The Mates of Monsters
Chapter 8

A knock strikes my door before the sun has risen. I turn in bed and squeeze my pillow against my chest. The darkness outside of my windows tells me it's far too early to function. I hardly got enough sleep considering the emotional toll that's been dragging me through the

mud for longer than I would like. I'm supposed to be long gone by now.

Another knock comes. This time he asks, "Are you awake?"

If I refuse to answer, will he think I'm dead? I turn back over and hike the covers up to my shoulders. After a minute of silence, the door slowly opens behind me. I bite my lip and close my eyes as I feel his gaze settle on me.

"Brigette," he says, "we have to go."

I hold my breath.

"I know you're awake."

My aching body shifts. "What? Did the bond tell you?"

"No. Your breathing." The Alpha's footsteps then trail back out the door as he says, "We're leaving in twenty minutes."

When I look over my shoulder, he's gone. So I slowly get out of bed and grab the few things I have in the room, feeling like a nuisance, a disappointment. I don't know what to say. It's like what happened last night didn't happen even though I know I've hurt him.

It was stupid to attempt what I did. He said it himself; I wouldn't get very far, but I suppose I had to try anyway. If I didn't try, I don't know if I would ever forgive myself.

I make my way downstairs with my bag slung on my shoulder, not bothering to change out of my pajamas. David is speaking to the man who brought me here the first night. I wait patiently until he looks to me. His eyes wash over me as he speaks, and for once I feel like he sees something different. Sure, I wasn't giving him much to work with before, but damage has been done and I'm scared his opinion of me has shifted from defiant to evil.

Maybe I shouldn't care how he sees me. I know that's easier said than done, though.

The man walks out the open front door. David tells me, "Come on."

Unlike the days before, I act obediently. I follow close behind him as he exits the house. We come upon two discrete, black SUVs. "We're driving?" I ask.

"It's easier this way-with your things," he says.

He opens the back door of the first car and peers back to me. With a nod, he tells me to get in, so I climb up and slide across the back seats to the other end. David gets in after me and closes the door. The familiar man is in the drivers seat. He glances back to David and with another nod, the engine starts. I don't bother looking over the town one last time as we drive through-one last, silent goodbye. Instead, I bring my knees up and hug them against my chest as my eyes aim downward. My body leans against the car door, feeling the machine subtly rumble against me.

There is a folder and a laptop tucked in the seat pocket in front of him, but he doesn't work. He stares out the window with his fist raised-his bent finger pressed against his lip as he thinks. My eyes run over his large bicep and trail down the side of his body. I hold my breath and bring my eyes back to my knees. If I made things easy, maybe he would be next to me right now. Maybe we would be chatting about our interests or habits or pet peeves. Maybe I would know more about him other than the fact that he's an Alpha.

It doesn't take long to leave town, the mountains, and to be consumed by long, flat, winding roads that cut through forest. My eyes rotate: scenery, driver, David, my lap, and repeat. Eventually, I bring my bag onto my lap and sift through for my phone. I see a message from my mother wishing me luck and another from Lindsey, again wishing me the best from both her and Timothy. I sigh and drop the device from my line of vision. Again, I glance to David. He's taken the laptop out by now.

"I'm sorry," I say softly, mindful of our driver.

David hardly acknowledges me. He nods and continues to look unbothered.

I roll my lips together and shift my body to face him. "I know it was stupid, okay?"

He says, "Okay."

"And I shouldn't have tried it."

"You shouldn't have."

I cross my arms and face forward. "I'm trying. I really am."

Finally, he looks to me. My eyes find his. "What are you trying, Brigette? To apologize?" "Couldn't you be a bit more understanding? I mean, I told you how I felt about all of this." "Trust," he says. "You'll soon find out how important it is."

"You don't trust me then?"

"No. I don't."

I tell him, "Well, I don't trust you either."

His chest rises and falls as his eyes return to the computer screen. "But you apologize for climbing out the window in the middle of the night in an attempt to run away, am I right? That was the reason behind your talking?" "Yes," I say stiffly. "I thought it would be better to talk than sit in silence, but I can shut up if you prefer the quiet."

I wait impatiently for him to say something, and when he does, his gaze lifts and he asks, "Would you have gone if I didn't stop you?"

The seriousness of his tone causes my chest to tighten in anxiety. I hold his gaze as everything under my skin churns and shrinks into nothing. My lips part and close. Would I have? In the moment, I really thought I would have, but in the long run, in reality, after the adrenaline fades...

