SWNOVELS Chapter 59
Night falls upon us and I sigh in relief. This means that I am closer to leaving this hell of a place. But at the moment I am counting down the minutes until everyone decides that it is time to head to bed.
The fire is dying down and everyone seems to have fallen into a comfortable silence.
There was a lot of us to start but at the moment it is Andrew, Angie, Ken, Blondie, Hunter, and I. The stars are bright and the moon is full lighting up our surrounding.
“Mel, can I talk to you?” Andrew seems hesitant and I narrow my eyes at him. My head is resting on Hunter's shoulder as his arm curls around my waist trying to keep me warm.
“Sure,” Hunter reluctantly releases me as I head to Andrew. Andrew pulls me away from the group to a secluded area, wanting to be alone. Angie starts saying something but Andrew does not allow me to hear it.
“I saw that you marked Hunter and I wanted to know how you did it.” He whispers but I know that we are far from earshot of anyone we were with.
His question mildly shocks me he wants to know what happens beforehand.
“What do you mean? You want to mark Angie.” I smile at him happy for my best friend.
“Yes. I want to and I know that she has been throwing hints my way but I don’t want...” he stops and looks at me with pain in his eyes.
You know where he is going with this right.
“You don’t want the same thing to happen to you that happen to me.” He nods, “don’t worry this was Hunter and my powers I think that you’ll be fine marking her and easier since she is your mate.”
“Okay, we’ll see.” The relief in his face makes me laugh.
"You okay?" Even though he tries to laugh to relieve his fear I can still see it in his eyes.
"Honestly," he sighs, "I am terrified."
"You shouldn't be. Wolves have been doing this for years."
"Yes but I am not them. What if I can't make her happy? She makes me so happy that it hurts. I am scared that I cannot be the man and wolf that she needs in her life."
"Oh," I have no idea where he got this from.
"Hell, I wasn't good enough for my parents. I went after my mother when I lost control." His body shakes the pain in his mind rips through mine.
"Woah," I grab his trembling shoulders, "You are not your parents. You are you and no one compares you to your father. Not on my watch. Not even yourself. Angie is a lucky girl to have someone like you by her side."
"You honestly think so?" He pouts.
"Why else do you think I love you more than just a friend. You're my brother. Andrew, don't ever think that you're not good enough for someone, especially your mate. Now don't be sad if she rejects your proposal to mark her. She might not be ready but you said she's been throwing hints your way then do it. Do it for you and her are ready. It is a two-way street."
"Okay."
"Are you ready to mark her?" I ask as my hands drop from his shoulders.
"I have been ready to mark her from the first day I met her and didn't know she was my mate." A smile shakenly spreads across his lips and I know deep down he is ready for this.
"Then go for it."
Andrew and I walk back and just as we see the group Ken steps out from the trees.
“Alpha,” he nods his head.
“Beta,” I retort.
“I wanted to know if I can also talk to you.” His eyes go to the group and they seem to close for comfort.
“Sure I guess.” He walks a bit further away from the group asking me with his eyes to follow him. I do.
We head into the trees until Ken feels like there is enough distance between the group and us.
Everyone is being so secretively today.
“We’re friends right?” His question makes me stop.
What kind of question is that?
“Umm, I guess.” I am not sure if we are friends. He is Hunter’s beta but other than that we hardly spend time together or talk for that matter.
“I need to talk to someone and I can’t talk to Andrew because he is all head over heels with Angie. My alpha is...just no. All I have left is you. You seem more grounded.”
“What do you want?”
“I don’t want to be with Kimberly.”
“Kimberly? Oh, Blondie,” I shrug.
That’s her name.
“And?”
“I want to break up with her.”
“I didn’t know that you two were dating. Just do it. Why string her along you know that there is nothing there? She should know that plus you two are not mates...are you?” Hunter would have said something by now.
“No, we’re not but she wants to be mated with someone that has a shot of becoming an alpha.”
She’s going after power.
