Chapter 8: Pack tour

ROSE

Deamian looked at me curiously. He knew I was lying but didn't say anything as he just smiled and attempted to hook our arms together. I pulled my arm away and shook my head at him. This happened multiple times.

"So where to first?" He asked me.

I sighed and told him that I'd take him to the training grounds. By this time, it was midmorning and the sun shone brightly in the sky making the cut green grass appear shimmery. The place was large and divided into sections through the use of white paint, fences and some places even covered in netting. Each specific place had a specific purpose. The netted sections covered muddy terrain for training in rainy weather. Others contained deadly obstacle courses, combat grounds, gymnastic areas, open space for running, sections containing small pools for underwater training, sports grounds toward the end of the large field, bordering the woods, and finally, the large indoors training building.

As soon as we arrived training ceased to be. Many wolves ogled at the sight of the marvel of a werewolf which stood before them... well they thought he was a marvel. Even those at the furthest corners of the field. I was sure they could smell the “stranger” on him.

Deamian flashed a million-dollar smile at the crowd surrounding us while I just huffed and allowed myself to be swallowed by growing annoyance.

"I bet you all don't remember the owner of this gorgeous face. Yes yes, it's Deamian, I'm back!" He said. The idiot sounded like he was a celebrity.

Everyone was so excited and kept on asking him irrelevant questions like:

Where Have you been?

What's been going on?

Are you here to stay?

Why do you look so hot now?

Are you dating the alpha?

And the last question was all it took for me to put a stop to this little get together.

"Deamian is just visiting around okay? Now if you could please get back to your work!" I said. The crowd soon dissipated totally and got back to training. An angry alpha was obviously a warning sign.

Deamian walked beside me as we walked through the outside training area and then I led him inside towards the indoor training centre.

There were about ten different rooms which were each divided into three sections. Beginners, intermediate and warriors. Each were technology controlled and created a life like simulation of various battle and conflict situations. There were also torture simulation rooms which were for elite soldiers to ensure their loyalty was solely to the pack.

"Wow, you've really changed this from one huge training room to a state-of-the-art training building! I'm impressed." He said nodding his head in approval.

I nodded, "After the attacks on this pack when my parents died, I decided to make sure we're always ready for a fight."

Deamian looked at me confused, but he said nothing.

Once I showed him the weaponry room and all the equipment and training area, we left the training grounds and proceeded to the school. It was quite a long walk and I was dead silent so as not to hear another word from his mouth. He was so... arrogant and full of pride. Idiot.

"So, we're going to school now?" He asked moving closer to me. I looked up at him and noticed a mischievous look all over his face.

"Yes?" I answered it uncertainly, not knowing where this was leading up to.

"Remember that time at school when you snuck out because you knew I was visiting and-"

But before he said anything I jumped up on his back and placed my hand over his mouth. It was a drastic measure, but one needed.

"Shhh! Don't say it so loud!" I said, recalling the memory as though it had happened just yesterday.

Deamian smirked and looked up at me, "It was your first kiss." He said as soon as he removed my hand from his mouth.

I face palmed and shook my head. He just had to bring up the time we kissed. So mature.

"Yes, it was the first and worst!" I yelled.

"I don't think so. For a guy with braces, I think it was my best kiss yet!" He said chuckling. I punched him on the shoulder, and he stumbled slightly as I got off of him.

"Shut up! Let's just go and see the school. Gosh! Your stupid braces nearly cut my lips. Thank goodness you don't have those Death traps anymore. So, let's just move on." I said. But he just wouldn't let it go.

"You actually blushed that day, you smiled, and you giggled, and your lips tasted like...strawberries." He said as he looked up in sweet nostalgia. I was just about to punch him again when he grabbed me by the waist and pulled me close against him. His eyes stared deep into mine and looked intense. I really tried my level best to get out of his grip. But his eyes... they were just too binding. The blue pools were tempting me. Hypnotising me. The feelings of long ago were threatening me. They were forcing themselves through.

"How about we try that kiss again?" He said leaning in. I could feel the heat build between us and the tiny part of my brain telling me to kiss him, itching for me to place my lips on his and taste his lips again. My hands waiting to run through his raven, black hair. I was so tempted to feel the way I did back then again. The fiery pit in my stomach, the fast beating of my heart. But fortunately, I was a logical thinker and that part of me that wanted Deamian was not in control… at least not this time.

"How about you let me go and we continue this tour?" I said. "Besides, I'm sure your lips have kissed their fair share of other women and their lips...probably more than that actually. " I scrunched up my nose at my own comment.

"Yes, I have. Can I include you in that list though?" He now tightened his hands on my waist and began leaning in. The temptation was rising again, and I knew I had to get out of his grip.

"No, You can't Deamian. Maybe in your dreams!" I said.

"In my dreams? Okay." He said letting me go and pretending as though he didn’t just attempt to kiss me. Was he playing a joke? He wasn't really going to kiss me, right? Oh whatever. And why did he just say, “okay”...

As soon as we arrived, and the children saw Deamian they lost their minds. They couldn't believe the son of the Moon Goddess was actually here! To them he was a legend, but to me he was a memory which had come back to haunt me.

Deamian was ambushed by the kids and he ended up falling back and stumbled slightly. But he was a natural with them and they loved him. And for a second, just a second, my ice-cold heart melted just a tiny bit.

While this was going on, I failed to notice the little girl who began to approach me. It was only when she began to gently tug the bottom of my pants that I became aware of her. She was tiny and had red ribbons attached to the bottom of her brown pigtails which framed her petite and beaming face. 