"I don't know," I breathe. "Would I have made it out of town? Probably. I would have gone to Fairmont to catch a bus, and I would take it into the city. I would have gotten on a plane to wherever was available, but those are only plans. I don't know how I would have felt- how guilty, torn. I don't know how the bond would feel at that point."

The Alpha watches me. "So that's what you want?"

He's right. It could be easy.

I could be wrapped in his arms-safe. I could be caressing his cheek as I look up at his handsome face. We could be inseparable. I could be utterly taken by everything he is, entirely absorbed, drowned, lost, consumed.

"I don't know," I murmur as my face grows hot. "You're right, maybe silence was better."

I turn my body back to my door to find any sliver of privacy. If I were at home, in my room, my tears could release and run free. But home grows farther and farther away, and there are no walls to shield my vulnerability from his eyes. There's no place to hide. I wake in a bed, alone, in a nice room.

I wander the space-my bag is on a chair in the corner of the room. My suitcases and two boxes are along the wall where a portrait of a delicate, white flower hangs as if some lonely woman painted it once in this bedroom.

I wander the hallway of cold, wood floors and intricate paneling against regal, dark emerald paint. There are many doors and a large staircase halfway. The steps wrap around the walls as an antique-looking

chandelier hangs down. I travel nat

down the staircase, running my fingertips along the handrail,

wondering how I got here when the last thing I remember was being in the car. There is no one around-not even the sounds of people from further in this house.

I search through living rooms, bathrooms, and a dining room. There is a laundry room, a pantry of stored food, à sunroom, and a kitchen. The kitchen is lined with tall, dark green cabinets and centered around a counter island with a white countertop that shines as if chunks ofgems are embedded in the stone. There's a charming table by the window for drinking tea or eating

breakfast. It's so peaceful that I

consider being in a dream.

To the right are a pair of painted French doors that lead outside. I unlock them and step through, examining my surroundings from the porch but seeing nothing except the surrounding forest. I take a breath of fresh air.

There is the world, right in front of me, yet no one is here to monitor my every move.

Where's David? How long was I asleep for?

"Luna?"

I turn to the sudden voice. A man with the blondest of hair stands in the open doorway to the porch. "Glad to see you've found your way around," he says, "I'm Jeremy. The Alpha has assigned me to be your personal aid as you transition to your new home. Helena will also be around to assist you, however she works mostly in the house."

"Oh. Okay. But do you know where Dav-the Alpha is?"

He steps outside and thinks for a moment. "It's hard to say, but I would guess he's still at the training grounds."

"The what?"

"Where guards and pack members are able to practice or learn combat skills-or means of self-defense for those who are not so interested in sparring, such as myself. Did you not have such things at your home pack?"

"No. I mean, we have guards but nothing crazy. People learn to fight here?"

My supposed aid nods. "Primarily guards and those who have recently had their first shift. The Alpha likes to oversee the processes when he can."

I teeter on my feet. "Why? Is it not safe here?"

"It is quite safe. Because the members learn such skills, the pack maintains a strong reputation. Not many come looking for trouble," Jeremy explains. "I know this may be overwhelming. From what I've heard, your pack is rather different. The Amin bloodline has quite the history."

"I'll have to look into that," I say and head back inside. "So can you show me to the training grounds? I need to see the Alpha."

"He will be back this evening if you are able to wait till then."

"Oh, well I guess I can wait. I just don't know what I'm supposed to do," I admit.

Jeremy smiles. "I can help you

unpack your things, or I can take you on a tour of the land. If you're

in the

hungry, Helena will be arriving shortly and can make you something to eat. She is here mornings and the evenings. The rest of your day is open for you to do as you please; tomorrow we have a few things scheduled, and this weekend Alpha Nicodra will be visiting. The Alpha's meeting with Alpha Nicodra has been long anticipated."

I sigh. "I'm sorry, I don't know anything about, well, anything. My father is a Beta, but I never paid attention when he spoke about news or conflicts. You should know that I'm not prepared for any of this. I'm really the last girl that should be a Luna."

"The Alpha put me in this position for a reason," Jeremy assures me. "He's aware that you are not prepared-who could be? I'm here to help you, guide you, and teach you so you can appear prepared until you are."

"Thank you. I'm sure you'll have your work cut out for you."

He waves me off and asks, "So what will it be?"

"Will you show me around? All I've seen so far is this house."

"That I can do."