Turned Rogue (Prev: IBLYWC)

Chapter 22 (Edited)

--Drew--

Time seemed to fly after that day at the clearing, my stubble was no longer just stubble it'd grown into a beard and an unruly one at that.

Alpha Jason was kind enough to offer me a room to stay in while I was here and while I was grateful I couldn't bring myself to escape the gray walls and maroon colored curtains.

It wasn't until Alex rapped on my door a few times before letting himself inside of my room.

"Jesus it's dark in here-" he tripped over the large area rug and cursed before turning on one of the lamps and taking in my disheveled appearance, "Alpha Lican...we need to talk about this."

I kept my stare focused on the thick curtains which hung before the window as he spoke and watched as he walked towards the window and threw open the velvet curtains.

"Alpha-"

I cut him off.

"It's Drew, call me Drew."

Dani called me by my first name always, and gods how complete it made me feel. Just the thought of her made me miss the sound of her voice.

"Drew...you know the funeral is tomorrow, bright and early just like she would've liked. I hope you'll be there, even if you had your issues you have to know-"

He paused and I turned my head to face him.

"What? What is it?" I questioned only to receive a conflicted look from him.

"I suppose it doesn't matter now so I will tell you."

I turned my whole body so that I was facing him as he continued to speak.

"Dani, she was unsure of the relationship she wanted with you, when she spoke of her previous Alpha to us we were sure that she resented you. When she became a part of this pack we all rejoiced in the fact that she no longer had to linger on the disappointment which was put there by her Alpha- well, you."

I hung my head in shame as his last words rung out to me.

"But," he continued, "she never spoke ill of you. She would always tell us that her Alpha was powerful, strong, courageous and at times he was kind. She spoke of the year she'd gifted her brother with a pendant only to be tossed to the side, but when she roamed the porch outside of the house he was there. He took her in his arms and told her that Kale was a complicated boy, but that he held love for her in his heart."

I remembered this fondly, gods how I'd reminisced of that memory when my nights grew cold and lonely. The feeling of her body pressed against mine was perfect, it was one of the best memories I had.

"She spoke of how you'd mated someone only weeks after her departure from the pack. We all worked to reassure her of her beauty but she'd only laugh and shake her head responding that she understood. She never thought she was good enough to be mated to an Alpha, and in my opinion she was a little too forgiving." He shrugged.

I scowled at his words, not that she was too forgiving because I agreed with him about that. It was the memory of my mating with Casey which triggered the rage and regret built up in the pit of my stomach.

"My father...her Alpha gave her a choice, he spoke to her about you and gave her an ultimatum and not one that he's proud of. He let her know that if what you two had or didn't have was repairable even slightly that she was to discontinue training but if it wasn't she was to change nothing. When I saw her with you all those times, I will admit I wasn't happy but I knew deep down that her feelings for you were growing despite the pain your pack put her through. She...she was falling in love with you.