True Nature

13

I turned to face Tobias, an illogical, accusatory look on my face. I had no right to be angry or upset I knew, but I couldn't help it. I blamed my wolf for the feelings of jealousy and possessiveness running through me. She had already, ridiculously, put some sort of claim on him without my permission and now, seemed to believe she was entitled to all of his attention.

But what on earth was Ruby doing here, I thought, agitated. I glared at her, my skin itching with the need to shift. I got a grim sort of pleasure in a sudden vision of body-wrestling her to the ground and wiping the unbearably smug look from her face. The scowl I wore slowly melted away though, as I watched Tobias's startled expression turn to one of distaste. "What are you doing here?" He said slowly, his words mirroring my thoughts exactly. His tone was exasperated, as though speaking to a child, and I hid my pleased smirk at his rudeness.

The seductive smile on Ruby's face faltered for a second, before making its comeback, wider than before. "My father wants to speak with you." She simpered, batting her long eyelashes. My fingers twitched reflexively at her flirty attitude and that ambiguous statement. Seemed to me like she was just looking for an excuse to be with Tobias alone and, judging by her suggestive behaviour, her motive wasn't exactly a mystery. I crossed my arms, annoyed but also slightly shaken by my strange mood. Even I was mildly surprised by the degree of venom in my thoughts.

Tobias frowned, taking out his phone. "He hasn't called." He challenged, checking the screen.

"No, he sent me instead. I was close by and volunteered to come get you." I grunted irritably at her reply.

He sighed, turning to put his empty mug in the sink and I immediately got the evil eye from Ruby once his back turned, her naive charade forgotten and expression confrontational in a blink. She glanced at me contemptuously. "Don't you have somewhere else to be? Maybe cleaning the pack-house kitchen or whatever it is you submissive wolves do. Off you go." she waved her hand conceitedly towards the door, deliberately trying to rankle me.

My eyes narrowed to tiny slits. I never outright challenged Ruby, but I hated it when she tried to give me orders and, for some reason, I hated it even more in front of Tobias. Before I could say something I would regret, however, Tobias interrupted. "She stays with me." His tone was non-negotiable.

Ruby did a poor job of hiding her displeasure while I didn't even attempt to hide my delight. She huffed and puffed as we walked out the door and into the woods, though fortunately for both of us, mindfully held her tongue.

Throughout the drive back to the pack house, Ruby kept up her obnoxious chatter from the passenger seat, occasionally brushing up against Tobias and lightly touching his arm as he steered. Meanwhile I sat in the back inventing various violent methods of removing said appendage permanently. It took only a few more minutes for the woods to become familiar again and soon we were taking a turning that led to the clearing next to the pack house. We made our way inside the building, still following Ruby past the usual gathering space until, startled, I realised we had reached the room I eavesdropped outside of a few days ago.

Ruby knocked briskly before pushing open the door and strolling inside, Tobias right behind her. I trailed in after them reluctantly. The room was lit with a warm glow thanks to a roaring fireplace in the corner, something I was immediately thankful for as the heat did wonders for my cold, numb fingers. Glancing around, I noted with pleasure the welcoming office space, with a desk made for working near the back wall in front of a tall window overlooking the woods, and several comfy looking armchairs situated next to the fire.

Ruby cleared her throat and spoke softly "Father?" I glanced over and was shocked to realise that the figure leaning warily across the desk was our Alpha. He grunted, sitting up straighter as he acknowledged our arrival, but I had never seen him look less poised and composed than he did now. Even his hair was messy, unlike his usually sleek combed back style, and his shirt was buttoned up squint.

He nodded at Tobias and opened his mouth to speak before noticing me lurking behind. Alpha Ian gave me a confused look, his eyebrows raised as he glanced back and forth between Tobias and I, expression turning mildly calculating. "I see we have company. Is her presence really necessary right now?" he spoke to Tobias with an almost challenging look in his eyes, as if he were testing something. I would have been offended by the question but at this point I was pretty much wondering the same thing.

I was a confusing combination of curiosity and dread. Though I was dying to know more about what was going on and the whereabouts of the rouge that attacked us, I was also more and more uncomfortable the longer I spent in the company of the dominant wolves. It was probably due to all the built-up paranoia I'd acquired from years of avoiding them.

"She stays." Tobias's declares firmly, before settling into one of the armchairs and gesturing to the one next to him for me to sit down.

"Very well." Alpha Ian said, sounding amused now. I see Ruby stiffen out of the corner of my eye but pay her no attention as I meekly sit down in my designated seat.

"You have news then?" My alpha's expression tightens as he bears the focused regard of Tobias. Glad to know it's not just me that intense gaze intimidates, I thought fleetingly.

"Yes, but not the sort you're hoping for." He paused for few moments before haltingly speaking again. "The Tay Valley Pack lost two young wolves this afternoon." He stated into the heavy, shocked silence.

I watched out of the corner of my eye as Tobias's shoulders tensed slightly under his sweater, his jaw tightening.

"Chris is on a rampage and won't listen to reason right now. I understand how he feels of course, but we need to come up with a clear plan of action as soon as possible and he's not rational enough to reason with me." He sighed frustrated. "I didn't expect them to make a move with so many of us gathered in one place."

"What exactly happened?" Tobias questioned calmly.

"We're still not a hundred percent sure but apparently a group of young females left the pack house this afternoon for a run in the woods when a couple of males attacked them in the forest and tried to drag them off. Three managed to escape and are safe now, albeit pretty shaken-up, but the other two – both from Calum's pack - were caught." He massaged his temples with stiff fingers. "God help us if this gets political." We all contemplated that for a few seconds, disturbed.

God, this was insane. It only properly hit me then that wolves really were being kidnapped.

"It's unlike them to take on a group." Tobias finally murmured speculatively into the silence. "Usually they wait until a female is alone and too vulnerable to put up much of a fight. Why the change of tactics?" He leaned back in his chair, quiet for a few moments. "Any other info on the attacks?"

"Not much is clear. The males wore the usual black camouflage, faces covered with hoodies and masks so no useful descriptions. And, of course, none of the girls recognised their scents. Seems as though the rouges had been lying in wait to ambush them near the eastern border of our territory. The actual attack was messy though. From what I heard, it sounded as though they were relying purely on the females being too scared and panicked to react properly and fight. Which is, admittedly enough, exactly what happened. " He shook his head. "The two taken were knocked out from the start of the attack, the other three left with enough time to shift and get away, although they were chased through the woods for a good half-mile."

"So, they were targeted?' Tobias murmured. 'Hmm, what else? Anything of note about the girls taken?"

"Hmm, nothing too remarkable. Only similarities are they're both around the age of 18 and both from Callum's pack. Oh, and both redheads apparently." He trailed off in thought.

My eyes grew wide at the last comment and my palms suddenly felt sweaty. As expected, the last comment didn't slip by Tobias either. His head jerked around to look at my Alpha before he turned to me, eyes narrowed in contemplation. "Both had red hair?" he asked lightly, his eyes scanning the auburn waves hanging over my shoulders.

"So it would seem." Frowning, Ian was now looking at me a little weirdly too. "For the moment, finding the girls as quick as possible is our priority."

"They wouldn't take the risk of kidnapping our own from right under our noses unless we have something they really want." Tobias smiled humourlessly. "And something tells me they haven't got what they're looking for yet. They'll attack again, most likely soon." His eyes stopped and rested on me. "We need to be prepared."