Chapter 9

MERRY CHRISTMAS :D Have a wonderful day :D

Here is chapter 9 and this chapter is dedicated to @Zuzu7812 :)

Pic on the side is of>>>

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“She was saying goodbye and she didn't even know it.”

― Markus Zusak, The Book Thief

DARYA P.O.V

I was neatly folding my clothes and keeping it inside my bag. This was my second bag and I wondered if it felt like I am taking too much stuff? After all, I will be staying there for only two months. Why do I need more clothes?

After few minutes of contemplating, I decided that two bags were enough.

While I was stacking my clothes, Lorcan stepped into my room, holding a plate filled with wafers.

“Want some?” he asked sitting on my bed.

“No” I said but I was really touched by his manners.

“Why cannot I come with you?” he demanded thrusting his lower lip in a pout.

“Because you have school” I answered softly.

“I don’t want to go to school” Lorcan huffed.

“Well baby, you have to. Don’t you want to become like your papa after you grow up?” I asked and he nodded eagerly.  “Then you have to go to school” I sighed and he scrunched up his nose.

Ruffling his hair, I went to the bathroom to pick up my toiletries.

“You are going to his house?” he queried curiously setting the plate on my bed.

“Yes”

“How long?”

“Two months. But I will come home to meet you whenever I can” I promised and his eyes beamed with happiness. Lowering myself, I kissed the top of my nephew’s head.

“But I hear aunts saying that you are going to marry him and stay there” Lorcan said and my eyes were as wide as saucers.

“Marry?” I said in a whisper. Geez! Who has been talking about marrying stuff?

“Are you going to marry him?” I flushed and looked away. I was glad that no one heard him asking that question.

“Uh… I don’t know” I replied honestly. Marrying Quillon? The thought is a little scary.

“How can you not know?” Lorcan asked in frustration and I blinked. “I know I am going to marry mama after I grow up” Lorcan replied cheerfully and I laughed. Okay… I now understood how he was so sure. “But you don’t marry him” he added and I blinked again.

“Why not?”

“He shouted at my papa” Lorcan explained munching his wafers. “And I don’t like him.”

“I understand baby. I don’t like Quillon either” I said happily and Lorcan smiled. I raised my hand for him to give me a high-five and he did just that.

Just than my cellphone started ringing. Think about the devil... Why was he calling me now?

Sighing, I answered the call, “Yes?”

“What time will you be here?” I frowned at Quillon’s question.

“Be there? Aren’t you coming to pick me up?” I demanded.

“I am not coming to your stupid pack” I growled because he repeated my own words.

“I don’t know the way to your pack or your house. So come to pick me up at 4 in the afternoon tomorrow” I didn’t give him a chance to protest as I cut the call at that precise moment.

“Son of a bitch” I spat and my eyes widened when I realized what I said. Oh dear God! I cannot insult Quillon’s mother like that. She is such a sweet woman. I should call myself a bitch, but definitely not Grace.

Quillon is an asshole! That is an appropriate curse.

“Bitch” Lorcan repeated and I squeaked. Oh no! Sel is going to kill me if she comes to know I taught him that word. Ever since Lorcan started talking, Sel and Duncan both have decided not to use swear words in front of him because he repeats them like a recording device.

Quickly, I crouched in front of Lorcan and said, “No…. No. There is no such word. It is beach”

“Bitch” he said and I shook my head with a groan.

“It’s Beach… say bee-ch” I spelled it for him. “Baby please” I really begged.

“Beech” he repeated and I smiled. Thank-god!

“That’s right. It’s beach. Say it again”

“Beech”

“Good boy” I sighed. Beech is better than bitch. I just hoped he remembered it.

My cellphone beeped and I checked Quillon’s msg.

OK

That was all. I sighed and shook my head. I didn’t expect anything more from him either.

That night, I was having my dinner with my family. “Is he coming to pick you up tomorrow?” Duncan queried and I nodded. “At what time?”

“I told him to be here at four” I mumbled.

“He agreed?” Sel asked and I nodded. He better come or else I will not go to his pack. “Have you talked to him about where you are going to stay?” Sel probed uneasily.

“His house” I said awkwardly. Duncan stopped eating and then looked at me. “Separate rooms” I added but already a blush was creeping on my face.

Sel smiled softly but it only added more color to my cheeks. Quillon didn’t exactly say separate rooms but he only asked me to stay with him in his house, not in his room.

