Chapter 20: Freya

“Deserve it?” I laughed back wiping the tears from my face. “The only thing I deserve is to be alone. I don’t deserve any kindness your pack has to offer.”

They aren’t offering it. Elias whispered and I felt a daring rumble of a growl in his chest, I’m ordering it. You owe this pack, and me nothing. I owe you a new life and happiness. Please let me give it to you. Tell me how I can make it right?

It was almost ethereal the way the moon shined through the trees raining light down onto Elias’s back. It looked like it caused him to close his eyes and I felt him relax. The truth was it couldn’t be made right. If we could go back in time so that none of this happened then everything would be fine.

Reflexively I started to stroke his head. My hand rubbed backward patting down his ears further causing him to flatten out. Looking down at him I couldn’t help but see him in his human form. That black hair carelessly hanging just barely into his face. Damn, he was attractive even in my memories it caused my heart to flutter. Maybe I didn’t fully want him to reject me but I definitely didn’t want to jeopardize my life here. Was there a way for me to have both right now though? Just let him in slightly and not have to jump to giving him everything. Was it too much to ask his goddess to just let me have it both ways? Why couldn’t he turn back and we talk like people?

I heard the rumble persist in his chest rhythmically as his breathing calmed, “Are you seriously falling asleep?” I stopped petting him and turned to try and look at his face.

His eyes opened only slightly as if he were somehow annoyed by me stopping.

“We were having a conversation and you just fell asleep?” I spat again, “Get off my lap!”

But he didn’t move, he weighed his head down as much as possible forcing me to stay put. Tell me if you want me to reject you right now. He growled.

Of course I wanted him to reject me! My doubts stemmed from those little moments, but I did want it. I needed it! That being his demand though while on top of me caused me to stop fighting him. Once I stopped struggling to get away he moved his head and raised it to look directly in my eyes. Still stunned by the question, I looked back unblinking.

Tell me. He said again. I felt something just now between us and I don’t want to keep feeling this way if there’s never a chance with you, if you give me a chance though. Just a chance to show you there is a future here I swear you’ll never be forced to do anything.

He felt something?

We sat there in silence staring into each other's eyes and I saw his fur shrink back as his face reclaimed his human features. “Tell me to reject you.” He whispered his nose touching mine now. “Until you tell me otherwise, I am your servant. Whatever you want from me you have it. Whatever you need I’ll give it. Until the day you tell me you are through I am yours. Please though, don’t drag me along. I will always want a future with you, I will try to build one as best I can, do whatever you want however long you wish but please if you say there is never in any way a chance let me go now. I’ll still help you. I’ll still keep you safe.”

Damn it, I needed him to reject me. It was what I needed more than anything so why couldn't I say it? It would have been so easy too. Three words. Please. Reject. Me. If it was the amount of words then take out please. Reject. Me. Thats it! Two words, why couldn't I say it? No, I needed to. Opening my mouth I felt the words coming out, “I don’t want you to reject me.” I whispered, finally looking down, closing my eyes. “I don’t know what I want anymore though. I know I don’t want to die-”

“I don’t want to be the reason you die.” He sighed and kissed the top of my forehead. “One moment.”

Daring to look up I saw him moving toward the back porch. I caught him just out of the corner of my eye and I had to force myself to not follow him to get a better look. He was every image that I had imagined with little pieces here and there. I hated that he was so appealing to me. I hated that I wanted to sink my teeth into his ass and hated that I needed to be the one to calm myself down.

“Funny-” he called from behind me. “Do I need to get dressed right now?”

“Huh?” I turned only to snap my hands over my eyes quickly, “What do you mean?”

“HAHAHA!” He burst out laughing once more, “You know I can smell you getting hot right?”

I shook my head and felt my cheeks go red, “Get dressed please.”

Is that really what you want? He called through the air silently.

I nodded and refused to look at him turning back around, “You said you’d listen to me right?”

“Damn, you’re already making me regret that.” he laughed and came back to tap me on the shoulder, “Come on, I’m dressed. I take it you’re hungry?”

I nodded and took his hand feeling a little spark between us as he pulled me to my feet.

“Are you going to stop those thoughts?” he kept my hand in his, pulling it toward his chest. “Your-”

“My thoughts?” I interrupted. And flashed down to his shirtless chest and my second hand went against him as he stiffened. “I think it’s your thoughts that you need to watch.”

“My thoughts sweetheart?” He growled and pulled my head upwards. “Do you remember what I told you?” He didn’t wait for me to answer, and I was a little upset with how okay I was with being called sweetheart, “Look at me. I gave you all of the control just as you wanted. If you ever want me to take it back tell me. I’ll take it as long as you need.”

