The nurse dropped me off in front of our gate before she drove back to work or wherever it was that she came from. I walked in and moved straight to my room. I went inside my bathroom and soaked my body in cold water- inside the extra-large Jacuzzi in there. I came out when I was done and went to my wardrobe, brought out a few of my travelling bags, and began to sort my clothes, and shoes, in order. I picked up a few things (including my heat suppressant medications) I thought I would need and left out those I imagined would be useless. I wouldn’t say I was an A-star student but I picked up some empty exercise notes, pen, and pencil. I didn’t know why I did it but the feeling just came so I brought them.
While I was still sitting on the bed doing the arrangement, I had already wrapped my towel around me, covering my chest down below my hips. I heard a gentle knock at the door. I glared at it and wondered who could be there. Whoever it was didn’t wait for my approval and opened the door.
“What exactly are you up, Thelma?” my father asked. He looked at the whole clothes I had scattered over my bed.
I scowled at him. “I am moving out.”
“Moving out?” he murmured to himself and then scratched at his left brow. “Moving out to where?” he asked loudly.
“I am finally ready to go the Blood moon pack, father.”
He frowned and then giggled. I ignored him and started sorting my clothes. I brought out the final book and managed to squeeze it right inside my backpack before I zipped up. “You are funny, little one,” he said. “What had finally made you have a mind change?”
I sniggered at his question. “I don’t think I am ready to have this conversation with you, father. You have already done your worst and I don’t think I will be able to continue staying here with you. I am. . . just. . . tired.”
Anger-like waves slowly began to gather inside my head. I managed to suppress it. “So on your own, you decided to move away to the same place you told me straight in the fact that you would rather die than give a mere visit?” he brushed a laugh.
I didn’t respond but I did remember. He crossed his hands on his chest. “It might not have come to your notice that immediately you leave here, you are not to return no matter the circumstances that fall upon you. Do you reckon?” he asked.
I still managed to ignore him. But that doesn’t mean that I was not scared. Circumstances I would face? What are those circumstances? Of course, his statement scared me. I have heard a lot of BAD rumours about the Blood moon pack. Nobody wants to fuck with them. It had even been one of the reasons why I argued against the decision in the first place. But at this point, to me, even HELL was a whole lot preferable to my home.
“Very well,” he said. “It appears your mind had been made up, moppet.”
“Already.” I concurred.
He sniffed in some air. “Then to this end, I’ll call the Alpha later and inform him you are ready.”
“If you would be so kind,” I told him. “Call him now.”
“Now?”
“Now.”
His lips opened and he focused his eyes on me in a disconcerting manner. “Very well.” He took out his phone from his pocket and dialled a number.
It didn’t beep more than thrice before the receiver picked up the phone. “Hello!” I heard a strong basso voice say over the phone.
“I think,” my father said and looked at me. I looked away immediately, avoiding his gaze. “She’s ready.”
Then there was silence on both sides. “Okay, a conveyer will be sent there shortly.” The phone beeped once.
“I think you should hurry, he is on his way.” My father turned and was about to leave.
“Wait, Father,” I said. “There is something I want to ask you.”
“What?” he asked. He didn’t turn around.
“What type of bargain did you reach with them that made you want to sacrifice your only child’s freedom? Did you do something wrong? Did you kill one of their own?” I asked.
“No, I did no such thing.”
“Then what’s your reason? There must be something you are not telling me. Please, at least you owe me this one.”
He kept mute. He still didn’t want to turn around to answer my question. “All I ever did was for your best interest.”
I didn’t know why or how but I busted out laughing. In return, he gave me a hard glare after he had finally turned to look at me. In my father’s presence, I do not attempt to piffle with him- he is no entertainer of expensive jokes.
“If that’s for my best interest then you are not doing enough father. I am sorry but there is a whole lot of work to be done.”
“Well,” he said, raising his shoulders. “Maybe one day, when you will grow up both in wisdom and understanding, then you will understand why things turned out this way.”
“I wish,” I said. “But father, there is one last piece of advise I would want to give you-” Mr. Rudolph walked into my room, interrupting. He was on a red suit worn over a pure white long sleeve. I scowled at him, ignored him and I focused my gaze on Rudolph. “Father, it will interest you to know that you are more open to the outside people than you are to the inside. I hope one day you don’t get to regret it.”
“And what’s that supposed to mean?” Mr. Rudolph asked, crossing his hand on his chest.
I ignored his question. “You should be careful how you treat those within,” I said, looking at my father. “Those within are the people within the circle that would be able to help you without any strings attached.”
