Alpha Callum and The Broken Mate

Chapter Two

Getting through airport security was a piece of cake, I’ve flown so many times that I know the routine and when to get there with plenty of time to spare. Getting here 3 hours early was nice since I didn’t have to rush to my gate.

As I approached my gate with a coffee and bagel in my hand, I took a seat with my carry on and started playing on my phone. I haven’t checked it in quite a few hours and opened it to see it flooded with texts from you know who.

‘Tori where are you? You don’t work today and it’s not like you have anywhere else to go.’

‘Hello?! Now you’re ignoring me?’

‘Why are you at the airport??’

‘Yes I can still see your location through Snapchat.’

‘Are you going to f****ng answer me?’

And more just like that. I deleted them all before even reading the rest. He didn’t need to know where I am or what I’m doing anymore. He lost that privilege the moment he told me to sign the papers. While I was at it I also blocked his phone number, turned my location off on all of my social medias and decided it was time to go through my phone and delete any evidence I had of our sham of a relationship.

I felt a sense of release when 20 minutes later I deleted the last picture I had of us which was the first picture we ever took together. We were so young it was hard to believe, we both looked so different. We were in a different lifetime. So full of excitement and wonder for the future, I almost didn’t recognize myself anymore. I almost didn’t want to delete that one just for the memories but I knew it was also backed up on social media if I ever wanted to see them again.

As I was reminiscing about a time that ‘was’, the captain announced to turn all phones on airplane mode, I did so and plugged my headphones in and started my playlist for the 6 hour flight. They were all songs about restarting, adventure, and finding new love after the one you thought you loved burnt you. I needed an anthem to sike myself up to put myself to my limits on this trip. I’ve never been one to try new things or go out of my comfort zone, but I’ve decided that this divorce isn’t going to break me down. No, I felt myself akin to a phoenix. At the end of this life cycle I have definitely burnt up my old self. Getting on this plane was my first step to being born again. I’ve decided I’m not going to let life run me anymore, I am going to take life by the balls and play by my own rules. This trip was going to be life changing, I could literally feel it in my bones.

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I was startled awake by the captain announcing that we were going to be starting the descent into Anchorage. I took a chance to look out of my window and what I saw struck me with astounding beauty. The snow covered mountain peaks slicing through the clouds against the stark blue sky was enough to take my breath away and I couldn’t believe that I was about to spend so much time in such an incredible place.

As I got all of my belongings together, I waited impatiently to be able to get off this plane and be able to explore, I flew up 2 days before I was supposed to meet with the touring group. I wanted to give myself some time to settle and replenish traveling supplies I couldn’t pack on the plane or didn’t have time to while packing.

I get walk out of the gate and immediately go to looking for the baggage claim. I start looking around and immediately notice that it was a relatively small airport but very quaint and charming. There were cool statues positioned here and there, so much light coming through the windows in the ceiling and Alaskan themed posters, decorations, and as I rounded a corner I saw an amazing statue of a gigantic moose.

I knew that moose were a lot bigger than people realize but standing right next to a life size bull moose was extremely daunting. I couldn’t believe how magnificent he was and couldn’t help but stare in wonder.

I was taken out of my reverie by a very deep voice coming from a few feet behind me.

“Incredible animal right?”

I turned to see a tall muscular man covered in tattoos as far as I could tell from the loose fitting navy blue t-shirt he had on. He wore casual grey slacks that fit him very well, and I could tell he was probably in his mid-forties with the soft laugh lines on the corners of his golden brown eyes, and his peppering of grey in his otherwise stark black hair.

I smiled at him and replied, “I just can’t believe how big they can really get. It’s intimidating a little bit.” And gave a soft chuckle.

He smiled back a warm and amused smile and offered out his hand, “I’m Christopher, I’ll be heading the tour that I think you’re a part of? You flew out early so I figured I would make sure you got your bearings and had everything you think you’ll need for the tour starting in a few days.”

Wow, I did remember reading something on the site about having a liason or contact to help everyone get booked at the same places, so they asked to have a copy of everyone’s itinerary of when they fly out. This is finally feeling real and I’m getting excited all over again.

“I’m Victoria or Tori, I go by either. I just figured I would fly out a few days early, stock up on travel items or things you may think I will need, I’ve never been here before but I knew I had to come and experience something new.”

I gave him a big smile as we shook hands.

He looked at me and continued,

“Alright, so I figured you knew what hotel to check into. We made sure it was the same one everyone would be staying in the first night before we travel.”

He starts as he starts leading me over to baggage claim.

