Chapter 5 Chapter 5

Elorai.

We run through the forest for what seems like hours, their speed incredibly fast.

I cling to them for dear life, my heart in my throat even as thrill rushes through me.

For a moment, I take time to marvel at it.

How do they keep going without getting tired? And still in their human form as well.

After what seems like forever, they finally roll to a stop at a gated mansion, still nestled in the forest.

I stare at the large building in front of me, my heart beating out of my chest. In the cover of the night, it’s as terrifying as it is breathtaking.

Knox lets go of me, and I slide down from him, finally landing on my feet.

They walk toward the door, and it opens on its own accord, letting us into the huge estate.

Walking in their midst, I look around me, my heart racing in my chest as I take in the well-manicured gardens and the water fountain sitting in the center of the field.

Straight out of the pictures, that one.

Beautiful, yet so incredibly eerie.

My fingertips grow cold with nervousness, and I have to swallow to wet my dry throat.

The trio keep leading me into the house, knocking on the grand oak doors at the entrance.

The doors soon open, and a lean, aged man steps out in his immaculate suit.

“Welcome back, Alphas…” he greets with a low bow, widening the door as he gestures for us to enter. They acknowledge him with a nod, stepping into the large hall downstairs. The door slams shut after them.

I flinch.

“How was your mission?” he asks, still not noticing me.

“It went fine…” Ronan answers, his voice devoid of the usual hostility.

That’s when his gaze drops to me. I tense, not used to being around such huge, mean-looking figures.

His eyes widen, his nose flaring as he draws in a scent. In an instant, he’s reaching for me, a growl ripping from his throat.

Knox pushes him back before his fingers can graze my skin, letting out a growl of his own. That snaps the newcomer from the trance he must have slipped into.

“What was that?” Knox snarls, his gaze heated.

The latter flushes, embarrassment coating his features. “I apologize. Her scent called to me, that’s all. It’s… alluring,” he murmurs, his gaze fixed on me.

My heart skips a beat. All three look at each other, puzzled.

Lucas presses his nose against my neck to sniff me. His confusion deepens. “Sure, she smells good, but that’s not enough to trigger that reaction.”

“Doesn’t matter…” Ronan cuts in, clearly peeved. He stands between me and the newcomer. “She’s off-limits, Andre. Get that through your skull.”

“Yes, Alpha… I apologize,” he adds, his voice tinged with remorse.

Knox lets him go, still giving him a wary glare.

“Prepare her a room,” he orders, his gaze still narrowed. The latter instantly runs up the stairs, disappearing out of sight.

I look around, rattled by the incident.

“Come with us…” Lucas says, walking forward. I fall into step behind him, the two following behind me.

We arrive at a long hallway, filled with several doors on either side. Ronan walks into one and opens the door, letting me in.

It's a bedroom.

That shouldn't be surprising. I have had beds before. But somehow, this one is.

It's a four-poster bed, sitting in a large room, with a soft rug on the floor, large windows overlooking the landscape, and multiple doors around that lead to God-knows-where. It's beautiful, to say the least.

"Where are we?" I ask as I walk into the room, my gaze darting around to admire the interior decoration.

"Our abode," Lucas answers, leaning against the doorframe. "And this is your room."

It's big..." I mutter, glancing back at them. "I'll be staying here now?" I ask, wrapping my hands around myself to ward off the cold that seems to have settled into my bones.

He walks forward instead, opening the doors in the space. "Here leads to the bathroom. That's the closet. There are clothes for you. Hardly your size, since you're thin as hell."

I bristle. His words sting.

He turns to me. "Get comfortable. And join us when you're ready."

"No funny tricks..." Ronan growls, his voice coated with steel. "You try to escape and we'll catch you, and I promise you won't like the consequences," he adds.

With a menacing glare, he turns around and leaves with his companions, shutting the door behind him.

I tense, the silence deafening.

I look around me for a moment, then out the window, surveying my surroundings.

The compound is huge, and after those towering walls is an unending forest.

Can I escape from this place? We'll have to find out.

I proceed to explore my room, checking the bathroom, marveling at the marble tiling and clean lines. It's sophisticated, giving that old yet modern feel. Next is the closet, and like Lucas has said, it is filled with clothes.

I've never had this much selection before. I usually wear the same overalls in the facility.

I pick a pale pink dress out. It's rather short, but I'm curious to try it.

I lay it on the bed and move to the bathroom to have a bath. I'm still reeking of blood.

Figuring out the faucets is a battle on its own, but soon hot water starts flowing, before slowly transitioning to warm.

I step under the shower, use a ridiculous amount of bathing soap, and wash my skin till it prunes.

I step out of the shower then, hair soaking wet, and wrap a towel around my body.

Walking back to the bedroom, I dry my body and do my best with my hair before slipping into the dress. Staring at my reflection in the mirror, I'm a bit stunned.

I've never seen myself look this way before. This... normal.

The blue overalls given to me by the facility always washed me out and made me feel like a sore thumb.

Why didn't they ever get me a dress?

Too late to think about that now. It's been burnt to the ground.