Chapter 15 FIRST DAY OUT
When the morning comes I have forgotten where I am. Nothing looks familiar to me and it isn't until my consciousness fully returns that the events of yesterday start flooding back into my mind. Left home...new pack...slept in Samuel's room.
Samuel.
He isn't here. The room is empty and the couch that served as his bed is made up and utterly untouched. It is as if he hasn't even spent the night here at all. I have to think back to yesterday just to be sure I haven't imagined him being here.
I glance at the clock on the bedside table and yawn. Nine-thirty a.m. it reads. It isn't much different than time I normally wake up in the mornings at home.
I slide myself to the side of the bed and push myself off with ease. My feet meet the blue carpet I had admired yesterday.I quickly make my way to the bathroom to use it, before my bladder bursts, then attempt to clean myself up in front of the mirror before anyone catches sight of my ghastly appearance. My hair is in every direction on top of my head and my make-up looks worse than the time I tried to apply it at the age of five years old. I had sneaked into my mom's make up bag while she was asleep one morning. It was not pretty and it didn't end well.
I soon realize, throughout my morning routine, that I haven't unpacked my tooth brush yet and I go back to the bedroom to dig through one of my suitcases to find it. After I do, I am surprised to see Suzie standing in the doorway with a bright smile on her innocent face.
"Sorry, I didn't mean to startle you; I just came to see if you were up yet." She says.
I giggle. "It's fine. I'm surprised to see you're still here. Don't you have school today?"
She shrugs. "School doesn't take up until ten o'clock on the territory."
"That must be nice. I never had that luxury when I was in high school."
Curiosity sweeps across her features. "Where did you go to school?"
"On our territory; our school wasn't very big. The college campus, in town, was much bigger," I explain.
"I've never heard of it," she shrugs.
"Not many people have."
Her expression quickly becomes bored when her phone buzzes in her pocket and she reads whatever information it holds. She lets out a low groan.
"What's wrong?" I ask.
"School," she sighs. "I guess I really should go."
Her annoyed expression is humorous. It wasn't so long ago that I was in her shoes dreading the same thing. However, I am starting miss my college courses already. I wonder if they have any classes here I could take."I guess I'll see you later," she mumbles, turning from the door then pausing in the hallway just outside it. She glances back at me as if she just remembered something. "Oh and Samuel told me to let you know he's waiting for you downstairs in the kitchen."
I nod and thank her before heading back towards the bathroom with my tooth brush in hand. After I finish brushing my teeth I try to comb down the mess on top of my head, also known as my hair, then get dressed.
I put on the first things my hands touch, not bothering to sort through my other bags. Samuel is already waiting for me so I don't want to take up any unnecessary time.
Coming to the bottom step of the stairs I try to remember which way the kitchen is in this enormous house. It was only last night Samuel showed me the way, but now, even in my more conscious state, I just can't remember. I must have been really tired last night.
Looking to my left then looking to my right I decide to go to my right, the exact opposite way we went last night to meet the pack. It just seems logical that the kitchen would be on the other side of the house. If it wasn't then what was?
When I pass by a few more familiar doors I know that I am right. I remember passing by Samuel's spacious office on the way to it. I take a moment to stop and look in now that I am able to actually study it better.
The dark wood interior gives it a look of importance and elegance. A few pictures hang on the walls of people I don't know and a large book shelf covers the most north wall. It is rather large. I imagine that it holds lots of imperative information on the pack among other things.
My eyes wonder over the rest of the room and land on the desk along the back wall. There are multiple documents scattered messily across it along with a telephone and more books. Someone has been working at it recently.
"Enjoying the general splendor, are we?" a voice says behind me. It gives me a startle, causing me to jump back in surprise and bump into the person who had spoken. I blush when I turn around.
I immediately recognized the person as Dylan, Samuel's beta. He holds a humorous smile as he tries to steady me. His blue eyes watch me with amusement. He is quite handsome if I am being honest. That seems to run in the pack here. I noticed that last night when meeting everyone. He, two other guys and Samuel stood out among them all.
"I'm so sorry. You startled me." My hand is placed over my heart as I speak.
"Yes, I'm quite stealthy," he chuckles. "One of my many talents." I turn my attention back to the office. "I was touring the house. The office interested me."
He steps around me and holds his arm open through the door way that I am still standing in. "Would you like to come in?"
"I'd like to, but I think Samuel is waiting for me. Maybe later?" I ask.
"Of course," he says. "And he's in the kitchen if you're looking for him."
To my relief he points the way I am supposed to go so I am not completely on my own.
"Thanks," I smile.
I follow his directions and it turns out I am not that far away from it after all. By staying on the path he has put me it brings me directly to it.
The sight I see upon entering the kitchen is a hilarious one. Samuel is standing over the stove with a smoking pan on one hand and a spatula in the other. He looks utterly irritated. It's a wonder that he hasn't burnt the house down or at least set off the smoke detectors.
When a giggle escapes my lips it quickly draws his attention and he freezes.
"Need some help?" I ask.
A low growl escapes his lips, so low I almost miss it.
"I was trying to cook," he says, dropping the burnt pan into the sink. He fills it with water causing smoke to fill the air and he coughs a little.
