She Runs With Wolves

Twenty.

The next three weeks went by uneventfully. Damon gave me the space I wanted and whenever he went out, Dean was never far away. He did let me go outside though, no one else questioned his decisions and I learnt a few of the shifters here were from what had been his pack. We didn't get along, but we had a mutual respect for each other and that was enough.

Most mornings I fell asleep talking to Cody. No one told me anything about where we were and the property was secluded enough to avoid me spying on any neighbors for clues. I tried to climb onto the roof to get a look around, only Dean stopped me and the news Connor had managed to track the flight Damon scheduled to get us away gave me hope. Caprice was helping them the best she could yet it was like this place didn't exist.

After our fight, Damon learnt to play hide and seek to find me in the mornings. He had woken me with his screaming as the night guards were left at his mercy. I had quickly appeared, calming him down and saving their pelts. I knew defending not only them, but Hannah too was only working in my favor and most had worked out who I was to him now.

The whole situation was as perplexing to them as it was to me.

While I fell asleep talking to Cody, I was never in that spot by the time the others woke up and my restlessness about sleeping in the one spot hadn't changed. Cody wasn't around to keep me grounded, so just like when I was travelling with Ethan, sometimes I ended up on a balcony, curled up on the sofa or a couple times even in the shower.

The same thing happened during the day. The routine Cody had pushed for was ruined as I napped whenever I could and never for more than an hour. The worst part was how aware of Damon I was becoming. His moods varied by different levels of anger, yet it was his eyes that drew me in. I pitied him. A couple of times I had to stop myself from wanting to try and comfort him. I understood the bond now, and refused to accept it. Damon wasn't as stubborn, yet it was like he didn't know how to let his guard down and let me in. It only led to many awkward moments that ended in an argument. Any act of kindness was destroyed within a minute of it happening, it was like he couldn't let himself be happy.

 Or he just didnt know how.

Sitting outside I watched the security patrol as they moved around the fence line. I'd done it for most of the second week and their routine was constant.

Even at night.

"Inside. He is nearly home." Dean growled, walking down the stairs from the patio.

"Where does he go?"

"Out."

That was generally the extent of the answers I got from any of them. Sure enough Damon was home, but something felt different. I couldn't work it out and curiously walked towards his study, pausing as a guard stood outside. Pressing myself against the wall, I kept out of sight and my wolf strained to hear the whispered conversation.

"Do what you need to get whatever she knows out of her. Cut the lines out and him dead."

I didn't move as Deans heavy footsteps pounded down the corridor and he walked right past me, going through the house and out the back door. While fighting nausea and heart palpitations, I shadowed him. I was expecting to have to defend myself so just whom Damon was talking about had my interest.

Dean went into the shed with two of the other guards and I was about to go out there when my wolf alerted me to Damon.

Sure enough he appeared barely seconds later. The calculated grimace on his face made me even more nervous and I swallowed awkwardly, trying to mask my fear.

"Not thinking about going outside are you?"

I shook my head, watching him cautiously as he came to stand beside me at the door.