Standing outside the safe house that is about 40 miles south of the Bloodstone pack, listening to the birds chirping and the rabbits rustling through the forest floor. I remember when I was a young pup playing in our front yard listening to the sounds of the forest. My father always told me, "listen before talking, and see before walking because as a wolf anything could be waiting for you out there." I never understood what he was saying until now. Everything seems different, everything doesn't look or sound right. Outside in the open forest is right but I have a feeling deep inside of me that says something is not right in this situation.
Smelling the sweet scent of wintergreen and pine overpower my nostrils and I know who is walking towards me without looking.
"Derrick, I," I start to say to him before he raises his hands to stop me.
"Let me say something first Hailey," he says to me and I nod. He takes a deep breath in while running his hands through his short-disheveled hair. He takes long strides to stand in front of me, and grabbing my hands, which sends tingles up my arm. I try not to let it affect me, but the sensation makes me shiver from the excitement of his touch. The sides of his mouth curving up is the only thing that lets me know he noticed it. He clears his throat before speaking again.
"First, yes you have to same effect on me. I am drawn to you on every level Hailey. I want you and I need you. My wolf needs you both, I know that we have been focusing on this situation with your siblings, but I want you to know that I want to spend some time alone with you to know you and hopefully make our bond stronger." While saying this his eyes have changed to a golden color letting me know that his wolf is coming out and everything he is saying is the truth. When it comes to our mates, our wolves cannot lie to one another; it is something that strengthens our bonds. I can feel the slight trimmer in his hands, very slight trimmer that he tries to hide from me. He looks away for a moment, his eyes returning to the hazel color that I have admired over the past few days.
"Second, I know that we are here to save your siblings, and I will stand beside you through all it, but....." he starts to say before taking a deep breath and releasing my hands. He hasn't dropped his eyes from mine, yet. "I do not trust anyone here. It is not the bond speaking, maybe a little, but I do not trust them. I needed to tell you and explain my reasoning's."
"OK," I say. I don't know what else to say. Feeling anger rising inside me, not just from myself but from Cassandra. I can feel her edging closer to the surface to take control, if she needs too. "What do you mean?" my voice sounding more venomous than I was meaning it to be. He flinches but conceals it by squaring his shoulders before speaking again.
"I mean that someone in that house is not who they say they are," he says with a pointed look on his face. "Every part of my body is telling me to take you away from here to keep you safe. Being an Alpha makes it worse, but it is the truth. The whole escape last night went too smooth and you and I both know this is true."
I nod my head, agreeing with what he said. I know that last night was too easy and someone in there is not my sibling, but I don't know how to tell who is lying to me and who is telling the truth.
"I will try to see who is lying to us Hailey," Cassandra says to me. "We each have a secret that is only between the two of us and if they cannot answer my question correctly than we will know."
"OK. I will let Derrick know," I tell her. Looking at Derrick I tell him, "Cassandra thinks she knows how to figure out who is who. We will start when their wolves have strengthened enough."
"We can do that," he says. "But I need you to stay safe. I cannot lose you Hailey." He sighs while running is fingers through his unruly hair. I do not think he has every looked more incredible and handsome than he does right now. I want to be the one to run my hands through his dark brown hair.
There is a feeling inside me of want, no, need. I need him. Everyday. Every night. Every second. The wanting of his hands on me and the sensation that it brings has me wanting more. I didn't realize what I was doing until I was standing in-front of him. Staring into his hazel eyes, seeing the lust and want in them as I reach my hand up to his face to feel the stubble on his cheek from not shaving today, the smoothness of his skin underneath my fingertips.
His lips part, slightly while releasing a quiet moan; its makes the desire inside me turn to flames. I have never heard a man do this before, but now that I have, I want to hear it more. The purr of Cassandra inside lets me know that she approves of this. Looking up to his eyes again, they are darker and the love and lust is full. I know what he wants, and he knows that I want it too.