“That’s not a problem” Sel imparted. “I thought you would be staying with his family.”

“He has a separate house. The way he spoke, it sounded like he has his own house” I mumbled. I hope he has a separate house. It would be a little less awkward then staying in the same house with his parents.

“He has a separate house” Duncan confirmed and I looked at him with wide eye. “I had a background check done on him” Duncan announced with a shrug.

“You… you had a background check? Why didn’t you tell me?” I asked in shock.

“I wanted to know what kind of a person he is. There is no way I would just agree to send you to stay there, with him, in his pack” Duncan justified himself and I rolled my eyes. “Besides, he had done a background check on you… that too twice” he said and I blinked.

“Twice?” Why twice?

“Yes. From your classmates” he said and I pursed my lips to form a thin line.

“In times like this I feel it’s a good thing none of your classmates were close friends with your or else they would have known… everything” Sel said and I nodded.

I didn’t have any single friend and that didn’t bother me much even then. I wanted to be alone. I didn’t want to get too close to anyone because I was a little scared of Konrad at that time.

“They only told what they know.”

Which is nothing, I thought in my mind. None of my classmates knew I could control all the elements. Actually apart from my two friends, no one in the boarding school knew.

“Do you want the file?” Duncan queried. Do I?

I wanted to know more about him and so I nodded.

After dinner, I was sitting on the sofa, with my knees propped up, in their living room and reading the file, while Lorcan was watching T.V. Sel and Duncan had disappeared somewhere.

The first thing I noticed was that Quillon’s middle name was Victor, which was Cortez’s dad’s name. The second thing, he and I shared same birthday. He was two years elder than me though. But it means that we both got our wolves on the same day because I got my wolf when I was eleven,  two years earlier than I should. He took over as the Alpha of Serene Pack when he was seventeen.

According to this file, Quillon is a freaking genius. He is a gold medalist in academic as well as sports field. Dear Heaven, he is a scholar! He has recently completed his MBA and he is about to join his dad’s company soon.

That’s not just it. It was written that he had made his first millions before he joined college. How is that possible? How can he be so rich?

He also has a group of friends in his pack, who all are his age. Their names were written and I just glanced at it once. However, I remembered his Beta, Nevin, whose mate Quillon had kidnapped from Czar pack and Harvery, his third-in-command.

When it came to relationship status, I heaved a sigh when I read that he hadn’t had any girlfriends. But my wolf wasn’t happy because she knew he had been with other girls before me.

I knew that if I kept thinking about it then I might go mad and kill him as well as those girls. So, I shook my head and continued reading.

While I was reading about Quillon’s wolf, Lorcan screamed, “bitch” at someone on the screen.

As Sel gasped loudly and dropped her cellphone to the floor, I lowered myself in my seat and covered my face with the file.

“What did you say?” Sel asked in horror, crouching in front of Lorcan.

“Bitch” Lorcan repeated happily.

“Baby there is no such word” Sel explained.

“Where did you hear it?” Duncan asked staring at his son. I pretended to be too engrossed in the file, while all I was doing was watching them through the corner of my eyes and praying that Lorcan doesn’t say my name.

“Beech” Lorcan corrected himself.

“Yes. Beach” Sel said in relief. “Seashore” she added. “You shouldn’t use wrong words…” while she continued, I heaved a sigh. Thank-God!

Few minutes later, Sel sat beside me, still in shock that her son said such a word, “I wonder where he heard it from” she mumbled to herself and I didn’t take my eyes away from the file. My cheeks felt warm because of a guilty blush.

When I was sure the topic of Lorcan screaming ‘bitch’ was over, I closed the file and looked up. Duncan was playfully wrestling with Lorcan, who was laughing in delight, on the floor, while Sel was reading a book and occasionally telling both of them to lower their voices.

I am going to miss this. They are the only family I had after mom’s death and watching Duncan and Lorcan wrestling, was almost a daily thing for me. I am going to miss this when I go to Serene.

As I was staring at them, my eyes clouded and I felt my wolf whining softly. I had basked in the comfort provided to me by Duncan and Sel for such a long time that it was painful for me to leave this all of a sudden and go to some strange pack, where there is no one I know. I trusted Quillon and his mom, but I didn’t know if I could trust anyone else there.

