Luminous (I)

Chapter XXV

Damien choked on his tea and I blushed with embarrassment.

"O-K." Sammie said, frowning. "Momma sent me here to tell you that everything in the new pack house is ready and you guys can leave."

"My mom," Damien grinned and paused for emphasis. "Was never very polite."

I smiled despite myself. "Should I go and collect my belongings?"

"Yes." Damien nodded. "I'll notify the pack; meet us downstairs in ten minutes."

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"Yes, Damien, I've got everything."

We were trekking through the woods brandishing suitcases. Everyone else was long gone; however, Damien, Sammie, Alex and I decided to stay for a moment longer and bid Roxy and Xander goodbye.

"Are you sure? I don't want you to leave anything behind and then have to go back for it." Damien said worriedly.

"I'm pretty confident." I repeated, rolling my eyes. "It's more likely that you left something!"

Damien snorted. Sammie slipped his hand into mine and gazed curiously at my bare wrist.

"What is it, Sammie?" I asked.

"Where's your bracelet?" he frowned.

I stilled. Chrissy's bracelet. It was all I had left of her.

"Damien, I left Chrissy's bracelet. I don't know where I put it! It's all I have left of her-- I can't leave it behind. I won't." I babbled, clutching fistfuls of my hair.

Damien exchanged a worried look with Alex. "We can go back if you want, but I don't know where it is-"

"I do!" Sammie yelled triumphantly. "I'll go back and get it. It's my home, after all."

"No, no." I said, shaking my head. "I'll get it, you keep going."

Sammie gazed sorrowfully at Damien. "Please, Alfalfa Damien? I want to make Looney Thea happy again."

"Fine, Sam. Go get her bracelet." Damien squatted down to his height and smiled warmly.

Sammie grinned and bolted in the opposite direction. I cooed at the sight; his little, stubby legs carried him through the bushes and into a thick mist. He was like a tiny version of Damien.

"It's not the only thing you've lost today, is it?" Alex sniggered.

"Alex," I deadpanned. "Fuck you."

Damien stepped between us, grinning. "Now, now, ladies, let's not start something I'll have to finish."

"You can't even finish a taco, never mind a fight." I snorted.

"Are you sassing me, Matthews?" he growled playfully.

"And if I am?"

He offered me no verbal reply. Instead he just lunged at my midriff, effectively tackling me to the floor. I shrieked in surprise but did not hesitate in wrapping my legs around his waist and bucking my hips until I was on top.

"I feel as if I'm intruding on something." Alex said, almost to himself.

"You women are weak," Damien said, knowing his words would anger me.

"You men are weaker," I whispered, pressing myself against him. His eyes practically bulged out of their sockets and I bit back a smile. "You have the greatest weakness of all... And it hangs between your legs."

I clambered off of him and smirked victoriously. Alex had blanched and was looking at everything but me. It seemed Mr. Gamma was unacquainted with PDA.

"Are you alright, Alex?" I asked innocently.

"Are you a virgin?" he retorted.

"Make another virgin joke and I'll staple your dick to your forehead." I threatened.

"Understood, un-virgin Mary." Alex whistled.

Damien snorted and I swatted him with my suitcase. He barely grimaced, which only infuriated me further. Soon enough, I was attacking him with the bag, brandishing it like a weapon of mass destruction.

"Where- is- Sam?" Damien said between laboured breaths.

I halted for a moment, frowning. It'd been at least ten minutes since Sammie had left, and we'd not strayed far from Roxy's house as it was. Damien's expression soured immediately.

"We better make sure he's okay." Damien ordered.

I didn't need telling twice. I followed my mate through the trees until we reached the house; it was oddly quiet, all things considered. I half expected to see Sammie peering through the window, but he was nowhere to be seen. Dread swallowed me whole as we raked the area, searching desperately. Maybe he was playing hide and seek. Maybe this was his idea of a prank.

Maybe he's been kidnapped.

"He isn't here, Alpha." Alex pinched the bridge of his nose.

I froze. Damien growled in fury, too angry to offer a real reply. His erratic behaviour was revealing in itself.

My legs carried me forward without my conscious volition and I found myself kneeling down beside the oak tree, searching for something- anything. A force I couldn't fully comprehend had steered me here, and I was going to place my full trust in it. My powers, however unpredictable, were rightfully mine. They wouldn't steer me wrong.

The glint of a metallic object caught my attention and I tentatively brought it into my hands, bemused.

It was Chrissy's bracelet, stained in fresh blood.