Chapter 15: The Waterhole

**Chapter 15**

Matt and Lauren were quiet for a few minutes, listening to what Matt had been playing on his phone connected to the car’s sound system.

Matt had changed his music type recently, he had been so depressed lately, he couldn’t listen to any of his country without wanting to hang himself. Instead, he started to listen to instrumentals, or lo fi music lately. Ones that inspired an inner peace he needed.

At least when he wasn’t training, then he was listening to some type of rock music or some type of electro hip hop. There were still a few country songs he could listen to, but they were more country hip hop and country rock. None of them were his usual sad ballads, they were all upbeat and moving, some funky and downright funny.

The warm air sweetened with the abundance of different flowering plants, trees, and bushes all over their Pack’s land. The air felt good as it rushed around and past Lauren and Matt. Lauren felt wrapped in a sense of peace, one she only felt when the wind was rushing past her like this. Matt felt more connected to the earth when he could feel the elements like this.

There had been a recent rain, bringing the smell of damp fertile earth and wet tree bark mixed in with the floral scents. It was early enough after the rain, most of the fauna would still be tucked away, in their dens or wherever they took shelter from the elements.

“Are you ready to talk now?” Matt asked Lauren in a soft voice.

The peace Lauren had been immersed in, felt like it completely evaporated at Matt’s question. They were on one of the highways heading towards the outskirts of the Moonstar, and eventually, out of the Pack’s territory. There was an outer highway that encompassed all of the individual territories within the Pack.

It went over, under, around and through, with roads leading off into each Clan’s lands. With other roads that split off, those roads would lead the way out of Pack lands in different directions. Matt was heading to the outer highway, it was a really long, round about way to get to the Heartsong Training Arena.

Going this way could take almost an hour and a half if Matt really wanted to stretch it. Matt wanted to give Lauren plenty of time to talk about what was keeping her from sleeping. Although, he had an idea, judging by the expression that was crossing Lauren’s face now.

A tear rolled down Laurens cheek, she felt so ashamed of the things she was feeling….craving. The one thing she had wanted when she was a young teen, was to make sure she remained pure and untouched for her future mate. Sarah had taken that away from her.

Matt saw the tear when he took another glance at her. “I won’t judge you Lauren…not ever.” Matt’s tone expressed the sincerity of his words. “I hope you know that.” Matt added almost pleadingly.

Using one hand, Lauren wiped the tear off her face, then went back to hugging her waist with both arms. “I hate what she did to me…what she made me do…I hate it.” Lauren said, her angry words holding a suppressed sob.

“Talk to me Lauren.” Matt demanded in a soft voice, his tone gentle.

“My skin crawls with need now, she made me addicted to it. I resist, but it feels like I’m going to go insane from the need.” Lauren said, tears of frustration were rolling freely down her cheeks now. “She would have me submit to the Doms at the club she forced me to go to, and always more than one, no less than two.”

Matt’s heart broke for Lauren, and his hatred for Sarah grew. Sarah had made him go to those clubs more than once as well. Sarah had gotten off on forcing him to watch as she was stuffed full and fucked in every way possible.

Sarah liked four or five men at a time, and always with an audience. His skin crawled, Sarah basically had Lauren submit to being raped until she learned to crave what they were doing to her.

“If I could, I'd tear that disgusting female into as many bloody pieces as possible.” Matt growled.

Lauren let out a laugh that was almost a sob. Her tears finally stopped after he growled those words. Vicious though they may be, they brought Lauren a lot of comfort.

Still she wanted to remind her friend, “You’ll have to get in line behind Alora and her mate.”

There was a grim satisfaction for Lauren, in knowing that as soon as Sarah appeared anywhere, she would immediately face a painful retribution. Before Sarah would even be allowed to be sent to her death.

Matt chuckled darkly. “Yeah, she’s going to be one sorry wolf when they get ahold of her.”

Matt and Lauren rode in silence for another ten minutes, then Matt decided to try and help out Lauren. “Have you thought of going to the therapist Alora, Beatrice and Agatha are going to?”