Leah’s hostile behavior hurt me, but then again I knew I would be greeted the same way by almost everyone from that pack. I just hoped, I wouldn’t lose my temper with any of them.

“Can I stay here the night?” I asked in a soft voice, looking at Duncan.

When he looked at me and saw the vulnerability in me, he sighed and nodded with a smile.

“Yay! I am going to sleep beside Daroo” Lorcan said letting go of his father’s hair and running towards me.

“Of course baby” I cooed and then lowering myself, so he could have a piggyback ride, I took him to my room. I knew well that in the middle of the night, he would start crying and ask me to take him back to his mama.

I couldn’t sleep that night. All I could think about was how I was going to miss everyone when I go to Serene.

As I felt footsteps approaching towards my room, I closed my eyes and placed a hand on Lorcan’s leg, which was rested on my hip.

I could smell Sel and Duncan’s scent in the room. However, I didn’t dare open my eyes.

“She is leaving tomorrow” Sel said in a wobbly voice.

“Ssshhhh” Duncan soothed and then the room door closed. I peered and realized that they left the room. However, they were standing just outside the door and I could hear their voices.

“I just hope they treat her well” Sel said and then sniffed audibly. It was difficult for me to control my tears but I did it just the same.  “I will never forgive them if they hurt her” she launched with a low growl.

“No one will hurt her” Duncan stated.

“They are not that friendly” Sel muttered. “I told you… when I had been there, I could sense hostility from all of them except Quillon” she said and I stiffened.

Sel had gone to Serene Pack? When? She met Quillon? Why? What did she tell to him? What did he tell to her?

“And he is the only one who is important to her” Duncan said with a growl, that caused Lorcan to stir a little. So I slowly patted his back.

“But the pack should accept her too” Sel added quietly.

“They will because Darya is loveable” he stated and I gulped. “If they don’t, then it’s their loss” he added and then I heard another door closing, which was my cue to tune out.

Opening my eyes, I stared at the ceiling. A tear dropped from the corner of my eye and I wiped it before it could touch the floor. Don’t want a rain tonight.

Next day, around three fifty in the afternoon, I was sitting on the living room of Duncan’s house. Sel was sitting next to me and talking to Cristina, her friend and the pack Beta, Waylon’s mate. Duncan and others were out of the house waiting for Quillon.

He had already crossed our territory. The guards were escorting him to Duncan’s house, which was in the heart of the Emperor Pack territory.

I was glad that he had come here as promised, but then again, I didn’t expect him to ditch me either. Quillon isn’t a person who would do something as bad as that. My wolf had complete trust in him and so did I.

When the clock struck four, Duncan called me through the link, ‘He’s here’ was all Duncan said. I closed my eyes and lowered my head, while my heart started pounding. My wolf wagged her tail and stood up, but she didn’t exactly dance in delight. I was sad that I was leaving the pack, the family behind and going to some strange place, where I didn’t know anyone.

Even Quillon was a stranger to me because it’s been only two weeks since I met him and in these two weeks, I spoke to him barely a handful of times. So everyone in the Serene Pack was a stranger to me. True, I trusted Quillon because he was the only one I as well as my wolf knew, we could trust from that pack.

As I stood up, I literally felt my knees shaking and this hollow feeling engulfed me. I felt alone… lonely all of a sudden. The last I had felt like this was when my mom told me the truth about my parentage. I didn’t like that feeling then and I definitely didn’t like it now.

“Darya” Sel sobbed hugging me and it was difficult for me to control myself. I bit my lower lip, but still my whole body shook and I sniffed audibly.

While I pulled away, I noticed that Sel’s eyes were red and I slowly wiped her cheeks. “It’s hard for me to leave you like this” I whispered as Christina hugged my side.

“I am sorry” Sel mumbled shakily. “I thought I could do it but I am not that strong” she said and I nodded.

“Mama” Lorcan called and I noticed him clutching the hem of Sel’s t-shirt. He too was crying because we were crying.

“I am fine baby. Say bye to Daroo” Sel told him wiping her tears. After hugging Christina, I knelt down in front of Lorcan.

“You will come back?” he asked me and I nodded. “Promise?”

“Pinkie promise” I said extending my little finger and he did the same. “Give me a kiss” I told him and he placed a soft kiss on my cheek.  “Baby bear” I mumbled and kissed both his cheeks.

