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w r e c k
WAKING UP TO sore limbs and a racing heart the next morning wasn't the best feeling in the world. It took awhile for me to make sense of the lush blue curtains instead of the faded cream ones I was used to seeing, but then I remembered that I was in a different place altogether.
Jed's house.
That was – bizarre. I didn't even know he existed two days ago and now that man, with his green eyes and mysterious behaviour was all I could think of.
Shaking my head at the thought, I dragged myself out of bed and went to freshen up. Making my way downstairs after that was a matter of confusion. Jed was there to lead the way last night, but I realised today that there were many twists and turns, many empty rooms and empty hallways.
After taking several wrong turns, I finally found my way to the kitchen, only to freeze in my steps when I saw Jed standing there, with his elbows braced on the counter and his hands wrapped around a mug, with the coffee-pot on his left and various documents laid out in front of him. It was a cold morning so I wasn't surprised to see him in a grey sweater with the hood pulled up over his head.
He glanced up immediately, setting his cup down when he saw me. And as he straightened, I belatedly realised that he'd had the zip of his sweater undone, black sweatpants riding low on his hips. And he wasn't wearing a shirt on underneath, the smooth planes of his tanned chest and the muscle lines stretched taut across his abdomen visible even under the dim lighting in the kitchen.
In a different situation, this would've been one hell of a good morning.
"Hi," I said, willing myself not to blush under the heat of his gaze.
He stared at me warily, then pushed aside the files and papers.
"So, um, this is yours," I said instead, setting his jacket and iPod on top of the counter, before pushing it across to him. "I'd have the jacket washed if I knew where the laundry room was or if I was back home and actually able to do the laundry but – well..."
My words faded when he took the jacket and iPod. Then he pushed away from the counter and crossed the kitchen.
"Still not going to talk to me, huh?" I asked wryly when he turned back around with another cup in his hands, picking up the coffee-pot and filling it to the brim. "Shame. And I had plenty of questions I need answers to, but I guess – oh," I stopped in surprise, my eyes widening when he pushed the cup into my hands. The expression on his face was indecipherable when I looked up, but I smiled brightly at him anyway. "Thank you."
He stared blankly at me for a second before looking away, reaching out to gather his files in one hand, the jacket and iPod in the other. He was halfway out of the kitchen before I could even blink and, flustered by his sudden departure, I didn't think twice.
"Wait," I blurted, and he paused, his head turning slightly but not quite looking at me. The silence spanned for a moment or two, and I found myself stumped for words. Because what could I say – don't leave, because it's lonely in here? That was how things felt at the moment, but I hardly knew Jed well enough to say that.
Fortunately, the unexpected ringing of the doorbell relieved the awkward tension between us. Jed strode across the hall to open the door. Adrian stepped in, along with two other men.
"Alpha," Adrian greeted, before turning to me. "Luna."
I frowned for a moment, then smiled. "Hi," my greeting was meant for all three of them, but only Adrian grinned. The other two simply lowered their heads in brief acknowledgement.
"There's a car waiting outside to take you home for awhile," Adrian said. "We're ready if you are."
"Oh."
My stomach twisted in knots as I realised I would now have to face the inevitable. My home was gone. And I was just going there to salvage what was left.
Pushing that thought aside for the moment, I quickly took several huge gulps of my coffee, wincing when the hot liquid burned its way down my throat. "I'm ready," I said quickly, rushing into the kitchen and chucking the empty cup into the sink, flipping on the tap to rinse it. "I'll wash it later, promise," I assured Jed, as I stepped out of the kitchen.
Adrian seemed amused, but politely gestured me to the door. I began to head out, only to pause when I realised that Jed hadn't moved at all.
I threw him a look over my shoulder. "You're not coming?"
"He shouldn't," Adrian said, as he exchanged a look with Jed. "It's not safe for him out there."
"Oh. Okay, then," that flutter of uncertainty I felt was odd, like something would be off-balance if I went out there without him. Nevertheless, I shoved that feeling down and smiled at Jed. "I'll see you later?"
He paused, before taking a step closer, one hand reaching into the pocket of his hoodie. He drew out a cell-phone and held it out to me. I was beginning to see the trends in Jed's actions. There was always a reason for the things he handed to me. The iPod – to keep the sounds out. The jacket – to keep me unrecognisable. The knife – to keep me safe.
And now the phone – just in case.
So I took it and slipped it into the pocket of my jeans. "Thank you."
He nodded and fell a step back.
Satisfied at getting some vague form of acknowledgement from him, I followed Adrian and the two guys out to the car. It wasn't ideal to be in a car with one guy I barely knew and two others I didn't know at all, but at least I knew I could trust Adrian, if the events from the previous night were of any indication at all. And I wasn't entirely without protection either – my knife still remained with me, bundled up securely in the inner pocket of my jacket.
