Part of the Pack (Book 1 in the 'part of' series)

Chapter 30 brother bonding

Chapter 30 Brother bonding

Ralph's POV

"Ralph." My brother said to me as he tried to catch my attention. I hadn't really noticed that I had spaced out until I felt his hand on my shoulder. I looked up, slightly startled. I was on high alert, but my brother's scent was so familiar to me I didn't think that there was any danger. Unless I was looking for it, it was the same with the rest of the pack. "Are you alright?"

I sighed slightly and looked down at my hands, I was sitting on the stairs leading out tot he back garden. "Yeah. I guess I'm alright." he snorted slightly and sat down next to me. He stretched his legs in front of him whilst I had my feet on the floor and my elbows leaning on my knees. "Are you?" I asked before he could say anything about the lies which exited my mouth.

"I'm as fresh as a daisy." he rolled his eyes and his tone was sarcastic as he punched my arm lightly. "If you're going to be a bad influence and lie then I'm not going to stop you." He chuckled lightly as he looked up, the sky was beginning to gray and darken. "Though I will be truthful if you are." His voice softened a little bit. I smiled slightly and sighed.

"I could be better." That was a slight understatement but I didn't really want to show him how upset I was. "I don't know what to do." There were many things I didn't know, there's a lot of action which I will probably have to take in order for everything to work out right. I don't even know what these actions are.

"Is this about Aiden?" It was an immediate question and it was a question I was asking myself. Aiden was important to me and he had been for the past two years. I could feel his emotions and I could feel when he came into the forest again. I remember the day very vividly. I was sitting in my room and suddenly I felt like I was awake and alive, as though I had been asleep for years. I felt that right now. My energy had been drained slightly.

"Somewhat." I groaned as I leant back into the door. "He was here during an attack." The words were slow as they left me, I was still trying to fully comprehend them. "It could have been his death. It's not safe for him." I left no space for arguments. It was the truth. Aiden could've been killed yesterday, it would've been all my fault. I didn't know why the wolves had attacked us, we were working that out as we spoke. Moss, Tempest and father were having a meeting right now about it.

"He also would've been killed by a bear had you not been there." I shivered, I didn't want to be reminded of that. The fear and desperation that he felt was something that I couldn't handle. It was as though my own fear had been doubled. Although, I also remembered the emotions that he felt when he saw me for the first time. Those emotions were some of the warmest I had experienced. His life was saved, but he recognised me. "Aiden won't get hurt. As long as you're there for him."

"No pressure." I half-joked as I hit his shoulder with my own before sighing again and running my hand through the grass. "I'm not sure if he'd be coming back anytime soon." Frowned with sagged shoulders and watched the grass slide through my hand. I didn't want Randall to see the saddened look on my face.

"You must be joking." He snorted slightly as he slapped a hand on my shoulder. "He'll be back." He was reassuring and comforting at first. "Or I will go and get him. I'm not dealing with your sulking forever." I breathed a laugh at his silly behaviour. I guessed that he wasn't joking.

I was a literal mess the past two years, it felt as though I wasn't completely there. It was completely true, it's not me being dramatic. There was a part of me missing and that part of me was within the human I had met. I didn't really know what it meant at the time. It took the pack a few months to figure out what was wrong with me. Nobody had seen anything like this before, nobody in this pack anyway.

It took a few days of crying and a few outbursts for them to realize what was wrong. I don't have much of a temper, usually. I found myself getting really irritated and I had no tolerance for anything. It felt better now that I knew a little bit about him, I could feel the bond strengthening with each conversation we had, with each moment we spent together. It would stop at some point. It will settle and everything would click into place.

For the moment, I was just feeling slightly agitated. I know that Aiden was far away and I could assume he was safe. He wasn't feeling the best and it made me want to go and comfort him. I just didn't know if I was able to. "That won't be necessary." I told Randall with a light laugh. "Something really bad would have to happen for me to go back to that."

"Come on." Randall said as he stood up and held a hand out for me. "I think they're finished talking. Pack meeting in five." I gave a smile as he helped me up. I didn't understand my brother sometimes, he would know exactly when things are happening. He tells us that it's just his instinct.I theorise that he has better hearing than anyone else and is listening in on meetings.

I shook my head at him and nodded. I wiped my feet on the doormat and entered the house. Nearly everyone was in the living room. Everyone had a tired look on their face. The children were asleep, they were having an early night considering everything that happened. "Alright, what's happening?"

They all looked at me with raised eyebrows or confused looks. "What? We don't know they have-" Rhodes got interrupted as footsteps started to be heard down the hall. I moved out of the way to let the group in to the room. They all had somewhat dark looks on their faces.