"Alpha.... when I grow up, can I be just like you?" My eyes widened at the child's question. I had not been around children that often. They saw me now and then, but I had always assumed that to them, I was one of those monsters which would appear in their nightmares. Yet, this little girl wanted to be just like me. I didn't know whether to feel proud or scared for the poor thing. I did not want any person to be as cold and unloving as I was. That was a lonely and sad road to walk. This girl, with her beautiful, radiant face and her bright smile, she had no reason to put herself through such pain.

"Why would you want to be like me?" I asked bending down to her height.

She smiled, "Because, Alpha, nothing hurts you. You are very strong! My mom said you are one of the strongest alphas to ever live."

I smiled, "Yes, I am very strong. When you grow up, you should be strong too, but not as strong as me okay?"

She looked up at me confused.

"Why alpha? Why can't I be as strong as you?" She asked.

"I'll explain when you're older... if ever I get the chance." I said.

She smiled, reached up and took a strand of my hair between her fingers, let it go and then ran along to her other friends. I watched her for a while, touching the strand she had previously held. Her name was Robin. I had known her parents all my life. Her mother was a close friend of mine but had died of an illness a year ago. To see her so… unbroken, left me feeling somewhat hopeful. Hopeful that my past could one day be overcome and that I could smile the way she did, as though she had not a single care in the world.

 I soon stood up and felt the very familiar gaze of Deamian who was smiling at me. I walked up to him, externally wearing the face of annoyance, but internally slightly embarrassed that he had witnessed the whole encounter.

"Please wipe that smile off your face. You look like visual pollution." I told him and proceeded to walk past the children.

Deamian followed like a puppy and we made our way to the high school. The high school was slightly better. What irritated me, however, were the few teenage girls who could not refrain from ogling and flirting with Deamian. That almost made me pull all my hair out.

At the tertiary institution, the behaviour was even more tolerable. However, some people recognised Deamian.... And unfortunately tried talking to me.

"Rose! It's so good to see you out and about nowadays!" Samantha Pargas, a tiny, friendly old friend of mine said.

I managed to muster up a smile, "Yes, it's great to see you as well!"

"Are you and Deamian together?" She asked gesturing to the both of us.

I shook my head and told her that we weren't, trying my level best to keep my civil behaviour up. She smiled but I could see her disappointment.

After our long visit at the university, I decided to show Deamian the Central Offices which were near my office. The Central offices included the administration, IT, Food, Technology, Maintenance, Housing departments and the department which included all the information about every werewolf in the pack.

As we walked there Deamian decided to open his mouth again. Honestly, he needed a muzzle or something.

"So why do you guys have a university now?" He asked.

I sighed, "Many pack members leave to go and become part of the human world. So, I make sure they are at least equipped with a decent education. Besides, we have so much of money in this pack, might as well put it to good use. And a lot of the university students stay and work on bettering the technology here. So, it's a win win all around." I said.

He nodded and said, "You run this pack like a business."

"No, I run this pack with a purpose. There's a difference." I said.

After we went through the offices, Deamian insisted on us going for lunch because I owed him since I “disrupted his brunch”. So, after reluctantly agreeing, we went and ate at the restaurant.

"Can I ask you something?" Was what I said to break the ice and growing awkward silence between us. Deamian nodded as he placed a piece of chicken pie carefully into his mouth with a fork.

"What happened last night? After I drank? We didn't...."

Deamian chuckled and said, "If we did, I guarantee you, it would've been something you'd never forget!" And he winked. He actually winked!

I just shook my head and threatened him with a butter knife.

"So where did you really want to go earlier on?" And that's when Ryker made his way into my mind. I forgot to check up on him! Hopefully, he wasn't on the verge of dying. What I wouldn't give to be able to kill him and still be normal.

"Oh um... I had a few alpha errands to run. Always busy you know!" I said.

He didn't look convinced and so I decided to quickly change the topic.

"So, what have you BEEN doing all these years? You look quite... wealthy, I must say." I said. Not that I cared... because I didn't. 

He looked down, a smile on his face and said, "Well, I managed to own many businesses."

"Oh. So, you just happen to stumble upon businesses, and you begin to own them?" I asked.

He shrugged, "I just... I guess I have a business personality."

He then froze and then placed his straw into his water.

“Is there a reason you run your pack the way you do?”

I looked up at him, confused, and asked what he’d meant.

“Like, at any second, you aren’t going to be alpha anymore.” With this, he looked up at me, his blue eyes staring into mine. I hated them. They always stripped me naked emotionally and I found it difficult to hide when he looked at me like that.

“I am the first female alpha. I go against every tradition. I am not married; I have not had children nor been mated yet. I am a woman. It’s difficult getting people to respect me, so I prefer to let them fear me.” I said.

“Would it be so bad to just be a luna? Does that title disgust you that much?”

The way he asked that question was strange. It was too genuine to be a question from one ex best friend to another. There was something else behind it. I, however decided to just brush it off and answered him.

“It’s not that. Being alpha is what makes me feel…”

“Like you have a purpose.” He finished my thought.

I nodded and then looked down; afraid he’d see too much of what I was hiding under my wall of ice. It was not just because I was a woman that had me cold and ruthless. It was something I preferred to keep hidden away, especially from Deamian.

After we ate, Deamian wanted to go and visit someone. He didn't tell me who because he said that I'd say no. So, I just reluctantly followed him, stomping and mumbling after his stupid self.

Once we arrived, the blood flowing through my every vein became icy cold. This was Martha's house, my old best friend... And the sister of the wolves that died during training.

"We should just-" but before I could finish, she opened the door and I knew I was as good as dead.