Mate Mysteries

Chapter 77

At dinner, Krey asked his parents about what had happened with Saphine. "She still hates me, doesn't she?" Krey grumbled, frowning at his roast potatoes.

"Well, yes. Even after all you've been through, she still tried to tell us about how much you dampened her mental health over the past two years. She wanted an apology from you, and that was where my anger took over," Roden said, smiling at Makena who watched him with stars in her eyes. "Saphine tried to claim that my death affected her the most."

"And Makena was in the room when she said that?" Pip asked, astounded.

"Yes. That tipped me over the edge. They left soon after." Roden tilted his head at Pip. "Did you talk more with Mark?"

"No. They left too. I think Mark was hurting."

"Good," Krey muttered. He knew he would never feel anything other than hatred for Mark. Maybe one day they could be in the same room without Krey thinking of ways to harass him, but that day wouldn't come soon.

The next morning, Krey and Pip ventured outside the grounds of the Packhouse. Pip felt giddy as he waited for the gate to slide open. The outer metal was dented and scratched. Pip wondered what was going on in the town, but every time he asked, Krey got quiet and annoyed and mumbled something about wanting to set it all alight.

Stepping beyond the gate was nothing short of liberating. After all they had gone through, they finally had nothing to worry about. All neighbouring Packhouse's were allies. Rogue wolves were taken to the recovery Packhouse. More were found each day.

"Do you think a law will be passed about not having Rogue wolves?" Pip asked, wandering happily though the frozen mud.

"Yes. After what Debra and Jordan did, I think it's safer for us all." Krey ran a hand along a large wet dock leaf. "It's just not possible for anyone to live as a Rogue. They end up starved by the end of the year and humans always report seeing wolves. They disrupt everyone's peace."

"What will Len do?"

"I promised him freedom. he can do anything he wants."

"What if he wants to join the pack?"

Krey and Pip looked at each other. "I'll let him. Without his help..." Krey didn't want to think about how different that day would've been. He put an arm around Pip as they walked, further and further into the woods, venturing far from the Packhouse without a care in the world.

Krey stopped a few times to listen and to sniff the air. "There's a deer half a mile from here."

"Which direction?" Pip asked.

Krey pointed west. They slowed their walk and tiptoed across the hard ground, passing tree after tree until Pip was disorientated. Thick forests all looked the same to him after a while.

Suddenly, Krey tugged on his shoulders and they crouched.

Pip peeked through the bushes and at the deer with its head down, drinking peacefully from a large puddle. Krey sniffed the air, barely blinking. His mouth watered a little. If he were in his wolf form, he might have chased the deer and carried it home as a prize, if Pip wasn't with him.

They watched the deer for a while until it sensed Krey and bounced through the trees. "I want to be my wolf."

"Okay." Pip beamed and continued walking, leaving Krey behind to shift. The sound of his bones cracking always made him cringe. He focused on a twisted old tree until a black and brown wolf appeared silently by his side. Krey's pulsing red eyes stalked the woodland floor.

They adventured together for hours. The thrill of freedom was like nothing Pip had ever felt before. He had been trapped at Crescent Town and trapped in the Packhouse. Now they could venture every inch of their territory and even venture into neighbouring ones, now that Krey had friends.