alone, and Jacob might still be alive?
This is all my fault. If I had just said fuck it and gone after him myself, then maybe Jacob would still be here. Maybe Rochelle is right, and I’m bad luck. I should have just taken exile and not plagued my new pack with horrible luck.
“Jacob is dead?” I don’t know him well, but he has always been respectful to me. He was a loyal pack member.
“Yeah.” She sits down, putting her head in her hands. Her shoulders are slumped, and I have never seen this amount of emotion in Angela before. Losing a pack member so brutally is never easy.
“Are you okay?” I ask, moving to the table to sit next to her.
“He was a good man. He didn’t deserve to die like that. What the hell does that wolf want in our territory?” she asks, sniffling.
Is she crying? The tough beta that never shows her emotions is crying.
I wrap my arms around her awkwardly from the side. “I’m so sorry. Were you two close?”
“Yes. I thought he was going to ask me to be his mate.” She chuckles, but there is no emotion in it. “Serves me right for thinking I could be the pack's beta and find a mate.”
“Don’t say that. You can definitely have love and be Archer’s beta.” I pat her shoulder. “This was a senseless act from a weak shifter.”
My heart breaks for my friend who has to be so strong and show no weakness all the time. She can’t even let herself break down in front of me. All emotion leaves her, and she squares her shoulders, completely shutting down.
“It doesn’t matter now.” She shrugs, standing. “I need to go, but alpha said I have to lock the door again. He’s more paranoid than ever with the rogue shifter. I’m not sure that it’s paranoia now, though.”
She walks out the door, and the click of the lock is ominous. This is fucking bullshit. I get that Archer is scared but locking me in my bedroom is the worst thing you can do to a shifter that needs to run. How long does he plan to keep me locked away?
Hours pass, boredom sets in when the door opens, and Archer walks in. He has deep dark circles under his eyes and pieces of hair free from the tail at the back of his neck. Exhaustion paints his features.
“Are you okay?” I ask, but I just get a grunt in response. Of course, he isn’t, but I would like him to open up to me. He strides across the room to the shower without a word. “Archer?”
“Leave it, Jara.” He growls, shutting the bathroom door in my face.
“We are back to this? You being an uncommunicative dickhead.” I shout at the bathroom door. The shower turns on, and he completely ignores me. I sit on the bed, fuming, my arms crossed over my chest, glaring at the bathroom door.
When he walks out of the bathroom in nothing but a towel, I ignore all his toned skin on display, glaring at him. “I don’t have time for this, Jara. We have to have the celebration of life ceremony for Jacob.”
“Why didn’t you tell me so I could get ready?” Some of my rage deflates as I stand, going over to the closet.
“Because you aren’t going,” he growls.
“The fuck I’m not. The alpha female is expected at these events.” I turn on him, rage burning in my gut again.
“You are staying in this room. I’m not bending on this.” He brushes passed me into the closet pulling on a pair of dress pants and a button-up shirt.
“How long will you keep me locked up like a prisoner here, Archer?” I throw my hands up in frustration. How much trouble would I be in if I punched my alpha in the face right now? I clench my hands into fists at my sides, barely holding in the need to hit something.
