BONDS OF DESTINY
- VI -
"He will send a car for you after school tomorrow," Chris Alpha informed as none of us responded.
"Wait hold on a second..."
"What do you mean he wants her to live with him? She's the leader of our warriors! We need her here," Shane inquired, his hands gesturing all over the place.
I took a firm grip on his arm closest to me to get him to stop.
"He's requesting me to live with him?" I asked in disbelieve. I could not comprehend I was hearing him correctly.
"Yes. He was very persistent actually. I told him Shane would be the obvious choice." He gestured slightly to Shane. "He did not want anyone else than you, though," he added thoughtfully and rubbed his chin.
"No shit," Shane muttered, thankfully I was the only one who heard him.
"I cannot live with him!" I exclaimed as it finally sank in. My heart doing cartwheels and my wolf was jumping around merrily by the thought of seeing her mate again.
Oh please, why did everything in my body scream for something my head said no to? Scratch that one half of my head did - my wolf part was a traitor.
"And why can't you?" Alpha Chris eyebrow raised at my outburst. It was not like me to lose my cool.
"I.. I just can't," I replied my eyes flickering around the room unable to look at any of them.
"Listen, Alpha there is something you must know..." Shane started hesitantly, but I yanked my elbow in his side earning a suspicious look from both Chris and John.
"Is there something you guys want to tell us?" John asked his arms crossing over his chest.
"No."
"Yes."
"He means no. It's nothing. Nothing we can't handle." I quickly said with a glare towards Shane and he shook his head before I turned back to my Alpha.
"We'll see this through. We will catch the one who is behind it all in no time so we can go back to how things were," I stated firmly hoping I could convince myself that I could do this in the process.
"Make us proud, Skye." Alpha said with a nod before he turned to Shane.
"This leaves you Shane as temporary head of the warriors here, while Skye is located elsewhere."
"Yes, Alpha," Shane quickly nodded in respect and we both bid our hasty goodbyes, hurrying out of the door.
"What the hell, Skye?!"
I sighed, this seemed to be a pattern these days. Him yelling at me whenever we were alone.
"You shouldn't tell him. It's not your responsibility to tell!" I flung my arms at him, my hair whipping around my face and I quickly pushed it backwards.
"No, it's yours, but you weren't planning on telling him! What the fuck is wrong with you?! You can't go there! Not if you really meant that you were leaving this whole mate thing to be ignored. It will be too freaking much for you. It will kill you both!"
"I know what I'm doing" I said though as I said it I knew it was a lie. How the hell was I to survive living with him?
"Or..." he trailed off his eyes turning to mine a thoughtful expression on his face.
"Or you changed your mind?" He questioned with his eyebrow raised.
"Are you nuts?!" I exclaimed and started walking, heading straight for the outdoors.
"Why the hell would I have changed my mind? I am not nor will I ever be his mate! Do you get that!?" I yelled, this time it was my arms that were gesturing all over the place and I felt heat run to my face, my cheeks turning bright red.
Shane sighed, "Skye, you are his mate, both you and I know it and there is nothing you can do about that. It's just a question of how you are going to let it affect you... And if you are certain that you do not want to tie those bonds, then you should stay as far away as possible from him. Not go living under the same roof as him. You'll drive each other insane." He spoke truthfully, his eyes softening.
"Maybe you should give in?" He asked slowly and placed a hand on my cheek slowly rubbing his thumb over it in comfort.
"I can't give in," I said silently my gaze dropping to his chest as I couldn't bear to look into my brother's eyes.
"Why not?" He bend in his knees to get to my eye level though I still avoided his gaze.
"I can't tell you..."
"Why?"
I briefly glanced at him, his eyes soft and concerned. I really wanted to tell him, but could I?
I sighed biting my bottom lip.
"It's just. Whatever this threat is. It's something we have to get rid of. I can feel it in my bones and I cannot have my focus elsewhere. I need to be focussed, Shane."
"And we will, but you staying with Lucas Argent is not going to make you focussed."
