Chapter 23
DarkBeauty357
“Are you alright?” Damon asked as he sat down in front of me. I pushed my muffin around on the plate. “Yeah, I’m fine.”
“What happened last night?” He asked me.
“Don’t worry about it,” I muttered.
“I’m sorry. I didn’t know he was abusive to you. Now, I know what you mean when you said it was hard being his mate.”
“Yeah.” I huffed. “When are we leaving?” I looked around the hotel cafeteria and almost all the humans were leaving now.
“Soon. Just waiting on Alec and the girls.” He mentioned Alec’s name in distaste. My wolf mentally growled but I can understand why he didn’t like him. Damon went to go grab a plate of food before we hit the road again. He returned to sit across from me in the two-seater table. I saw Insuvai come down and she started to make a plate as well.
“When are we leaving?” My attention snapped up to Alec’s rough voice. Both of his hands were placed on the table and he leaned forward. He was dressed in his usual clothing. Jeans and a black t-shirt with dark sunglasses perched on his nose.
“When everyone is done eating,” Damon spoke. Alec’s face snapped toward him and his lips went into a straight line. Before I could warn Damon, Alec hooked his foot with the leg of Damon’s and swiped it out from under him. Damon hit the ground but he jumped right back up at him. Due to the loud noise, Insuvai came rushing to us. The males were toe to toe, but I pushed them back and got in between them.
“Really Alec, that has got to be the most childish thing you could have done!” I lowly hissed. I had both of my hands placed on their chest.
“Leah, take your hand off his chest, and step away,” Alec warned while slightly shaking. I could tell his wolf’s eyes were out and he was on the verge of shifting.
“That’s the last thing I’m doing.” I firmly stated.
“No just step back. I can handle myself.” Damon said. I wasn’t moving anywhere until someone pulled me back and out of the way. I looked at Insuvai, “Why did you do that?”
“Because these bitches needeth to just get this over with because these gents are not going to stop.” She replied to me. I watched the two males try to assert their dominance. They growled lowly at each other, and their eyes glowed. I glanced around fearful that a human might see. Luckily, everyone left the cafeteria.
The tension was thick and it was eerily quiet except for the growling. I knew both males wouldn’t back down until this was over. However, once the dominant male made the other submit maybe this trip would be more peaceful.
Damon’s eyes were flickering and his head was slowly moving down. I could tell he fought hard against Alec, but no one was a match against him. There was one last series of loud growls. Then with a soft cry of defeat and pain, Damon was mentally forced into submission. Damon’s head was facing down at the ground, and his neck showed.
Alec smirk in victory, “Don’t forget that.” Damon growled at him, but he knew it didn’t matter. What mattered was Alec was the more dominant male, and it came as no surprise.
“We should be going now,” Damon growled and stormed off to his truck. There was nothing to say for anyone, once the dominance was asserted it was final. The only way to break that was to have a full fight in wolf form. I know that Alec would win. Anyone knew that, which is why many shifters would not dare challenge him. It would be a suicide mission to do so.
“I’m going to the truck,” I muttered very displeased. I never understood why werewolf males acted so childish at times, especially alphas. “I’m coming with you,” Insuvai said. Grace and Ava, dressed in new clothes, went to the cafeteria at the same time as we exited. Insuvai and I met Damon at his truck. I slid in the passenger seat and Insuvai was in the back. I wanted to talk to him before I went to grab my suitcases in the hotel room.
“Are you okay?” I asked.
“He’s an asshole.”
“That is true,” I replied.
“I just don’t get it,” Damon said.
“Get what?” I asked.
“Why you stay with him.”
“He is my mate. Soon things will get better.” I said.
He laughed, “Funniest thing I’ve heard in my life because I use to think like that. I use to think my father would have treated my mother and me better. But he didn’t, so wake up and smell the roses.” His tone was angry.
“This is different. Things will be better soon, trust me.” I softly told him. “I have to get my bags.”
I walked back to the hotel. While passing the cafeteria I saw Ava talking to Alec. I brushed my hair back and tucked it behind my ear to listen
“Your mate is very pretty.” I heard a childish voice.
“It doesn’t matter," Alec said to Ava. I continued walking up to the room. I packed up my clothes, and I put a couple things back into Alec’s suitcase. I noticed that he had a certain organization structure so he wouldn’t get confused. He rolled his shirts and folded his pants. He had his deodorant and toothbrush in a bag next to his clothes. I zipped up both of our suitcases and grabbed the backpacks, then I headed out the door. Alec was walking down the hallway but he stopped when I walked past him.
“You have everything?” He asked.
“Yup.”
He followed me as I went out to the parking lot. I loaded our stuff into the truck bed then climb into the back seat. I was in the middle, Alec was on the left side of me, Ava and Grace were on the right side of me. Damon started the truck and he put on some music.
I took a couple quick glances at Alec’s face. His wound had healed the night before and thankfully there was no more blood. You could see the new pink scar that overlapped his old one. I looked away feeling the heat rise to my cheeks. After all, we’ve been through I hoped my plan wouldn’t fail.
“Fireworks! They have fireworks. Can I see them?” Ava yelled excitedly watching as the stand, on the side of the road, passed by.
