The pack was no longer quiet and peaceful by the time we returned. Everyone seemed to have been informed by the upcoming trial of one of their own, and a sense of unsettled range dominated the werewolves. They don't like when they are persecuted like this, especially when they are known for causing little to no trouble, comparing to other monsters. A group of woman were chatting on the veranda as we were approaching the entrance of the house I left this morning. One of them seemed particularly engaged in the conversation, gesturing wildly and vocalizing perfectly the frustration everyone seemed to give off.
"I have to keep myself away from the city until this mess clears off," she sighs in exasperation and lifts her cup of tea. "I may be tempted to kick the asses of every hunter I see because of this shit they give us."
"And what bad timing for Asher," talks another girl and recognise her as my former colleague, Haven. "The quarterfinals are this weekend. He can't be caught up in the hunters' stupid trial."
"I liked Phoebe's idea about giving the hunters a real reason to have us coming to their stupid trials." Talks a blonde girl, her hazel eyes stone cold as she speaks. "Do they still have those idiotic bracelets that give off that annoying buzzing sound every time we go past them?"
"Only the trainees wear them," I enter their conversation, enjoying the way all their faces dropped when they saw me standing on the porch beside them. Asher was been holding my waist the whole way here, and I left him because I wanted him to know that I'll help you with the upcoming trial my mother is dragging him to. If someone should be charged for anything, then it should be the unscrupulous fairy that causes all this fuss. If she didn't decide to steal my bike and play 'catch-me-if-you-can' with me and Will, my life would still be a mess but at least one I can handle. I'm not strong enough to protect the whole Boulder community of shapeshifters from my mother's wicked games; I can't even evade them myself.
"Well, I guess Chase won the bet: the huntress returned." Says the first girl, smiling at me like she didn't just proclaim her hate for hunters. "Chase told me you didn't remember him when you guys met, so I'll reintroduce myself. I'm Phoebe Durmont, nice to see you again, Adeline."
"I remember now. You were at my mother's art exposition in Paris last year." I tell her then turn to a quiet girl sitting next to the bitter blonde. "And you are Sharyn Heath. You and your fiancé bought one of the few paintings I actually liked."
"Well, it ended up being a wedding gift from the DeGreys." She says and smiles brightly to me, a reaction I'm not used to receiving after someone told me that they have met my family. "I'd tell you to send your mother my regards, but maybe after the sandstorm goes. I'm sure you're not on the best term with her now when she is prosecuting your mate."
"How comes that everyone found out so quickly?" I asked Asher, completing ignoring Sharyn's last words. People around here seem to know more things that I do and I feel disadvantaged.
"Word travels fast among shifters." He explains, motioning me to walk forward to the door, but suddenly I'm not so sure if I'm feeling like staying in the pack. After all, everyone around here seems eager to pick a fight with a hunter, especially one from my family. I may have agreed to help Asher with this whole mess, but I can do this from the safety of my dorm. It's not egocentricity, but mild self-preservation. I'm of no use if I'm dead, right?
"It's called pack telepathy." Further explains Phoebe as I sit like a stone in place, not moving a centimetre to the door. Asher was on the verge of picking me up and carrying me inside, but I guess he knew what show I'd give if he did such a thing. I'm never going down without a battle. "You see, when we enter a pack, we don't just move our things there and start sharing training fields with other wolves. As long as the Alpha permits us to be here, they are our family."
"So no one stays on the pack, except members approved by your leader?" I quickly ask and I'm not entirely sure if it was of fear or cowardice. Okay, of course, it's both: I'm scared of this whole pack chasing me out of its territories because their Alpha surely won't let a hunter stay; I'm trying to find a way out of this situation that gets worse as seconds pass by.
"Alpha Taylor knows you're here, dear." Says Asher before I even try to turn around and go back to the city. I'm shocked by the way he read my thoughts and Phoebe's words about pack telepathy come back to me. Is it possible that, because their Alpha apparently accepted my stay here, I'm mentally linked to them as any other member of the pack? That would be plain horrible: everyone will fucking know my demented thoughts I'm even ashamed of admitting to myself that I'm having.
Damn it! I swear in my mind, very loudly. Suddenly I lift my eyes to see if anyone reacted to my shout, but the girls were back to their chattering. Asher was looking like he was waiting for me to cut the drama and keep walking and I let out a sigh. Although I'm pretty sure now that I'm free of the hellish mental link this pack is sharing, I'm feeling so let down by the fact that I'm becoming so transparent to Asher. He shouldn't be able to read my intentions so well, he should have a hard time figuring me out. It's a huge drawback to have in my situation.
