Chapter 21
Chapter 21: Theo
I had gone into town to meet with some local business owners. It was a routine catch–up to see how
the pack was doing. It was something I actually looked forward to. They were all good, hard–working
people, and it was nice to hear about their day-to-day lives and how they were fairing under our
protection. These things reminded me that being an Alpha wasn’t all about power. We had a
responsibility to the people we led. Without them, an Alpha’s aura meant nothing.
It was also nice to get away from the packhouse and all the usual faces.
My parents hade back from theke house with me. My mother was spending time with Kylee and
Marie working on nning the ceremony, per Kylee’s insistence. My father was addressing some of the
administrative aspects of the pack, including checking in on the several businesses our family
controlled. We would get together that evening and go over any updates. It would be a long day. But it
was a good one, and I went into it in a better mood than I had been in weeks.
The meetings always took ce at my parent’s restaurant so as not to put anyone out with the
responsibility of hosting.
“It’s business as usual for the most part,” Ozzy Evans said. He owned our biggest contractingpany
and oversaw a lot of the housing in the area. “We haven’t had any major incidents recently. Just a few
run–ins with some teenagers vandalizing a few ces, but it was all minor damage.”
“That’s good to hear,” I said. “What happened with the
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culprits? They must not have been too difficult to deal with. I haven’t seen any of theme across my
desk.”
“Yeah, they were just kids being kids for the most part,” Ozzy confirmed. “Just not having enough to do
with school being out. Once I tracked them down, between me and their mothers, they were eager to
clean up their act. We got them signed up in some sses down at themunity center.”
I nodded. “Good.”
“There was that one tenant you told me about, Ozzy,” Mrs. yborn said. She owned the local
hardware and gardening
stores.
“Oh, yeah, strange guy,” Ozzy replied, scratching the back of his neck. “He liked to ask questions, but
he seemed harmless enough. Just a bit awkward, I guess.”
He made it sound like the guy was a stranger. I was about to ask for more details when we heard the
sirens wailing outside. We all stood up and headed to the front of the building. I stepped out to try and
get an idea of where they wereing and going.
It didn’t take long to figure it out. Fire trucks and an ambnce flew down the street, heading toward a
plume of smoke billowing into the sky. It looked like it wasing from the library.
I started running toward the building. I was only a few streets
away and would be faster on foot than navigating through traffic in a vehicle.
I was there in less than five minutes and confirmed the library was up in mes. I rushed to the
entrance, helping guide
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more people as they rushed out. The mes seemed to be concentrated in the back of the building.
Several stairwells on that side led to different floors that held offices. I ran up to the fire captain, and his
men started hooking up hoses and getting to work. Some were already inside looking for anyone who
needed help.
I started calling out orders, trying to organize those who were now outside, figuring out who needed
medical attention, and reigning back the bystanders that had begun to congregate.
“Alpha Theo,” some called behind me.
?
I turned to see Sarah Walport rushing toward me. We had gone to high school together.
“Alpha Theo, my mother is still in there. She works the desk down in the archives. I don’t know if she
can get out,” Sarah said desperately.
“We’ll get someone down there,” I said. “Stay here.”
I ryed the information to the captain. He radioed the information to the others inside.
Belongs to (N)?vel/Drama.Org.
“They’re bringing out a few right now, but they’ve got their hands full. They’ll have to go back to check
for her.”
I made a split–second decision and bolted into the building. Entering through the side entrance, I
crouched low to take the scene of the building.
The smoke was thick and heavy toward the back, but I wasn’t far from the stairwell that led to the lower
level. I shifted into my wolf to keep low to the ground better and made my way to the basement. I could
barely see anything when I got down
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Chapter 21: Theo
there, and the heat was intense. It seemed like this may have been where the fire started.
I crawled along the wall, trying to remember where the desk was and feeling around for any sign of
anyone. I felt the hand before I saw her. Trying to calm my coughing, I nudged her to get a response.
She must have passed out from the smoke. I gripped the back of her shirt with my jaws, dragging her
toward the stairs. When I reached the base, I shifted back. I couldn’t get her up the stairs with my wolf
while she was unconscious.
Within minutes I was rushing back out of the library just as my vision started to fade, and I was
thoroughly lightheaded. Someone met me and grabbed the woman from my arms. I fell to the ground in
a coughing fit, trying to pull in ragged breaths of clean air. Someone wrapped a nket around me and
maneuvered me further away from the building.
I wasn’t sure how much time had passed when I heard the firefighters calling that they had managed to
get the fire under control and doused the mes. I stood as Ozzy approached me with a pair of shorts.
There were only a few ambnces still there. Most must have left with those who had experienced the
more severe injuries. I had recovered enough to walk through the crowd, ensuring everyone was
ounted for and attended to.
It was hours before everything settled down and the area cleared out, leaving only a handful of officials
to start investigating and cleaning up. My mother had shown up to assist earlier, but we hadn’t had time
to speak with each other as we cared for our people. Once things had settled enough, my mother came
up and threw her arms around me.
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Chapter 21: Theo
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