I wasn’t sure if what I had mumbled to my father was the exact thing I had in mind to say. I just wanted to let him know that those people he keeps as his close associates could disappoint him any day. I was indirectly referring to Rudolph. My father kept his amber eyes on me. “They are here,” Mr. Rudolph said. “You gotta get going.” He eyed me
My father turned and they both walked away, closing the door. I shrugged. So it was about time? I took off the towel and wore my clothes. When I was done, I opened the door but held it as it was half-closed. I looked back at my room for the last time and smiled. Something else registered with the smile. Anger. Anger mixed with happiness. Yes, I was angry that I was leaving my home but then I was happy because it felt like it was the right thing to do at the moment. Not like I didn’t know that one day, I might get to leave but I never intended it to be this way. I inhaled deeply, eyes closed for a moment, and then closed the door. I went outside carrying my backpack along. Outside, I saw a pickup truck, red of colour. I frowned. It was as though I had seen it before. I began to brush through my brain register and I finally remembered where I had seen it. It was at the pizza shop. Yes, it was the same truck. Though I couldn’t get the plate number it sure looked like it.
The rear left door opened but I was still far to get an accurate picture of who or what was in there. I looked at the front, but I couldn’t peer past the tinted glass window at the driver’s side. I gulped. I began to move closer until I got very close. I looked back at my home and then to the penthouse. It appeared the curtains were drawn and when I looked properly, I saw my father looking at me from above. My eyes caught him and he closed the curtains. I looked back at the vehicle, the engine was steaming- which led me to assume that whoever was in the driver’s seat had the patience of a serpent. I threw my bag at once inside the backseat and entered the vehicle. I shivered as I entered. I looked at the shirt of the driver, it appeared to be the exact shirt of the man who settled my bills at the restaurant. I tried to see his face but he wasn’t turning around. I looked at the rear mirror, but his face cap blocked out some very important places that would easily help me to make distinguishable comparisons. He roared the engine and began to drive us out of our compound. I was confused about what to do. Should I ask him questions or should I just ignore him and go with the total stranger anywhere he goes? The former didn’t quite comfortably suit my kind of person
“Hi,” I said. “Ehm, would you mind if I ask you some simple questions?”
He continued driving without turning around or even nodding his head. “Hellooo!” I waved a hand. “I am talking to you.”
“Speak,” he finally said.
I exhaled. I didn’t feel good about it but something like this was expected. “Have we seen each other before?” I asked him.
He slowed down for a second and waited for the gate to open fully before we zoomed off into the main road as the electric gate beeped after us. Something told me that he wasn’t going to answer my question so I decided to rephrase. “You are the same person who paid for my bills in the pizza shop.” I studied him through the center rear mirror. “Aren’t you?”
He raised his head and I finally caught his face. The driver had eyes sharp like a cat, a nose pointed like a rabbit, and lips too cute for his size. He focused back on driving. “Ah hah,” I said, cheerily. “You are the one. I have always known that. How did you know I was going to be there?” I assumed he wasn’t going to answer me. “Have you been stalking me?”
He didn’t answer any of the questions. His silence began to irritate me. Could he be the mate my father wanted for me? To be honest, I was scared already on my first day of seeing this man. The last thing I wouldn’t manage was boredom but he was slowly driving me to be bored. “Anyway, I may not have had the chance to say thank you but believe me, I truly appreciate what you did for me. It was so, so fucking satisfying. I just fuckin needed the help and it came at the right time. Thank you.”
He looked at me. He didn’t turn his neck to do it. He just did it through the rear mirror. He looked at me just for a few seconds before he looked away. I inhaled deeply and sank back to the seat. I decided to keep my mouth shut and was prepared to keep it that way until the rest of the journey. “Asshole,” I murmured.
I knew he heard me. He was a werewolf and I could tell from his scent I had perceived ever since I entered the vehicle. Undeniably, as a werewolf, he already had enough good hearing techniques naturally. While I laid my head on the soft foam, my eyes began to feel very heavy for me to keep open. If I had known that I would doze off, I wouldn’t have tried to relax my head like that. I was awoken by the sound of the door to the driver’s seat as it jammed. My eyes were still trying to adjust to brightness when the left door opened. I saw the driver who had conveyed me, standing as tall as I last saw him.
“Out,” he said- more like a command.
I looked at him for a while and then finally decided to come down. He closed the door immediately I took my bag with me. “Follow me.”
“Hey, look,” I said. “I know you are too preoccupied with something and it’s preventing you from speaking to me but would you please tell me your name.” He raised a brow. I realized that he was going to give me the same answers he used to give me- silence. “Otherwise I would call you deaf and dump manner less scallywag. How’s that?” I told him and I meant it.
He narrowed the eye he had raised. “My name is Simon,” he told me. “Welcome to Blood moon pack.”
“B-blood what?” I stuttered.