Mate Mysteries

Chapter 23

As whispers about the Alpha and his mate stirred around Pip, he put on a brave face and sat next to Francis. Makena wasn't up, and to Pip's relief, Krey had gone back to bed. Though sitting in the canteen without Krey, after a night of sleeping alone, was like leaving a part of himself on the third floor. Pip was hollow without Krey, like he had been sliced in half.

To feel whole again he had to reconnect with the person he loved. Pip did love Krey with all his heart, he couldn't not love him, and that was so frustrating when Krey stretched and twisted and gnawed at the bond with his restless wolf.

"Good morning," Francis said, glaring her green eyes in the direction of a table who gossiped a little too loudly. "How did you sleep?"

Not well. Pip smiled and gratefully drank the coffee that was placed in front of him by an Omega who often helped with breakfast duties. The cooks never dished out drinks. Pip wondered if a few were trying to cheer him up. "Fine. How did you sleep?"

Francis could see the exhaustion on Pippor's usually bright face. His eyes, rather than being big and curious, were dull and half closed with deep bags underneath them. His cheeks which were often pink were now pale. His lips, often curled towards a smile showing his dimples, were curled the opposite way, like he was on the brink of tears.

"I slept as poorly as you." She sipped her coffee and Pips shoulders rolled forward in defeat.

"I just want to be with him, yet I don't," Pip mumbled.

"I want to drag him out of that room and tell him to apologise to every single wolf, but I also want him to rest and take more time to think by himself."

Pip puffed out a deep sigh. "I-"

"Excuse me," a woman said, feebly approaching the table. Pip didn't look, expecting her to need Francis for something, but she said his name and to his surprise, she looked to him for help.

"Hi Pippor, um, I wanted to ask you about still being able to go outside the institute for walks. We're unsure if we're still allowed and wanted to run it by you before any of us go and get into trouble."

Surprised eyes fell on Pip as he stared back, equally as stunned. He hadn't quite believed Rocket, and assumed he was trying to hype Pip up. "Uh..." Pip glanced to Francis. She also waited for an answer, not wanting to help her awkward friend out of an awkward situation. "I guess..." Pip started to panic. However, a voice in the back of his head willed for him to seize the opportunity. He had wanted respect, and he wouldn't get it from a pack of wolves by cowering from their attention. "I-I guess you can still go out, but only for half an hour, and be in groups of five, um, no less. Oh and stay as close as you can to the institute. Make sure we know who has gone out and at what time. We don't want to lose anymore of you."

The Omega nodded eagerly. Her dip dyed hair, black on top and blue on the tips, bounced as she did so. "Thank you Pippor, I'll let others know your orders."

When she walked away, Francis smiled proudly into her coffee mug, and Pip was left wondering where his words had come from. He had once stuttered so bad he could barely speak to Krey when they first met. He had once been so shy he could barely look Krey in the eye without blood gushing to his cheeks. Sometimes, he felt like that small insignificant human who had first stepped into the institute, other times, he felt almost like he belonged. "My orders," Pip repeated.

"Yes, because believe it or not, with Krey incapable, you're next in command. Don't feel pressured because we all know that you have a lot to deal with right now, that grump upstairs being one of them. But if the wolves have questions, I'll be directing them to you. Are you okay with that?"