"I have to try, Shane. I have to try. For the sake of our pack." I breathed heavily and felt my eyes water. Shane took me in his arms and I hid my head in the crook of his neck comforted by his familiar scent. It always made me feel better.
"Just promise me to come home if anything gets out of hand, okay?" he said and I felt his chest rumble by his words and I nodded in response afraid my words would fail me.
"I just don't see why it has to be you? It could be anyone really." Riley muttered for the hundredth time and once again I rolled my eyes. Chase came to my rescue and slapped him in the back of the head.
"Cut it out will ya? It's starting to get on my nerves," he said and glared at his brother before he sent me a compassionate smile.
"So straight after school, huh?" He turned to me and I nodded, my hands getting more clammy the closer we came to the end of school.
"Yes, I have all my things in the car. I can't believe they wouldn't let me take my own car" I shrugged.
"Don't worry we'll pick you up tomorrow morning, and we will take the car to you." Riley spoke up, for the first time being useful.
"I can't believe, we won't be able to hang out after school today like we use to. Mondays always used to be when we head to the cafe." Ally rested her head on my shoulder, pouting.
"It's just this once." I said slowly. "I'll still be there for practice tomorrow," I pointed out and squeezed her shoulder in reassurance.
"Yeah I guess." she murmured.
I looked up at the guys and nodded for them to leave as I knew something was bothering her. Riley and Chase quietly grabbed their stuff and left us alone at the lunch table.
"What's going on?" I asked when we were finally alone.
She sighed and straightened up, her fingers entangling into each other on the table.
"You know as well as I that things are going to change, Skye," she said and looked reprovingly at me.
I had told Ally yesterday about what really happened between me and Argent at the diner. She knew what Argent was to me. At first she had been squealing like a schoolgirl over the fact that I found my mate until I told her I wasn't going to do anything about it - then she told me flat out that I was an idiot.
"Ally..."
"No, Skye listen to me for once. You and Lucas Argent are mates. You share a bond and it cannot be broken. Though you are denying it now, it will happen. And when it happens you belong to him.
"I will never belong to him. I am not a prize to be possessed. I'm a person for crying out loud. I can think and breathe for myself and no man can order me around!" I argued my eyes turning cold and I crossed my arms defensively over my chest.
Again she sighed which made me even more pissed.
"Skye, what I am trying to say is that when you mate... When he marks you. You are one. You will never come back to our pack. You'll be the Luna of Argent's pack. We'll not get to see each other when everything settles down and goes back to normal. Argent and his pack are not from around here. We will not be able to hang out like we use to, and I'm gonna miss that. I'm gonna miss you. You are my best friend."
My eyes softened and my heart stopped slightly touched by how much she cared for me.
"Ally.." I pulled her in for a hug before I looked at her, her eyes meeting my awaiting gaze.
"Trust me. I will not abandon you. We will always be friends. Best friends. But you shouldn't even be bothering your brain with those thoughts because it's not going to happen. I will not become his Luna. When we take care of this threat we will go our separate ways and I'll come back and continue to be the Warrior Leader."
"But..."
"No buts, and when we are graduating, you and I are going to go back-packing just like we have always talked about, okay? Nothing is going to change that. No man is going to change that." I swore to her and she sent me a faint smile.
"Okay..." She whispered, wiping an escaping tear before she pulled me in for a hug again.
"But I won't be mad, if you don't keep your promise. You deserve to be happy." She whispered in my ear.
I was sitting on the edge of the school sign, my leg jumping from restlessness as I stared out onto the road. My class had ended early and I was therefore ahead of time, now just waiting for that stupid car to come and pick me up.
"Is he picking you up himself?" Chase asked and was leaned up against the sign beside me, arms crossed as he looked in the same direction.
"I don't know," I answered and I felt a lump in my throat. What if he was picking me up alone? I could not be alone with him in a car.
In that case you are taking the back seat! My mind yelled at me and I bit my bottom lip insecurely.
Riley and Ally had already left but Chase chose to stay with me saying he would take my car home.
"Are you sure you wanna do this?" He asked and glanced at me, his brows furrowed.
I unleashed my lip only to go and chew on the inside of my cheek.
