Part Three- Chapter 23
"The true value of communication is often not so much what you say to each other but the simple, powerful fact that you care enough to say something to each other so often."
― Johan Bruyneel, We Might As Well Win: On the Road to Success with the Mastermind Behind a Record-Setting EightTour de France Victories
DARYA P.O.V
There was something warm and fluffy above me when I woke up and I am sure it was not my comforter because comforters aren't this heavy. I was still in my wolf form and I whimpered softly hoping it would wake up Quillon, who was sleeping over me. We were lying on the ground in some weird position. His one forelimb, which I had used as my pillow last night, was still below my head and rest of the body was above me.
It was like he was shielding me in his sleep. I liked it, a lot and so I gave up trying to wake him up. I looked up to see that it was very early in the morning. Even though the sun was up, the sky was a shade of dull blue. As my gaze travelled around, I was startled to find a camera pointed in our direction. My eyes widened to fullest extent when I saw a human, standing at least 30 feet away from us and clicking our pictures.
What the...? Is he going to put it up as a cover of some animal magazine?
He might be a wildlife photographer because he had that look plus he owned a professional camera. I don't know why he was in the woods so early morning but I guessed he had come to click pictures.
When the guy realized I was watching him, he slowly lowered his camera and stared at me with wide eyes. He was scared because he lost color but he wasn't moving either. When I made no move, he probably thought I was harmless, so he raised the camera. It made me furious and I growled murderously at him.
Quillon woke up after he heard my growl and slipped off me. His dark eyes clashed with mine and I couldn't help but remember our kiss last night. It was a good thing I was in my wolf form because that way my blush was not visible. Slowly, I turned my head to see if the guy had gone but the dude had some real audacity because he was still there and focusing his lens at us.
When Quillon noticed it, he stood up to his full height. His tall imposing wolf could make other wolves tremble; then what match was a human? When I looked again, the guy was not there.
But I still think he had clicked our pictures and I just hoped he wouldn't publish it. If he did, I am going to kill him... kidding!
Sighing, I glanced at Quillon, I found his eyes focused on the mark below my ear. The fur covered my mark but I could still feel it. It was fresh. He stepped closer and the moment his breath fanned my fur, I snapped my jaws near his muzzle. An earth shaking growl erupted from Quillon while he glared at me in warning and I seethed. I didn't know what we were going to do now but I sure as hell would kill Quillon if he continues with the part-away-as-friend's proposal.
This time I am definitely not kidding.
After I stood up, Quillon started running and I followed him because I know we were going home.
Twenty minutes later, we reached home. Since it was early in the morning, we did not encounter any other pack wolves on the way. Quillon pushed open the door to his house with his big blue head and while he went to gym room, I went upstairs in my wolf form.
Once in my new room, I shifted back, picked some clothes and rushed to take a shower.
After shower, I wrapped a towel around myself and checked my reflection in the mirror above the sink. My gaze involuntarily drifted towards the mark in my neck, which looked like a big hickey at the moment. I have seen other marked she-wolves and so I knew the redness of the skin around the mark would fade soon. But not the mark! It wouldn't fade until Quillon rejects me or I reject him. It would forever be there, connecting us as well as torturing us.
I touched the skin there and gulped when I felt how sensitive the mark was. While I kept stroking my fingers there, I was thinking what the hell I am going to do now? This was not in the plan... actually what the hell was even in the plan?
Oh right! Staying in the same house for sixty days. Quillon broke the rule first by asking me to share a room and then I broke the rule by letting him mark me. Is it bad or is it some progress in the relationship?
God! I don't know even know what the fuck is going on between us. We are not friends. Certainly not lovers. Not acquaintance. Not mates either because no mates behave the way we do.
What the hell are we? Roommates? Yes, I think! That's better. Yes. Quillon and I, we are roommates.
That. Is. It.
Taking a deep breath, I looked away and after brushing my teeth, I put on my clothes. I then found my platinum bracelet in the counter and smiling, I put it on. Thank-God! I did not put it on last night because if I had then it might have broken when I shifted. The bracelet was very important to me because it made me feel safe, loved and also reminded me that I was never alone. Five Alphas' were always there for me through thick and thin.
I did not want to go to college today because the moment Nick or my other guards see the mark in the neck; the news would spread around like a fire. I am not ready to face that furor today.
So I am going to skip college today and be cooped inside like a hen demanding answers from my... roommate about what is he going to do next.
While I came to the room, Quillon was not there. I thought he would be downstairs, but he was not there either. When I closed my eyes and tried to sense where he was, I heard the shower in a bathroom near the gym. Sighing, I went back upstairs.
It was seven in the morning and since I am not going to college, I decided to sleep.
I woke up at ten in the morning and stared at my surroundings in confusion until I heard Quillon's loud voice from downstairs. That was what woke me up!
Grumbling under my breath, I got up and opened the room door to hear the argument.
"I had told you no more than seven glasses" Quillon angry voice boomed around the household.
"It was my birthday" Quinn protested irately while I was going down.
"That's no bloody excuse" Quillon snapped. "You had school today-"
"Darya is skipping. Why cannot I?" Quinn said pointing at me the moment he saw me.
"She does not have attendance shortage like you" Quillon retorted.
"How do you know that?" Quinn asked with wide eyes after few minutes of silence.
"The next time I get a letter from your school, I will send it to dad" Quillon threatened and Quinn paled. I was not surprised to hear that. Quillon always covers for Quinton.
"It will not happen again" Quinn mumbled in a low voice with a guilty look.
"It better not" Quillon added while I sat on the couch and looked at Quinn, whose eyes were red and swollen. I inhaled sharply when I saw that and Quinn scowled at me.
"I am not stoned" he growled and I looked away. "It's due to lack of sleep" he added with a yawn.
"Then go to your room and sleep" Quillon said frowning at his brother. Since he was drunk, Quinn walked away like a drunkard. When I saw him, I realized that he was wearing the same clothes he wore to the party last night.
"He was out all night?" I asked Quillon, who looked at me with the same frowning face before nodding.
Just when I was about to ask him something, he disappeared into the kitchen. Sighing, I sat in the living room lost in my thoughts. I squeaked like a mouse when something dropped on my lap. It was a box of cookies and I looked at Quillon, who had thrown it there.
"There is no breakfast" he said walking towards his office.
Shaking my head, I went to the kitchen to search for milk carton. While I was waiting for the milk to boil, Quillon came to the room, with his phone.
"Your brother wants to talk to you" he said keeping his cell phone on the stool.
"Duncan? What's wrong?" I asked after placing the cell phone next to my ear.
"You tell me what's wrong. I called you at least twenty times and so did others. Why did you skip college today?" Duncan demanded from the other side.
"My phone is upstairs and I... I am not feeling well... headache" I lied.
"Darya?" his tone was suspicious.
"Yes... I am fine just a little headache. Went to Quinn's birthday party yesterday and it was late at night while we returned" I said and gulped.
"Party in that rain?" Duncan asked startled.
"We went before that" I corrected and Duncan sighed.
"Alright. Keep your phone with you. I will call to check on you later" he added before ending the call.
I turned off the heat, drank the milk and then went to Quillon's office to give him his cellphone.