Sleeping Phoenix

Chapter 6: New Realities

Chapter 6

“I could use a friend,” she admitted quietly which seemed to get his attention. “I’m afraid I might not have anyone in my life anymore that I care about. After last nigh— , I mean after the night I was put into the box, I don’t think any of my family survived.”

She could feel the tears trying to well up in her eyes, but before they could fall Daric said, “I know its a small consolation, but this pack could be your new family; and I would be honored to be my Luna’s friend.”

“I would like that, very much,” she gave him a watery smile. “It’s hard to admit when one needs a friend, especially when one has no clue about ones life now.”

“Well, if I were ‘one' in that position I would start with the basics,” he hedged with a kind grin.

“Such as?”

“Food, of course. Munching on some snackage makes everything better. Or at least makes it a little more bearable.”

“Snackage?” She asked with genuine confusion, “Is that a new term for a meal?”

“Not really, I was just saying dumb stuff. Come on, let’s go down to the kitchens and grab some food. Chelsea’s cooking today and, trust me, you don’t want to miss it. She makes this amazing chicken casserole that’ll blow your mind!”

She felt more than a little skeptical, based off of his description, but she was willing to go along and find out. Anything sounded better than staying behind and wallowing in her own self-pity. She could sleep, but she knew what followed slumber, and she didn’t think she was

ready for what might be lying on the other side of her subconscious mind.

With that decision made, she followed Daric back down to the main floor. It was starting to get dark outside so the magical lights seemed to burn brighter in their sconces. She wondered if all of these new things she was discovering would always amaze her. Or, like so many things in life, eventually fade to the background. She certainly hoped it didn’t fade for her. There was a sort of magic that came from finding wonder in the most menial of tasks or objects. It’s what makes this long, long, long life worth living.

As an immortal you could live forever, theoretically. However, that doesn’t mean you can’t die. It’s the natural order of things, you live and you die; but for some, such as herself, you could find yourself living for centuries. Some, even millennia. She didn’t know why things were the way that they were, and didn’t think many actually did know, but she wasn’t one to question fate on too many things. So much about their universe would just stay a beautiful mystery.

The main floor was much the same from when she came into the house earlier. Wolves milling around, going about their evening, and seeing to their duties. Their pack operated like a single entity, everyone doing what needed to be done to take care of their own. They all seemed to be working for the greater good of the pack. Her life used to be much the samewhen her sisters had been alive. They all had a job or duties to see to and they made sure to follow through with their duties; otherwise, experience the wrath of Aliandra. She was their fiercest General and taskmaster. With her bear hands, a ghoul head would have been ripped clean from its shoulders. Other than Serena, Mila looked up to, and respected, Aliandra the most. She demanded perfection from everyone under her, and everyone fought hard, bled even harder, to give her the perfection she expected.

Mila noticed that the kitchens were located close to Gareth’s office. As they passed the door on the way to obtain food she could hear dark rumblings happening within the chamber. When she heard a man starting to yell, that was not Gareth, she wondered if she should have intervened. Of course, she decided against it. Gareth didn’t need her to swoop in and save him like a damsel. So she stayed on course with Daric and went to the dining hall to collect dinner.

Much to her surprise, Daric had been correct about the cuisine. Their cook presented a masterfully done meal that not only warmed the soul, but filled the belly expertly. Though she had loved her sisters dearly, even she could admit that none of them were accomplished cooks. More often than not she found herself scavenging for berries after dinner, especially if it had been Darla’s night to cook. They all took turns cooking for the flock, because no one had wanted the job. Serena took it upon herself to fix the problem by condemning all of them to kitchen duty. Mila smiled at the memory, because she always had a feeling that Serena forced them all to cook because she hoped that at least one of them would have a natural talent for it. Unfortunately for all of them, that proved to be very wrong.

“What are you smiling about,” Daric asked across from her at the table.

“Nothing much. Just a memory,” she replied vaguely with a small smile.

“Well, if you want to talk about it with me you can. No one will bother us,” he offered.

“Perhaps another time, I’m quite tired now.” That was an understatement, she thought to herself. The day had seemed to finally catch up with her. “I think I will go to bed.”