“Damon why don’t you pull over,” I said. Damon ended up pulling into a vacant parking lot. Ava squealed and hopped out of the truck followed by Insuvai and Damon.
“You coming?” I asked Alec.
“No.” He said.
“I’m staying with you then,” I said.
“Why?”
“Because I don’t want to leave you alone.”
“I can take care of myself.” He remarked.
“I know.”
The car door opened and Insuvai asked Alec, “Do you have fifty dollars?”
Alec reached into his pocket and handed me his wallet. I opened the wallet and pulled out a fifty dollar bill that was surrounded by hundreds.
“Here.” I gave Insuvai the money and she left to join the group.
“Some lame ass fireworks,” Alec muttered.
“Ava seems to enjoy it. She deserves it.”
“And I deserve my eyesight. The longer we wait the longer I don’t have it.”
“Alec,” I groaned. “You’ll be fine. You deserve your eyesight, I get it. That’s why I’m here.” I said rolling my eyes. I was starting to get annoyed because he thought he was entitled to his eyesight. I feel like he should be thanking me for doing this for him.
“When are we leaving?” He snapped.
“Hopefully soon.”
“Actually this is the perfect time to tell you something.” He said.
This peaked my interest. “Okay, what is it?”
“I want to tell you briefly of why the war started, but not to much detail. Since you are getting my eyesight back I feel like you should know a little bit about it.” Alec said.
“Okay, I’m listening.”
“Well like most werewolf wars, it is started by other packs. When Alice was 12, she was kidnapped by the Alpha of Sete de Sânge pack. The alpha of that pack killed my parents infront of me. There are more details but I’d rather explain later. That’s mainly how it started.” He said.
“Thank you for sharing that with me. I can’t imagine how hard that must have been on you, but it seemed to make you stronger.” I said.
“It did make me and my pack stronger. You don’t become the most feared man to wolves for nothing.”
“Your right,” I said.
“Are they done?” Alec asked showing a little impatience. I looked back at them through the windows.
“They just set it off,” I said as I watched the red and green colors shine in the daylight. I focused my attention back to Alec and me.
“Are you okay?” I asked because Alec was tapping his foot very fast.
“This place sets my wolf on edge.” He replied.
“I’m sorry,” I said.
“Is it snowing? I think I heard a flake hit the ground.” Alec said. I laughed and looked out the window.
“It is. But how do you hear a snowflake?” I asked. He would have to have some impressive hearing.
“I said this before. It’s called training your ears.” He muttered.
“That’s impressive.”
“Well when you lose your eyesight, you have to have an advantage somewhere.”
“Makes sense.”
“What about you, do you have any special abilities that stand out?” He asked.
“Just my fighting skills.” I lied.
“I figured. Your heart skips a beat when you lie.” He called me out.
“Well, I mean I like food. So I guess taste.” I stuttered at first but I managed to get my heart beat under control.
The car doors opened and I saw Ava’s huge smile. “Was it fun?” I asked her.
“It was amazing!” She beamed.
Everyone piled into the truck so we could leave again. “Can we play a game?” Ava asked.
“I guess we could,” I said.
“Okay, we should all take turns saying names in alphabetical order. If it takes a person over five seconds then they lose. Leah, you go first!” Ava was so happy now that she was with us.
“Alec,” I said.
“Brian,” To my surprise Alec joined the game.
“Christine,” Insuvai said.
“Dylan,” Ava continued.
“Evelyn,” Grace chimed in.
“Franklin,” It was my turn.
“George,” Alec stated.
“Heather,” Insuvai said.
“Isaac,” Ava answered.
“Jack,” Grace stated.
“Katherine,” I said.
“Leah,” Alec said and I smiled.
“Mabel,” Insuvai said.
“Nicholas,” Ava said. I became a little sad because that was the name of my fifteen-year-old brother that I haven’t seen in what felt like forever.
“Oscar,” Grace said.
“Peter,” I replied.
“Quintin,” Alec said.
“Rickie,” Insuvai stated.
“Skylar,” Ava said.
“Tom,” Grace answered.
“Ursula,” I stated.
I looked at Alec because it was his turn next. His jawed clenched, “Victoria.” I noticed he had a distasteful tone in his voice and that was the only female name that came out of his mouth except for mine.
“William,” Insuvai said.
“Xavier,” Ava said.
“Um...” Grace trailed off
“You lose!” Ava shouted. We all laughed except for Alec.
No one was up for a second game. There were a couple of conversations between Insuvai and Damon or Ava and Damon, either way, I zoned out on most of their conversations.
“I thought witches were like the weakest supernatural creatures.” Grace was having a conversation with Damon and her comment peaked mine and Insuvai’s interest.
“No, they are not. Don’t speak of such things.” Insuvai glared out at the road.
“They are defiantly not weak.” Damon agreed as I pursed my lips trying not to speak out.
“Witches are the most powerful creatures. They have been the original beings along with dragons. I’m one of the original witches so I should know.” Insuvai defended her species.
“I’m sorry I didn’t know.” Grace stammered.
“You are fine, don’t worry about it.”
“Guess what, we just entered Alaska. Which means this journey show come to an end soon.” Damon said and I began to feel jittery.
~🖤~