CHAPTER 24. A RIDE HOME
HARA
Who would have thought, right? Out of all the places I could see him again, it was here in the Red Cross pack, in this bar. With thousands of people in this pack, What are the odds that our paths would align? Indeed, the world is a small place.
If I said I thought about him a lot, then I'll be tagged a lair. But in the past months, he did cross my mind a few times. And I get lost wondering what had become of him. If he was real, or just a ghost that had popped out from nowhere and had said something I needed to hear.
His words that night had been my muse for escaping from Roland. I'd never thanked him enough for that night. For showing up. For saying something.
”You're a member of this pack?“ My voice was in a brittle whisper. I feared he might not even hear me.
“Yes, and you're not. So what are you doing here?“ I was going to answer, but he hushed me with his finger. “Hold on, don't you recognize me from somewhere else?“
“What?“ I was slightly taken aback by his question.
”Don't you remember seeing me somewhere else? Here In our pack, perhaps?“
I ransacked my memories, trying to figure out where else I might have seen him. Back in my pack, I only saw him that night. And that was the memory I had of him. Can't recall seeing him anywhere else.
But then again, I couldn't shake off the feeling that I have indeed encountered him here in this pack. But where exactly? My memories were scattered like pieces of a puzzle. I couldn't put them together.
I exhaled exasperatedly, staring deep into his eyes. “Just tell me if I've seen you somewhere else, “ I said in all seriousness.
“Nope, you haven't. I was just pulling your legs,“ He chuckled again, but it was forced. Like he was nervous.
“Really?“
“Of course. So tell me, what you doing here in this pack? Red Moon pack is a thousand miles away,“
“I know that.“ I lowered my head briefly and my eyes were on him again. “If you're from this pack, then what were you doing in ours that night?“ I knew I was avoiding his questions by asking mine. But I couldn't answer his questions, not yet.
“Uh…hunting?“ my brows arched at his words. “Nah, that was a joke,“ he waved his hands in front of him as if waving off his words.
“Of course it was. No one would come that far just to hunt,“ I said.
“You're right. And no, I wasn't hunting. I came with the entourage,“
”With the Alpha-Prince?!“
“Not exactly. I came with the entourage. One of the guards is my sixth cousin and he pulled a few strings and got the permission to bring me along,“ he said his words in so much rush.
“So you and the Alpha-Prince know each other?“
“Yes. Fuck! No, not really. We're just acquaintances, but nothing personal. I'm just a common member of this pack. I got no reason to be acquainted with the Alpha-Prince,“
Then why do you both got such a familiar aura? I wondered. But I pushed back my question into the basement of my mind. He had no reason to lie to me.
“But the night I saw you, the entourage was yet to arrive,“
“Uh…yeah, well, I was on an espionage mission. You don't visit a pack without checking it out first.“
“Oh…okay.“ that explains his black cloak that night.
“Enough about me,“ He said, “Let's talk about you and what you're doing here,“
“Uh…I came here to start a new life,“
“What happened to your previous life and where's your mate?“ he choked on his words and added, “your "supposed" mate,“
My brows cringed at his words. “Excuse me?“
“Sorry, that was a joke.“ he gave one of his dry chuckles. “Why you here all alone?“
His questions were too personal and I was feeling uncomfortable with them. I've never told anyone about my abusive mate. It was a secret and I wanted it to remain that way.
”C'mon, you just interrogated me a few minutes ago. And now you can't even answer the first question I ask?” he said in a throaty chuckle.
”I'm sorry,“ I bowed my head, “I'm really sorry but I can't answer your questions. Please,“
“Why were you screaming in so much pain that night?“
I shook my head, indicating that I couldn't answer that either.
“Fine,“ He sighed disappointedly, “Then could you at least tell me why you freaked out the way you did earlier on the third floor?“
“What?“
”I'm talking about when you held onto me like you'd never let go. When you cried on my shoulder. What was that about?”
If his other questions didn't unnerve me, this particular one just did the trick. I went instantly pale, and my mouth seemed dry all of a sudden.
”When you got smacked on the face, did it dig up some hurtful memories from the past? Are you traumatized?“ he was staring keenly at me.
I was scared my facial expression would give me off. So I tried so damn hard to control it and not seem so shaken by his questions.
He laughed, but it had no humor in it. Very obvious he enjoyed laughing and chuckling even when there was no need for them.
“It's okay if you don't wanna answer all my questions, but please, answer one. Or I'm gonna end up looking like an idiot,“
I said no words but I was drowning in thoughts. Which of his million questions should I answer? Why I was here alone? Because I escaped from my abusive mate.
Why I was screaming that night back in my pack? Because I was having life rough and painful, and I was sick and tired of it!
If I was traumatized? Well, after everything I went through, it'd be illogical if I wasn't traumatized. Violent, aggressive acts trigger me, puts me on an edge, and get me all shaky. Makes my skin crawl in fear. Just like it did back there.
I had the perfect answers to all his questions, but I couldn't open up, especially to someone I didn't know too well.
”It's late already. I need to get going,“ I said dismissively, taking off his coat and standing to my feet.
“Whoa, okay. I'm sorry,“ he stood too, hands tucked inside his pockets. “I'm sorry if I crossed the line with my questions,“
“It's fine,“
“Hardly,“ he breathed out. “I'm just dying in curiosity, you know. After our brief meeting, I wanted to see you again, I waited for you,“
“Huh? Where?“
“At the mating ball. I thought you'd be attending the party, but you never showed up.“
“Yes,“ it was the same night I'd escaped from Roland. How could I have shown up at the party?
“Okay. Uh…let me take you home.“
“No, thanks…“
“It's raining out there, and it's dark too. You shouldn't be alone in the streets at this hour,“
“I can manage,“
“I just wanna help. C'mon, you never answered any of my questions. You're still not gonna let me take you home? A lot of rejections! It's beginning to hurt, you know?“ he pouted his lips and made a dramatic display of rubbing his chest like it was actually hurting.
I laughed at his silliness and nodded, “Okay, sure, why not?“
“Yes!“ he squealed triumphantly.
Minutes later, we were driving up the driveway of my wrecked neighborhood.
The ride was silent and when he followed me inside, he still didn't say a word.
He got to my doorstep and I turned to him with a smile. “Thank you for bringing me home,“
“What happened?“ his tone was melancholic. “How did you end up in this cracked neighborhood?“
His question took a quick jab at my heart but I immediately forced a smile. ”Don't worry about me. I'm fine. You should get going.“
He waited. Said no words. But just had me under his intent stares. Made me wonder if he even heard me.
“Goodnight,“ I said again, hoping he'd hear me this time.
He nodded. Taking slow steps backward, he was yet to break his stares.
“See you around, Suzy,“ he finally said, turned around, and went down the stairs.