The Lone Wolf

3, Alpha Evander

The bathroom was spotless and dustless. The sink had enough counter space on both sides that Fox could set his bag down on one. The mirror spanned most of the wall above the sink, but Fox merely spared himself a glance. He knew how much dirt and grime covered his sunburned-then-suntanned skin, and he didn't care to refresh his memory on how disheveled his dark brown hair had grown, or how devoid of emotion his hazel eyes had become, or how easy it was to spot the pale lines of various scars on his body, or how lean he had grown after a life with scarce food. Looking at himself for too long only made him ache deep inside.

The shower had a decently sized bathtub in it, without a hint of mold. The curtain sported a generic mountain design, and there was a lone painting hung on the wall above the towel rack, which had both a body towel and a hand towel already draped over it. Fox smiled a little at the sight.

He unzipped his bag and took out a pair of clothes. The closest thing he had to pajamas were some sweatpants and a thermal long sleeve. He set them aside.

He figured out the faucet in the shower, and waited for the spray to turn warm. When it did, he eagerly stepped in and groaned softly as the water rushed over him. Fox hadn't had a warm shower since his last stay at a motel, about two months ago, and that shower hadn't been nearly as nice as this one.

Fox took his time washing his hair and his body, making sure to scrub every inch, until he didn't feel so grimy anymore. Then he took some time to simply bask in the warmth, letting the steam fill his lungs and the gentle drumming of the water massage his shoulders.

When the water turned tepid, he shut it off and stepped out to dry. He used the towel to scrub himself dry enough to put on his sleepwear, and then he brushed his teeth. When he felt thoroughly freshened up and cleaned, he gathered his things back in his bag and left to go to his room.

Fox felt strange calling it his room. He knew it was a temporary residence, but he was allowed to have that space all to himself, and it was a funny feeling. He felt both nostalgic and out of place. He pushed away the memories that tried to rise as a result of those feelings. Reminiscing never did him any good. Those memories only ever served to hurt him.

Fox shut the door behind him. A calmness settled in him then, the notion of privacy soothing his nerves. He set his bag down on the floor by the bed, and wasted no time climbing under the covers.

The mattress accepted his weight with ease. The pillows were soft and cradled his head just right. The duvet was cozy, just the right amount of heavy to keep him comfortable. Fox couldn't help the groan that escaped him. His body relaxed in a way it hadn't been able to for a long time, his muscles going slack, and his subconscious alertness shutting down for the night.

Despite Alpha Leyra's hardness, and the threat of what this pack could do to him if he stepped too far out of line, Fox felt safe like this. Alone in this room, with a bed and bathroom all to himself. Put in perspective, it was so simple, but it was everything to Fox.

He fell asleep to the sound of pattering rain and rumbling thunder, the flashes of lightning outside hardly enough to rouse him.

Fox had one of the best sleeps he'd had in years. He woke to a sunny but damp morning, his body feeling thoroughly rested. Fox almost felt like he was being pampered, but then he remembered where he was, whose house he was in, and he reminded himself not to let all this luxury get to his head. It could be taken away in a heartbeat.

Fox remembered that today he was being given a tour. Dread and anxiety filled his chest, and he stubbornly stayed in bed for as long as he was allowed.

Which lasted until ten in the morning. Someone knocked on his door, a nod to his privacy that Fox hadn't been expecting. He reluctantly rose from the warm covers and trudged over to the door. He opened it to find Sunshine standing there.