“Ok, I’ll take you back up,” Daric offered. After they finished the last bit of their food and cleaned up their plates they headed back up to the room they gave her to use. Although, now that she thought about it she was pretty sure the room she was in belonged to Gareth. She didn’t know how she missed it before, but she could smell him on everything inside of the room.

It was comforting to feel surrounded by his scent. She didn’t hesitate to crawl into the massive bed after bidding Daric a good nights rest. Surprisingly, Mila fell asleep almost as soon as her head hit the pillow. With a final thought drifting through her mind, I wish Gareth were here.

~*~

God’s, I wish I were with my mate right now, Gareth thought to himself as he listened to the irate Alpha sitting across from him rant and rave about nothing. They had been in that “meeting” for four f*****g hours by that point. This was his mates first night with the packand he wasn’t by her side. That just seemed wrong to him. But being without her at all seemed wrong on every level. If he had his way she would go where he goes and be with him always. That was the best way to assure that she was safe and content at all times.

His wolf was ready to end the other Alpha’s life just so that they could get back to their mate when there was a knock on his office door. “Come in,” he growled. He knew he shouldn’t talk like that to the person behind the door, but he was beyond annoyed and frustrated.

“Sorry to disturb, Alpha,” Sarah said as she lowered her head in respect, casting her eyes to the floor.

“It’s fine, we were about done here anyway,” Gareth tossed back with a fierce scowl for the other Alpha. Amazingly, Alpha Carter said nothing.

“I was sent to let you know that the Luna is asleep in the Alpha suite. She’s been there a while, actually,” she replied. Gareth could hear the censure in her tone, but decided to ignore it. The growls coming from Alpha Carter weren’t missed either. He knew he shouldn’t be here with Alpha Carter and so did the pack. His Luna was first priority. Or at least she’s supposed to be, but a certain pain in his ass just wouldn’t relent on their issues.

“I’m done here so I’m heading up now,” he informed Sarah while moving to get up, which Carter followed. “Go make sure Bowe is done for the night as well.”

“Of course Alpha,” Sarah agreed. She turned and left his still wrecked office. He was going to have to deal with that tomorrow, he thought to himself.

It didn’t take Carter long after Sarah left to begin his tirade once more, “This is reprehensible, Alpha,” he sneered. “We had a deal!”

“And that deal is s**t now,” he yelled back. “For obvious reasons.”

“I don’t see what’s so obvious about it,” Lacey commented from her corner seat. For the most part, Lacey shocked him through the majority of the conversation by staying quiet. She wasn’t the type to take an offense lying down. He supposed she thought her father would handle the problem, but he figured she was finally seeing that was not the case.

“I’d say finding my mate is a pretty f*****g obvious reason to back out of the deal,” he snapped at her.

“How so,” she simpered. “The way I see it, whoever this new girl is to you is irrelevant. A deal, is a deal and it was marked in blood. There is no take backsies from a blood oath.”

“Normally, I would agree with you, but there is a law above all others in our world and you both know what that is,” he growled back. “She is mine! Nothing and no one will change that!” He could feel his wolf rising to the surface trying to force the change. He was not taking the conversation very well. “She. Is. Mine,” he ground out once more as he thumped his right fist into his chest above his heart.

“Very well,” Lacey relented. He was so stunned that she backed down so fast and easily that he didn’t know what to say.

Alpha Carter, however, did, “Would you permit us a short stay,” he asked. “It’s only fair since you are breaking out of our deal.”

If Gareth were any other man he would have probably been intimidated by the Alpha’s scowl, but he wasn’t any other man. He was a mother f*****g Alpha too, and he would not be bullied into agreeing to anything. “I’m not sure that’s wise,” he answered as diplomatically as possible.

“Oh please, Gareth,” Lacey simpered once more as if her charms had any affect on him. “Before all of this we were friends once,” she continued, although he had to refrain from rolling his eyes violently at her use of the term “friends”. f**k buddies, would have been more accurate.

“To be fair, we came here with no accommodations arranged because we assumed you were upholding your end of the deal. So the least you could do is give us a couple of rooms for a few nights while we workout our travel arrangements. Daddies jet won’t be ready for another three days.”

He did cringe at her pout that time and she was too close for comfort. At some point in the conversation she had edged her way into his personal space, and if she hadn’t removed herself, after sensing that he was not responding well to her actions, he would have been forced to remove her himself. “Fine,” he agreed. “But just three nights. No more, are we clear,” he asked.

