Thirty Three

Thirty Three
~Amber.

I swallowed down the question that crept to the tip of my tongue as soon as Carmen switched to her chirpy self. She scared and intrigued me at the same time her, her ability to switch emotions scared me and she and she made me want to find out what she wss hiding about her relationship with Matthew.

We got into the mansion and was greeted by the familiar fleet of cars and well trimmed grasses and garden, a corner of Raze special garden glimmered in sunlight and I smiled at the calming sensation it brought.

"What got you all smiley like a fool?" Carmen nudged my side with a frown.

I glared back. "Nothing that concerns you."

She scoffed. "Sorry to interrupt your moment with your man special garden."

I blushed to my hair roots. "I am not "

She shrugged.

"Hey Carmen." A voice called from behind us. We turned and the look for recognition flashed in Carmen's eyes. The lady who walked, no, ran towards us was a slim lady with a good body shape. Her red hair was packed in a rough ponytail.

"Hey Amber. Nice to finally meet you in person. I'm Annie." She introduced putting her hands out for a handshake. I glanced at Carmen for her approval an was met with a stiff face that snorted at Annie

I lifted my right brows in confusion. She merely shrugged and walked back inside but not without saying a forced greeting because of my look.

I gave her a nervous smile and promised. "She woukd surely come around, give her more time okay?" Like I knew what was going on in the first place.

Annie nodded. "See you skme other time Amber."

When I got to my room, Carmen walked out of the room with a serious look on her face.

"We are going for a run tonight are you in?"

My eye widened with shock, I didn't know the pack rules but sneaking out of the packhouse is dangerous and offenders would be found in the dungeon on death roll for their death. It was no news to us smaller packs.

"You can't be serious, we would surely be punished."

She laughed. "I doubt, besides Raze can't punish you. And we obviously can't be punished for something not exposed "

She gave me a small hug and walked off, her slender legs walking stylishly out of the entrance. What the hell have I signed up to?

I pushed the door with my hands on its metallic handle.

"You're back." Ayra smiled as soon as I walked in. I frowned to see the room well arranged and prim.

"I told you to have a day off didn't I?" I asked. "I can clean myself, I'm not a kid."

Her eyes flickered up to mine. "It's the Alpha's orders, he doeesnt want you to do anything strenuous."

Were they really serious right now? A normal lady could do whatever it was that needed attention in the room. Why? I could not fully understand why Raze give such a command, I was not here to live a luxury life, I knew that. All this was just vanity and it would not take long fot my real and sad reality to be thrown on my face.

I sighed. "But you should take breaks." I was not used with soekien serving me all day long , for some reasons it irritated me. Maybe I'll put it to the fact that I have been serving all my life.

"Whats Brenda's role in this pack?" I asked out of the blues as I sat on the edge of my bed.

"I see you've met her already. You should stay away, just an advice." Ayra said with a frown.

"Why? Is she that bad?"

"Not bad. Seeing your current position in the pack he would waste no time in pouncing on you."

She already has started pouncing on me. But what I couldn't understand is what she meant by position in this pack? I swallowed my questions and laid back on my bed, feeling the warmth on my skin made me drift into sleep.

A violent knock on the door made me snap my eyes wide open, my heart thudded silently in fear. Was he here and why was he knocking in such anger?

"Amber? Won't you at least open up?" Oh, Carmen, I heaved a sigh of relief and stood to open the door. I turned back after letting her in, I still felt groggy. Sitting down on my tea table I rubbed my eyes slippily with the back of my palms.

"Whaar are you doing here this late?"I asked, relaxing into my chair.

She paused, and gave me a look of disbelief. "Are you being serious now? Have you forgotten our agreement on a night run?"

Oh. I nearly forgot about that. But was it necessary, we could stay indoors and waste away time. This is a warrior's pack for crying out loud, there could be enemies lurking around.

"Don't tell me you are changing your mind Amber." She said steely, sitting opposite before leaning forward.

"No no. But Raze would be back by now, what if he wants to see me?"

"He isn't. There is an emergency situation that made him stay longer at the main hall, Matthew and Zane went for an inspection at the pack borders and won't be back till late night. See now?" She explained, spreading her two palms on the table.

"Fine." It was useless to argue with Carmen, it would just be a lost cause. She told me to dress in black so we won't be recognized by the patrol guards, they oud probably take us for warriors going to destroy a pack.

Despite hee assurance I felt scared to my wits but I suppressed it with fake confidence. I have given enough hold to weakness in my life, maybe this is the time to step up.

We got out of my room and walked out without saying a word, I stuck closely to Carmen.