Holding Lorcan’s hands, I walked out of the house. Quillon’s scent hit me stronger than ever and my wolf sighed, but I didn’t look at him. I straightly made my way towards Duncan, who was standing near the gate of the house.

I hugged him tightly, while he ran his hands on my hair. Pulling away, I stared at my brother’s grey eyes as he wiped a single stray tear, from my cheek, with his thumb, “Not a single drop of tear from now, okay?” he said and I nodded. He kissed my temple and then let me go. “Call me if you need anything and I mean anything” as Duncan’s eyes darkened, I understood what exactly he was telling me.

“I promise” I said and Duncan bobbed his head. His eyes then drifted towards Quillon, but I still didn’t look at my mate.

After hugging Waylon and Vernon, who too made me promise to call him, I walked towards my four guards. Fox, Shane and Mikhail were standing together, but Nick was standing a little away from them. “I am going to miss you” I said with a pout.

“Same here” they said and we had a group hug.

Pulling away, I walked towards Nick, who was staring at the ground. “Nick” I called him with a smile.

“Hey” he said with a smile, but I saw that his eyes were gloomy. “So this is it, huh?” he queried cocking an eyebrow and I blinked. “You are leaving” Nick added.

“Not forever. I will be coming back” I said but Nick just shook his head.

Cupping my face, he placed a kiss on my forehead. My eyes widened and I inhaled sharply. Behind me, I heard a loud growl and then immediately felt Quillon’s presence behind my back. However, I didn’t turn to face him; instead my eyes were focused on Nick, who too was staring back at me.

Nick, had been appointed as my guard three years ago, after my then guard, Stan, passed away in the petrol bank accident. Initially, I was rude towards him because I had been close to Stan and I thought Nick was replacing him but gradually, I got adjusted and I became friendly with Nick.

Now, I was closer to him than my other three guards. It was just a friendly relation, but as I stared at Nick’s golden eyes, I was getting some other message.

“I am going to miss having you around” Nick said smiling sadly and then pulled away after hearing Quillon’s loud growl. “Take care” he said with a wink and I nodded.

I shook my head because I had been totally wrong in thinking Nick might feel something else… something more towards me other than friendship.

Taking a deep breath and smiling at Nick, I finally turned to face Quillon.

For a moment, as my eyes clashed with his dark black ones, I forgot how to breathe. God! He is just so handsome that he makes my mouth run dry. I am totally at a loss of words whenever I see him. It’s like my brain stops functioning. That should not happen. It’s not a good sign, especially when whatever we are having is a temporary arrangement.

When Quillon, gazed at me, I blushed and shyly lowered my head. “All done?” Quillon queried and I nodded without looking at him. “Let’s go” he said and then walked towards his car.

As the gap between us increased, I heaved a sigh. My brain started functioning again and it was definitely a good sign. Looking up, I turned my head and waved at Duncan, Lorcan and Sel.

I marched towards Quillon’s car which was parked just outside the gate. As I made my way towards the passenger door, I noticed that almost all the pack members were here. I smiled softly at them and then sent a message to all through the link, ‘I am going to miss you. Take care’ I said and they all nodded.

Waving at them, I climbed inside and sat in the passenger seat of Quillon’s sports car.

He had started driving, but I was busy staring at my lap. My vision was blurry and my heart was pounding badly. It had nothing to do with sitting beside Quillon in a car. It had everything to do with me going to some new land.

I didn’t like it mostly because I had no one there for me in Serene Pack. All my life, I have been sheltered, initially by my father and then by Sel and the other Alpha’s. Now, for the first time in my life, I was alone. That is what was scaring me a lot. For the first time in my life, I will be making decisions of my own, without any help from anyone.

I had been craving for this type of freedom from a long, long time. But now that I got it, I felt hollow. I didn’t feel joyous, like I expected to be. I was scared.

I jumped in my seat, when my cellphone started vibrating. With shaky hands, I pulled out my cellphone and answered the call. I couldn’t properly see the caller id because my vision was blurry.

“I just reached Emperor and Duncan told me you already left fifteen minutes ago” Granel said from the other end and I smiled softly. Beside me, I felt Quillon whirling his head to look at me.

“You were late” I accused.

“I am sorry” Granel said with a chuckle. “Sam was being difficult and it took us time to get him inside one of his jumpsuits” he said and I grinned. Samuel, Granel’s one year old son, can be handful most of the time. “Hold on sweetheart” he mumbled and I heard faint voices of Raven grumbling.