“That’s stupid. Just because you’re a beta doesn’t mean that you will become an alpha. No offense.”
“None taken.”
“A lot can happen you can lose your beta position for several reasons.” I point out and he does not seem happy with this approach.
Ken nods, he knows I am right.
“I know but she seems to be set on it and I just wanted to know that you wouldn’t see as an âsshole for dumping her here of all places.”
“No, I wouldn’t. I would think of you as an âsshole if you did this longer than it needs to be.”
“Thank you alpha.”
“Beta,” he chuckles and walks off I follow him and I see Hunter is talking to Andrew. I walk up to them and he does not break their conversation as I wrap my arms around his waist. My cheek press into his shoulder as I peer over it and look at Andrew.
Andrew chuckles as Hunter squirms out of my hold and I frown.
"Why..." I start to say Hunter but he wraps his arm around my shoulder pulling me around him and presses me closer to him.
"Oh geez," Andrew rolls his eyes as Hunter presses a gentle kiss on my forehead. Peering up at him I can see it in his eyes, he is exhausted.
“Maybe we should head to bed,” I say to Hunter and he nods stifling a yawn.
“Let’s go!”
I say goodbye to everyone as Hunter yells his farewell to everyone’s general direction. There is a mumble of goodbyes. Hunter and I walk back to the castle he pulls me closer to him as a cold breeze passes through us.
“It’s been a long day.” He nods and his eyes grow heavy.
“I’m exhausted.” We make our way to our bedroom. I let Hunter use the restroom first. As usual, he comes out with his pajama bottoms. I wait for him at the edge of the bed as he makes his way to me, “Are you going to get ready for bed?”
I nod and he nods along with me.
Hunter kisses my forehead and slowly moves down to my lips. His kiss is gentle at first but just as I am about to lean into him he pulls away. “I’ll see you in bed soon.”
"Ass," I whisper as he shrugs.
Getting off the bed he climbs in as I walk towards the bathroom. I can hear him stretch out and groan sleepily. Closing the door quietly I stand by the door for a few minutes there is nothing but silence on the other side.
Switching the light switch off I open the door and I can hear Hunter’s soft snoring. Walking through the room is easy especially with Hunter out like a light.
That was the easy part. Get ready for the nocturnal Butler.
I know he seems to be in the wrong place at the wrong time.
I creep to the door and open it, “What the...” A masked man stands before the door. A damp cloth covers my mouth and the smell infuse within it is sweet and making me groggy.
Shit!
I mumble against the cloth as my eyes grow heavy.
Melany, shift!
I can’t.
My body grows heavy and the man catches me before I hit the ground. I try to struggle in his arms but my eyes are growing heavy as well as my body.
Fight him off. That asshole drugged you!
You don’t say! My respond is full of sarcasm but fear grips the pit of my stomach.
The darkness swallows me as my body suddenly feels light as a feather. My body sways and I know that the man is going to who knows where.
“Hand me the cloth.”
“No, she’ll wake on her own.”
“I said that I want to talk to her...now!” The man’s voice is harsh.
“Yes, master.”
I can hear someone scuffling away as there is another person close to me. I can hear their breathing and wheezing.
When you open your eyes don’t hesitate and shift, understand!
The numbing sensation envelopes my entire body and I feel as if I am not in my own body.
What did he do to me?
This drug isn’t going to allow you to shift!
A shiver runs through my body.
“It’s almost time,” the voice is clearer now than before and I know that I am about to wake up.
“I knew that the chloroform wouldn’t last too long. An alpha’s spirit won’t let her stay down.”
Chloroform?
My lungs suddenly feel as if they are burning and I am not breathing. My eyes snap open as I stare into a burning bright light bulb gasping for air. I close my eyes but the light lingers even behind my eyelids.
“There she is.” The voice sounds familiar but I cannot put a face to it. The light is burning my irises as I turn to face the man before me. I feel as if all the air in me is sucked out.
“You!”
What the hell? Of all people him!