(COMPLETED) Hunted by the Alpha

Emily - Part Twelve

"You need to come home, your house is up in flames. It's burning Em, the house is burning. There's people everywhere." She was rambling. But all I could hear in Whitt's panicked voice was that same phrase. The house is burning. "The fire service think maybe your mum left a candle lit or maybe the cooker was left on before they went out." Wait. "Before they went out? So mum and dad aren't there?" I said, the strain evident in my voice. I was still in Logan's room, he had tried to comfort me but I didn't even know what comforting was. I wasn't communicating very well, I just couldn't. My whole childhood was in that house.

It felt better knowing that my parents hadn't been in, they did tell me that they had plans before I came out today. Did they even know? "What about my parents? Do they know? Are they back?" I hurriedly stumbled over my words wanting to ask too many questions. "I've tried calling, it goes straight to voice mail." I snapped my head to Logan, who was on the phone to the emergancy services. He looked every bit the calm and collected alpha he was going to be. "I need to go home." I stated. "Of course. I'll take you in the car?" he suggested.

I got up from the bed and caught a glimpse of myself in the reflection of his window. I felt stupid. Why had I agreed to come here? "It getting late, you'll get there quicker. I can stay and help you answer questions to the emergancy team if you need?" He offered. "I don't need you to stay, but I'd appreciate the ride." It sounded cold coming from my lips, if he thought so too, he didn't let on. I didn't mean to sound harsh, but I'd never been in this situation before and it was hard trying to focus as it was.

He grabbed his keys from the desk and ushered me towards the pack house garage. I didn't even realise they had a garage. We rushed to one of the cars that was lined up, there was certainly a variation. The one Logan chose was a matte black sports car, I guess he wasn't joking when he said he'd get me home faster. We were out of the garage and driving in sixty seconds. The sky from the windshield was pink and lavender, the sun was setting. The clouds seemed to be getting thicker the closer to evening it got. We turned a corner leading out of the town and my stomach sank. They weren't clouds, that was the smoke coming from my house.

I could see the flames licking at the roof from a few streets away. This was bad. Something Whitt had said in the phone hadn't sat right with me and I needed to check the house out for myself. I was aware that everything inside was probably unable to be rescued, I'd made peace with that on the drive over. My parents weren't in the house. I was thankful for that.

When I'd got out of Logan's car, the fire marshal was talking to Whitt, I didn't even want to look towards my burning house. On the left of Whitt was stood... Basker? What was he do doing here? Logan jumped out of the car and walked over to him, maybe he had contacted him and told him to help out before he got here? Everyone knew he was going to be Logan's second in command. Maybe this was just training for the job? Whitt pointed to me, "That's Emily, she lives here." Lived... I thought to myself.

The marshal was a tall and broad shouldered man, he looked to be in his late 30's. "Are you Emily Russel?" I rolled my eyes, wasn't that exactly what Whitt had just said? Instead of saying what I wanted to say, I bit onto my tongue and nodded once. "Luckily no one was in the house as far as we can tell. We're just finishing off here and then I'll need to ask you a few questions if that's okay?" I nodded again, not trusting my voice. Sure enough, the flames had retreated and all that was left was a charred shell of what once was.

"We have a few theories on what could've caused the fire, but until we get inside we won't know for certain." He informed me. "Of course, I understand" I told him. I didn't, I didn't understand anything right now. He jotted down some notes before turning to me again, he paused. "Do you know of anyone that would start a fire intentionally?" What was he asking? If I had any enemies? Not that I knew of. Was he suggesting arson? We lived right on the outskirts of town, I guess if anyone was going to commit arson it made sense for it to be my house, there would be less damage to the surrounding area and it was far enough out that I doubt anyone cared about it.

I shook my head and tuned to Whitt, dismissing the marshal before he could question me any more. He took this as a cue to carry on with the work they were doing to the house. "Have you been able to get hold of my parents?" She pointed her phone at me, 76 outgoing calls but no answers... that was a no. Strange. She pulled me into a hug before turning towards Logan and Basker, they were talking amongst themselves near the car.

If I didn't know they were close, I would almost assume they were arguing, especially with the way Basker was gritting his teeth and Logan was leaning towards him. Probably pack management stuff. "Are you two staying or do we have a problem?" They looked at her and dismissed her question completely.

I turned to face Whitt in her arms. "What were you doing here?" She looked shocked, almost offended. "It's Friday? We always have a weekend sleepover?" She reminded me. That makes sense I suppose. "What's Bakser doing here?" I asked her. "He showed up not long after I did. The fire was already pretty bad when I got here. I've tried calling your parents ever since." That's the thing, a whisper drifted though my head. They always answer the phone. I was mulling over this thought when more started to enter my head. Where the hell was I going to stay? And where were my parents going to stay? And when would my parents be back?

"I can take you in," Whitt told me, sensing my growing concern. "but I have a one bed apartment. I can't take in your family too..." She sounded so upset, she must be feeling guilty that they had taken her in and now she wouldn't be able to repay the favour. "It's okay Whitt, I'll find something." I hugged her. I hadn't noticed Logan walking over, Basker was sat in his car. "You're coming with me." He told me. What? I don't think so. "Why would I go with you? You live at the pack house?" I scoffed.

"Exactly." He nodded, "I do. That means it's the safest house in this pack and until we know when your parents are coming back, or how this fire was started... you'll be staying with me." My eyes widened. Sensing my concern he added "You'll have your own room, I wouldn't force you to stay with me. But when your parents come back, the pack house will be the first place they come. We look after our pack." He did have a point, it would make sense to be at the pack house right now. It wasn't like I was invading their privacy. I looked at Whitt who now was staring blankly at Logan. He eyed her up before saying, "You can leave now."

Her eyes never left his. This was awkward. She let go of me and turned towards her car. "Look after her." She told Logan. "You might be the alpha, but I'll kill you if you hurt her." "Whitt!" I shouted, how could she say that? He's been nothing but polite!

She turned to face me, giving me one last squeeze and before she left, she whispered something into my ear so that no one else could hear.

"Watch yourself in that house, I don't trust them. If you had any sense, you wouldn't either."

She left.