I reluctantly agreed to enter the mansion, finding myself in the same living room I've left in the morning. As we were approaching the stairs, a voice shouts from the entrance. "Adeline!" Says Phoebe, standing in by the open door. "I'm sure Asher didn't tell you, but there is a party tonight in the pack. The wolves celebrate Ancestors' Day today and the girls and I are going to the mall for some shopping. Do you want to come with us?"
"What is Ancestors' Day?" I ask because I already know that I'll refuse to accompany them to the mall. First of all, I don't know them and I don't think I want to. And secondly, I hate malls and shopping. But I am always curious about holidays that supernaturals practice, especially because my family is not religious and I have always been deprived by things like Christmases, Easter or any other celebration. My parents believe these days are just excuses for having paid days-off.
"Well, in shifters' tradition, every new moon preceding our Alpha's birthday we celebrate our ancestors, the departed members of our families. Legend says that for every star that brights on the night sky, an Ancestor is happy about our current Alpha. At sun fall, the whole pack will have dinner together and when the new moon peaks, we turn and run into the forest. We observe the stars, congratulate the Alpha then we are given the next day off. That's when the old people go home and we stay to party in the woods."
I saw how Phoebe was becoming more excited with every word, this is why I was feeling just a little bad because I had to turn her down. Not only that I'm in no mood for a party, but I doubt I'll fit right amongst a pack of werewolves, howling at the moon and dancing in the woods. "Sounds great, but I'll have to decline. Given the circumstances, I'd just spoil your mood." I say, truthfully. "But thank you for the invitation. I really appreciate it, Phoebe."
And although I only spoke the truth, I knew I saddened the girl by the way she half-smiled at me and quietly disappeared from sight. "Don't even say it," I tell Asher as I start going up the stairs. I was happy to leave the ground floor because there were way too many people there. I've tried my best to ignore the fact that the house is not as empty as it was this morning, but I can't anymore. I'm even more annoyed by the fact that the upper levels seem to be just as crowded by people running around, hurrying up and down the stairs with plates of foods, clothes or flowers.
"Unfortunately, we still need to go to the dinner," Asher tells me, just as I avoid a boy that runs past me, carrying a ton of white cloth. "Alpha Taylor specifically requested for our attendance."
"Our? — As in I am invited to your wolfy holiday? Why, though?" I ask, following Asher to the bedroom I've woken up today and entering it as I was waiting for his answer.
"Because you are my mate, of course." He says, getting rid of his jacket and tossing it on a nearby chair.
"He didn't really discuss that." I remind him and I sit on the end of the bed, ready to finally clear the air about this thing he insists on. "Look, Asher, I only told my mother that we are mates so she wouldn't believe that you are the one who attacked Will. I was more than ready to blame some monster I would hunt down by sunrise. I could even say that we were attacked by the vampires I've seen this morning."
"And why would you do this?" He asks plainly and I frown because I don't understand his question. "Why would you help me? After all, I'm the one who attacked Will. Why would you help me get away with my crime?"
"Because you don't deserve to be put on trial for this," I answer quickly, not even thoroughly analyzing his questions.
"But I do, Aline. I'm the monster who got your partner a visit to the ER. Why do you help me?"
"You're not a monster, Asher. And stop asking me these questions, they are silly." I didn't see why he was questioning my motives. Why wouldn't I help him?
"It feels natural to help me, to be with me?" He asks and I suddenly fall from the cloud I was staying on, face-landing on the cruel reality.
Like I just wake up from a dream, I start analyzing the situation I'm in: I'm with the Lycan who attacked Will last night, trying to help him elude the trial for his actual crime against a hunter; we are sitting in his room, after I agreed to accompany him back to the back I've tried to escape this morning when I should be on a plane back to England, as my mother wished.
Oh yeah, and I told my racist mother that I'm basically dating a supernatural. I love my life...
"When the hell did I lost my sense of reality?" I say aloud, although I meant for it to stay inside my head. I replay the day in my head and realise that the madness slowly installed following the day's events: waking up in his bed, our talk and the kiss, my encounter with the vampires he saved me from, the trip to the city and finally, when he stood up for me in front of my mother. He definitely earned some points by confronting the Gorgon.
"You didn't lose anything," he says, coming closer to me. "You're starting to find that connection that I recognised the moment I saw you. I don't know what obscured it, but I'm glad it's wearing off."
"It's not," I reassure him, moving away and getting up to face him. "We are not mates, Asher. You've got the wrong girl, you have to let me go."
"Quit denying it, Aline." He replies in a second, advancing a few steps before me. "I'm going to prove to you that I'm not joking about it."