After Six Years The Alpha Begs For My Return Chapter 30
When the wind blew, the entire sea of reeds rippled in gray-green waves that stretched to the horizon.
After we left Tidewatch’s main territory, Reese’s Beta confirmed the route once over the phone. Beyond this point lay White Ash River’s old boundary. The collective mind-link didn’t reach here. This was neutral ground, where no Alpha could issue commands.
About forty minutes later, Reese pulled up in front of a row of old wooden bungalows.
Hardly anyone lived here anymore. Demolition notices were nailed to many of the doors, red spray paint marking the walls. Wild grass grew waist-high through cracks in the concrete.
The air smelled of river water, mingled with the sweet-rotten scent of mud and reeds.
Two old wooden chairs sat in front of the innermost bungalow.
Someone was sitting in one of them, basking in the sun.
I recognized him from thirty feet away.
Corrigan had gotten old.
Twelve years ago, he had been in his early forties, broad-shouldered, with hands strong enough to pull me from the river and carry me two streets on his back. The sharp wolf-scent of a guard had faded to almost nothing.
He sat in that wooden chair with his hair mostly white, his body thinner, his cheekbones stark, and his face a roadmap of deep lines.
Only his eyes hadn’t changed. Still dark. Still bright. Still able, it seemed, to see straight through a person.
When he saw me get out of the car, he grinned, showing a single capped tooth.
“You’ve grown up.”
I walked over and stood before him, looking down.
The last time he came to the house, twelve years ago, snow had banked against the threshold. He had shoved a bag of chestnuts into my hands, and the cut on the web of his thumb had still been bleeding.
I was twelve then. I’d asked him if it hurt. He’d said no, and told me to hurry back inside before I caught cold.
“Ray.” I crouched so our eyes were level. “Those chestnuts were always the best. I’ve never found any better.”