"Relax," said Adrian, as he glanced at me from the corner of his eye. "We're not going to hurt you. Alpha would have our heads if so much as a hair on your head was hurt."
I stared at him before easing back into the seat. "Okay. I guess I'd feel more comfortable if I knew your names," I added, with a glance at the two guys behind. "I'm Quinn, by the way."
The blonde-haired guy laughed, his eyes glinting in amusement. "Yeah, we know who you are. I'm Spike," he introduced, before pointing to his friend, "and that's Lancelot."
The other guy rolled his eyes, running his fingers through his crew-cut. "It's just Lance."
"Nice to meet you," I smiled. "Were the both of you there last night to rescue me?"
Lance nodded. "Yeah. Was one hell of a fight – " he started, only to be stopped when Spike elbowed him. "Sorry."
"It's no problem," I assured him. "From what I've seen of Bianca and Diego, I don't think they would've given me up without so much as a fight so – thank you, really."
Spike flushed when I caught his eye. "It was an honour, Luna."
I smiled at him before turning to Adrian. "So, speaking of Bianca and Diego, I have to ask – what did they want with me?"
"They're full of shit," Lance said bluntly, his jaw tight and posture rigid after he heard my words. "Don't listen to anything they say."
"Well, there was a murder, that much they're right about. But I know there's something more to this, and I'd like to find out what."
Adrian sighed. "Luna, this isn't something that's easy to say."
"Then start simple. Start from the beginning."
"I don't think so. It's not our story to tell," he said. "I think you're better off finding out the truth from Alpha."
"Because he's the one with all the big secrets, huh?" I deadpanned, before smiling and shaking my head. "Okay, I'm not going to press for answers if you guys aren't willing to tell me. I'll just ask him myself when I get back."
"If he answers," quipped Spike.
"Of course he will. There has to be some logical explanation as to why I'm here with you guys."
"There's a logical explanation, alright," Lance shrugged. "Only Jed won't give it because he doesn't speak."
"You mean he's the silent type? That's the kind of vibe I got from him."
"No," Spike shot me a strange look. "Because he really doesn't speak."
"What?"
"You didn't notice?"
I blinked, backtracking to the sparse interactions I'd shared with Jed so far. "Well, not exactly. I just figured he's kind of shy and just doesn't like to talk. Some people don't take well to strangers."
"No, that's not the case with our Alpha. He just doesn't say anything, not because he can't, but because he won't. I've never heard him say a word for as long as I've known him. Nor has Lance. Adrian hasn't either, and he's known our Alpha for even longer."
"He used to speak, but he hasn't for a long time," was all Adrian had to say on the subject, when I glanced over at him.
My forehead creased in confusion as I remembered that vivid memory of when we first met. The two words he said to me when he opened the closet and found me. "But that's ridiculous. Because he spoke to me."
My words were met with a startled silence. Adrian almost missed the red light at the junction and jammed on the breaks at the last second. He pulled the car to a stop, and then looked at me in disbelief. "What did you say?"
"I said that Jed spoke to me," I stared at them with wary suspicion. "Just last night. We met and then he said 'hello, Quinn', and that was that. I mean it wasn't much but he did say something."
"What?" Adrian shook his head. "That's impossible. He hasn't spoken for a long time, ever since – " he trailed off, a dark look flickering across his face for a moment before he shook his head again. " – doesn't matter. He really spoke to you?"
I met his gaze and shrugged. "Yes."
"Well, I'll be damned," Adrian let out a soft whistle. Both Lance and Spike seemed to be as bewildered as he was, which I supposed wasn't too far a reaction to expect from them.
Because, apparently, Jed didn't speak.
To anyone but me.
My mind reeled. However, before I could ponder further on the revelation, the car pulled into a familiar street.
"Here we are," Adrian said, stopping the car in front of the building I called home. He turned to his friends in the backseat. "Secure the perimeter. I'll head up with her."
We climbed out of the car and Adrian followed me as I headed inside. He was silent next to me, while Lance and Spike lingered behind.
A sudden chill swept in when someone pushed open the main door of the lobby, and the three guys immediately stiffened, Adrian stepping closer to me almost instinctively. But the person who had entered was no stranger, and I found my shoulders loosening with relief when I saw Jed stride towards us, wearing his jacket with the hood pulled over his head.
"Alpha." Adrian looked surprised to see Jed, a reaction that was mirrored by Lance and Spike.
I smiled when Jed looked at me. "Decided to tag along, huh?"
He averted his eyes, but when the elevator doors opened, he stepped in after me. Adrian followed, but Lance and Spike hung back.
I led the way back to my apartment, pausing on the way over when I passed a familiar door. "Mrs Dermot," I said softly, gesturing to the closed door in front of us as I turned to Jed and Adrian, "she thinks I've left for good, huh?"
