Escaping Death

Solana

I can't believe I'm actually back here at their house, and by choice. As soon as I went upstairs after seeing Hunter and Ace, I snuck out the bathroom window, hopped on my bike and drove off back to Caligo.

My mom doesn't scare me often, probably because we're practically the same person, but when I walked back into the club she pinned me immediately.

"This isn't a game, Solana." She whispered in my ear. She had me pinned up against the wall by my throat, the surprise of her speed sucked all the air out of my lungs so I wouldn't last much longer pinned there like I was.

"Your fathers will kill those boys because you're too proud to let them do their job, and their blood will be on your hands." She released her grip and I finally was able to breathe in fresh air.

"Do I need to remind you what happened the last time I snuck off on my own because I was too proud?" She asked me with a softer tone, shutting down any rebuttal I could ever provide.

"Going back with them is literally worse than going home." I grit out through clenched teeth.

"What happened, Sol? Help me understand why you won't come home."

My shoulders sagged in defeat and I shook my head. I'm trapped between a rock and a hard place. Return to a home where I have no place and people hate me for what happened, or go back to the guys...where I have to face the guy who broke my heart and my mate under the same roof.

"Your dads are looking for me, so what's it going to be?" Mom asked me.

"I'll just go back with them." I muttered.

Mom laughed at my obvious irritation. "Sol, there are worse things than being cooped up with five gorgeous guys who are devoted to your well-being. Try to see the positives." She pulled me in for a quick hug and then took off.

I linger in front of the house, sitting astride my bike trying to figure out how I ended up here — how my life ended up here. It's a cruel joke for the Goddess to shove me under the same roof as Hunter.

And then there's Ace.

My wolf, Shae, keeps harping on how moanable his name is. His name starts as a flame spreading across my skin and ends in a cool chill that electrifies my senses.

But he walked out on me and the rest of his pack the second he met me. He walked out on his mate just as easily as Hunter walked out on me. So what am I supposed to think? Why would I want to be back here?

Ahh! I rip off my helmet and fly up to the roof so I can sneak back in through the window I snuck out from earlier. I'm surprised that a group of five grown men live in a house with only one bathroom.

It's a modest home, it's not flashy or designed to impress. It's functional. The furniture and decor are a hodgepodge of styles, colors, and patterns. And although nothing matches, it's oddly fitting of their pack. Because, like their furniture, these guys are a hodgepodge of people.

Some dragons, some wolves, and no obvious pack hierarchy besides Ace. His scent alone screams Alpha, or maybe that's just because he's my mate...it's hard to tell.

There's something peculiar about him, it's almost like a familiarity but not in a matebond way. More in the sense of kindred spirits than soulmates. I'm sure I'll figure it out soon enough.

I'd kill for a shower right now, or a good long soak to scrub this fucking day off my skin. But it's late and I'd rather avoid running into any of the guys again for the rest of the night.

I didn't pack much with me in my bag. Mom said it would be two days, three tops. I believe those were her exact words. I've stretched my woefully sparse wardrobe as far as I can so now I have to choose between sleeping in nothing, or stealing something from one of their rooms.

As the daughter of two Alphas I do have some heightened senses, smell and hearing being two of them. And though they're not as strong as my dads', it's strong enough for me to know that all five of the guys are still downstairs.

I take this opportunity to pick a room, making me feel a bit like Goldilocks. The first room has two full size beds so instead of one guy I'd be dealing with two. The second has one full size bed and a set of bunk beds, I didn't figure grown men had use for bunk beds— but then again who's to say they're not man-children masquerading as men. The third and last bedroom is large with one king size bed inside.

There's no bed frame, just a mattress on top of upcycled wooden pallets. There's a navy blue bed spread atop grey sheets that are drenched in Ace's scent of warm amber and sandalwood. Without thinking too much of it, I strip out of my shorts and bra, leaving my panties and tank top on to sleep in.

Ace can sleep on the couch. Serves him right.

— — —

Ace

"We move forward tomorrow as planned, Sol doesn't change anything." I confirm with the guys now that the shock of figuring out how to protect Sol and hunt Nightshade has faded.

Tate taps away on his computer whilst Dean and Eli break for the kitchen. Just then a waft of her scent floods my senses, my body warms from the inside out, and Grey begins to purr, finally able to settle down now that we know she's back home.

She's survived so far on her own, despite the lucrative bounty that will have everyone crawling over each other to cash in. Either she's truly that skilled in survival, or she's reckless.

Her scent continues to taunt me as I hear her lingering from door to door assessing our home. Gods, her scent is driving me insane, mostly because it's not one I can name but I feel like I ought to be able to because it's so familiar in so many ways.

Hunter is sitting on the couch opposite me so I have a very clear view of his hands twirling one of his blades around mindlessly, using every ounce of restraint to keep himself on the couch and from running upstairs to my mate.

Jealousy scurries up the back of my neck making my hairs stand on end. Jealous that he's known her for nearly a century and in that time he's witnessed her every smile, wiped away every tear, protected her and loved her...and fucked her.

A feral growl rips itself from my chest earning me a confused look from Hunter and a side eye from Tate.

"You good, man?" Hunter asks and guilt gnaws at me because though I've known him the least amount of time, he's been more of a brother than a beta to me. The five of us were drawn together, something in each of us recognizing something in the others.

"Her scent," I groan. "It's sweet like lemongrass but earthier and I can't place it. It's aggravating."

"Vetiver," Tate supplies. I forgot for a moment that he was still here. He's stealthy like that, spending more time in the shadows than in the light.

"He's right. Vetiver grass, it's in the same family as lemon grass and grows near the lakes in the Grove."

"Hmm," smoke billows from my nose as I grunt. "Well whatever it is, it's suffocating."

Lie.

It's anything but suffocating, it's intoxicating, addicting. I want to shower myself in it.

I shake off the thought and any desire I felt is swiftly replaced by irritation that her scent alone could affect me the way it does. She hasn't said a single word to me and she's already driving a wedge between our pack.

The irritation swells when I find her in my bed. While I'm glad she isn't in anyone else's bed, I'm aggravated that she had to infiltrate my space with her scent. It'll take me a week to air the place out.

No. That's not it. Not entirely at least.

I take a step closer to her and discover what really bothers me about her scent.

Eli's scent is all over her.

Which means that he had his hands on her, on what's mine. A low growl bubbles up from the depths of my chest and rumbles out past my snarled lip.

Solana whimpers in her sleep, her wolf sensing my displeasure. Grey is pissed off that we're the reason she's whimpering and immediately I find myself backing down.

But that fucking shirt has to go.

I won't have my mate in my bed wearing another man's scent, even if it is a man I consider to be like family.

I tug my shirt over my head and kneel on my bed behind her sleeping frame. I tear her tank top down the back with my talon and watch the delicate fabric slip from her silken skin.

Gently, I slip my shirt over her head, lifting her up so I can get her arms in without exposing her to me unwillingly. I slide my shirt the rest of the way down her body until it's covering her hips and most of her panties.

That's better.

I know it's a fucking mistake, but maybe I can allow myself just this one night. One night to pretend like she doesn't threaten everything I've built, one night to pretend like she has a place with me and in our pack.

I lay behind her and pull her close to me, her warmth matching mine in intensity. She moans softly, turning her head and exposing her elegant neck to me.

"You can't moan like that, Solana," I whisper against her ear, pulling her tighter to me so I can feel her ass pressing against my hardening length.

Tonight she can be mine, but tomorrow it's back to business.

— — — — —

Can anything good come from this?

Or will they clash until someone gets burned?

Vote, comment, see you Thursday!