The Broken Wolf

(5) Elodie

The silence is suffocating.

I sit pressed to the door my mate as far away from me as the car allows. The two men in front hardly breathe they’re so trained on the road in front of them. Staring at the dress Selene handed me this morning. Its not something I’d usually wear, considering it actually fits.

A mates duty is to provide.

Would he? Provide? I peek a glance at him out of the corner of my eye wishing now that I’d left my hair loose to provide better coverage.

He’s as handsome as I remember him, broad shouldered and firm, straight jaw dotted with barely visible scars, a slightly crooked nose set over frowning lips. He looks younger than the suit he wore last time made him seems his silky black hair mussed like he ran his fingers through it a few strands falling over his eyes, eyes as dark as midnight piercing and deep staring into me.

Staring!

I jerk forward blinking rapidly.

He rumbles the sound low and as enticing as it had been in the room back at the party. From the rearview I watch the two men at front glance at each other before the one in the passenger raises the partition giving us the illusion of privacy.

“Its enchanted.” My mates voice sends a shock through my system and I swivel to stare at him. “They can’t hear a thing when its closed.”

“Oh.” I gasp staring at the darkened glass with new found fascination.

“You seem to be taking this in stride.” He says and I turn my gaze back to his curious one.

“I’ve had a week to adjust.” I mumble wondering how this is suddenly the longest conversation we’ve ever had.

“And yet you were wholly unprepared when I arrived.” He adds dark eyes studying me closely.

A red heat spreads across my face. Truth be told there were a few things I’d wanted to bring along with me. My possessions were measly but they were mine. Selene had vetoed the notion and promptly kicked me out of the room without even allowing so much as a look back.

“It’s a mates duty to provide.” I repeat the words I heard father say earlier because I have nothing better to say nothing that reveals more questions than answers.

I see the moment his face shutters expression turning cold, the same coolness he had when conversing with father. Like he’s turned into an ice sculpture right before my eyes.

“Very well mate,” he says the word with a growl that borders on barbaric. “We shall see how well I provide.”

#

I lose track of time, the scenery outside the window blurs together. Dominic doesn’t speak to me and I’m left with no distractions. I’ve made him mad, displeased him somehow. Years of experience urge me to make it right, uncomfortable in my own skin as the tense silence stretches on. But I don’t know what I did. And experience has also proven the wrong step when it comes to an alpha results in pain incomparable to mere discomfort.

So I’m silent too.

“Quit fidgeting.” he grumbles and I freeze wide eyes snapping to his reflection in the partition he’s been staring out the window for the past…I don’t know how long.

I woke up even earlier than usual this morning unable to sleep last night because of the stress. Maybe that is why I’m extra jittery.

“I’m sorry.” I mumble eyes flicking back to my skirt. I take a deep centering breath like the healer had taught me once when I was young.

I’d been seven dressed in sweats that didn’t fit and weren’t mine shivering on his table still in shock from the lake. He’d looked at me over the rim of his glasses his eyes gentle.

‘Breathe Elodie, breathe. One really deep one and push all the air out. Good, good job.’

With a deep inhale I hold my breathe before breathing out and my shoulders relax.

“I’m sorry.” I offer again eyeing him out of the corner of my and he huffs in response.

Ok…

“Just focus on the scenery.” He glances over at me before focusing back on the view. “We’ll be home soon.”

And I don’t know why his use of ‘home’ sends a soft warmth fluttering through my belly.

#

When I wake up it’s dark outside and I’m laying down in the backseat of an empty car. Theres a chill in the air and I shiver as I sit up undoing my belt and carefully reaching for the door.

The car was parked in the driveway of a small home, cozy I think as I stare at the wraparound porch dimly illuminated by a single light. Theres a few chairs out front and a table carefully set with a multicolored mat. Is this it then? My new home. I look towards the trees half expecting Dominic to pop out of the shadows. Oddly affected when I realize I am alone.

Even at my fathers pack I was always alone. This is nothing new to me. What did I expect? My mate to walk me through the doors hand in hand?

I’m not foolish enough to believe in fairytales anymore. I don’t allow the thought to fester.

Squaring my shoulders I march up the steps and try the handle, it twists easily which is a relief. And then I’m standing at the doorway of my new home.