New Beginnings (True Hybrid Book 1) (6 page)

“YOU DID WHAT!? I can’t believe you got one of the Elders to go along with your selfish trap! You did it for you own personal gain! What about what I wanted huh?! Did you ever think about that?! That I might not want a bond?!”

I don’t wait for him to speak. I turn around and walk out the door. Not caring that I am soaking wet. I walk to the left and hit the button for the elevator. It isn’t long before I hear the bell signaling the elevator is here.

I step into the elevator and hit the close button before I hit the button for the first floor. Before the door can close all the way I see Zander’s face. Which pisses me off even more. If he is downstairs it won’t be pretty.

There will be a fight in front of the humans and we will both end up dead. The Elders will have to make sure of that. I have to get away from him. He is making everything hard.

The bell signals the elevator is on the first floor. The door opens and there is no Zander in sight. I sense his closeness but don’t see him. He must be coming down the emergency exit stairs.

I run for the door and don’t stop there. I run straight for Blood Moon. They aren’t open but my 4x4 is there.

I pass hundreds of buildings and thousands of people. Everything going by in a blur in my attempt to get as far away as I possibly can. I can’t sense Zander near but I know he’s not far behind. I love running, just not in the situation I’m in right now.

It takes me 20 minutes to reach the 4x4. I am able to cut through parks and alley’s to get here faster. As soon as I touch the 4x4 I sense Zander close by. I jump in the 4x4 and it roars to life. I throw it in gear and hit the gas.

Looking in the rearview mirror I spot a very pissed off Zander running after me. I reach into the center console and pull out my spare cell phone. I call the only phone number saved in the contacts. It rang a ½ a time before a female robotic voice answers.

“Hello”

“It’s Elisabeth and there’s no need to continue watching Zander. He is not a threat.”

I hold my breath while I wait for her to answer.

“Ok. We expect your full written report in less than 48 hours. The jet will be at the airport to get you and your 4x4 in 6 hours.”

6 hours? That is too long. He will find me before that.

“Um… Isn’t there anything sooner?”

I can hear papers being moved around while I wait for her reply.

“I’m sorry Elisabeth but that is the earliest we can get you out of there.”

I have to take a deep breath to relax slightly.

“That’s fine. I’ll be there.”

I hang up. I don’t want them to know he got to me. That will put us both in jeopardy. I drive in silence to the house that is rented for me about an hour out of town. The roads all the way to the house remind me of home. I am home sick.

I think I’m going to talk to the Elders and see about getting out. They won’t like it but they only require 10 years and I have given them more than that. I am getting lost in thought when it dawns on me why he picks now of all times to call in a favor.

My 21
st
birthday is less than a week away and he wants to be there when I go into heat. Why that sly bastard. He is planning on being around long enough to complete our bond. Well he has another thing coming.

I’m going home and he will not be anywhere near me during my first heat. If he wants to be with me then he is going to woo me the old fashion way. It’s not going to be easy for him either. I will make damn sure of that, but first I have to make it to the house and pack everything.

I need to get ready to leave. I focus on anything but the past 24 hours for the rest of the trip. I will write my report on the jet and drop it off when I get back to the states. I have followed Zander for a week so I have everything I would need.

I pull up in the driveway. There is something off. Then it hits me. Zander is here.

I stop the 4x4. I wait a few moments to see if he will come into view. When he doesn’t I put the 4x4 into reverse. I can buy new things when I get to another home. There is nothing in there that I can’t replace.

As I turn the 4x4 around I feel the truck move. I look in the rearview mirror and see a huge black wolf with emerald green eyes, and he doesn’t look very happy. I put the 4x4 in park and open the door.

I don’t want to face him after trying to ditch him at the hotel. Guess I have no choice. I get out the 4x4 and turn to face the bed.  I come face to face with a muzzle.

“Turn back and we can talk.”

I watch as the wolf’s head moves up and down in acceptance. I watch as Zander changes back to his human form. It appears to be very painful but I know better. It just sounds horrible, with the sound of breaking bones and the sound of skin tearing. After a few brief moments a very naked and angry looking Zander stands in the bed of my 4x4.

“Why did you run? You knew I would give chase.”

I don’t know what to say. No answer I can give him will make this any easier.

“I don’t know what you expect me to say Zander. I don’t want a bond. I’m no good for you, and if the Elders find out then they would kill both of us. I couldn’t let them do that to you. I could care less about what they do to me.”

I can’t look at him. It is too hard to look at the disappointment on his face. I hear his feet thud on the ground and he jumps out the back of the 4x4. I feel strong arms wrap around me and pull me into a solid chest. The smell of Zander helps me relax.

He smells like the country right before a major thunderstorm. A very natural, earthy smell. I loved it, but his voice is something else.

When he talks to me his voice always had this soothing effect. It is almost like a bedroom voice he uses on me but I know it isn’t that. It was just the way it sounds to me. I pull back slightly to look him in the eye. Even though he is mad his eyes still hold love in them.

“Why Zander? Why chase me all this way? Spend all this time looking for me?”

He looks me straight in the eyes before he answers.

“I have done all those things because I feel like half a werewolf without you by my side. I want you with me. I’ll die without you by my side.”

I don’t want to believe him but I see the sincerity in his eyes and know he is telling the truth but it still doesn’t make it any easier for us.

“What about the Elders? They won’t approve. They will try to kill us.”

His face turns serious.

“They won’t do anything. My father is an Elder and has been waiting a long time for me to find you.”

