Sam turned to where Nafarius stood giving last minute instructions to Roland. “You have the number of the house? If anything happens, use the satellite phone and call. I can be back in two days if there is an emergency.”
Roland nodded. This wasn’t the first time Nafarius had left him in charge. It also wasn’t the first time they’d gone over these same instructions. Nafarius was obviously uneasy with taking his mate into the city. Going over the details seemed to help settle his mind.
Turning back to his pack, Nafarius gave them all a long, last look before heading off into the woods. He didn’t understand his reluctance at leaving. He made regular trips to city to conduct business. On rare occasions a pack member decided to leave the pack and live in the city. When that happened, Nafarius was often the one to escort them and help them get settled. Despite his preference for home, he was actually fairly comfortable in the city. This was the first time he’d ever felt so nervous.
The answer as to why was striding beside him. Despite her obvious pregnancy, Sam was easily able to keep up with him. While Alex and Maddie elected to stay in human form and walk with them, Nafarius had ordered Seth and Jake into animal form and sent them up ahead. They would scout out the path ahead and warn at any hint of danger.
“Nafarius?” Sam had been enjoying the brisk walk through the forest when she sensed the tension in her mate.
“Hmm?”
“Why didn’t you want me to go back to the city?” Sam asked.
Nafarius sighed, leave it to Sam to pick up on his thoughts. Werewolves couldn’t read minds, even when mated. No, it was just that his mate was sensitive to his moods and had likely guessed at his train of thoughts. “I don’t like putting you in harms way,” he said.
Sam frowned. “There is little danger for me in the city. Except for a few unpaid bills that I left behind, there really isn’t much that my leaving would have affected. Besides, I would say that I’m better able to take care of myself now then when I left.”
Nafarius’ frown grew fiercer at his own thoughts, the real reason for his fear having revealed itself. “What if you don’t want to come back?”
Sam was so surprised by his question that she stopped and stared. Nafarius, realizing that she no longer walked beside him, turned to wait for her.
Sam waited until Alex and Maddie stepped past them before addressing Nafarius’ question with one of her own. “How can you even ask that?” Nafarius started to answer only to be cut off. “Do you have such little faith in me, in my feelings for you? Do you honestly think that I could just walk away from the life we’ve built together?”
“No, it’s just…” Nafarius tried to put into words what he’d only just come to understand. “This is the first time you’ve been back to the city since you joined the pack. What if, once we’re there, you realize that you made a mistake? I know that life with the pack isn’t easy, even for those of us that are born to it. You gave up everything to be with me, what if you change your mind?”
Sam stepped forward and, sliding her arms around his waist, rested her head on his chest. She could hear his heart beating. It was a familiar sound, one she often fell asleep to, and she could hear how it beat harder, faster, with his fear. “I will never change my mind, never regret my decision. I love my life with you and the pack. What I had before doesn’t even come close in comparison. Do I miss some things? Of course, I do enjoy some of the more material comforts but not a single one of them or all of them combined could make me change my mind.”
Nafarius heard what she was saying and knew it to be true. He had been foolish to think, even for a moment, that she would ever leave him. Still, the urgency he’d been feeling had yet to leave him. Roughly, gripping her hair in his hands, he pulled her head back and claimed her mouth in a fierce kiss.
Sam sighed as she felt him stake his claim. She understood his need to reassure himself and gave herself over to it. For several moments he held her to him, his mouth covering her own as his tongue explored. By the time he was done she was completely saturated with his taste.
Nafarius reluctantly released his hold on her hair. Staring down, he was satisfied by the slightly dazed look in her eyes. With an arrogant nod that at any other time would have earned him a smack, Nafarius turned them back into the right direction and started walking.
Two days later they reached the edge of town. Nafarius had timed their arrival for Sunday morning. While the small down wasn’t particularly religious, most of its inhabitants would still be in bed or at the Sunday service.
The pack owned a building in the town’s small industrial section. There they stored several cars, including Sam’s old VW Bug, and extra supplies. It was small, out of the way and had easy ingress and egress. Not wasting time, Nafarius ordered everyone to load up the SUV and then quickly drove out of town. He was known in town, as was Roland. They had developed a relationship with the townspeople that kept any of them from asking too many questions. Still, it was always better if they could get in and out without being seen.
Sam sat and stared as the small town rolled by, quickly turning from narrow streets to open freeway. It was a three-hour drive to the city; Seth and Jake spent most of the time talking about all the things they wanted to explore. Alex offered a few suggestions while Maddie listened attentively. Nafarius was quiet, waiting until Sam fell asleep in the seat beside him before reaching over to take her hand, relieved, that even in sleep, her fingers gripped his tightly.
Nafarius drove them straight to the house the pack kept in the city. Despite their simple living style, the pack was financially well off. Werewolves were a long-lived race and centuries of saving and wise investments had ensured that they never wanted for anything. The choice to live outside of the city and off the grid was more about freedom and survival then anything else.
Sam sensed the car slowing down and woke to find herself back in the city. Not much had changed. It was actually about this same time last year, the beginning of summer, when she’d first ventured up to Wolf Lake. Coming back now, it felt like only a few days had passed instead of months.
Sam sighed in appreciation when the house came into view. It was an older, brick home built in the mid 1800s. Set back from the street and surrounded by wrought iron fencing, it offered an island of peace and solitude within an otherwise busy city. “It’s beautiful,” she said.