"Truth?"
He nodded.
"I'm not sure about anything and it freaks me out," I said my voice wavering a little and I felt my hands get clammy again.
Chase moved in front of me, now standing in between my legs, his hands resting on my thighs to stop my legs from bouncing.
"If something happens, just the slightest, you'll mind-link me and I'll come straight away and get you, okay?" He said, his eyes boring into mine.
"You sound just like Shane," I mumbled and lowered my gaze only to feel Chase's thumb under my chin pulling it up to look at him again.
"Promise me." He ordered. It was quite funny looking back at it. I was usually the one giving the orders, not getting them. Well besides from Alpha Chris, obviously.
A small smile appeared in my features by this reverse situation.
"Promise..." I said honestly and I heard someone cough behind us, both our heads snapping in the direction of the intruder.
Ryder was standing there looking at us slightly uncomfortable and Chase immediately let his hand drop and took a step backwards so I could jump down from the sign.
"Ready to go?" He said and gestured for the sleek black Rover behind him. To my joy he seemed to be alone.
I gave Chase a reassuring smile, quickly hugging him before I slung my backpack over my shoulder and grabbed my duffel, walking with confident strides over to Ryder.
He gestured to take the bags but I just shook my head and popped the trunk throwing my stuff in. I noticed him frown slightly but he did not say anything and merely went to the driver's seat and I got into the passenger's seat.
We drove a while in silence, which became more and more awkward. When I finally got enough of simply sitting there drumming my fingers on my thigh I turned to look at him.
"You are not one to get others do things for ya, are you?"
"So are you Argent's personal lapdog or something?" We spoke in unison staring at each other for a while before turning back to look at the road at the same time also.
"No, I just offered to pick you up. I guess a more or less familiar face wouldn't hurt." He shrugged with a slight smile.
"I don't like to be depended on anyone," I said truthfully returning his smile. "Why have one to do something when I can do it perfectly fine on my own?" I added my smile growing wider.
"It's called gallantry," he said with a chuckle.
"Oh, so you are a gentleman?" I mused.
"I like to think of myself as one, yes." He answered proudly before he winked at me.
"Well that's a first. I'm not used to people wanting to carry my things or open doors for me." I admitted slightly apologizing as I now understood the expression on his face a few moments ago.
"No you just barge in, shoes on and everything, I can imagine," he replied with a grin.
"Something like that." I nodded, my cheeks turning slightly pink.
"I was very impressed with how you used that self-defense technique," he said humored and my cheeks turned even redder.
"Can we please not go there?" I asked embarrassed.
"Oh come on, you finally gave me something on Lucas, to which I am very grateful." His eyes shining with please.
"Is he mad?" I asked slowly my fingers intertwining in my lap as I looked down at them.
Ryder laughed, "No, not at all. You should have heard him when we got home."
"What?" I asked and looked up at him again.
"I recall it went something like, 'If a girl can sweep me off my feet both mentally and physically she deserves to be my Luna.'" He phrased with a gleam in his eye.
Sinking deeper into my chair, my head turned tomato red and he laughed even louder.
"Shut up," I mumbled getting uncomfortable.
"Okay, okay fine. But I really want you to teach me that move once," he then said sincerely.
"Sure," I shrugged as it was no big deal. I had held several courses on defensive methods with my warriors, teaching Ryder wouldn't be a problem.
"So..." I said trailing off not really knowing what to say.
"What?" He asked glancing over at me briefly before looking back onto the road.
I shrugged and looked out at the window. The car seemed new. I could still smell the fresh scent of leather. The windows were toned making it impossible for anyone to look inside. It was clean not a single gum wrapper in sight. I opened the glove compartment and found a stack of CD's.
"Do people still use them?" I said with my eyebrow raised, picking them up. I usually downloaded all my music online. It was much faster and easier, and you would have it on you wherever you went.
Ryder shrugged, "Not really but the best ones deserves to be purchased the right way."
"The best ones, huh? One Direction, Up All Night?" I taunted waving the CD in front of him.
"Shut up. It's my little sister's..." He defended, his cheeks becoming slightly rosy before he grabbed the CD out of my hand and threw it back in the glove box.