“Of course,” Alpha Carter acknowledged formally.

“Fine,” Gareth puffed out in annoyance. He didn’t even care anymore that he sounded rude. Opening the door to his office he called for Sarah.

“You called, Alpha,” Sarah replied once she got to the door.

“Yes, have some rooms made up for the Alpha and his daughter,” he requested. “Two rooms,” she asked skeptically.

“Yes,” he ground out in anger. “Two f*****g rooms, now.”

Sarah tensed at his angry tone, “Of course, I’ll have them ready shortly,” she said as she scurried off to do as she was told. He knew he needed to apologize to Sarah, but it can wait until tomorrow, he thought to himself. He just wanted to go up to his room and be with his mate.

After a tense and awkward fifteen minutes of silence, Sarah came back to announce that their rooms were ready. As Sarah led their uninvited guests out of his office Lacey trailed her finger across his chest in a come hither way that made him uncomfortable. “If you would like some company, at any point, feel free to come to my room,” she winked at him flirtatiously.

“Not happening,” he replied while snatching her hand off of his chest. He thought the pout she gave him was supposed to be cute. He wasn’t quite sure, because the look missed its mark by a mile. As soon as Sarah carted his unwanted guests up the stairs, and got them out of his hair, he took a minute to decompress from that joke of a meeting. The last thing he wanted to do was go around his mate feeling like a caged animal.

When he felt like he had a handle on his emotions, Gareth took the stairs up to their room. His heart raced at his musings. He had his mate. His mate, who was asleep under his roof and in his bed. Her taste from earlier still haunted him, but he knew better than to act on a whim. She was other and, despite what he learned earlier, she would not feel the all consuming emotional bond the same way he did. A small portion of supernaturals don’t ever feel the bond at all in some cases. But he refused to believe he would be one of the unfortunate few who drove themselves into the ground from grief. A wolf’s mate was it’s everything, literally. Without their mate the beast within would perish, as too does the soul of the man.

So he was all too keenly aware that they were still practically strangers to one another, as well as different species far removed from one another. However, fate paired them for a reason. She was meant to be his, so he resolved himself to go as slow as she needed or wanted.

Unfortunately, that iron-will of his began to waiver the moment he walked through the door to their room. Her smell was everywhere. He wasn’t sure if it was the mate bond or his wolf or both, but her scent was like a physical caress on his senses. Her very essence called to his senses to take her in. He walked further into the room and found her sound asleep in his bed, just as he had been informed by Sarah earlier. On his side of the bed clutching his pillow to her chest.

Despite his recent thoughts, he could see the bond working its way into her psyche. He called to her soul just as much as she called to his. She just didn’t necessarily know it for sure, yet.

There’s that word again, — his wolf chuckled in his mind.

He felt pretty positive that word was going to get him through a few trials to come. He had no doubt his beautiful mate would put up some sort of a fight. Her first instinct would be to resist, because of everything that led up to them meeting. She had every reason to, but he would break down her walls and get her to see that he was her everything too.

With his new, newfound resolve he went to his closet to get some pajama bottoms to change into. As he was changing he listened to Mila’s deep even breathing from the bedroom, allowing it to lull him into relaxation.

He was in no way under any misconceptions. Gareth knew, without a shadow of a doubt, that the following day would probably be another s**t show; but, for the moment, he could enjoy having his mate with him. So, after exiting the closet, he didn’t hesitate to crawl into their bed and curl up behind Mila.

He marveled at the feeling of completeness radiating inside himself. As he wrapped his arms around her waist to pull her as close to his chest as he could get her he soaked in her heat and smell. In that moment he thanked the Gods that she was given to him, because there couldn’t be anyone more perfect for him. Once she was tucked comfortably inside his embrace he allowed himself to finally sleep. Her sigh of contentment was the last thing his drifting mind registered before fully succumbing to unconsciousness.

~*~

Mila...MILA...Mila ...Mila...

Darkness. As far as the eye could see, just darkness. Nothing but a huge gaping void surrounded Mila on all sides. No matter how hard she ran, or how far, she couldn’t get beyond the void. The darkness seemed to creep in more and more the longer she stayed in one spot. The only noise she could hear was her breath sawing in and out of her battered lungs. Until, the whispers. Different voices, all calling her name. Some were louder than others, but none of the voices got over a murmur.

