I was getting tired of being a passenger. It had been three days, three fucking days. Not just of driving but of sheer hell.
After we had teleported back to the Hunters check in, Bastian had decided he needed to go back to his parents. I had argued but he had effectively silenced me by saying that he needed to get his stuff for the move and to release his Alpha Claim. He hadn't been entirely happy when he said it so I could only imagine just how much it grated on him to lose his Alpha position.
We had driven all the way there in one go, arriving close to midnight where he and his father nearly got into a brawl on the front lawn because Bastian told him he needed to leave the pack. Which had caused another brief moment of insanity where my skin had once again prickled incessantly with my anger and I had wanted to put the man in his place.
I shifted slightly in my seat, it was getting a bit... dangerous. My incredible need to put the arrogant assholes in their place was going to get me killed because I had verbally bitch slapped Bastian's father for calling Bastian a disgusting cripple. I swore that a pin drop could be heard a mile away as I had started in on him. Each little bit of vitriol and anger I had, had emerged from my mouth in the form of very disparaging comments towards him as the prickling had turned into that molten core stage where I wanted him underneath my foot and reduced to nothing.
I hadn't even thought about the repercussions of the words or my attitude until well after we had left but for his part, Bastian's father had stayed silent before he actually listened when I told him to get the shit done and over with because I didn't want to look at his disgusting face any longer.
Bastian had been... well not entirely impressed but once my tirade was over, he sent me for a time out in the car. Although I had a feeling that had a lot more to do with the fact he wanted me separated from the wrath of his parents as his younger brother had been brought out and they preformed some sort of ritual. I hadn't really paid attention. I had been too busy glowering at his father, wishing I had laser beam eyes so I could melt his skull.
My attitude was getting... worse. The longer I was around shifters, the worse it got. It was concerning for me because I had no possible way to back it up. I was truly mundane now, there were no claws or teeth that I could use to make someone back down if they took offence to my words or my attitude. Which I had thought had been Bastian's problem when he had steadily grown more and more dark and angry as he had loaded the back of the car with his shit.
He had been oppressively silent as we drove away from his pack and I had waited with a slight wince for when he would unload on me but he hadn't. Not when we pulled up to a cheap motel, not when we had cleaned up, and not when we gotten ready for bed.
He had paced though.
Incessantly paced back and forth, his fists clenching and unclenching repeatedly as he forced his legs to work evenly. I had watched him for a bit and I had another moment of insanity as I realized how goddamned sexy he looked angry.
Which lead me to asking him what was wrong and when he refused to answer I asked him if he wanted to have sex. Which caused him to stumble and nearly fall as he looked straight at me with wide eyes. I had stupidly blushed before saying that the best way to safely work out aggression was with some sex. Which ended up with, well... a shit ton of incredible sex. Like the kind that is all passion and heat, grasping hands and hair pulling, and ends with a hoarse voice and bones that feel like soup.
My cheeks heated and I glanced over at him as he slowly nodded his head to the music coming from the old radio. I shifted in my seat once more, my eyes darting to Bastian as he frowned slightly as he looked over at me. "Its okay. We should be coming to the end of the road." His fingers drummed against the center console and I clasped my hands together in my lap.
I was nervous. I didn't know what to expect other than the fact it was cold. I wasn't partial to the cold but I knew I had to deal with it. There was a lot I had to deal with. I had three days in a car with my thoughts. There was quite a bit I had attempted to digest and not a lot of it had been. I was still ignoring quite a bit of shit that I had been told but I found it better to ignore it than to accept it as reality. It was also causing this strange emotional whiplash within me. I got angry quickly, as if my temper were on a hair trigger and I knew it would go away if I actually dealt with the problems but I really didn't want to.
I looked out to the evergreen forest that rested beside the slightly rutted out road. I wasn't quite ready for some of that stuff. I would compartmentalize and deal with it later because I was good at that. My papa would have given me supreme shit for it but he wasn't here and I could do as I wished. I would do what I wanted when it came to dealing with everything that had happened.
I shifted my hands in my lap, picking at my nails. I felt fidgety and unable to sit still. Three days of driving was slowly leading me close to insanity territory, and not the good insanity where I got all mushy for Bastian, the bad insanity that would turn my brain to soup and have me eating crayons. Bastian took one of my hands in his with a low murmur, he held it tightly before he brought it up and kissed the back of it, his eyes on the road.
