The airport was just outside of London. The air was surprisingly chilly inside. It wasn't much of a change from New York, especially because it was nearly February and London was quiet cold. The jeans were the right way to go.
I watched the city from the window that took up the entire wall of the airport. The city was gray and seemed to be made of dark sand. A cloud or haze was hovering over the distance, making my stomach churn. I was suppose to be happy, right? I was going to get some answers.
A hand caught mine, taking me from my moment of admiring the view.
Cameron squeezed my hand and smiled down at me. I moved into his side and his arm wrapped around my shoulder. He was perfect. His warmth surrounded me, the same time his - our, pack surrounded us.
"I hate the cold!" Camilla huffed, blowing into her palms to warm them up. She had changed into her new 'flying outfit' before boarding the plane. It was as fashionable as it was impractical. The outfit consisted of a powder blue long sleeved shirt with the gray school girl skirt that she bought the time we went to the mall. Her shoes were gray heels that looked kinda blue in the airport light. Her hair fell in loose golden curls and her eyes were framed by dark, expertly done eyelashes.
"Maybe you should have dressed more appropriately?" Jade offered. She was walking again, thanks to her quick werewolf recovery. She still was pale and stiff, but she could walk.
"We'll buy you some gloves once we get going, okay, sugar?" Wes said.
Sugar.
That was what Alec called me. I shook it off. He was long gone. In the states.
Camilla nodded, still blowing into her hands. "Can't they just turn off the damn air conditioning?" She complained, but quieter. Wes gave her his jacket. It was funny how Camilla made him match her with his powder blue button down and dark jeans. They looked like school kids, which was probably the idea. They wanted to look together, and away from us so we would be less trackable.
Gears and Cameron matched now. Gears had a black hoodie on, that was the same brand as Cameron's gray hoodie. They looked like two usual collage jocks. Jade and I would be walking together, just because we hadn't been matched up yet.
"Are we ready?" Cameron asked, looking around the group. We held up our bags to confirm it. "Alright, let's go." He and I broke off and I looped my arm with Jades. She laughed and smiled, swaying on her feet. I followed suit so that when people saw us, they would see two girls happy and being teenagers, swaying as they laughed. Not one runaway and another who was barely able to walk. It was all a cover.
Cameron and Gears were talking in a heated way and were a hundred yards in front of us. Wes and Camilla had broken off and were walking across the Airport in a totally different direction.
Gears and Cameron left the airport and got a cab. We were to meet up at the Aristocrat in the city. A hotel that Gears claimed he could get us in. He and Cameron had worked here for a summer back when they were thirteen or something.
Jade and I got in a car and we were driven to the Aristocrat. The thing was huge. The building gray and weathered from many years. The brass glistened like gold and the building went straight up in the sky. It was so high that it hurt my neck to look up. It made me wonder how someone could make such an elegant and complicated pattern that marked each stone bordering the windows.
"Let's go Jace." Jade said, pulling me inside. She took me to chairs set up in the lounge and sat down next to me. We were to wait until someone fetched us. Across the room we watched as Gears and Cameron walked to the front desk and exchanged warm hellos and hugs with the woman who stood behind the desk. She handed them their keys after they talked. She touched Cameron's arm and gestured to the elevators, where they left. She smiled as she went back to work. Their conversation was short and friendly, something the cameras wouldn't pick up on, but I definitely had.
Jade handed me a magazine so we could stay casual and under the radar.
I had finished every article in my magazine and was about to reach for another when a man came over. He sat across from us on the chairs and started to straighten the magazines on the glass coffee table. "Room 1509, floor 12" He said, not even looking up.
"Thank you." Jade said, flipping a page and reading as if nothing happened. She finished her article and then put the magazine down. In one smooth motion she grabbed her bag, stood and strode away to the elevator, leaving me to rush to follow her.
Once in the elevator, we rode up to the floor and followed the hall to find the room. Once it was located, we walked in because it was unlocked. The second we walked in Gears slid the door shut and locked it.