Adrian hesitated. But Jed gave a short nod, and that answer was sufficient. It was heart-breaking to think that the old woman who'd always talked to me, gave me food when I worked double shifts and made sure I never exhausted myself was now a part of my past. She was going to miss me and I was going to miss her, but we'd never know just how much.
I took a deep breath and headed to my apartment. Adrian produced a key, which made me gaze up at him in surprise.
"We had to change the lock," he informed me. "Once we realised that Bianca and her men had raided this place, we needed to keep them out. So when they left, we got a new lock and sealed up your home. We haven't had the chance to check what's left, so – just be prepared, okay? It's likely that they didn't leave much once they found out how important you are."
I let Adrian's statement slide for a moment and placed a hand flat on the door, pushing it open with unsteady movements. To say that the place was ransacked would be a huge understatement. It looked – wrecked, like a hurricane had swept through the place and left nothing in its wake. Everywhere was a mess, with plates smashed in the kitchen, chairs overturned and drawers left open.
It felt like the oxygen had been dragged right out of my lungs and I'd never felt so off balance all my life. Somewhere, in the back of my mind, I registered Jed stepping into the living room behind me, while Adrian shut the door behind us as he kept a lookout outside. But all I could think about was how everything that I'd worked so hard for in the past few years – everything was gone.
Swallowing hard, I blinked fiercely and headed into the kitchen first. Somewhere amidst the litter of smashed plates and cups, I managed to locate one plate stacked in the corner of the cupboard that was still intact. Pushing myself up on the tips of my toes, I tried to reach for it. This would work if the counter didn't have splintered ceramic and glass pieces all over it, but now that I couldn't use anything as a lever, it was harder to retrieve the plate.
To my surprise, Jed sidled up, the hem of his jacket brushing against me. Leaning against the counter, he grabbed the plate from its place in the cupboard and handed it to me, long tanned fingers curling around the edges of the plate that made it look small in his grasp. He eased back the moment I took the plate from him, like our close proximity unnerved him to no end.
"Thank you," I said softly, placing the plate down on the table. He nodded and began to search through the mess, pulling open cupboards and drawers in search for anything that remained behind. When he accidentally caught his hand on a glass shard on the counter, I gasped and stepped forward. "Careful! You shouldn't be going around without gloves on."
He fell a step back when I reached out for him, his eyes sharp and intent on me. Slowly, carefully, like I was some sort of predator that could hurt him, he held up his hands. I thought he was giving me the general sign for surrender at first when I realised that he was showing me his hands.
Showing me the cut across his palm. The fresh line of blood that streaked across skin. The way the line steadily sealed back up until all that was left was just blood. No scar, no wound.
"Lucky," I mumbled, staring with fixed fascination at his hand for a second or two, before meeting his gaze and smiling. "I think I have some gloves though. Just – " Turning around, I opened one of the drawers and fished out a set of rubber gloves, before pulling out another set for myself. "Here you go," I held it out to him and he took it, watching me pull the gloves on before doing the same himself. "Figures. They take everything from me and leave the damn gloves behind."
I'd meant to be light-hearted about it. But the more I searched, the more difficult it was to stay upbeat. Everything important was gone. My laptop. My savings. All my documents. Some things, like my television or books, had been wrecked. I was quickly beginning to realise this wasn't something as simple as ransacking.
It was more like destroying with a purpose.
"Well," I exhaled at last, when I finally managed to put together what was left. A few clothes. Two books. A few other things here and there. All of it combined fitted perfectly in a box and that was it. All that was left. "I guess that's that."
Jed had been silent, searching for my things as desperately as I had. His sympathy, while silent, was heart-warming.
"When I first came out here, everyone worried about me," I said quietly. "My grandmother had just passed away and I was so alone. I wanted to start somewhere fresh. Find a new home. Meet new people. Make new friends."
I looked up and met Jed's gaze. The expression on his face was unguarded, but I couldn't for the life of me tell what he was thinking. He was listening, however, like every word I said was worth hearing, perhaps worth remembering.
Dragging a deep breath, I shook my head. "I guess it's all gone now. I just don't know what's next, you know? I don't know where to go from here."
Jed headed over and held something out to me.
I was on my feet in a second, reaching over to take the photograph from him. "Where did you get that?" My eyes were wide as I looked down at the picture. It was a picture taken ages ago, of my grandmother and myself at a carnival. It was her favourite, because she was able to go places back then. "I stashed this at the back of my closet with the rest of my old things," I whispered, looking up at Jed. "Is that where you found it?"
Slowly, he nodded.
Blinking back the tears that suddenly sprung to my eyes, I clutched the photograph to my chest and smiled. It wasn't much but somehow, it still meant the world to me. "Thank you."
As he held my gaze, the silence between us shifted. It was the kind that made my heart quicken. But just as I was about to speak, a loud knock sounded.
"Alpha?" Adrian's voice was muffled but panicked. "This is code-red. Spike's spotted some of Bianca's henchmen making their way up. We have to get out of here now."