The Bane of My Existence

Chapter 24

To say the place was ancient was an understatement. Thick stone walls made from what must have been building blocks carved right out of the sides of mountains appeared to be the sole material used for putting together this monstrosity.

I looked around certain to find orcs and goblins spewing out of the entrance to greet us. As it were there merely more of the stern faced Were's.  I think Alpha Bax had taken the most jovial of the lot when he went off to fetch his future mate. These people looked like they hadn't smiled for centuries.

I shifted in Alpha Bax's arms to peer over his shoulders searching for my siblings.  Their vehicles of transport had only just arrived. I caught Calvin's appalled expression as he alighted from his vehicle and couldn't help the smirk that spread across my face.  Automatically I turned to Alpha Bax,  to the hidden joke that this was the place that would be Cal's home from now on. He would be King of this castle.

I realised then that it was a castle. And while Cal would be its King, I was also doomed to call this my home. That realisation served only to wipe out the budding smile right off my face.  I could now relate to why nobody here smiled at all.

Seriously,  how could anyone find any humour within these solid stone fortress.

I glanced about feeling utterly depressed and sank back into Alpha Bax's hold with an almost pitiful whimper that served to only draw his scowl on me.

I turned away then to look about searching for something that I could appreciate.  And I found it instantly in the unique choice of clothing they wore. The fabrics were bright and cheerful in their colours and tones. But they were just fabrics.  Fabrics with no stitched seems. The loose materials were merely tied innovatively about their frames. I stared around with sudden appreciation of the concept.  As they were Weres, this method allowed them the flexibility of a shift without worries of tearing off their clothes each and every time.

I stared in wide eyed appreciation of their ingenuity.  And managed to exchange a delighted glance with Kate over what would be our new arrangement of clothing.  The men too wore materials wrapped around their waists like a loose flowing pants and most of them were shirtless.

I looked at the city slick clothing that Alpha Bax and his entourage had on and realised that their stiff new look was simply because they didn't wear this day in day out. These clothes were used only for travelling to visit outsiders to the Payton pack. It must have been awful to strap themselves into normal clothing when all they were used to were these loose fitting garments.

We were moving through the open courtyard, then past the battlement, under stone arches and through an entire village of stonewalled huts and shops before we arrived at the main keep.

Here there was a drawbridge to cross over a crocodile infested moat and on into a greatwall. Displayed at its entrance was the crest of the Payton pack.  An eagle with blades and shield placed in a symbolic meaning.  I felt strangely faint just looking at it.

Once again I found myself straining to peer over Alpha Bax's great shoulders to stare beseechingly at Cal.  He was king to be. If anyone could save us from this place it was him. Nevermind that I was already mated to the bloody Alpha of the pack. I would join him in the great escape I knew that he too dearly longed for. But Matt caught our exchange and with a sardonic lift of his brow clearly disuaded the very notion. Matthew Bane was clearly not a kindred spirit.

I slumped back into Alpha Bax's strong arms with a defeated sigh.