"How do you guys know everyone here again?" I asked, having forgotten what they said on the plane when I had fallen asleep.
"Cameron and I had worked here when we were younger." Gears offered.
"Oh, yeah." I said, remembering again. I walked around the suite and went to the balcony. "I want to go see my aunt. Before anyone from my pack figures it out."
"Okay." Cameron said, tossing me my bag. "Get changed so we can go."
I put on a cheap dress I had found at Forever 21. It was white with a red and pink flowers covering it. The neck line was a v and it ended mid thigh. I borrowed Camilla's gold sperrys and put a gold head band in my hair. Cameron and everyone else had changed too, except Jade and Gears. They were staying in the hotel room to rest. Camilla and Wes were going to stay in the park across the street from my aunt's apartment so that they would watch over if anything went wrong. They went a few minutes before us.
Cameron took my hand and led me downstairs. We went straight for a taxi and I gave the man the address. I was anxious and very nervous in the car, but Cameron kept me in check by playing with my fingers and telling me that everything was going to be alright. I stared out the window and watched the city go by, my stomach in knots and feeling sick to my stomach. When approaching the street, we got out early so we could walk up.
Cameron payed the man and tipped him before we started walking. The house was gray and very small. Two stories and squished in with the other two story houses. My aunts house was ancient and out dated while the other houses looked, at least, from this century. I kept my eye out for the house so I would know when we should cross the street. The street wasn't very busy, and it was early, but the street was lined with cars bumper to bumper. I studied each house that was opposite us, and so far, none of them looked like my Aunt's. I began to worry that she had changed it or moved, when I remembered on the report papers in my bag said that she was currently staying in this house in London. I had only been there once, back when my parents were still alive.
Cameron was on the phone, talking in a whisper, his hand still holding mine. I gave him a look of confusion and mouthed 'Who is that?'
He mouthed back that it was Camilla and Wes. He was probably checking in with them to make sure they knew we were here and to be on guard. He hung up and we walked a little further.
"Do you see it yet?" Cameron asked. I shook my head no.
"What does it look like?" He asked.
"Gray, old, outdated, and scary. Very ominous." I listed. "Oh, and stone slabs for steps." I add.
Cameron snickered and squeezed my hand. "You look very nervous."
"I am. I'm scared." I muttered.
"We'll, it is very cute." He said, leaning down and kissing my cheek.
I smiled and we walked for a few more minutes. We passed the entrance to the park when Cameron suddenly squeezed my hand in a death grip. He nodded to the right. Across the street was my aunt's house. And standing on both sides of the door were Adam and Dylan.
I was so shocked that I just stared for a few seconds. Luckily, we were conceal by the black car in front of us. We turned around and made a quick turn to the Park, where we walked into and hid behind the tall stone wall.
"Are those-"
"Wolves from my pack? Yes." I said in shock. They were here and they were waiting for me to come. They knew where I was headed. This is a disaster. If they were here, that mean that Shane was here, and if Shane, Adam, and Dylan were here, it meant Blake was here and if Blake, Shane, Adam and Dylan were here, it mean that Matt and Alec were here. And if Alec and Matt were here, it meant they would take me to California weather I liked it or not. Alec would never let me leave and I would be without my new pack, and I'd never have a mate, and i'd probably jump off a cliff before I went totally insane.
"Shhh! Jacie! Relax!" Cameron said in a hushed whisper. "Shhhh!" He said, hugging me tight. I hadn't realized that I was hyperventilating. I held onto him, having a panic attack. He pulled his phone out to contact Wes and Camilla. He sent a quick text and pulled me to my feet. "We need to keep moving or they'll get us for sure." He said. "C'mon." Cameron pulled me along after him, through the park to meet Camilla and Wes. My ears were pricked and they were listening for Adam and Dylan. As we were leaving I heard them.
"Hey, Dyl. Do you smell that?" Adam was saying. "It's her scent." And that is when Cameron and I started to run.