Proven Heart

Four: Special

Late in the afternoon when Selena and Nathaniel emerged from the diner, they returned to pack Albrich in Nathaniel’s car. A prehistoric corvette that had Selena scratching her head with how it was able to run smoothly.

“What is it?” Nathaniel spoke while his eyes kept trained on the road.

Selena held her laugh.

“Is the Stormwind an admirer of vintage vehicles?” Her brow raised. “I never pegged you to be.”

He snorts, shaking his head in amusement.

“Dad sneaked me toys when I was growing up. They were replicas of cars. He gave me two-hundred and seventy-nine of them. One time, he bought me a replica of a sleek, black 1968 Chevrolet Corvette. Since then, there’s this stupid desire I should own the real deal.”

She wondered what kind of childhood Nathaniel had. With all the bits and pieces she gathered, he almost didn’t have one. She leaned her head on his shoulder, resting while she looked over the windshield.

“Any chance I could borrow some of them?”

“Nah,” he says. “My grandfather threw them all away on my tenth birthday. Apparently, I wasn’t allowed to have them in the first place.”

A grimace formed on her face as she held him tightly. Unlike her childhood memories, which were filled with musings, dreams, and happiness, she failed to imagine the horrors he was put through. All she could do now was hold him.

The car ride fell into a comfortable silence. After their talk in the diner, she still couldn’t wrap her head around the fact he was back in her arms.

She was almost afraid to let him go and watch him turn into bubbles.

They arrive at the pack gates at sundown. The opulent mansion that sat behind large steel bars was Albrich’s packhouse. In front of the gate was a party of wolves, their hands to their back.

Selena recognized them as Luna Amber’s personal guards. She had spoken with them before. Big-bodied wolves were looking more daunting every time the car inched closer to them.

“What a welcoming committee.” He says. “Wait here, moon. I guess Amber has prepared her men to skewer my balls with a pike.”

She scowled at him. But his lack of reaction made it clear he was not kidding.

“Nathaniel, please be careful.”

“Of course.” He answered, leaning over to her. His lips caught hers. “Don’t worry, it’ll be quick.”

He hops out of the car but not before pushing her hair back to her ear. The next moment suddenly blurred from her vision as the wolves approached Nathaniel, bearing their silver daggers.

“Gentlemen,” Nathaniel spoke.

All Selena could do was watch. She trusted him to not do any rash. But she worried about him. The depth of the training wolves in pack Albrich go through was not something to be underestimated.

Though neither was Nathaniel’s proficiency in combat. She found herself worrying more about the wolves rather than her mate.

The gates opened, sliding inward. Luna Amber appeared, trudging towards them with her chin raised high, lips stretched into a daunting, judging smirk.

Luna Amber’s most distinguishable part about her was her exuberant and very obvious display of self-assurance. Her braggart disposition, eyes the sharp color of green grass, and a cheeky grin. All of it was factors that made wolves respect or hate the Luna.

“Well, well, look who we have here.” The Luna pushes through her guards, immediately dispersing them. “Lower your weapons, my wolves.”

“Thank you, Luna Amber.” Nathaniel lowered his head.