My cheeks flushed a heavy red and as much as I wanted to yank my hand from his, I couldn't. I had spent two nights in his company, my hands learning his body as his learned mine. As much as I told myself it was just sex there was a part of me that softened for him after each time. He touched me like he reverently worshipped every aspect of my body and I had never had a guy look at me like that before. Like he cherished every inch of my skin, flaws and all.
"I know you are feeling antsy but I swear the trip will be over soon." He laced his fingers with mine, holding my hand tightly as if he could sense my want to pull away.
I swallowed hard and looked out the window, my cheeks were still heated. The blush didn't seem to want to leave me alone. "How does this even work? Do they know we are coming?" I hadn't paid attention to what Ambris had said, I had been still pissed off by what she had told me. I knew Alphas didn't like trespassers and if they hadn't been told we were coming, we weren't exactly going to be welcomed with open arms.
"I don't know but we will figure it out." All I had to be thankful for was the fact that Bastian knew about as much as I did. I wasn't being forced to step into his life like had been the plan. We both had to start again in a new place, away from our old lives.
"It's cold. I don't like it." It was, the air had a bite to it that I did not appreciate in the least. I was a warm weather person.
"I know." We hit a rut in the road and the bottom of the car slammed against the ground with a sound that had me wincing and Bastian cursing.
"Do you think they will accept..." I blinked rapidly, searching for words to express what I was feeling, before I turned my gaze to his face. "This? Us?" I gestured between us with my free hand and he shrugged slightly.
"Ambris said they wouldn't care, that they care only about strength so I don't know. I hope so." His eyes flicked to meet mine for a brief moment, the brown of them warm but had an edge of worry that sharpened the colour. "We will make this work. We have no choice." How I hated those words. We had no choice and resentment started to build in my stomach. There was little choice for anything now. We were stuck on this path and I didn't have to like it and parts of me refused to truly accept it either.
We sat in silence, his grip on my hand tightening and loosening as if he needed me for his comfort. The car bounced and jolted as the road got progressively worse the further we went up the mountain. I closed my eyes and let out a deep sigh. That anger, that seemed to be on a hair trigger, was slowly growing in my stomach. I couldn't control it as it grew and seethed within me.
There was also a stillness within me that was almost alarming. My anger had always came with an action and being without it was upsetting for me because I didn't know what to expect. Not only had my life changed but my body was changing too, my emotions were shifting to something else I didn't recognize. I didn't like it and ran my free hand through my hair. I hated the fact I was being changed without my consent, that my body was some how no longer my own.
I was just tired of having to deal with the changes, they needed to stop. Just for a moment. I wanted to catch my breath and figure out my life but every time I put it out there, somehow I got smacked down hard to the ground. It was brutal and I hated it. I shouldn't have been punished for wanting a break to get my shit together.
We hit another rut and the bottom of the car scraped unpleasantly against the hard road. Bastian's hand tightened on my own and I looked out the front window. A large wall with wrought iron gates came around the curve we just finished. The gates hung open and the wall was strange and bumpy. I shivered as I looked at it, there was something to the energy that was heavy and dark. I didn't like it.
Bastian tensed up but said nothing as he pulled the car through the gates. It was a large fort, stone walls and buildings surrounded us and the area was eerily empty. He pulled the car to where some humvees sat and parked it. "Well... let's get going." He let my hand go and took his seat belt off. I frowned but removed my own as well. I shoved my door open, shivering at the cold air that washed over me.
I wrapped my arms around myself and scowled as Bastian started walking towards what looked to be a courtyard. I looked around, unsure of how to feel but the cold was making me feel even more upset. I didn't like it but once again I didn't have a choice, which made me even more agitated. The ground was uneven and Bastian's energy was growing more and more tense and aggressive as he was failing in keeping his steps even.
A large male approached from I don't know where. I blinked at him, faltering in my steps. He was fucking huge. His shoulders were broad and his body was just straight thick with muscling and I looked at him before glancing at Bastian before my eyes were drawn to the other man. There was literally no comparison, I had never seen someone that big before. He exuded a coldness that had me wanting to rub my arms.
We stopped before him, Bastian puffing up to the point that it made me feel embarrassed. I made a face, looking away from them both, my gaze landing on a rather small woman as she slowly made her way towards us. Her eyes were damn near black as she looked at us all. "Why are you here?" The man spoke with a cold and deep rumble that had me giving him side-eyes as I shuffled on my feet.