I closed my eyes and took long stabilizing inhales but found my breath shaking on the way out. Give him control? I held my breath at the thought. Him having any control was the problem. So I pushed him away with as much force as possible. Unfortunately the only thing I managed to do was push myself backward, “I don't want you to reject me right now. Let me make it clear though, you don't get any leeway here. I’m still mad about the entire ordeal so no mister. You get nothing right now. The only thing you get to do is make sure no one tries to kill me.” I stomped past him climbing the porch steps, “Also, I’m staying here with Rosetta and Andre. I’m not going back to your apartment.”

He shrugged “We can stay here. Obviously I would prefer the apartment but I can make due wherever.”

“We?” I spat back stomping back down the stairs to him, “I am staying here.”

He nodded, “I'm not disputing that.”

“You're not staying!”

“I will dispute that.” He was speaking so matter of factly that it was making me even more upset.

“It's my house right?”

He nodded.

“You're not invited in then.”

“I'll be outside.” He shrugged. “But Rose did invite me to dinner. It'd be rude for me to not come in.”

“Fine!” I huffed and threw up my hands, “go in, have dinner, then leave!”

He walked past me patting the top of my head, somehow making me feel like he had just won this fight.

Inside everyone had moved to the massive dining room where Rosetta was sitting at the head of the table. The house was filled with antique furniture and this was no exception. It smelled like old varnish and dust but oddly it was a comforting smell. Like the history and knowing this place was so old let me know it wouldn't be changed or gone suddenly.

Andre tossed Elias a sweatshirt before he sat down and they dug into the fried chicken, passing the bowls of sides and plates of food around.

I was sitting at the far side of the table Elias on my right. He passed me the food and scowled when I didn't put more than a few pieces of chicken and a small spoon of mashed potatoes and gravy on my plate.

He spoke with a chicken leg hanging out of his mouth clearly not caring how it was perceived to be gnawing on the bone.”Something wrong?”

I shook my head.

“You're not eating.” he pulled the bone polished clean from his mouth. “Eat.”

“Maybe you boys forget,” Rosetta laughed, “you three eat like animals.” I noticed she had the same amount of food as myself and was actually using utensils for the chicken compared to the boys who were content with getting their hands dirty. She sighed and looked over to me, “I can keep telling you they were raised better but clearly that's a lost battle based on behavior.” she glared to Andre and Oliver, “he's got at least a semi-excuse you two don't.”

Oliver laughed, nearly spitting the food from his mouth before swallowing hard. Clearly the three were having some private conversation and I wasn't privy to it anymore. Not necessarily a bad thing either.

Then Elias looked over to me. “Well?”

I shrugged, “Well what?”

“Yep she didn't hear.” Andre laughed next.

“What did you say?” I snapped.

“No one said anything,” Elias growled and narrowed his eyes to the other two.

“I said I wasn't going to keep her out of the conversations.” Andre winked “I asked where everyone was sleeping-”

“Andre shut up,” Elias barked.

Rosetta must have kicked his shin under the table too as she tossed a sour look to Andre next, “You will be kicked out for the night if you keep it up!”

I shrugged and took a long sip from my drink, “I'm assuming there's some spare bedroom for me?”

“Spare room?” Rosetta laughed, “your house kid. You're sleeping in the master room. Hasn't been used in a fair few years so I'll clean it up after dinner.”

“I'll clean it.” Elias interjected and everyone stopped eating. He looked around and shrugged “Rose just made dinner, Oliver and Andre are cleaning it up and I'll do her room.” He continued quietly, “have to check it out anyway.”

“Second floor,” Rosetta answered, “end of the hall. It's the room with the balcony.”

Balcony? I looked at her my eyes wide, “what do you mean balcony?”

“It's the master bedroom.” Andre laughed, “it's seriously the best room taking up nearly the whole back of the second floor. It's got a balcony, fireplace, huge bathroom. Our ancestors really wanted to live in style.”

They own half the city. I heard Oliver snort silently. Not like anyone is telling her that though.

“Half the city!” I gasped.

Elias looked around glaring at everyone, “who told her?”

“Oliver.” Andre smirked.

“Did not!” He growled threatening to bite Andre’s finger, still pointed in his direction.

“Enough” Rosetta shook her head “Yes the Wallace family owns half the commercial real-estate in the city and a few private properties. There's a trust, and several organizations that run it and the accounts are set up in the estate's name. Since it's your estate, yes it's yours.”

My mouth fell open. As I turned to Elias, “Why wouldn't you tell me?”

He stayed silent, continuing to eat.

“Elias!” I slammed my fist on the table, “this needs to be in the pack! It's not something I should have.”

