Differences Aside, ✔

Chapter Twenty Nine

Stepping into the air-conditioned room felt like heaven.

It didn't do much to relieve the unending heat in my arms, torso or legs, but it certainly improved the heat on my face and neck. I was most likely a hundred shades of red.

The Southerners looked unbothered, walking through the airport without even a droplet of sweat on their skin, a quality that I now envied deeply. But regardless of being inside, I still felt hot.

Their airport was unlike any building I had ever seen in my life. Descriptive, bloody pictures lined the walls, the wall itself being covered in indigenous designs in a range of browns and reds. Everything was done subtly but to perfection. It was like walking through a museum. It seemed that the basic fashion of what the royals were wearing was considerably common, as most of the wolves I saw dressed very similar. Of course, their clothes and jewellery weren't nearly as embezzled or expensive.

I could hear the people around me chattering, however, the wolves that were waiting for flights were silent, their eyes glued on the two royal families in their presence. I was almost used to the neverending stares that I received on a daily basis.

Keyword being almost.

I shrank under their gaze, eager to get into whatever mode of transport they had organised and head to wherever they were taking us. I had no idea what might have been running through their heads, but I certainly didn't want to find out.

We walked to the entrance, three cars were waiting in the driveway, but looked nothing like the ones that I was used too.

They weren't long, but rather the opposite. The cars were fastened with some of the largest wheels that I had ever seen. Through the clear, untinted windows I could see large, black leather chairs.

Nothing at all like anything I was used too.

But it took no time for the Southerners to open the doors and pull themselves up into the cars, grabbing on the handles and swinging themselves up with no problems or hesitations at all. Zina watched them with a gaze of remembrance. She had said that it had been two years since she left the South, clearly this visit meant more to her than a simple business meeting. Zina gave a quick kiss to both Sera and Elliot before running over and swinging herself into one of the cars, following Omnia and Jupiter.

Amina, Taj, Catalina and Verena took over the second car, so Maddox, Elliot, Seraphine and I climbed into the last car. There was no drivers, just an empty seat. With one quick moment, Elliot fastened Sera into one of the baby seats that had been placed in the back, and then, with a grunt, he exited the car and climbed into the front seat instead, taking over the drivers spot.

I felt Maddox stop in his tracks. I glanced at the car and then back at him,

"I'll take the back with Sera, you sit in the front with Elliot," I reassured, pulling my hand away from his.

That seemed to awake him out of whatever trance he was in, and with a quick nod of agreement to me, he climbed into the seat next to Elliot.

The cars looked much higher when up close.

Regardless, I heaved myself up, miraculously not tripping on my dress. I closed the door and put on my seatbelt, sparing a glance to Sera, who seemed perfectly content in her seat.

"All ready to go?" Elliot asked, turning his head.

"Yep," I replied with a deep breath, "Besides, the others have already gone."

It was true, the other two cars had already started driving away. Immediately, Elliot slammed his foot on the accelerator, placing his hand on the stick and pulling it around before placing his hands on the steering wheels and beginning to drive.