HUNTED-Chapter 343: Wolf’s Gut Feeling

Sliding out of the black car, Harry buttoned his suit jacket up and followed behind Aldric and his kids. Mark and Cathy followed with their children, who he kept forgetting the names of, but he didn’t feel guilty. He wouldn’t see them again after this.

Harry didn’t know Aldric’s plans from here, but he still had the urge to return to the Silver Crescent pack. He never thought he’d think something so ludicrous. He was a rogue returning to a pack. But from what he’d seen, the pack was expanding, letting ’outsiders’ like the lycans and rogues like him and Esme be a part of them.

Although Harry liked the freedom of coming and going, meeting new faces, fighting in the ’Hubs’ and earning a bit of dosh on the side, it was quite comforting knowing he had somewhere to return to. Yeah, sure, he could return to the other places, but at the pack, there were others there who didn’t seem intent on wanting to kill him.

Maybe some she-wolves if he played the field a bit, but he didn’t intend on screwing it up over some pussy. If he wanted to get his dick wet, he knew some rogue she-wolves that were kind of close by. They were always up to see him.

Harry cleared his throat and focused on the bar they had gone to. The whole place had been set aside for the wake of the funeral. Though the place was quite large, the group who arrived was not. He assumed Aldric’s side of the family probably didn’t come because of his rogue status now.

Not only that, but he left the pack for a human. It was unheard of. Some accepted a human Luna, and others rejected it, though it didn’t take long for them to either take on a she-wolf that would be suited as Luna or the pack grew restless with only an Alpha leading.

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Unless the Alpha was extremely strong, they didn’t last long by themselves. A pack always needed a Luna. It strengthened them.

After talking to some of Emma’s friends and responding with the usual line of being Aldric’s support buddy, he had some light finger food, not nearly enough for his stomach, but he would make do. That evening he would grab a few steaks, maybe even eat at this bar when everyone was gone.

While Aldric was talking to some of Emma’s friends from childhood, enjoying himself by listening to tales about her, Harry couldn’t help his usual habit of scanning the place and people-watching.

It wasn’t the usual ’people watching’ others tended to use the term for. No, he observed everyone from a type of clinical point of view. Who were those he would never befriend, who could be trusted, who, if they were useful, could be used to his advantage? Was anyone a threat?

Over the week Harry had been coming to and from Cathy’s, he noted one thing particularly odd and did not comment on. He believed it might not be his place, and there was some other family drama that he didn’t know of. But Cathy’s husband was particularly hostile towards Aldric.

It wasn’t that obvious but he noted that Aldric had also sensed it which was why he hadn’t brought it up or asked. He simply shrugged it off. But now, he was starting to believe there was something more going on. He had a gut feeling, and his wolf was urging him to not trust Mark.

Cathy was fine. How she was married to Mark was beyond him. Now, he watched as Mark scolded his son. To anyone else, it looked like he was disciplining his son. But with his heightened hearing, he could make out what was being said.

Mark didn’t want Jack, that was his name, to hang around Rex and Elissa too much or to get too attached. Well, that was strange; they all lived in the same house. That wasn’t what made his gut warn him about the guy, though.

Once Jack ran off in a different direction towards the food, where Cathy was already plating him something to eat, Mark was watching Rex and Elissa. His gaze was stony, his top lip twisting in disgust. It dropped, and he returned to a half smile when his wife sat down beside him.

It didn’t sit right with him. "Lissa, Rex," he called out to them, feeling a protective instinct kicking in. "Come here."

"It’s Elissa! I didn’t give you praminition to call me Lissa." Oh, she was a little madam. Harry smiled affectionately, believing maybe the kids weren’t so bad.

"You mean permission, little dudette. Here.. there are some colouring books. And Rex.." he pulled out a red portable gaming console and handed it to them. "Have at it."

"Woah! Thanks, uncle Harry!"

Uncle? He looked at the little cherub, surprised at the warmth in his chest. The little shits aren’t so bad after all. Harry looked up then, his gaze locking with Aldric. He smirked, giving him an ’I told you so’ look.

It reminded him of a time when they casually discussed their families. Harry was adamant he would never have one. It sounded nice how Aldric used to describe it, but that was his life and his children’s upbringing. It seemed pretty normal.

Harry didn’t believe he had it in him to look after little beings or deserved a mate, and he was fine with that. Or had been with that.

Shaking his head, he got rid of the stupid thoughts. Funerals, it must bring out a sense of wanting to create life or something. It didn’t matter, he just wanted to keep Elissa and Rex away from that guy.

Harry continued to watch his actions during the wake, noting more and more how he shifted uncomfortably and glared at Aldric. Did no one else notice this? Aldric sat down across from his children in one of the wooden chairs while they were on a cushioned bench.

With their dad beside them, Harry was a little relieved, but the look Mark was giving the small family sent shivers down his spine. It wasn’t the appropriate time to ask Aldric now about Mark, so he kept this feeling to himself. A wolf’s gut, and a rogue one especially, should never be dismissed lightly.

It was always right. He had a feeling, as outrageous as it seemed, that Mark had something to do with Aldric’s house burning down and his wife dying and children almost perishing.