Taking a seat on one of the stools at the counter, I watch him with amusement. "I can see that. What happened?"
He shrugs and leans on his hands on the counter between us. "I turned away for just a minute to check my phone and the next think I knew the smoke was everywhere.
I giggle again. "You're not supposed to leave anything on the stove unattended. Why were you cooking anyway? Missed breakfast with everyone else?" I guess.
"Actually I was making it for you," he grumbles.
My laughter quickly halts and I internally feel bad for teasing him.
He did all of this for me?
"O-oh," I say. "You didn't have to do that."
"I wanted to," he shrugs. "I just want you to feel at home."
So that is what this is about.
"At home," I begin, "I rarely ate breakfast. I was usually too busy."
His face becomes grim. "Yeah, I know that feeling."
We are both silent for a moment, Samuel seems to be deep in thought. I poke my finger tip on the prongs of the fork in front of me until he decides to speak again.
"I thought I'd take you out to show you the rest of the territory today. It's been a while since I have been out there too so I thought it would be good if we did that together."
"Sure," I say, but that soon brings up a reminder. "You've deserted your Alpha duties for a while now, huh?"
He nods, but doesn't say much.
"Do you think you're ready to take your place back yet?" I ask curiously.
"Very soon," he nods. "I really need to get back in touch with the pack first."
"That being the reason for today," I state in understanding.
"Yeah."
I jump up from my seat with much enthusiasm and grin. If he is willing to show me around, and include me in the business of the pack then I will surely take it. I am eager to get to know everyone better, and this will be the best way. "Okay great, let's go."
"Wait," he says, holding up his hand to stop me from getting too excited. "I kind of want to talk to you about something first."
He voice seems tense which, in turn, makes me become a little wary of his next words. I don't like the tense moments with him as much as the others. He seems so serious and... Alpha like. I guess that's something I will have to get used to though because that's exactly what he is, an Alpha.
I move back into the seat behind me, the one I had previously been sitting on and slumped, and wait for him to continue.
"I wanted to discuss the terms of our mating," He begins while watching me closely. He seems to be uncertain how to continue. When I nod, he goes on. "As you know there are several parts to mating that we will have to go through to become completely mated."
"Yes," I reply, unsure of where he is going with this.
"There is one in particular I wanted to speak with you about." He still hasn't relaxed yet and his eyes grow more intense. "I thought we should go through phase one as soon as possible if that's alright with you."
Phase one? I ask myself. The marking?
"Most mates do it as soon as they meet each other for the first time, but seeing as our circumstances were a little different that didn't happen," he explains.
"Oh." I am a little taken aback by his request. I don't know why though, it isn't illogical. He is completely right. I guess I should have expected it.
"When?" I ask.
"Soon," he says. "Do you think that's something you will be okay with?"
When I don't answer, thinking it over, he continues. "It will help with the dreams."That gets my attention. I don't mask the confusion I that reigns supreme. "Dreams?"
"I guess you haven't started having them yet. It's still too soon for it. You should expect them though. They can be pretty intense. Just when you think you are getting better, they break you all over again."
"You have them?" I ask.
An unknown emotion passes through his eyes before he answers. "Not so much anymore. They only lasted for a couple of weeks. They started just a week after my rejection and my last one was the day I met you in the cafe, more than a week ago."
I feel myself overcome with worry. Then that means mine will start any day now. How can I handle that kind of pain again? This time I don't have my parents to help me through it.
I glance at the floor for a moment, thinking it over then back up to Samuel. "I agree. We should do the marking claim soon. How does it work?"I am surprised by his sudden chuckle. His hands come up in front of him, like he is holding me back from attacking him. "Hold on, I meant by the next scheduled pack meeting in a few days. I thought you'd want to prepare yourself first. Mentally I mean."
I blink. "Why?"
He seems taken aback by my question and drops his hands. He doesn't seem so humored now.
His face is serious. "Because a lot goes into the claim. We both have to want and accept it. It's not just a mark; it's us letting our bodies know we want each other as mates. We are bringing our souls together as soul mates and starting a bond for them to grow on; one that can only be completed by our mating. It will change both of us."
I feel dumb. I should have known that. My mom only explained that being marked was so that other wolves would know you belonged to someone. I guess it's different for non-mates.
"Oh. No one ever really explained that part to me."
I feel a string of emotions from uncertainty to nervousness and finally acceptance. Sure the claim might change us both, but I really don't see any way around it and it would have to happen sooner or later anyway. We might as well get ready for it.
"Now that you know, are you ready?" he asks.
"It's not exactly a deal breaker," I state softly. "I don't see why it wouldn't be."
I am more nervous than before, but it doesn't change my decision on the matter. I will still go through with it, I have given him my word and I have no intention of breaking it.
"Good," he nods seeming pleased with that. "I'm glad we got that cleared up."
His posture instantly becomes more relaxed and he smiles. "So, seeing as I botched breakfast, what do you say to us getting out of here?"I giggle lightly and return his smile. "Sounds good. I'd hate to cho
ke to death on smoke from your cooking attempt."
He ruffles my hair lightly on our way out the door, causing my hard work on it this morning to go to waste. Payback sucks.