Four

Marigold

Driving or riding in a car was one of my least favorite activities, but I knew a vehicle was the quickest way to get to the Eastern Province. I hadn’t expected to begin our travels quite so soon, but I was immediately on board with the rushed timeline under the circumstances.

While I wished I’d had more time to say goodbye to my friends and Roxi, I was also ready to begin the next stage of my life. I’d hoped for a brighter beginning, but I was accustomed to making lemonade out of the zingers life seemed to keep flinging my way.

Initially, I had planned on reading during the jaunt to the East, but my nerves were shot within the first fifteen minutes with the halting way the male drove.

I was certain he wasn’t truly a terrible chauffeur, but the memories of the many times my mother had operated a vehicle while blitzed out of her mind with my sister and I in the backseat had been burned into my mind like a red-hot branding iron.

I didn’t always consciously think about the nerve-wracking experiences from my youth when I was subjected to the tin can on wheels, but the panicky emotions arose once more at any hint of danger, even where I logically knew it didn’t exist.

I’d trained myself to distract my mind whenever possible to help ease the enduring anxiety, but my normal escape method of going on an adventure between the pages of my novel was failing today.

As a result, I’d snuggled up to Asher, feeling a little awkward in spite of everything we’d already shared, but the apple and oak fragrance emanating from him was absolutely divine. I felt myself relaxing as it saturated my airway, and I was asleep before I knew it.

The trip flew by as I slept, and then my mate was shaking me awake, letting me know we had safely made it to the Eastern Territory sometime later. I didn’t have a clue what time it was, but the pitch-black sky at least told me it was the middle of the night.

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I clomped on beside him as he led the way through a spacious living room that I noted opened into the kitchen area before he steered me up the stairs, but I didn’t miss the absolute mess the place was in, either.

Asher didn’t appear to take notice, and I wasn’t about to rock the boat with how much I knew he had on his plate. He showed me to the master bedroom, and then he was gone after a hasty peck on the lips and a “Make yourself at home, gorgeous.”

I considered slithering into the inviting bed, but there was no way I would be able to sleep after how long I’d rested in the car. It was strange being in a wholly new environment, but after straining my ears for a few minutes, I concluded that I was alone.

Indecision reigned as I debated what to do now, knowing I needed to put away my things that my mate had so considerately brought up for me, but I also didn’t like the thought of looking at the same four walls while I waited for Asher to return.

I hadn’t seen anyone else on our way in, but I wasn’t guileless enough to believe it would always remain that way. I knew it would be easier to adjust without adding unknown people to the mix of my new environs, so I decided to venture out into the rest of the house while I had the opportunity.

Asher’s room had been tidy overall, but there were dirty dishes and trash spread across every flat surface in the open area downstairs.

On closer inspection, I took in a couple of sticky puddles of liquid pooling on the hardwood floor where someone hadn’t bothered to clean up behind themselves, not that it made much of a difference with the state the rest of the house was in.

I didn’t have an inkling of what all of Asher’s responsibilities entailed, but I did know I wanted to help him in any way that I could. There was no way I would be able to train the female warriors like Ronnie, and I couldn’t cook a gourmet meal like Willow could.

Howbeit, I shut down that line of thought as soon as I recognized the downward spiral my brain was heading in, concentrating on what I was able to do. I had to keep reminding myself that my mother’s discouraging words meant nothing, and I was determined to shut them up permanently one day.

Accordingly, I went hunting for the cleaning supplies, getting down to work as I scrubbed the kitchen and living room until they were sparkling. It may not have been the most entertaining of tasks, but I felt better with each chore I accomplished.

The occupation also gave me plenty of time to think about how I wanted to handle everything with my sister.

Asher had been able to piece together the bits of info I’d given him prior about my mother enough to ascertain that she was human, and the girls had been right when they said it wouldn’t make a difference to him.

Be that as it may, I didn’t bring up Iris at the time after everything that had transpired, but I was aware I needed to at the first chance presented.

I may not be able to retrieve her yet with the turmoil the bears were causing throughout the wolves’ territories, or know what I would do if I did figure out how to make the extensive journey on my own by some miracle, but I had a feeling my mate would be willing to help me figure something out after everything calmed down here if I merely asked.

I sat down, brushing the tendrils of hair from my sweaty forehead as I took a drink of the ice-cold water I’d just poured into a newly cleaned cup. Glancing around, I felt proud as I got my first glimpse of the pack house in all its grandeur. 