"A late night visit? How interesting!" Brenda sickening voice ran through the air.

I heard Carmen growl by my side and turned to her in fury, hee jaws clenched and her fists so tight that I feared they would burst anytime from now.

"It's none of your business Brenda."

"Oh it is. I wonder what Raze would think when he sees his new chick sneaking out to visit another man like a whore."

This was it.

"Why don't you just step back Brenda? Don't you think it's getting too much?" I asked cooly.

She scoffed. "You're in my place and you think I'll let you be? C'mon Amber, this is not your pack… you can go meet Re …"

"I won't stand a second listening to your lies and bullying remarks, get a grip over yourself and leave us alone. I won't be so nice next time!" Empty threats, I knew. But there was nothing I could do to avoid brawl between her and Carmen.

I pulled a shocked Carmen outside. The cold air gifted our skins with goosebumps. We walked to a safe spot away from the patrolling guards. Before she should speak I raised my hands and spoke first.

"I know I suck at giving sassy remarks, but it saved the day, yeah." I said. "that was all that matters."

She regarded me, her eyes dancing with amusement as she stared at me before she laughed in a low tone so as not to alert the guards.

"No girl, you actually caught me surprised. Wondered where you stole that courage or maybe this isn't you." She said laughingly. "Hey you, where is Amber and wat have you done to her?"

I smiled, and shook my head slowly. "It was just Brenda no a powerful warrior. My head aches with hard pressure and my eyes glistened in tears. My throat felt squashed and I let out hoarse couchs with my wolf threatening to break out. No, not here Riley. My eyes darted on the floor with my hands on my knees.

"Are you okay, if you want to change your mind we can head back." She said solemnly.

"N-no." I croaked out. "I need to shift, my wolf…"

My heart thumped loudly and every second that passed had my bones cracking.

Carnens eyes widened in alarm, she took me out of the courtyard to a small penthouse at the back of the mansion.

"Here you can shift now I'll keep watch." She said and I nodded in agreement.

The cold wind whoosed harshly on my face, my eyes closed. My hair flayed around in the air and I slowly gave control to Riley. It didn't take long, I leaped into the air and morphed to my werewolf. My white foot glistened under the watchful gaze of the moon.

"Wow, you are so cute Amber." She ruffled my furs in awe, shifted shyly from het hold.

"What a strong aura Princess." A new voice was made himself known, Darmac. He had a smirk in his face and i cowered backward, giving Carmen the edge to face him.

Branches crunched under Carmen's feet, she stalked forward but maintained a distance between them. Her arms were folded as she stared at him.

"What do you want Darmac?" She asked.

"An enticing scent drew me here, arousing the monster that seemed to be taunted by her scent." He said to Carmen who merely scoffed.

"You have overstepped yourself this time Darmac. Amber is no way near your class or would she ever stoop so low to your sick level."

Ouch that hurts. In as much as I wanted them to keep on bantering, I am afraid Darmac would spill out my identity to her and I didn't want that.

I tried to mindlink Carmen but she was too engrossed in her banter with him that my voice wsdnt strong in her head.

He laughs at her last remark. "You think you know her?"

My heart thumped silently against my ribcage as thise words fell out from his mouth. No, this was bad, he would let her know who I was which would to my new found relationship to get broken and having myself being killed before due time.

'Carmen! We need to leave someone's coming!' my voice finally went through, she casted me a glance before giving Darmac a sneer.

'In 3..2..1…"

We took to our heels, out of the pack gate and into the woods. The smell of pinewood filled my nose, leaves cackled under our steps. We got to large oak tree that had a bunch of roots sticking out from the ground.

I morphed back to my human form, releasing tired breaths. "That was a long run." I said through sighs.

Carmen sat on a tree trunk, her two arms on jer kneels supporting her back. "You can say that again."

I sat down on a nearby trunk our of breath and recovering from the deadly fear that crept in my stomach just a few moments ago. If he had truly revealed who I was I wondered what would have been the next roll my life would take.

"So, why does he calk you princess? Is it a normal flirt or you have met before?" She asked, breaking a tree trunk with her two hands.

"Uh- I have no idea, I am as confused as you are." I lied, avoiding he gaze like it would force me to tell the truth.

Her gaze turned serious in an instant, the moon made her grey eye glimmer. "Raze is pretty possessive, he wouldn't like the sound of that. Don't you think you should do something about it?"

My face paled at her question, doing something's bour it obviously meant meeting Darmac one on one and telling him not to call me a princess? That would be walking into hell myself, who knows he might want to take advantage of my identity and threaten me.

"That's not necessary. Raze would know who to pour is angry upon." I said instead.

"I hope so."