haven’t been able to find my footing. My place in the pack. I go to school. I learn all I can in hopes of being able to apply it here and help out more than I already do. Every day I put one foot in front of the other.
This restless feeling, though. I can’t shake it. I haven’t been able to for months. That’s different than what I’m sensing tonight. The restlessness, I think, is a product of everything that happened with the fires and my mom. It left me feeling so alone, even if I’m always surrounded by others. It also keeps me up more hours than I should be. I sleep in between my patrol ending and school starting. Then I sleep again before my patrol starts. I have days off, too, though I can’t seem to relax enough to enjoy them.
My wolf huffs out a breath of frustration. He feels it as much as I do.
Zion sticks by my side as the hours tick on. No, he’s not the one I want there, however, I won’t turn away his company. His presence helps me stay focused. Keeps me out of my head.
We’re near Ari and Orion’s house when we hear yelling. Not sure what’s going on, we both take off at a run. Ari and Rion have arguments, like any other mated pair in the pack, but they rarely do it outside for all to hear.
When we get close to where the tree line breaks and their house comes into view, I notice it’s not Ari and Rion yelling. It’s Camden and Aries. Dante is there and Desmond. But they must not notice us.
“I do what I want,” Cam seethes.
Aries is inches from him, right in his face. “Not when you’re part of my pack.
“Maybe I should go then, since I’m obviously not taken seriously.”
“Fate’s sake, Cam!” Aries throws his arms up in defeat. “You know that’s not what this is about.”
“And you knew by bringing me here that I was a wild card. I have been for the better part of a century now. I don’t take orders well, unless… You know. But this, just let me be.”
“You need rest,” Des cuts in.
“I need to let my wolf run for a while.”
“You’re going to run yourself ragged,” Dante adds.
“Is that why the three of you followed me up here? To check up on me? I don’t need babysitters.”
“That’s not true,” Aries states harshly.
A couple more wolves walk up beside us to see what the commotion is about. It’s not odd for the pack to get into fights. Some are merely a stupid squabble, while others have deeper roots like the one before us. I don’t think they realize they’ve got an audience, though.
Deciding to make myself known, my wolf settles back and lets me take over. When the shift is complete, I step out of the forest into view. “Guys,” I say hesitantly. Four heads swivel toward me but there’s only one I see and that’s Camden. Aries may be my alpha and Dante my beta, however, Cam is the one who holds my attention. “You’re drawing a bit of a crowd. I just thought you should know.”
Aries scrubs a hand over his face. “We need sleep. All of us, including you, Cam.”
“I’m not tired.” He crosses his arms.
“So this is how it’s going to go? You’re just going to run and run until you collapse?”
“I’ve been doing it for a while now and I’m fine.”
“That’s not true,” Des interjects. “I can see how everything has taken its toll on you.” It’s easy to think of this as Des speaking about Cam’s brother, but I have a feeling it’s more than that. I should dive into one of their heads and see. I decide against it, hoping that maybe Cam will confide in me. It’s a foolish thing to hope for. I’m not anyone to him.
“Let me run,” Cam pleads. “I promise, after I get a few hours in, I’ll climb into bed and stay there to sleep. Hell, I’ll even let Des give me something to knock me out if I can’t fall asleep on my own. But that’s just once. I can’t have this same fight with the three of you again. And I won’t be knocked out every day either by some drug.”
Aries nods. “Deal, but we’re not done talking about this.”
“Fate forbid.”
Aries narrows his eyes then stalks past Cam to go down the mountain. Des follows.