I wake up and see Hayden first. He's sleeping peacefully beside me, on my bed that's definitely small for him. I curl my fingers around his.
What should I do so I could have him forever?
I gently move his arm off my waist and get off the bed. I go to Trick's room. Trick is also soundly asleep. I go to the living room and pull out the second copy of the Leraster application forms and start filling them.
When the sun has risen well above the horizon, Hayden comes out of my room. "That's the best sleep I've ever had."
I know what he means. "Don't get used to it."
He comes over and stands next to me while I'm preparing our breakfast. "Telling that to yourself? You were the one who fell into my arms remember?"
I hide my blush by looking away. I prefer a sleeping Hayden to this one. He grins, and then turns serious. "You were right about one thing."
"What?"
"I'm the only one you're safe with."
"Hayden, that w—"
"Something happened last night, and you won't say what. Fine. But I can't bear to feel you again like that. Either I live here with you, or you move in with me. You decide."
Wide eyed, I look at him. "I c—"
He moves closer. His chest touches my shoulder. "I know you're scared that something bad is going to happen if we're found out. And I know you won't tell me who exactly is making you afraid. So, for your peace of mind, I'll make sure no sorcerer finds out we're together. But if you fight me on this, Riva, you won't like the consequence."
"People will find out if you stay here."
"Then you move into my house."
"And live among a pack of werewolves?" I ask in utter shock. It's no less than a miracle that I'm talking to an Alpha over breakfast! And that's only because Hayden is an exception. I don't have the guts to be near any other werewolf. My experience at Thornton's School of Werewolves can attest to that.
"I have a house away from the main packland. You won't have to see anyone."
"But they mi—"
"They are my people, Riva: I'm their Alpha. No one will breathe a word of you being there. They all already know I've a mate who is not a werewolf. Did you hear about that anywhere?"
I understand, and respect, his faith on his pack members. But, even so... "It's a lot of risk."
"The real risk is what happened yesterday. I wonder what I would've seen if I'd reached sooner," he says, crossing his arms.
I look at him, suddenly scared imagining him and my father meeting. He's right: That's the real risk. But more importantly, I'm not alone. Trick needs a safer place. My father was just not in the mood to torture me much yesterday, otherwise, killing Trick is akin to stepping over an ant for him.
"Okay. Let's live together. But only up to my graduation. Once I go to college, I'll be safe from... I'll not be in any situation where you'll have to drop everything and run to me."
He nods. "I'll take that."
The next day, I open an invisible portal between my room and the location Hayden gives me. This way, it'll look like I never moved out of here. In addition, I cast a detection spell over my apartment to notify me when I've visitors, so I can be back at my place in a jiff when needed.
Standing in front of the portal in my room, I take deep breaths.
"I'm not exactly taking you to hell," Hayden says, giving me a slanted smile.
"It's easy for you to say. I've never been to a packland in my life. The things I do because of you... Maybe I will, for real, end up in hell one day."
"Trust me, we haven't done anything worth hell, yet. When we do, it'll feel like heaven," he says, smirking.
I'm so nervous going over to his packland that I do not have the energy to even feel shy about what he said.
He tenderly holds my free hand, and I clutch the basket with a sleeping Trick tighter in my other hand. Staying close to Hayden, I take the steps along with him.
We come out to a grassland, with a beautiful cottage in the middle.
I carefully release my breath and slowly breathe back in, afraid the air might kill me.
But nothing happens.
The place feels like any other place in the world.
I follow him into the cottage. It looks even more beautiful inside.
"Like it?" he asks.
"It's stunning. This is your place?"
"One of the few," he says.
"Is that what it's like being an Alpha?"
"I'm also rich," he says without an iota of humility.
After looking around the spacious living room and kitchen and taking a peek at the garden, I say, "Where are the rooms?"
"Upstairs."
We go up and I see four room doors.
"The two at the right have been cleaned recently," he says.
Both the rooms are spacious. I point at the room closest to the stairs, "I'll take this one. Trick will be in the adjacent room."
"You mean, we will take this one."
I laugh. "That's not happening."
He laughs. "It is happening."
"What about your promise to keep me safe?"
"This is coming from the girl who spent the whole night cozily snuggled up to me? And the one who pulled me inside her house and kissed me? If anyone, I should be the one worried for my safety."
"That maybe. But I didn't leave holes in people's living rooms."
"Don't worry," he says, coming closer. "The walls here can take it."
I hide my bright red face with my hand. "I'm regretting this already."