"The Head Priestess of Altia told us to come here to make our new life." Bastian reached out for me, despite my want to shuffle further away from his continued insanity in wanting to puff up in the presence of the Alpha we were standing in front of. Ricktus was completely stupid and even he wouldn't dare puff up to a guy who could break him in half with just a look. Bastian grasped my arm and pulled me close to his side.
The man crossed his arms over his chest. "I was not informed of this." There was a warning to his rumble and the small woman stopped beside him, her eyes intent on both me and Bastian.
"Yes you were." Her expression did not change but the large man's did.
His cheeks pinkened below his beard and he gave a small glower. "Lace." It was as warning and she gave a small and subtle eye roll that made my mouth twitch upwards. She looked like she gave literally no shits about his position or his attitude.
"Words mean nothing but that does not excuse a lie. You were informed of their journey, do not try to intimidate them with thoughts otherwise." She crossed her arms over her chest and stared at the large man with an even look. Bastian's grip on me grew tighter and I made a face at it. I didn't like his touch, in my mood it was making me more agitated and the more agitated it made me, the more hazy my head became. It was something I had figured out. The more upset I got, the worse the bond was at smothering the negative emotions out when he touched me.
The man let out a heavy sigh and pinched his nose. "I understand that but how are we to know we can trust them if we cannot put pressure on them." He looked down at her and she gave another small eye roll.
"You speak to them." Her voice was clipped before she pointed to me. "You." It was a sharp command that had Bastian holding me just a fraction closer. "Come with me." She pinned me with her gaze and I gave a small shrug, attempting to pry Bastian's grip off my waist so I could go with her. "Let her go." Her voice was sharp and Bastian dropped his hand from around me without hesitation. I was a little surprised at that but ignored it as I moved towards the small woman.
She didn't look at me as she headed by me and towards the large gates. I hesitated but followed her anyway. I rubbed at my arms as we exited the compound and followed a trail that lead into the forest. She was silent as she moved and it was almost eerie. I didn't like the enclosed feeling of the trees around us nor the cold edge the very air had that seemed to emanate from the earth.
Despite that and how strange the woman was, I didn't actually feel in any danger from her. I didn't know her and was wandering around in the forest behind her but I didn't feel anything that caused me to worry about my safety or well-being. It was odd but I liked it. I was surprised that I was taller than her, she held such a presence that made her seem bigger than she actually was.
A cabin came into view and the woman pulled a key from her pocket. She opened the door and gestured me to follow as she walked inside. I followed her without a word, looking around the darkened room. It seemed lived in despite the slightly dusty and musty smell it had. "This is where you and your male will be staying." Her voice was calm and even and I slowly moved around as she shut the door. "It is a good house, sturdy, safe." She moved around as if she knew every inch of the building as she flicked on lights, letting a warm glow saturate the room. "It has power from the time the sun rises to when it sets, during the night you must use lanterns for light. It is warmed by the wood burning stove, so tend to it carefully." She trailed her fingers across the top of the fore mentioned stove before gesturing for me to follow.
"It has two bedrooms and a single bathroom." She pushed open doors as she moved by them and I peeked into each room. "There are linens in here." She pulled open two small doors and exposed the shelves that were stuffed full of blankets and towels. "You may come to the compound once a week for food. We will provide everything you need." She moved by me, returning to the open kitchen and living room. I was slower to follow as I looked at each room more closely.
The one in the back was smallish but it was empty of all furniture. I looked at the wooden walls and the warn rug before I moved down the small hallway. The bathroom was smaller as well but there was a full shower and a sink and a toilet. I shrugged, it at least seemed to not be a crack house. A wry smile crossed my face as I moved across the hall to the larger of the bedrooms. Unlike the bedroom to the back, a large king sized bed rested in the room. There was a dresser and two bedside tables. It looked decent. I really liked the look of the bed, it looked comfortable and I was reminded of how long I had been trapped in the car. I wanted a nap but I knew I had to speak more with the small woman named Lace.
I made my way back to the room where Lace was slowly wandering around, a soft look on her face as she looked over everything in the room. As if sensing my presence she pulled out a chair from the table and giving me another gesture. I sat down as I watched her walk around the table. "Tell me, little mundane..." Her eyes turned to me and there was a predatory look in them as she slowly moved closer. "Why are you here?"