“Raven and I personally wanted to tell you goodbye, but you are gone. Anyway, bye and take care. And if any one of those fuckers hurt you-” beside me Quillon growled loudly, “-You know what to do” he said and I knew he was grinning on the other side.

“Yes, of course” I said with a giggle.

“And this one is specifically to Quillon, who I know is sitting beside you- ‘Darya is family to me, in fact my eldest child, and if you hurt her, Quillon, I will DESTROY you. That’s a promise’” Granel said in his Alpha tone, which caused Quillon to growl murderously. I gulped and turned to look at Quillon, who was holding the steering wheel in a tight grip.

“I don’t need any warning from you Hampton” Quillon snarled from beside me.

“Oh, trust me pup-” another murderous growl came from Quillon at the use of the word pup and I closed my eyes shut. God! His growls are so threatening. It makes my wolf tremble. “- I am being generous than the other four, in my warning” Granel stated calmly. He was right. Granel is the coolest one among the five Alphas’.

The list goes like- Granel, Duncan, Tyson, Sel and Cortez. It is very difficult dealing with Sel and Cortez. Both are hot-headed! If Granel’s slight warning made Quillon this furious, I don’t even want to know how he will react to Cortez’s warnings.

Through the corner of my eyes, I peeked at Quillon, who had his lips pursed tightly but his eyes…. they were pitch black.

“Um… Granel” I decided to change the topic. “I want to talk to Raven.”

“Darya” Raven squealed from the other end and I laughed. She is always hyperactive! “Oh sweetie… I am so sorry I couldn’t come in time.”

“Raven, it’s okay, I understand” I said before she could sulk.

“But I am still sorry sweetie” she said and I shook my head. “I am going to miss you, but you should promise me, that you will visit once in a month, like you always did” she demanded.

“I promise” I chuckled.

“Also, Cortez wanted me to remind you that-”

“I know. I know” I said cutting her off. Cortez had already told me that he didn’t want his aunt to know about his existence. I argued against it but he was determined that I shouldn’t tell Quillon’s mother, about him. When I tried to argue some more, he got furious and cut the call. Sighing, I decided to give in to his wishes. However, I made a decision right at that moment, that no matter what, I am going to make sure Grace meets Cortez.

The reason I stopped Raven from talking now was because Quillon was beside me and I didn’t want him to hear about this.

“Oh! I forgot you have company” Raven said guiltily. She then proceeded to talk to me for few more minutes, before hanging up.

My mood was slightly refreshed after talking to Granel and Raven.

The Alphas’, who care a lot about me, have faith in me and that is why they decided to send me alone. I should make sure that I do not let them down.

So what if the Serene Pack wolves are strangers. They are still my mate’s pack, his family and his family is my family. I smiled and stared out of the window and realized that we were already reaching the Emperor Pack border. Once we cross the border, we will be in Serene Pack territory.

Closing my eyes, I offered a silent prayer to nature goddess. She would surely bless me and guide me in my every step. I had full faith in her.

“What did Hampton mean, when he said the other four?” Quillon asked all of a sudden. Startled, I whirled my head to look at him.

“Um… the other four?” I queried and Quillon nodded. “You know… Duncan, Granel and their friends” I tried to brush it off by pretending to be uninterested in that topic.

“And Cortez Moreland is in this friends group?” Quillon queried and I nodded staring at his beautiful face. I took my time, admiring his fabulous cheekbones, his dark brows, thick lashes, dark eyes and sensual mouth.

Staring at his mouth brought back the memories of that kiss we had once. The kiss was brief, but every time I thought about it, my lips would tingle.

“Admiring the view doll face?” I blinked when I saw that his sensual mouth was quirked upwards. Arrogant as expected.

Shaking my head, I looked ahead. I shouldn’t be ogling at him. That’s not good at all!

“You wish” I snorted, trying to play it cool. “I was just wondering, if you have met Cortez Moreland?” I demanded.

“No” Quillon replied. “I have just heard about him. How do you know him?”

“Through Raven” I lied and stared out the window. I blinked when I saw the guards near the border, waving at me. Poking my head out of the window, I waved back and smiled at them.

As I sat back in my seat, I registered that I was now in Serene Pack territory.

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In the next chapter we have Konrad making his appearance, and it will be posted on January 1st, 2015 :D

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