Chapter 4

ARIA.

The most unpleasant thing about silent traveling was the fact that I was left alone with my thoughts.

I had never really been the kind of person who was cynical or negative, instead wishing to look on the bright side of things. It might seem completely insane to others, given everything that I had to put up with in my pack. Nevertheless, I had an option either to become hardened by my experiences or make them strengthen me. On days when I felt weak too, I didn’t want to get cold. What we had was this life, however short or successful.

One day, when I was called back up to the Goddess’ realm, I hoped that I could we welcomed with open arms. When I finally looked upon my creator, I prayed that I could see that she was proud to have blessed me with life and with Thea.

The worst part about traveling in a car with him was that there was no escaping his scent. It was deep like rich bourbon. If masculinity had a smell, that was it.

‘Hey, there’s a bright side to this whole fated thing,’ Thea told me.

I almost scoffed because there was no bright side to being fated to a heartless man, someone who couldn’t even treat the person fated to them with a single second of kindness after securing them via contract. Yeah, right.

‘Yes, there is. We might have a supernatural bond connecting us, but his lack of personality and sad display of manners will make it much easier to resist him,’ Thea told me conspiratorially.

Okay, she wasn’t wrong and had a good point right there. The bond influenced emotions. So, if being a douche was his default setting then the bond would actually be helpful! Nice.

Here was to hoping…

‘Until he requires his heir,’ I said with a scoff.

‘Have faith in the Goddess,’ Thea insisted. ‘I can’t imagine her turning her back on us like that. Sure, we might not always do the right thing, but we really strive to even when it seems impossible. I want to believe that she’ll see that and protect us. Who knows? Perhaps there’s a bigger picture here of why she fated us to the Alpha-hole over there.’

I could feel the weight of his gaze every so often, but I never once looked his way. The only reason that I was here was to protect my sister.

Nothing more. Nothing less.

There was no telling how long we had been driving before the car pulled off to refuel. Damn good thing because my bladder was going to burst if I had to wait much longer. Not to mention that I needed to breathe fresh air while I could since there was no telling how long the drive would be until we made it back to their pack, and his bourbon scent was suffocating me.

Hmm…That might actually be his intention.

“Where do you think you’re going?” he demanded, when I went to open the door.

“To the restroom,” I deadpanned. “We’ve been driving for hours. You don’t have to worry about me running. I’d rather take a bullet than risk what would happen if I did anything stupid. So, am I permitted to going inside?”

Another positive aspect of the fated bond was that I could feel echoes of his emotions. He was taken completely aback by my words. Served the prick right.

A growl was rumbling in his chest, clearly not happy about my disrespect. Thankfully, it cut off immediately when the car door opened.

“Alpha, do you or Luna need anything?” Jerome asked.

“Take her inside and make sure she gets what she needs. We have another two hours until we get back to the pack,” he stated, dismissing us both.

Okay, so he was a dick to more than just me it would seem. Jerome didn’t seem put out by his behavior, so it must be common knowledge. Perhaps those tales of him were not too far off the mark after all.

Ah, fresh air! I would even take the scent of gasoline over the unbearable bourbon-scented air inside of the car.

First, I went and took care of my business before heading back out to find some food, especially given the fact that I hadn’t eaten since lunch yesterday. I cringed at the glaring lack of options, opting for some fresh fruit and yogurt. It was better than the rest.

I grabbed a large bottle of water from the cooler near the counter and waited for my turn.

“$15.22, hon,” the cashier told me.

I grabbed my card and was about to swipe it when Jerome tried to intercept and swipe his first. Yeah, that wasn’t going to happen.

“I appreciate the gesture, but I don’t need anyone to pay for my things. I make my own money and use my own money.”

His brows furrowed some upon hearing that.

I wasn’t trying to be a bitch or anything, but I was self-sufficient. I had been for years. That wouldn’t stop now.

“The Al- Mr. Holden,” he corrected, since the cashier was human, “insisted that you were to get whatever you needed and was told to place it on his card.”

That made me even more resistant to him buying this with that card. Even IF my mate actually wanted shit to do with me then he still wouldn’t be paying for my things like this. At least not in the beginning. Not before we established a relationship, one in which we were equal partners.

“Does your pack have the standard views on Luna commands?” I asked low enough to where the cashier wouldn’t hear it.

I wanted to find a way to protect him from his Alpha’s anger while also still doing what I needed to do. He nodded his head before understanding passed through his eyes. They darted to side before meeting my own.

‘His wolf wants to know if us paying is a command from his Luna,’ Thea asked with a chuckle.

I gave him a nod. His lips ticked up just a smidgen before it was wiped away.

Thea told me that his wolf asked if it was only because it was Alpha Dane who wanted to pay for it that I refused. He must have caught onto noticeable tension between the two of us. She assured him that it wasn’t.

We believed in working hard for whatever we wanted in life, refusing to believe that we deserved something if we weren’t willing to work for it. How could you truly value something that had just been given to you if you never had to work for even a moment for it?

Alphas could give commands to people were absolute. Lunas didn’t have the same authority. However, many packs viewed Alpha and Lunas to be equal. Therefore, Lunas could use their own command. It wasn’t absolute or anything, but it was still followed by those packs who saw them as equals.

I slipped back into the car, feeling marginally better than before.

“Cute trick with the Luna command so that you could buy junk food,” Alpha Dane said condescendingly. “I’d caution you against getting used to using it.”

My chin tilted up, eyes meeting his own.

I had spent years taking people’s crap. I was getting quite tired of it. If he wanted a submissive ‘mate’ then he should’ve looked elsewhere. I didn’t have my father breathing down my neck to silence me any longer. It was time for me to fight for myself for once because nobody else would.

“If you consider fresh fruit, Greek yogurt, and water junk food then I seriously wonder what types of food you’d consider healthy enough to consume. Also, I won’t have to use it if I’m allowed to take care of myself like I’m more than capable of doing. I don’t want, nor need, someone to take care of me. I earn my own money, make my own investments, and am self-sufficient. I’m sorry if you were expecting a damsel or something, but that’s not me.”

A quick spike of surprise and something oddly similar to respect struck the bond before it disappeared.

I was met with blessed silence. The rest of the trip continued in the same fashion.

‘He’s definitely more bearable when he ignores us. We should figure out ways to help that along,’ Thea said like the deviously little wolf that she was.

She and I were on the same page with that.

Alpha Dane might be the ruler out there, but he would never rule me. He could force me into doing shit that I didn’t want to do. He could parade me around, utilizing the same weapon that my father did.

Alpha Dane would never own me. Even if Hell froze over.