“It's yours.” he spoke dismissively, “no one is allowed to take it. If you want to sell it to the highest bidder that's your business but the pack will not take it from you.”

“Oh come on!” Andre snapped, “you know there's only one family who could afford it in the pack.”

“We're not cheating her out of it.” He growled. “It's hers.”

“Wait wait wait,” I waved my hands to everyone, “How much are we talking?”

Rosetta laughed, “at least one and a half billion in assets. Yearly income over twenty million depending on their own profits. We haven't touched it in years though. The trust will only allow money used for certain things. No one's gotten authorization since Andre’s father died and so things like this house and a few of the other smaller properties like the bar haven't gotten the attention like they used to.”

So that was why everything around here was so unkempt and her bar… now I felt bad. “How do I meet these people who run the businesses and trusts?”

Everyone's fingers pointed to Elias.

“You?” My mouth fell open.

“The alpha of the pack is the trustee.” He nodded but was still dismissing me.

“So what I can't do anything without your approval?”

“You can use what you want from the account but it will not be sold or bought by anyone without my consent.”

“Are you fucking serious?” I huffed and tossed myself back into the chair. Then I had a thought “How's your apartment paid for?”

I saw a flash of a smirk from Andre and everyone once again turned back to Elias, “Lucien bought it with money from the account, I'll sell it if you want the money back I’m sure it gained value with the area being built up. Comps were at least thirty million for the lower levels so you’ll definitely get more.”

Damn, I was hoping there was some kind of attachment to it but something else kind of made me second guess myself too. Elias actually sounded like he knew what he was talking about with the property. “What do you know about property management?” I scoffed giving him the side eye.

“Don't ask,” he grumbled rolling his eyes. “An unfortunate part of the alpha duties. Which I will happily transfer over to you if you want.”

“So your pack is more than just the wolves living in the city?” I mean I kind of figured because they had some stationed all over in various duties but I never thought they'd deal in the financial aspect too.

“Oh you should see Elias when he has to go to meetings.” Rosetta laughed putting her hands to her cheeks, “he gets all dressed up, wears a suit and tie. Such a gentleman.”

“You wear a suit and tie?” I laughed, unable to believe it.

“Combs his hair too.” Andre nodded.

“Make him keep wearing it!” Oliver shouted over everyone, “it's the best seeing him forced to talk and be civil with humans.”

“You seriously are qualified to make the business decisions? I looked him up and down crossing my arms in disbelief. “What makes you qualified?”

“I make only decisions that are in the interest of the trusts.”

“Yeah but you have no schooling or anything for this!”

“I graduated high-school.”

“Liar.” Every snickered and he turned tossing them all a glare.

“I got my GED.” He clarified.

“Liar.” Rosetta smirked and took a long sip from her wine glass.

“I went to the two week class!”

“You couldn't handle the two week class.” She sighed. “I took the class and you asked me questions the entire meeting. I might as well handle it all if it weren't for the fact the assholes up top will only speak with the owner, Freya, or the alpha.”

“I've picked up enough.” He shrugged. “I've made sure everything is done in the interest of your family.”

“Should have been left to the family.” She snorted. “Only reason it wasn’t was because Lucien was an ass.”

“So make Rosetta the trustee.” I turned to Elias. “You said you'd do whatever I asked.”

“How does that make up for-” he stopped and threw up his hands, “you know what fine. It gets me out of it.”

“And you're selling that apartment!” I glared at him.

“Good. I hate having to keep checking on the place.”

How was he so okay with this?

“You do realize you're giving him what he wants.” Andre laughed, “if you're looking to make him irritated, force him to be around humans more.”

Oliver looked around, “Does that mean my schooling isn't covered anymore?”

“Whoa whoa!” I looked down at him, “your schooling?”

“Okay so I used some of the money for personal reasons.” Elias shrugged. “I'll pay you back.”

He put Oliver through school but not himself? I looked down at Oliver, “you're still going to school. That's my gift to you.” I turned to Andre, “anything for you?” I had already decided I was going to fix up the house and Rosettas bar.

He shrugged “just don't kick me out of the house cousin. That's all from me.”

“Anything else I should know?” I looked to Elias directly, “your car?”

“Dont use it. It was Luciens. Take it.”

Did anything bother this man?

Andre laughed louder, “you can take away everything from him. He'll see it as liberating. Seriously he's been looking to be less attached to humans ever since becoming alpha.”

“Take away his food he'll hunt in the damn woods” Oliver laughed too.

“Are you all trying to get her to annoy me?” He grumbled.

“He's got to pay me back for what he's used though.” I tossed a side eye, “might need to get a job.”

He glared back, “put it on my tab, charge interest.” He then leaned toward me with a smile, “you'll never get rid of me.”