I keep listening as I start waiting for my back to pop up.

“We have shuttles from this airport to bring you there, the touring group has blocked off certain rooms for our guests so they are all near each other, we are all going to get to know each other very well on this trip.”

I smiled thinking about the chance to meet some new people.

If they were all as nice as Christopher it was going to be an awesome trip.

“From certain places we will be traveling in close quarters. The staff have vehicles large enough to fit small groups of 2 or 3 members, every Alaskan knows that the best way to see the most wildlife is to travel and drive. I can’t begin to tell you how many times I have seen bears and moose just on the sides of the roads in areas. There is something about seeing that in it’s natural habit that just makes the soul happy.”

I loved that Christopher loved what he did. I thought about what he said about small groups as I saw my bag start towards me. I grabbed it off the conveyor belt and turned back towards Christopher.

“If we will be traveling in groups of 2 or 3, how many staff members are there? Or I guess how big is the group that’s touring like me?”

Christopher ran his fingers through his hair as he appeared to be thinking.

“Well you came more towards the end of the most peak touring season, where we’re getting more cold weather, so your group is smaller than average. I think there are 10 tourists total.”

Smaller than I expected but not too crazy, there will probably be about 5 more staff members to add to that, about 15 new people I’ll be getting to know, plus the ones I will meet along the way. I normally wasn’t one to put myself out there, but I made a vow that this trip would push me past my comfort zone and I was serious about it. I was ready for an adventure.

“Well Chris, that sounds awesome. When are the others supposed to fly in? I’m excited about getting to know everyone,” I said, as I smiled again.

“Well, I know that we have one more flight coming in tonight that has 3 of our members flying in. I guess they had the same idea as you did by flying in early to get settled. Hey, you’re from Oregon, right?”

“Yeah, a very small town in Central Oregon, we have amazing nature scenes down there too. That’s why I’m so excited to see everything here. I know there’s nothing that compares to it up here.”

“Well, as an Alaskan myself, I thank you for your compliments on our greenery.”

He gave a hearty laugh following.

“Anyways, I think the three gentlemen flying in tonight are from Southern Idaho, your neighbors!”

Oh, well that was cool, although if I’m being honest, I hope people from other parts of at least this country will be coming, maybe even someone from another country. But I was excited to meet these three regardless.

“They’re three brothers. I guess they own a good portion of land and many companies down there and they wanted to come explore somewhere completely different and new. I think they’re all probably around your age. The oldest being about 32 or 33 if I remember right.”

I perk up hearing it’s 3 men about my age. Maybe this trip will be more fun than I thought.

Oh my God Tori stop it with the gutter mind. I blush to myself and clear my throat to calm myself down. It really had been too long I guess.

I looked back at Chris and he didn’t seem to notice, just kept talking about all of the things we would be doing as he walked me toward the shuttle to the hotel. We both got on and made our way about 10 minutes to the Marriott and he helped me get checked into my room. All of the members got king suites and as he walked me to the section of suites we would all be staying in, he told me everything near us.

Apparently, the hotel has a restaurant and a bar, along with a poolside bar that was now heated during this time of year as it got colder and covered by a glass dome right in the center of the hotel layout. There was complimentary breakfast in the mornings, a gym, a sauna room, an indoor pool next to the sauna, and the concierge up front that would help point me to wherever I wanted or needed to go while still in Anchorage.

I thanked him for all of his help and told him I wanted to take a shower and possibly go down and get a drink at the bar. He told me he planned on taking a short nap before heading over to the airport at about 7 to get the next 3 guys.

With that, I waved goodbye and shut my door.

I looked around and was amazed at the room in front of me. It had a small but comfortable living room area with an electric fireplace, a huge Jacuzzi tub right off in the corner, still in view of the giant mounted TV on the wall above the fireplace. An impossibly soft looking king-sized bed in the room, the most comfortable couch I have ever sat on in my life by the fireplace.

I couldn’t believe it as I walked around getting my bearings. I peaked in on the bathroom and was no less impressed to see the super fancy shower with 3 shower heads strategically placed and the huge panel of controls.

I unpacked some of my supplies, like my makeup, in the bathroom since I would be here a few days before traveling and I put the clothes in the closet.

I grabbed one of their incredibly soft towels from the rack and stripped down as I got the water in the shower at the right temperature. I grabbed my mini bottles of my favorite shampoo and conditioner I brought, my coco bean and mocha scented sugar scrub, and my warm vanilla body oil in with me and was so ready to finally be able to enjoy a full shower after traveling.