Well I can understand that. Any parent will want to see their children happy. As I look into Zander’s eyes and see he is telling the truth I want to wrap my arms around him and believe everything is going to be ok. That we can make it through anything, but I know better.

Life is never that easy. Whenever you think everything is going to be ok it will throw you a curve ball. Nothing ever works out exactly how it is supposed to. I pull away from Zander and start walking back to the house.

It is set back in the woods about 100 feet. The house is a cream white with hunter green shutters and a black door. It isn’t very big. It’s 2 stories, but upstairs is just 2 bedrooms with 2 bathrooms attached to them. Down stairs is a living room, bathroom, dining room, kitchen, and laundry room.

It is fully furnished. I don’t go upstairs though. I sleep on the couch downstairs for ease if I have to run. The living room has a couch and recliner in dark brown leather. There is a black flat screen TV.

The floors are honey colored hardwood and the walls are the color of sand. The dining room and laundry room match in color. The kitchen has grey tiles on the floor and countertop and the walls are a bright yellow. Not the color scheme I would have went with.

The bathroom has the same tiles as the kitchen but has bright blue walls instead. Everything in the bathroom and kitchen is white. It all looks good together. Not my taste but it matches. I take out my key and walk straight through the door to the kitchen before my stomach starts growling.

“You want something to eat?”

“Some of whatever you have.”

I look at him, shocked.

“That can be interpreted 2 different ways. Which one did you mean?”

“Both.”

I look at him and notice he is being serious.

“You can only have something to eat. You can’t have me. Not right now at least.”

I laugh at the dark look he gives me. It is funny to see how easily I can rile him up with just a couple of words. It makes me feel like I have power over him, but I know he has the same power over me. I think bonds are supposed to be equal. Oh well.

I start making sandwiches. I load them with ham, cheese, mayo, tomatoes, pickles, and lettuce. After placing both plates on the table I go back into the kitchen and grab 2 small bags of chips and 2 sodas.

On my way back to the table Zander walks up behind me wraps his arms around my waist. He put his face in the crook of my neck and places a kiss on my mark that shoots straight to my core. I spin and sidestep out of his arms and look him straight in the eyes.

“You need to stop doing that. We aren’t going to do anything until I’m ready. I haven’t waited this long to lose my virginity on a whim. You can either respect that or leave. The choice is yours.”

Zander walks up to me and takes the chips and sodas from me. Kissing me on my forehead.

“I’m sorry. It won’t happen again.”

When he pulls away I see sincerity in his eyes before he turns and take a seat at the table. He gives me a soda and a bag of chips as I sit down next to him. We eat in silence. It isn’t an uncomfortable silence. It is actually nice to have a meal with someone and not feel like I have to fill the silence with useless conversation.

After I finish eating I grab my plate and trash to walk to the kitchen and clean up. Zander brings his plate and trash into the kitchen after he finishes. He stands behind me until I finish washing my plate and put it on the drying rack. I turn around and go to take the plate from him, but he pulls it out of my reach.

“I can wash my own plate. Just like I can clean up after myself.”

I giggle a little at the face he is making. He looks like a child who was told he wasn’t big enough to do something. It is too cute. I am enjoying the softer side to Zander. It is sweet and innocent.

I walk out of the kitchen and walk into the living room. I only have 3 hours until I have to be on the jet. I place everything I brought into the duffle bag. I feel Zander behind me.

“Where should I drop you off at? I’m leaving for the airport in 30 minutes.”

I actually turn around and look at him because he doesn’t answer right away. He looks like he is deep in thought.

“I’m going with you.”

I stare at him with a shocked expression. How does he think he gets to make a decision like that without discussing it with me first?

“And why do you think you’re doing that? I don’t remember us discussing that.”

“Either I’m going with you or I will follow you. We can’t be apart from each other now that you’re marked. It will kill us both. I can feel that you’re going to need to feed soon.”

“I understand what you’re saying, but don’t you think we should have discussed this?”

“You're right but there is nothing we can do about it now. You won’t be able to feed off of anyone else now, and if you die I die.”

“Ok.”

Sighing in defeat I turn around and continue to pack my stuff. After I pack we walk to the 4x4. The drive to the airport is silent. I pull the 4x4 up to the back gate, and punch in the code for it to open.

“Where are we going?”

“There is a private area for our jet.”

“Well what about the 4x4?”

“It’s going with us. This is my vehicle for work.”

I park by the private jet. It has a special cargo area for our vehicles. It is designed just for when we travel for work. I get out and grab my bag. Zander gets out and waits for me to walk around the 4x4. He places his hand on my back and walks behind me.

“Hello ma’am. Plus 1?”

“Yea. He followed me. Guess I got a new pet.”

That makes everyone laugh, except Zander. He just growls at me. It makes me laugh even more. We walk to the seats in the back. I sit in the seat to the left as it has the laptop.

“There is a bed and bathroom through that door.”

I point to the back of the jet. He looks back then nods at me. He is obviously still upset about being called a pet.

The pilots board and walk into the cabin in the front. The jet starts and moves forward. We put on our seatbelts before the jet ascends.

After the jet reaches altitude Zander unbuckles and walks over to me. He unbuckles me and picks me up bridal style. He walks through the door, and he lays us on the bed. As I lay in Zander’s arms I realize how tired I am. I start to drift off.

Before I fall asleep I remind myself to write my report when I get up. The last thing I remember is feeling safe and warm tucked next to Zander.

Something doesn’t feel right.