Lauren let out a sigh, she didn’t really want to go telling a stranger all about her business. It made her uncomfortable and extremely self conscious. “I’ve thought about it.” she said reluctantly.

“I think it would be good for you.” Matt commented.

“What about you?” Lauren asked him.

Matt flinched, ‘Yeah, what about him?’ he asked himself. He had been told he should probably see the therapist as well, but he hadn’t yet. Probably for the same reasons Lauren had.

“Maybe we both should start going.” Matt grumbled.

Lauren looked at Matt with a look that said, ‘You're not serious are you?’. “Why?” she asked, her tone saying the same thing her expression did.

“Look, we both have issues that were caused by Sarah, maybe if we talk to this lady, it'll help us better work through them.” Matt said imploringly.

Lauren glared at him for a moment, but she couldn’t really refute his words. Because she had been wondering the same thing herself a time or two lately. “I don’t know if I could talk to her, not really.” Lauren finally said, her tone strained.

Matt chanced a quick look at Lauren, looking at her expression. It seemed to him that she did want help, but didn’t want to seek a stranger for that help. “Have you thought of talking to Agatha, Beatrice or Alora about this. I’m sure all three would listen.” Matt told her.

“No,” she said, then looked out at the passing world around them.

The distinctive combination gas station, corner store, fresh food market, and restaurant on the outskirts of the Heartsong’s lands, came into view. It marked the start of the Heartsong’s territory.

“Want to get something to eat and a coffee?” Matt asked Lauren, seeing the large, ‘The Waterhole, Market Restaurant & Fuel Station’ sign.

Lauren thought for a moment, but the audible growl of her stomach made the decision for her. “Yeah.” Lauren said with a wry grin.

Matt chuckled. “Alright food it is, might as well fuel up while I’m at it.” Matt’s Shelby was only one of two cars he had, he didn’t always use it because of its horrendous fuel mileage.

He had another car, a recent purchase, this one was a blue Lexus LC500 convertible. He didn’t know whether or not he would keep his Shelby or not. This was the first time he’d driven it in months, nowadays he usually drove the new Lexus or his blue Jeep Wrangler Rubicon 4xe.

He also had his motorcycle, a 30th anniversary edition of a Harley Fat Boy Cruiser. It was nothing like Laurens motorcycles, she had a dark gray Kawasaki Ninja H2R, and a black Suzuki GSX1300R Hayabusa. Lauren really liked speed, even her car was fast, a black and red Mercedes Benz SLR 722 Roadster.

You had three different fuel pump stations in front of the Waterhole. One was for regular gasoline powered vehicles, it had all the grades and diesel. Twenty feet separate these pumps from the Natural gas pumps. Another twenty feet and it was the electric car fast charging ‘pumps’.

The Heartsong Mansion was only thirty minutes away, so this place could get very busy. Matt parked at a gasoline pump. “Let's get the gas started and then we’ll go inside for food and drink.”

Matt used his phone to start the pump, shifter’s had taken to this new form of payment like fish to water. This was because it was difficult to carry a lot of things when in wolf form. They had specially designed pouches they carried to tuck things into when they shifted. The less they had to carry the better.

The pump going, Matt and Lauren head into the Waterhole. Walking in Matt saw the familiar face of Donnie, the Waterhole owner's youngest pup. Donnie along with his mother, and a couple other siblings, ran and managed the place.

Matt and Lauren didn’t talk much as they went in the store except to order their coffee, breakfast, and to say a “Thank you” and a “Have a nice day,” to Donnie. Then they were on their way out the door back to the car.

By the time they were done, the car had finished filling up. So all Matt had to do was put the pump up, screw the gas cap back on and close the flap and they were on their way again.

Lauren took a sip of her coffee and closed her eyes, letting out a moan of appreciation. Matt Laughed, “That good huh?” He asked her teasingly.

Lauren nodded her head and let out an “mhum.” as she took another sip of her super tasty coffee. Matt laughed again, thinking, ‘Who needs words when they have tasty coffee to drink.’

****Author's Note: Please visit my Facebook fan page 'DizzyIzzyN's Heartsong Saga' for current information ****

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