Mila...MILA...Mila ...Mila...

Panic began to suffuse her very being when she screamed, “WHAT DO YOU WANT?”

Over and over she screamed into the void at the faceless voices. Spinning in circles looking for someone who wasn’t there. “WHAT DO YOU WANT,” she screamed again as the voices seemed to get louder and louder inside her mind as she fisted her hair in her hands at the scalp. Her world seemed to tilt on it’s axis and she found herself falling into the darkness. Like water pouring from a spout she fell and fell.

Go...GO...Go...GO.. .

More whispers, more voices. All of them crying out, but she was unable to help. She continued to fall and fall, seemingly, without end.

Until she hit solid ground. The stop was so sudden she couldn’t tell which way was up and which way led further down. Mila’s fear began to consume her further when ghostly eyes peered out of the dark piercing right through her. Then another pair of eyes appeared, then another pair, and another. Soon she was surrounded by thousands of empty stares.

Breathing became harder as the weight of their gazes pulled her down.

“Wh-what do you want,” she tried to whisper again but no sound seemed to leave her lips. Until a familiar figure stepped from the darkness shrouded in pure light.

“Go,” the ethereal voice whispered once more.

“Go where,” Mila asked. Though she couldn’t see her face, she knew the ghostly figure was female. She knew the apparition. She could feel it in her soul. She just didn’t know who she was.

Mila’s reply was met with a smile, “Go.”

Go...GO...Go...GO.. .Go...GO...Go...GO.. .Go...GO...Go...

The same word echoed over and over. The volume rose to a crescendo inside Mila’s skull until it was nothing more than a piercing squeal of noise. Mila grasped her ears in a desperate attempt to block the painful sound. Until, everything went black once more.

Mila shot up from the bed suddenly awake and very alert. However, the fog of sleep hadn’t quite lifted, so when a very muscular arm moved to wrap around her waist she nearly jumped out of her skin.

It wasn’t until she looked down that reality came back in full clarity. Gareth. Who was sound asleep beside her. As her breathing evened out and her heart rate began to calm she realized that the sun had not yet risen. It seemed that not even centuries long sleep could interrupt her normal schedule. If she had been home, she would have been rising from bed soon to begin her chores and start her training for the day. Since she was not at home she didn’t know what to do. So she took a note from her body and laid back down to sleep a little longer. The dreams she had, made her feel drained and confused. She could only hope that her sleep wouldn’t be plagued by more of them.

As soon as her head hit the pillow once more she could feel the strings of consciousness begin to give way, until that very same muscular arm tightened even more around her waist and pulled her in close. Even in sleep Gareth was unbelievably strong. She had no doubt that if she attempted to dislodge his arms from around her she’d fail. Plus, the more she squirmed the tighter his hold became until her back was flush against his chest and his body was spooned around hers. He would even give a sleepy growl whenever she managed to get the slightest space between them. With an indignant huff she, eventually, she gave up worrying about it and attempted to fall back asleep. First light felt like a better time to re-evaluate her situation. She didn’t want the dreams to continue to plague her while she slept, but she could only hope that they would give her a reprieve for a little while.

Eventually, her eyelids got heavier and her body relaxed back into the bed. It wasn’t much longer and she was blissfully asleep once more curled up against Gareth with his scent wrapped around her like a gossamer blanket. She couldn’t help the soft flutter her heart gave knowing he was with her.

Mila felt as if she had touched the sun. Glorious heat radiated through her as the softest touch brushed her skin. Delicious tingles rippled all over her body every time she came in contact with the new sensation. Goose bumps rose on her skin from the euphoric feeling. Her sleeping mind didn’t know what or where the sweet touches were coming from but she definitely knew she didn’t want it to end. She couldn’t help thinking, if her dreams were this blissful, then why wake at all?

As her mind became more in tune with the dream she began to decipher the different sensations. She felt a slow sweep of gentle lips down her neck heading to her shoulder. The scrape of teeth against the delicate skin of her shoulder. The teeth nipped her shoulder while a tongue laved the tiny mark. Her breath hitched in her throat. All the while, a rough calloused hand grazed a sensitive area at her rib cage just below her breast. The very same lips, that was once tormenting her neck, turned more greedy and demanding on their way across the swell of her breasts. Just as a hand moved along her right hip to her thigh she lifted her leg around the sensual strangers hip.

