12. Going on Vacation

Paul - His villa

“Dan, you’ll be in charge until I get back.” I throw another shirt in the small suitcase.

“Why do you have to leave now? Tomorrow night is a full moon. You’ll miss it.”

I slam shut the suitcase and turn to him. “Do you think I don’t know? Do as I ask and stop questioning me.”

What am I supposed to say? That I told Laura to wait, but she insisted she would go alone? He will mock me or even resent me for leaving the pack on such an important night to protect a strigoi.

“At least put Alin in charge. He has done it before.” Dan follows me through the room as I’m scouring after a tent. My wolf likes to sleep on the grass, me not so much.

“His behavior is too erratic at the moment. Keep an eye on him.” I find the tent and the sleeping bag. Rolling them up, I hang them on the suitcase.

My sneakers squeak across the floor as I go down the stairs. I descend two steps at a time, and Dan's footsteps follow me closely.

At the foot of the staircase, there's Alin. I go past him, not sparing him a single glance.

“You shouldn’t go alone with that thing. Let me come with you.”

I come to a halt, my back to him. "Are you insinuating I can't manage this all by myself?" I snarl without turning.

Awaiting an answer, I squeeze the handle of the suitcase. I see how my knuckles turn white while the veins on the back of my hand bulge.

He finally replies, his tone much lower this time around. “No. I-I want to see Ana.”

It’s like Alin truly wants to make me feel like the villain in his love story. He breaks every rule and I should pat his shoulder. I’m not only his friend; I’m his alpha, and I have to enforce the laws. What kind of leader would I be if I were to bend the rules for my moon brother?

I don’t reply and head toward the door with heavy strides. Alin’s voice comes once again. “At least tell her that–”

“I won’t be meeting with the Oltenia pack,” I say before slamming the door shut behind me.

Sighing, I think the toughest moments have passed until my eyes meet hers. Laura. Her rump leans against my car as she clutches a small purse in her right hand. I feel awkward with my suitcase. Women usually have larger bags than men, but I shouldn’t be comparing us with normal humans. And why do I keep considering her a woman? She’s just a strigoi. Though I still have to conceal a gulp.

Adding to the fact that she's wearing a flowing dress up to her ankles, she looks adorable. The waistband highlights her generous chest without being slutty. The delicate sandals on her feet match the golden thread that weaves through the design of the white and yellow dress. She looks like a princess going on vacation.

“I see you’re all equipped for a hike in the mountains,” I say as I open the trunk and put my suitcase inside.

It’s like we’re going to two different places: Laura to a relaxing spa at the beach, and I to the gym. Nevertheless, she doesn’t react to my sarcasm.

"I've already rescheduled your appointments and given you the agenda for the next week, but in case you missed it—" Laura unlocks her tablet and swiftly examines the shared calendar. "You have a lunch meeting with Mr. Popovici on Monday at 2:00 p.m., so we should be back by then."

“We have four days and four nights. That should be enough.”

I start the engine once we're inside the vehicle. Laura hangs a tiny curtain over the window, leaving enough room for me to view the wing mirror. Getting through Bucharest's rush hour traffic is a pain in the ass. I avoid it as much as possible or have one of the men drive me so I can do something else on my phone or laptop.

I can’t believe this woman is making me travel through the country and miss the full moon with my pack. Am I her lackey or something? At the first red light, I look her over. In the front right seat, she's reading a book. Her beautiful hair is sprawled over her shoulders while her fingers stroll over the pages. I'm still not quite sure if her presence annoys me, or if it turns me on. I don’t even know if she realizes the effect she has on me, but it's about time I start affecting her back.

"I still don't see the point in rushing to pursue the renegade strigoi. It could have waited a few days. I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but those girls are most likely already dead."

"You decided to tag along. I can handle everything on my own," Laura says without flinching or even looking at me.

Silence follows. As if she hasn't said anything, I switch on the radio and let the music fill the developing stillness between us.

The drive took about four hours after we managed to get out of the city. Laura has read the whole time, while I was left with my thoughts. I’ve already talked with Radu, the Oltenia pack’s alpha, letting him know that no one should enter the Sohodol area while we’re there. They’ve locked down the entire Sohodol Canyon.

The mountains approaching are the view I seek. All my stress washes away and I feel at peace. I relax my steely grip on the steering wheel. There is something about being in the wild that soothes my nerves every time. The tension in my body vanishes slowly as I breathe in the mountain air, scented with a dash of lilac.

Right at the edge of Runcu village starts the Sohodol Canyon. High, steep slopes on either side of the river welcome us. The barrier is lowered, not letting any car go past this point. In a small booth, a man is guarding the passage. Here’s where our adventure begins.