Mate Mysteries

Chapter 50

Francis hung up. How could she discreetly grab Pip and run when Pip was hugging Debra, telling her how sorry he was for disappearing, and trying to find that connection in their lost friendship.

Francis noted Debra's clear decline. If it was all true, and she was really the Southern Alpha's mate, no wonder she looked like a walking corpse. But how did she live? Losing a mate should have eventually killed her. Jordan died a year and nine months ago. Had she held on from sheer stubbornness or had something else kept her alive?

She wondered if Debra would pretend that she didn't know what was going on. How far would she drag the lie? Francis wished Krey had more to tell her, but if he didn't, it meant that Roden's last written words were about Debra and Jordan.

The Beta clenched her fists. She was getting angry. Pip deserved better friends, and if Debra was behind all the Rogues spying on them, and Roden's death, she deserved to be with Jordan deep underground.

"Pardon me if I'm rude," Pip said to Debra, "but you don't look like you've been doing very well. Is this my fault?"

Debra nodded, and Francis pursed her lips to keep sharp words inside her mouth.

"So, it's true, you've been with the wolves this whole time?" Debra asked, seeming to notice Francis's tense demeanour.

"Uh-" Pip glanced to Francis too. "I've been with Krey this whole time. I know you never liked him, but-"

"But what? You run off with some stranger you barely know and don't come back for years?" Debra gripped his arms with bony fingers. "Krey is not good for you."

Pip sighed. "I don't want to have this conversation Debra. You just saw someone shift into a werewolf."

Debra clutched her bag again, stepping back. "Yes, yes that was shocking," she whispered.

Francis smelt Pip's nerves, but all she smelt from Debra was her sickly rose perfume.

"Pip, do you want to phone Krey? I told him what happened, so we should go because Omegas will be here any minute." Francis's green eyes fixed on Debra as she spoke.

"Is Krey coming too?" Debra asked.

Would she want him to come? "No." Though, Francis was sure Krey would be among the first Omegas to reach them. Debra's lips curled in disappointment and her mad eyes darted to Pip.

Francis didn't know what to do. If she grabbed Pip and tried to run, he wouldn't be easy to drag and would want an explanation. Debra was acting weird, but Pip hadn't noticed. Francis felt like they were stalling for a reason. She smelt a trap.

"Let's go." Francis reached out for Pip and Debra yelled for them to wait.

"I just saw a human turn into a wolf!" she gasped and covered her mouth with a trembling hand.

Francis hardened her gaze, but Pip tried to comfort her. "I know it's weird, but we can't stay out in the open for long. We need to go to the institute where we'll be safe."

"The institute?" Debra asked. "Is that where you've been living?"

"Yes." Pip put her oddness down to shock. She wasn't the stable, fun, stern, and opinionated Debra he once knew. She seemed to be a shell of that person, and Pip felt like he was to blame. "We need to keep moving."

"We're going to the institute?" Debra asked, taking Pip's hand when Francis tried to edge between them.

"Not you," Francis said out of desperation. "Sorry Debra, you'll be safer if you go back to town."

Pip looked at Francis as though she had told Debra to tie herself onto train tracks. "But-"

"Come with me, Pip," Francis could smell other wolves. Omegas wouldn't have reached them this fast.