The scent of a forest at dawn and fire wood engulfed her senses as an endless haze of lust and yearning shrouded her mind. She wanted to drown herself in all of the scents and the secret touches that were slowly driving her mad. As if her body were being controlled bysomeone else, her hips rose to meet the solid weight resting above her. Anything to relieve the growing arousal inside of her.

A groan of pure frustration slipped from her lips. A groan that suddenly seemed far too real. When the weight lifted too far for her hips to reach. In a sleepy haze, it was then Mila realized her mystery partner was male. All the signs were there in the way he smelled, moved, and even touched her. But she didn’t have much time to ponder her realization when lips met one of her puckered n*****s, that was plundered by the strangers mouth. A gasp of excitement and need expelled past her lips as the sensual pressure of his mouth increased. The feeling so poignant she swore she could feel the pull of his mouth between her thighs in the very spot she wished he would relocate.

His large hand roamed down her hip once more, before venturing farther down to grip her bottom roughly to lift her hips up to meet his. Never had Mila been inside of a dream so real. She could feel the hard muscles of his chest under her hands as she tracked them down his front. She could hear, and feel, his rumbling growl when her nails bit into his skin as his mouth reclaimed her lips in a passionate kiss.

Mila rolled her hips against his once more seeking out the succor her body desperately craved from the torrent of wild passion. When the tip of his c**k brushed against her slick bare nether regions she nearly wept with excitement and relief. She swept her hands back up his chest and around to his big muscular arms bracing for the moment he would enter her and give her the release her body was begging for. He began pressing forward, almost to the point of entering her, when he disappeared completely from her body.

BANG! CRASH!

Mila shot up from the bed, instantly awake and aware, gasping for some much needed air after the shock from the loud noise that pulled her from her dreams. Looking around for the sudden disturbance, Mila found Gareth lying on top of a pile of splintered wood that once was a wardrobe. “What are doing? You gave me fright,” Mila panted out clutching her chest. Her bare chest. Mila looked down and found herself in a state of complete undress. Not a single article of clothing could be found. Gasping again, she flung the bed covers over her, in the hopes of covering her nakedness before he saw too much. “Where are my clothes,” she asked looking up to see Gareth picking himself up from the wrecked wardrobe only to realize he too was naked. “WHERE ARE YOUR CLOTHES,” she squealed diverting her eyes.

“Yeah, about that . . .,” he began as he raked his fingers through his hair looking embarrassed. “I think I might be the cause for all of this.”

“What do you mean, you think,” she asks incredulously as she tries to reason out the why’s and the how’s of the situation, before realization strikes. “Oh my gods, it wasn’t a dream.” Mila could feel her entire body heat from her flush of embarrassment. She had been so wanton and uninhibited. It seemed a bit counterintuitive to worry about such things now after their encounter the day before, but she didn’t want him to think she did these things with just anybody. Drawing her knees up to her chest, Mila hid her red face from Gareth.

She felt mortified. What he must think of me, Mila though to herself. Wonderful job, Mila. Now he probably thinks we’re common whores who throws themselves at anyone nearby. “Uggghhhhh,” she groaned out loud.

“Oh, Mila don’t cry,” Gareth said pitifully from the foot of the bed. “Please don’t cry. I’m so sorry. I shouldn’t have touched you without your permission,” he continued as he crawled onto the bed beside her. “My wolf must have pushed forward while I was sleeping. I would never -,” he started to say.

“What,” Mila asked confused lifting her head up slightly to see Gareth. “What are you talking about?”

“You have every right to hate me. I should not have touched you like that,” he replied. “I just found you and I’ve already f****d it all up,” he said as more of an aside to himself as he ran his hands down his face roughly in defeat. “One day, one f*****g day, and I’ve managed to screw it all up. You finally start to feel comfortable enough with me and I assault you in your sleep,” he continues to lament that eventually devolves into a mumbled rampage of barraging comments that seemed endless. His anxiety was practically oozing from him.

“Stop,” Mila says, gently placing her hand on his arm. She lifted her head up fully to ask, “Are you well?”

Gareth laughs which further confuses her. “I attack you, make you cry, and you ask if I’m ok. I believe I have hit another low.”