Chapter 6

Teagan's Point of View

The air was as dry as I had remembered. Nothing but sand for miles on either side of the airport as I climbed down the rickety steps of the small plane. But this was Desert Sun. 

What did I expect from a remote town in the middle of mines? A 5-star fucking holiday? Not.

Even the airport itself was minuscule. Nothing compared to the grand luxury of Windhoek airport. I was officially in the backcountry. The place where few humans dared to venture.

The scarf around my head was tight against my scalp. Pressed in from all sides as the winds threatened to blow me away. At least it kept the sand out of my hair. Maybe I should have opted for pants instead of the pencil skirt.

But I wanted to look all business and no pleasure. Not that this place could provide me with any pleasure. It could barely provide itself with fucking water.

Gritting my teeth, I sauntered down the path to the entrance to the building. Jonah would send someone to come and fetch me. Or I hoped. I hadn't planned on renting a car but I would if I was left stranded.

As I entered, I was reminded of my old life. The one I had known for 19 years. Everything still looked the same as the day I had left. I wouldn't be surprised if my old car was still parked in the parking bay. Years' worth of tickets stuck to the windscreen.

"Miss Teagan!" A familiar but grating voice called from the other side of the large atrium. "Miss Teagan, I am here to escort you to the pack house!" it called again, grating against every nerve in my body.

My head whipped in the voice's direction. Eyes narrowed in on the man I came to face. He looked almost nothing like his daughter. Was worn out around the eyes. Had a tight smile on his lips.

Felix.

Scoffing, I turned on my heels. Headed in the other direction without much thought. The odds of me getting in a car with that man was zero to none. He could get torn apart by lions for all I cared. Eaten and shat out like the piece of garbage I knew him to be.

I could hear his urgent footsteps follow me. Hear him panting about halfway into his run. More out of shape than ever. A wonder, considering he had been running from the law for so fucking long.

"Please! I am here to pick you up on the order of Alpha Jonah!" He screamed after me.

Stopping dead in my tracks, I swiveled around. Locked eyes with him. Hatred emanated from every pore I had. It sucked to be here but now it was ten times worse.

"You nearly killed Alvara! A Luna of a powerful pack, might I add. My pack. I would rather walk on broken fucking glass than get into a car with you." I snarled.

The calm and collected face of Felix morphed into stifling anger. He was simmering. Waiting to pounce the first chance he got. I wanted none of it. Want5ed his blood dripping on the tiles.

And to drag Adelia into his plans...

"That was a different time. Different circumstances. We are under a truce now, wouldn't you agree?" 

There was no way in hell Jonah didn't know about Felix's colorful past. About the things he had done. Who he betrayed and nearly killed. If he had chosen him to come and pick me up, there must have been a reason.

One a tad more sinister than I was comfortable with.

"You nearly killed her!" I hissed again, baring my teeth in the process.

There was a shift in his demeanor. His shoulders squared a bit more. Chin lifted. And the cruelest smile I had ever seen crossed his lips. The hairs on the back of my neck stood on end as the man reached for my luggage.

Every fiber of my being screamed at me to get away. Launch myself at him, hurt him just enough so that I had time to run. But I couldn't. Jonah had sent him. I had to keep things civil. Make sure the deal doesn't fall through.

How I despised the feeling of helplessness. The bitter taste of surrender.

"Last I remembered, Adelia and Sybil were the ones trying to kill Alvara. I never had a hand in it. Nothing anyone can prove, anyway. So I would suggest you keep your mouth shut and follow me. Ciaran is riding on this deal, is he not? Don't want to upset your boss by letting your tongue get the best of you." 

It was his tone of voice that made me come to my senses. Threatening and low. A dangerous combination. 

Reluctantly, I let him take my bags. Felt the weight of them leave my body. But the knots in my ribcage remained. Felix's eyes remained locked on mine. Cold as the day he was born.

"I have never met a good man that would let his daughter take the fall for his folly. But I guess you aren't a good man, are you? Adelia deserves a better father than you will ever be." I threw back. It was my last punch at him before I accepted my fate. Before I followed him to the waiting car.

If Jonah was aligned so heavily with Felix, to the point where he would send him to pick me up, things weren't going as well in Desert Sun as we had thought. Underlying currents were already tugging at me.

And the feeling of dread I had just seemed to get worse the deeper we drove into the pack.

***

The pack house was built on the side of a rather large sand dune. It was built long before I was born. Had stood the test of time for many years now. Although several alterations had been made through the years, it still had most of the original structure.

Felix noticed my staring. Cut the engine of the car and glanced in the same direction I was looking in. Yet I could see his eyes flitting to my face from time to time.

"A marvel, isn't it? Enginuity to build such a masterpiece in the middle of such barren land. I admire your people-" Before he could carry on speaking, my door was already open.

"They aren't my people and the ocean isn't that far, jackass." 

This place might have been barren for most people but I knew better. You could find water easily if you just knew where to look. Besides, fishing proved lucrative for the ancestors of Desert Sun. I could call this place many things but barren and desolate wasn't one of them.

"Did I not tell you to keep your mouth in check?" Felix snarled and rounded the car to my side.

Eyeing him up and down, I couldn't help the smirk. 

Yes, dread had made its home in my stomach but I couldn't help the urge to piss him off more. If he harmed me in any way, there was no doubt in my mind that Harland would have him hanged. Or tortured. Maybe tortured and then hanged.

The sight would greatly amuse me.

"And did I not tell you that I don't give a shit about that?"

Felix snarled again, gripping the top of my arm with a painful grasp. I sneered down at him. Felt my own anger surface.

"You didn't, otherwise you wouldn't have been able to walk pro-"

"That is enough, Felix! We don't harm our guests!" A dominating voice sounded from the sandstone steps of the house. I turned just in time to see him saunter down. The spitting image of his eldest son. "Teagan my dear, how was your journey? I hope it wasn't too unpleasant." 

Alpha Jonah was a good 6'4. Broad shoulders. Cropped black hair with strands of silver. A trickle of a beard. And brooding caramel eyes that reminded me of my own Alpha. 

If only Ciaran knew how much he looked like his father. How the apple had barely gotten off the tree.

Felix let go of my arm in a hurry. As if electricity had shocked him through my skin. The man nervously wiped his palms on his pants. Looked anywhere but at me. 

"Alpha Jonah, it is a pleasure." I mused, extending my hand.

Instead of shaking it, as I had planned he might, he took it gently in his and kissed each knuckle. I frowned lightly but remained silent.

When he looked up at me again, nothing but pleasantness came from him. His eyes were light and happy. Nothing compared to the images I remembered of him as a child.

"Please, the pleasure is all mine. It is interesting to see someone come back here after all these years. I am eager to hear all about your travels and how my son plans to fuck me over."

Fucking hell. There it was. The other shoe as it dropped straight to the ground. He said it with that same happiness on his face. A lopsided grin.

"I-I- Uh. I assure you it is nothing of-" 

Jonah waved it off, that potent smile still on his lips. "Nonsense. There is no need for lies among friends. Please, come in. The maids have already prepared your room."