Mine to Protect Chapter 25: THE PACK

*Derek*

She freezes at my words, her eyes wide looking out the car window. Her heart starts racing even faster, so much so that I am afraid she will get herself a heart attack.

“Hazel, kitty, what is it? Your heart is racing, if you don’t calm down you are going to faint,” I embrace her sideways running my hands up and down her arms.

She doesn’t seem to mind my touch, at least she does not push me away. She even leans into me, inhaling my scent, and soon she calms down enough to straighten up and push my hands away from her.

It stings that she is always pushing me away, but I know that I already have a small place in her heart, and sooner or later she will seek my touch, as much as I seek hers. This weekend is the best opportunity to get to know each other better and to have her open up to me. At least, that’s my hope.

*Hazel*

I can’t believe the situation my parents have put me in! Let me go alone with this almost stranger to a pack of werewolves. They could have asked me first. Ok, there was no way I would have agreed to that. But at least they could have come with me, I would have felt safer knowing they were there to protect me. Now I am completely alone among a flock of werewolves. I think I am going to pass out.

The Alpha is running his warm hands up and down my arms, it feels nice, soothing. I don’t understand how I can be angry with him and still like his touch all at the same time. Was he serious about the punishment? Is he going to spank me? I hope he was joking. I feel aghast at the sole thought. They even have a guarded gate and high fences, there’s no way I will be able to escape from here.

Ok. Big breath. I need to stop freaking out and get myself together. I can’t give him the idea that he managed to scare me, or that I am some weak little girl he needs to rescue. I am a grown woman, I can face any situation with mindfulness and logic, without the help of others.

I straighten myself in my seat, gently pushing his hands away from me, pretending that I am completely in control of myself. Although I am really still panicking inside. He does not argue, and scoots away from me, back to his seat. His sudden distance makes me long for his closeness. This mate bond is a wretched thing, makes me feel all kinds of crazy. I’ll never get used to this.

As always, I am so lost in my head, that I don’t notice the car has stopped, and Derek has already got off the car; until my car door is pulled open, and I am staring at the handsome features of my mate, looking at me puzzled, waiting for me to exit. He stretches his hand out for me to take, and I do just that, I place my hand in his, he immediately encloses it in his warmness and pulls me up and out of the car with a huge smile. He is even more handsome with that boyish smile lightening up his visage, that I am dazzled for a second.

While still holding my hand, he starts walking toward a 4-story white colonial mansion; it’s huge. There are three large stone steps at the entrance, and the main door must be at least three meters high. The house is encircled by a big garden, with beautiful rose bushes walking the perimeter of the house walls.

Derek pulls my hand a little, wanting me to follow him, while I am gaping at his outstanding house. He certainly does not lack money.

I notice he’s carrying a small piece of luggage in his other hand, and I recognize it immediately as mine. I have decorated it with many stickers of places I’d love to go.

“Where did you get that?” I asked him, pointing at my luggage in his hand.

“Elizabeth prepared it for you, I swung by your home to get it before I went to the meeting.”

That traitor, they had it all planned out. I was planning on escaping this place by claiming I didn’t have any change of clothes. Well, I figure it wouldn’t have worked anyway. Derek seems hellbent on watching me like a baby 24/7. I can’t blame him completely, with my powers going haywire, I could seriously wreck some havoc in his pack. I need to learn to control my abilities, I don’t even know what they are really, I need to ask my mom, as soon as I can get a hold of her.

In matter of seconds, we are in the house, the inside is more modern than the exterior, I love this contrast of old and modern coexisting in the same space, an architectural oxymoron. The interior is decorated mainly in white and a pallet of greys which goes from dark grey to nearly white grey. Here and there, you can find splashes of gold and green, very fancy.

A few women and men are waiting for us at the entrance, they bow their heads when their Alpha enters. This is something I could never get used to. Coming from a poor family, I don’t like this kind of servitude antics, I believe that all people should be equal and treated with the same respect. This kind of behavior is straight out of the Middle Ages.

“Hello everyone, I want to make an important introduction. Please, welcome Hazel, my mate,” Dereke announces, lacing his arm loosely around my waist, I decide to let him, just because I don’t want to embarrass him in front of his pack members.

They all burst into cheers of happiness, exchanging excited looks and taking turns hugging Derek and congratulating him, or shaking hands with him. I feel quite perplexed by this show of enthusiasm, isn’t finding one’s mate quite normal among werewolves?

“Hazel, meet Rose, Lyla, Margaret, John and Danny, they are the staff of the packhouse, and they will help you with anything you might need during your stay.”

The one I think is Rose, she seems to be around fifty, with round and rosy cheeks, and a good-natured aura around her, attacks me with a bear hug as soon as Derek finishes his sentence. She squeezes me so tight I think I am going to faint from air deprivation.

“I am so happy! Our Luna is finally here! I can’t believe it!” She says screeching in my ear. She finally releases me and moves back, so that I can breathe again; though she still holds me by my shoulders, while she gives me a full scan assessment with her eyes.

“You are a beautiful young woman; our Alpha is definitely a lucky man. But you are too skinny, honey, you should eat more, otherwise you won’t be strong enough to bear healthy pups, Alpha babies are known to be bigger than common ones, you need to fatten up a little.”

I feel myself go white and then completely red in the span of a heartbeat. What is she talking about?

I hear Derek cough a little beside me, probably embarrassed by this topic.

“I think it is too early to talk about pups, Rose. How about we get her settled in the packhouse first? Hazel has worked all day, I bet she is a little tired.”

I feel immensely grateful for this change of topic; I don’t feel comfortable in destroying Rose’s enthusiasm, but I also don’t want to lead her on this pup idea.

“It is never too early for pups, you are fated mates, procreating is part of the bond too, you know. Anyway, let’s get you settled in the Alpha’s room right away.”

Wait, what? The Alpha’s Room?