"Is that all of your stuff?" Niss had asked Astor as she put his duffle bag in the trunk of the luxurious car that had brought them there. Astor realized the logo immediately, feeling already uncomfortable by the price of the vehicle he was getting into. He was never the guy to admire those things, he liked simplicity most of the time so when he nodded at Niss and sat in the back seat of the car he sighed.
The leather of the seats was soft and he felt comfortable with how much leg space there was. It had been only a few hours since when he tried to kill his brother. As his anger subsided he returned to his numb state, wondering for a while how was it even possible for him to do something like that. He had definitely overpowered him, something he could easily blame on the element of surprise but the hate he felt at that moment was still fresh, like an open wound. As he had come to his senses he found himself not liking this version of a person he had created parallel to his apathetic self. The want for revenge though still lived in his chest and in the back of his mind played Ren's words. Could he get what he wanted by going with them or was it just another trap so he would follow them quietly? Astor decided not to think of that, at least not for now since he wasn't going to get an answer anyway.
He placed his head on the window, staring outside but not looking as he went back to the events of a few hours ago. Astor had agreed to follow Ren and without a second thought, the mysterious Alpha had told him to get his things and be ready to leave today. Obviously, he didn't say goodbye to anyone, not even his stupid brother who was still unconscious in the infirmary. He would be really happy to wake up and find him gone, Astor thought with a bitter smile.
While he was gone in his thoughts Niss and Nas entered the front seats of the car, Nash taking the wheel. Then Ren followed soon after, sitting on the other seat in the back, immediately making Astor tense. He sat properly, eyes locked ahead as he didn't want to annoy him. We are not good people, that's what he had said, even though his two helpers and even him in a way had been nicer than all the werewolves he had ever met.
"Are we ready?" nash asked as he turned the key. Astor heard the car roar, its strong engine powering it and in seconds they were back on the road. Soon the compound had become just a little dot in the horizon and the forest Astor so loved was only a bunch of trees he was leaving behind.
"So how about we get to know each other? Since Astor will be joining us?" Niss said with an excited tone, clapping her hands.
"No." Ren stated, his expression serious as opened his window, letting the cold air in.
"Fine then! You don't have to participate. So, Astor let me tell you a bit about the Nightwalkers. As you may know, we have been one of the packs that moved to the bigger cities. There Ren's family started a little company that soon became big and yes some people accuse us of "illegal" things but you know what they say…everything is subjective after all. My brother and I are the Alpha's right hands, you could call us his Betas and we are also his only friends because he…"
"Niss." Ren called her name in a warning tone and she sighed. His eyes landed for a second on Astor and the way he blew in his palms, wanting to warm his hands because he felt cold. Slowly he closed his window, his yellow eyes focusing once more on the scenery outside.
"Fine, fine…he is no fun is he?" She said and turned to smile at Astor.
"Maybe he doesn't like being talked about especially when the one talking is you." Nash told her and she gasped, placing her palm in front of her mouth dramatically.
"How dare you…"
"Do you have any questions?" Nash interrupted her, looking at him through the car mirror. Astor looked around, not sure if he should ask what he was thinking. Everyone waited for an answer and he felt pressured so he decided to speak.
"I'm sorry but…why did you accept to buy me?"
"Oh, but it's not like your brother made the offer Ren was…." Niss began talking when Ren started coughing as if something was stuck on his neck. The girl looked at him with a frown. "If you're sick open the window."
"I won't open the window."
"Why not? Do you want us to get all sick?"
"I won't open it." he repeated with a clenched jaw.
"I do not want your germs…"
"Astor is cold." Nash explained. "That's why he won't open it. Now, shut up."
Astor blinked, turning his head to look at the Alpha that was sitting right next to him. He could not see Ren's face since he was facing away from him but Astor gave him a little smile anyways, appreciating the kind gesture.
"Thank you." Astor told him and he waved his hand, signaling that it didn't mean anything.
"So, moving on to our little interview. Astor tell us a little bit about yourself." Niss said and pretended to be holding a microphone in front of his face, or at least as close as she could get to him from the front seat.
"I…um…well I am nineteen years old, I grew up in the forest with my family and pack. My father was the Alpha and I also have a younger brother, the one you met…"
"Wait, he is younger than you? Then why aren't you the Alpha?" Niss asked him.
Astor wondered if he should tell them. Talk to them about everything that had happened, about how his pack viewed him. It should have been pretty obvious to them since his brother tried to seel him. His story was not a happy one and he didn't want to seem like he was asking for pity but he had never talked to outsiders and a part of him was curious as to what they thought, these werewolves that had let go of the traditional structures of the pack, that lived in the city now.
"It's because of how I look mostly. Ever since the day I was born, everyone said a werewolf looking like me was a bad omen. My hair, my eyes, my pale skin. I scared them, even my father. That's why everyone in the pack hated me. While my mother was alive they didn't touch me, they just pretended I did not exist mostly but when she died and my brother took over per my father's request, they had free pass to abuse me. Someone like me could never be an Alpha, that's what Zeth and my father had said." he told them.
The car became awfully quiet and Astor was beginning to regret his little confession. What if he had made them feel uncomfortable now? What if they realized his pack was right and started to treat him like that too?
"Bastards." Nash mumbled and Astor felt the car go faster, as if he wanted to get him as far as possible from the compound.
"Why didn't you kill him, your brother?" Ren asked, his question shocking Astor.
He had many thoughts considering this matter. He knew he should say that they were family so he could never do something like that, deep down there must be a bond somewhere that they failed to see and that he wanted to try and help him get better. The appropriate answer should be something along those lines, he was a good person after all but he couldn't lie, as hard as he tried.
"I wanted to. I wanted to kill him for a long time now but I was a coward and I was also weak, the whole pack would turn against me in the end and kill me anyway. Hiding behind the promise I gave to my mother that I would help him was the only thing I could do." Astor confessed and instantly felt a weight lift off his chest. He was so much lighter, a lot more true to himself at that moment than he had ever been before, he almost felt free.
"You didn't seem weak back there." Niss said, winking at him playfully. Astor smiled, thinking she was just trying to be polite when his eyes happened to land on Ren. His hand was resting close to the window, his fist clenched as his knuckles started to turn pale. He didn't look at him as he uttered his question, his tone harsh.
"Should I kill him for you? I can rip his heart out or cut off all of his limbs, feed him to my dogs. I can torture him for days and…"
"Ren." Nash called him, making him flinch as if he had been in a little world of his own all this time. "You will scare him."
"You are definitely scaring me." Niss joked.
"Shut up. I am going to sleep, I am tired." their Alpha said, laying back in his seat leaving Astor to stare at him all he wanted, wondering why he was talking like that and why he didn't feel the slightest bit afraid with Ren's threat.