Finding Home

Chapter Ten-Paige

Paige began to feel strain in her shoulders. She leaned back away from her computer and rolled them out. She had been working for a couple of hours now and hadn't moved enough. She looked around the café and saw Allen sitting quietly a short ways away from her. He wasn't looking at her but she knew he could see her from where he sat and was probably checking on her every few minutes. She felt bad for him. There must have been a thousand more important things for the Alphas number two to do than sit and watch her work all day. She sat up taller and twisted in her chair to get the blood moving a bit more.

Her advisor had sent her new notes and thoughts on her paper and she had been so absorbed in her work that she hadn't noticed the stares of those around her. Now that she had looked up, however she was beginning to feel them again. She stood and took her now empty mug to the counter and put it in the used dishes pile. Werewolves loved sustainability and rarely used anything that was single use only.

She was headed back to her seat when she bumped into a female wolf. She let out a surprised 'oh!' stumbled back a few steps. She looked up and saw Allen starting to rise from his seat. She gave her head a slight shake, silently praying that he wouldn't make a big deal out of this. She was okay, just startled a little. She looked at who she ran into and was surprised to see she knew her. "Dorothea?" She asked.

The wolf looked her over before her eyes widened in surprise! "Paige?! Oh my goodness!" She enveloped her in a big wolf hug. "How are you? I heard you were in town but I didn't know if I'd get a chance to see you! How have you been? Where have you been?"

Paige returned her hug fiercely. Dorothea had been one of her few friends in high school. She didn't care that Paige was human. She was one of her biggest defenders when the other wolves were rude to her. They had lost touch after Paige graduated college. Traveling where the wind took her made it hard to keep up with her friends. She barely even spoke to her family that year, though there were other factors that contributed to that silence. When she stopped traveling and settled in London, the time zones made it difficult to keep in touch. Not to mention she was barely living post-Bali. It took her almost two years before she was fully engaging in life after that.

"I am so good! But look at you! How are you doing?" She looked at Dorothea, she looked as beautiful as ever. Blonde, legs for days, and of course the toned musculature that all werewolves had. At 5'11" she towered over Paige's 5'8" but was average height for a female wolf. She looked like a model and was enough to make even the most secure women question themselves for a moment. If this were a high school movie, she'd be the mean girl who gets all the guys and tortures all the girls. But Dorothea was the sweetest wolf ever. Her easy going manner always put Paige at ease. A young boy, maybe five or six was pulling on her sleave.

"Who's this?" Paige asked looking at him. "Is he yours?" Dorothea looked down at him with a smile.

"No, this is Jaden, my nephew." Paige mentally kicked herself. Dorothea was too young to have a five year old. Being the same age as Paige, she only would have been able to find her mate two years ago. Growing up Dorothea was adamant about only loving her mate. "Jaden, can you say hello? This is Aunt Dor's friend Paige." The little boy gave Paige a small wave.

"Aunt Dor?" Paige said questioningly.

"He couldn't say my name when he was learning to talk. Dor was as far as he got."

"He's precious." Paige said smiling back at him. "So how are you doing? How's life? How's everything?"

"I'm good! It's so good to see you! I've got to run and get this one to pre-school but you should come over for dinner tonight, I know James would love to see you!"

"James?" She looked at Dorothea again and saw the mark on her neck. Her eyes opened wide in shock. "James is your mate?!"

"He is." Dorothea gave her a big smile.

"That's so wonderful! I'm so happy for you!"

"Thank you! Here give me your number," she handed her a piece of paper. Paige took it a wrote her number down. "I'll text you and we can work out details."

"Okay great!" She hugged her again. "It is so good to see you!"

"You too!" She said picking Jaden up, "I'll talk to you soon!"

"Okay!" Paige watched her walk out the door. She took a big breath and let it out in a huff. She closed her eyes and pinched the bridge of her nose. She shook her head and turned back to go to her seat only to run into Allen. He had come up behind her and she didn't even realize.

"You okay?" He asked, a slight touch of concern in his voice.

"Yeah, why wouldn't I be?" She replied. He shrugged his shoulders.

"You just seem... I don't know. On edge or something." He looked down at her. Her first instinct was to brush him off. He didn't know her well enough to know if she was on edge or not. But when she looked up at him, his eyes held concern and sincerity. She smiled softly at him.

"Yeah, it's just, memories. Lots and lots of memories." He nodded. She headed back to her seat and began to pack up her things. "I need to get out of here, I don't suppose I'm allowed to go hiking am I?" He pursed his lips.

"It's not safe," he started. She started making her way to the door. He followed.

"What's not safe about it? I'll stay with in the borders. I know how to handle myself in the wilderness. I'm not going to get hurt. What is his problem? He was never like this when we were traveling." Allen pressed his lips together again, refusing to answer. "You know what? Where is he? We need to talk. He can't keep me like this." With each sentence she got more and more upset. She tossed her things into her car and looked at Allen.

"He's not here. He had to leave town to handle some business." Paige pursed her lips and pushed her breath out her nose.

"That's why you're following me," she said in understanding. "Because he's not here to." She shook her head. "Good gods," she muttered to herself. "If he thinks this will-"

"The Alpha wouldn't follow you around town. He's got other things to do." She tossed him a doubtful look.

"When will he be back?"

"Late this evening. He doesn't like being away and will travel all day if he has too. He left early this morning."

"Okay, text him. Tell him I want to talk." He pulled out his phone and she added, "About the protection and the protection only. I'm not going five rounds about Bali." He nodded and typed out the text.

"What about tonight? I have dinner plans and I would really prefer to not have to explain your presence."

"James and Dorothea live down the road from me. And Dorothea's one of our best warriors. I can leave you alone for the couple hours your at dinner."

"You don't stay at the packhouse?" She asked.

"No, my wife is sick, being around that many people is draining for her. We have a cottage on the edge of town."

"I'm sorry to hear that." Paige's heart hurt for him. Wasting sickness was the only illness that kept werewolves sick. It had no cure and no discrimination about who it took. Having a sick mate also took a toll on a wolf as well. Maybe that's really why he's here. It'd be too difficult to leave the pack.

Her phone buzzed and she saw that it was Dorothea confirming time and place for dinner tonight. She smiled, it had been a long time and she was excited to see her friends. She sent back a quick reply and the sent a text to her mom letting her know she wouldn't be home for dinner. It was for the best really. This way she wouldn't have to face the rest of her family who wouldn't be so kind as to not mention last night. Her father especially. She looked around trying to figure out what to do. She had a whole afternoon to kill and no where to go.