Skin (Shifters #1) | On Hold

Chapter Three: Shifter Central

Somewhere along the way Astraea knew she must've fallen asleep, since the second time she woke up she was no longer in the limo. Instead, she was slung over Keiran's back, her face pressed into the crook of his neck.

"Poke her. I don't care. Just wake her up already!" The Alpha carrying her hissed, not amused in the slightest as she continued to drift in and out of consciousness. "Dammit! She's drooling on me!"

Jayden snorted. "I like this girl... having her around is gonna be a blast."

"Having me around?" Astraea perked up, glancing curiously at the redhead before she rested her head back down on the comfy pillow Keiran's shoulder was standing in for. "What are you on about?"

"You ain't going home, bunny." A brunette joined their little group trekking up a ridiculously large set of stairs leading up to some sort of structure she could barely make out with her hazy vision. "But we can't really unleash you on the city with you being feral and all that..."

"Besides, the castle is practically a bachelor's pad – it could use your touch."

"Pfft." She snorted. "Anyway, what's with this whole feral business?"

"Explain it to the little human, won't you?"

"Stop being human-ist."

"She isn't technically human anymore, Kei." Rick said, reminding them of his presence as they approached the castle. "She's one of us now."

"Don't lump me in with you idiots." She scowled, her eyelids drooping as they finally reached a set of gates, sleep washing over her yet again. It was evening – almost a whole day since she'd been dragged from her village and ferried to shifter central – and Astraea found herself missing the creaking house she'd called home for the past few months... which was odd, considering she'd hated it just over a day earlier.

"We just need to get you into the pack mentality thingy. That's all." Jayden grinned, pausing when he realised she was already fast asleep. "Oh... There she goes again..."

"Have we told the higherups about her?" Rick asked, glancing around the group. "Please tell me pinkie or someone did..."

"Nope."

"Bagsie not doing it."

"Me too!"

"Children..." Keiran shook his head.

"Well you do it, then. You're the one carrying her." Rick said, pushing open the castle doors, striding into the lobby.

"If you insist." The exasperated blonde sighed, carrying the sleeping girl further inside, Jayden close on his heels. "Let's hurry up and get this over with."

"Yeah." The redhead nodded, scowling as his hair stood up on end. "Dammit... That bloody Alpha's here..."

"He's part of the Council of Five. Show some respect."

He pouted. "But he makes my hair go all static-y."

"Deal with it, moron." Keiran shook his head. "Let's just get this over with, OK?" He grumbled, pulling open a large set of doors that led to a gigantic hall. "While it's just the two of them here..."

With that said, the pair entered the room in silence, striding towards the five thrones at the other end of the great hall. Their booted feet made next to no sound on the blue carpet, but it was still audible to the two men in the middle of a conversation by the collection of thrones.

"You're finally back." The blonde-haired man smiled, turning to face them, alongside the stoic black-haired one. "Took you long enough."

"And who's the brat?" Electric blue eyes scanned the sleeping figure draped over the irate Alpha. "Your mate?"

"You picked someone?!" The blonde leant forwards, green eyes glimmering with excitement.

"Like hell!" Keiran hissed, shooting daggers towards the girl drooling on his neck. "She's a damn bitten... we came across her in a human village, so we brought her back before she massacred the whole town."

"A bitten?"

"Relax, Arlan." The blonde said, glancing at his partner. "It's not like we haven't dealt with one before..."

"It's been ages." Arlan ran a hand through his inky locks. "Most die or have to be put down."

"Well it's lucky we reached her before that happened."

"I suppose." He shrugged. "What are we supposed to do with her though, Leone?"

"Teach her how to be a shifter, I guess."

"And who's going to do that?"

Two sets of eyes slid to Keiran.

"NO!"

"It's decided then." Arlan grinned, an odd gleam in his eyes as he stared down at the scowling blonde, waving a hand in farewell as he swiftly left the room.

"Good luck." Leone smirked, turning on his heel, exiting the room before the man could get out another word of protest.

Jayden snickered, the sound echoing around the empty throne room.

"Shut it."

He fell over in answer, clutching his stomach as he howled with laughter, having spied the other man's expression. "Have fun!"

"You're dead."

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