Taking a while to relax, I appreciated the refined beauty of the house, but I was on my feet to tackle the guest bathroom before I lost my motivation.

By the time I was done, my drowsiness had made a reappearance, so I lugged myself up the stairs to crash, wondering when Asher was going to return.

I noted the sky lightening through one of the windows before I slogged my way to the shower, not wanting to dirty the incredible bed that appeared as if it would envelop my body like a cloud.

After, I noticed the faint trace of my mate’s aroma clinging to the sheets as I slid in between them, but I could tell it had been a while since he had been here last.

Sleeping with someone by my side was a new experience, a male anyway. Iris and Roxi didn’t count in my opinion, but I already missed Asher’s warm body next to me when I closed my eyes.

As luck would have it, when I awoke once more it was to find my soulmate had wormed his way into my personal space, or rather I had wrapped myself around him in our slumber whenever he had joined me.

At any rate, it didn’t take long to discover what had brought me back to the land of the living as my stomach emitted a loud rumble. I was famished, and the angle of the sun as I looked through the gap in the curtains told me I had slept far longer than I’d intended, no doubt due to Asher’s company.

He yawned a minute later, saving me the trouble of figuring out how to finagle my way out of his arms without waking him.

My eyes were drawn to his body when it was put on display as he sat up, stretching his arms high above his head, but I was scooting myself out of the giant bed when I realized I was staring at the delectable scene my mate was painting before me.

It was almost enough to distract me from my need for nourishment, our mating bond only seeming to increase in intensity as time wore on, but the pangs of hunger would not go unanswered.

I hadn’t gone through my things since I’d spent my time cleaning the common areas downstairs last night, and I’d tossed everything into my bags with no rhyme or reason in my haste when we left the Southern Province, so I knew I was going to have a hard time locating what I wanted.

Therefore, after checking with Asher that we were still by ourselves, I elected to wear my sleep shorts and tank top downstairs while we scrounged up some food.

Looking through the cabinets with my mate’s eyes on me had me feeling tense, but the pressure evaporated when he glided up behind me, gripping my hips as he pulled me back against him, saying, “Let me cook us something, babe. I’m no chef by any means, but I can handle a few basic things.”

I started to protest, remembering the dark circles I’d seen ringing his eyes, but his response had me zipping my lips, not knowing what else to say after he went on, “I want to take care of you, Mari. Please allow me to do this for you.”

I mutely nodded after a minute, not trusting my voice to remain steady if I spoke, and I took a seat at the kitchen island, watching him gracefully move around the room despite his hulking size.

I was dying to know what he’d been up to last night, feeling confused with the lack of activity around us, but he spoke up again before I worked up the courage to ask.

His voice was soft as he rotated from where he was standing at the stove, surprising me as he expressed his gratitude, “Thank you for taking on this pigsty. I don’t know what happened, but I swear the house has never looked like that before. Nicolai is the only male that lives here, but I haven’t been able to find him or the rest of the pack.”

A smile lit up my face to begin with, and I appreciated that he had gone out of his way to let me know he had noticed my efforts.

Nevertheless, his last statement had it dimming before the happiness met my eyes, and I spat out my first thought, “What do you mean you can’t find them? I don’t understand what happened to begin with. I’m kind of in the dark over here.”

“The rogues attacked, and they hit us hard. Half of the town is destroyed, and several of our males died. I found their bodies when I ran a loop last night, but I didn’t come across anyone who was living. Nic hasn’t responded since he first alerted me of the ambush, and I can’t find him either.”

Holy shit. I’d known the East had come under fire, both figuratively and literally, but I had no idea about the extent of the devastation. Grief flowed through me for all the pack members I would never get to meet, but it was hurriedly followed by concern as I registered the last of his monologue.

Ensuing, Asher shoulders stooped forward; his brilliant jade orbs downcast as he turned to face the stove while he finished explaining the little that he knew.

I was aware I couldn’t fix the situation, but I moved towards him anyway, enfolding my arms around him from behind. His presence did wonders to dispel my worries when they threatened to overwhelm me, and I was glad mine appeared to have the same effect on him.

In any case, we mercifully received some answers a while later when Jax of all people contacted my other half around the end of our meal, revealing what had incited the fire here, among other things.