Rising up on my toes to reach his lips, it seems to take forever, but the wait is worth it. The electric filling throughout my lips has my body on fire. The way his mouth moves over mine and his hands on my back; I am lost to him. His hands find the hem of my shirt and my skin. Releasing a moan from the intense tingles and fire from that small touch. I feel him smile in our kiss knowing he has me. And as fast as it started, it ended. He pulls his lips away while I release a whimper, and Cassandra huffs in my mind. We both wanted to continue, why didn't he.
With his hands still on my back, he rests his forehead on mine and says, "if we continue I want be able to stop. I did not want to stop but this is not the time of place for us to do that." Nodding my head in agreement, I clear my throat and step back away from him. My body is still riled from our moment of lust; or was it love. I do not know which one it is this time, but the next time will be different.
"We need to head back to the safe house," Derrick says after a few moments. "We need to check on everyone."
"Yes, we do," is all I responded to him. Knowing that what waits inside those walls; it can either help us or kill us. Hopefully they will help us. Time will only tell.
It doesn't take us long to get to the safe house. I made sure I was in hearing distance of the house "just in case". Not wanting to alarm anyone with what happened between Derrick and I; I try to straighten myself out before walking inside.
"You look beautiful Hailey," Derrick says with a smile on his face and the look of lust in his eyes again. He leans down to my ear and whispers, "we can finish what we started another night when we return home. I don't want everyone hearing your moans." Between the warm air from his mouth on my earlobes and the seductive voice as he spoke, my body was on fire again, and I wanted him more for it. "Calm down Hailey, I don't want everyone smelling your need once we go inside."
    Groaning, I nod to him. Taking a deep breathe before stepping on the porch. Derrick was reaching for the door handle when Joshua swings it open.
"You both need to get in here, now," he says to us. Derrick and I share a glance at each other before walking inside. Not knowing what is going on. Everyone is sitting around the dining room table, well not the seven wolves we just rescued, and they all have concern in their eyes.
"What is wrong? What happen? Is one of them worse than we thought?" I started questioning before anyone could answer me.
"Hailey, calm down," says Alpha James, which earns him a warning growl from Derrick. Elbowing him in the side I mouth STOP to him as he rolls his eyes at me. Yes, he rolled his eyes at me. Mistake one buddy. "Everyone is fine and alive. But one of the females woke up for only a moment and said something. You need to sit down before I tell you." He stands up and leaves his seat out for me to sit. I glance around the room at everyone trying to see what could be so bad that I needed to sit for it.
"Hailey," Patrick says, "we will all protect you no matter what happens. The thing that the she wolf said is directed at you, and was meant for only you to hear but she was confused and told Andrea, a female warrior in our pack. They come with a warning. A warning that they are watching you and they end you." He looks up at me, waiting for me to speak or react and when I don't everyone shares a look.
"What exactly did she say? I want word for word," I say aloud not knowing which female in the room who was told the warning too.
"She said," Andrea, I'm guessing, says, "We were sent to destroy the chosen one, we will not fail. Bring us her or you will all die. That is all she said then her eyes rolled back in her head and she passed out."
"You will not go and no one in this room will take you to them Hailey," Alpha James states, more like orders.
Nodding I look around the room of former pack members and new pack members, banding together to protect me. 6 months ago, I was nothing and not loved by anyone, today I am loved. My heart goes out to everyone in this room. And I made a vow with myself at that very moment that no matter what happens I will protect them all, with my life if I need too.
"Athena," someone whispers. Everyone looks at the hallway to find out which room said Cassandra's real name. "Athena," female wolf says again and I rise from my chair, eyes are violet when Cassandra takes full control of my body and everyone moves out of my knowing my wolf has full control. Going down the hallway to the second to last door, we pause waiting to make sure it was from in here.
"It is I, Athena, it is Iris," she says. But something inside Cassandra is not right. Her guard is up and she tells me, "We need to be cautious of her Hailey. Of all my siblings, she was the one that did not like all my power. She wanted to take control of it centuries ago," Cassandra warns me.
"OK. You control me Cassandra. Do whatever you have to do to protect us," I tell her. Taking a deep breathe, we reach for the knob and twist it open.