"Yeah right," I giggled before taking the CD out again and put it in the player, challenging him by pressing play and 'What Makes You Beautiful' flooded out through the enhanced speaker system.
"I dare you not to sing along," I smiled as he scowled at me. As far as the first verse went he did good, but as the chorus came around his fingers started drumming on the steering wheel and a smirk showed on my lips.
"Arh, shut up! It's catchy okay?" He rolled his eyes at me before turning down the volume and I laughed.
"So where do you guys reside in Barton, then?" I asked figuring I might just let him out of his misery.
"You'll see," he answered and we passed the huge sign that said 'Welcome to Barton'.
"Hm. So Quarterback, huh?"
"Yeah..." He said, not going into details which bothered me.
"How did you get that position so fast? Didn't you guys just come to town?" I asked and I noticed how Ryder's grip tightened on the steering wheel and my eyes narrowed.
"We're here..." He stated, ignoring my questions to my dismay, but nevertheless I looked out the window.
"The Hotel?" I said my mouth dropping slightly open.
"Rented the whole thing," Ryder smirked and jumped out of the car.
"Wait, what?" I said getting out of the car too though a bit more hesitantly which made Ryder quickly go to the trunk to get my stuff out.
"It's ours for how long we'll need it," he enlightened with a shrug and placed my back pack together with my duffle on his shoulder.
"How rich are you guys?" I asked my eyes wide before I looked over at Ryder who was enjoying the moment.
"Having second thoughts on rejecting Lucas now are we?" He chuckled at me and locked the car before nodding for me to follow him.
"I'm not—" my voice instantly dropping an octave in annoyance, my eyes lightening and he held his hands up in surrender.
"Kidding!" He quickly said, "Let's just agree to leave the topic unspoken. It's not for me to speak of anyways," he added and rubbed the back of his head.
"So you literally rented the whole damn thing?" I said as I followed Ryder into the reception area.
"Yup" He popped the p, nodding to the guy who was sitting behind the reception desk.
This made things so much easier. I would get my own room far away from Argent. I would be able to keep my distance from him only meeting him when we had to do pack business. I could do this.
"Aren't I getting a key, then?" I asked as Ryder merely walked past the reception and over to the elevators.
"Don't need one," he spoke vaguely and went to the private elevator that went to the penthouse suite. They really weren't kidding when he said they rented the whole fucking hotel.
"Lucas wants to see you before we get you settled in," he spoke up having noticed my speechless expression.
I was going to see Lucas.
Oh Goddess please help me. Ryder better be there the whole freaking time! I felt my stomach drop to somewhere between my knees, a lump in my throat and it was like someone was choking my heart just for the fun of it, clenching harder the higher the elevator went. The air was becoming thinner, like I couldn't breath. It was like I was missing my lungs, no longer being able to breath air down my system properly.
I had become so nervous it wasn't even funny. I hated being in unknown territory.
'What are you talking about? This isn't new. We know exactly how this is going to play out,' my wolf huffed inside my head. Obviously, she was the only one looking forward to this meeting.
But we are not playing it out like we used to! I internally screamed at her, biting the inside of my cheek. I buried my hands in my pockets to prevent Ryder from seeing how they began to clench and unclench.
Stay calm. Stay focussed. Eye on the prize and everything would go smoothly.
BLLLIIIIING !!!
The elevator indicated and the doors opened.
And so I found myself face to face with him.
Yup, definitely forgot my lungs at the reception.
A/N: There you have it - A surprise chapter and you can all thank Lazybrew for it. So hun, I hope this helps with your cold and you'll get back on your feet soon. <3
Chapter 7 is to be posted on Wednesday like usual. So what do you think will happen when she steps out of that elevator? xD
"I'm gonna take it back down, that's for sure!"
Hello, Skye, what are you doing here? This is my author's note.
"I can't believe you did this to me!"
Please don't glare at me like that. You know how it scares me.
"..."
Skye?.... Okay she's pissed. Well let's see how she tackles it all on Wednesday, shall we? xD