Nightfall

Chapter 23🌙

Heavy...

Something is heavy...

I crack my eye open and get blinded by the sunlight. I move my arms and try to get up but I can't move.

Why can't I move...

"Stop moving." Ares voice whispers softly and I now realize that he is lying on my chest, his arms around my waist. I look down but his eyes are still closed and his face is squashed against me.

Cute

I move my hand up to his head and run my fingers through his waves, and wow. It's so soft. Like suspiciously soft, I wonder what conditioner he uses because I really need to get my hands on it. You know, I'm kinda sensing coconu-

"Scarlett wake up!" Aaron calls form down the hall. I don't want to move, I'm so comfortable. Ares groans but doesn't move away.

"Just a few more minutes." He says practically falling back asleep. We were out last night for a while, we came back when the sun was already out and now we have to get up. We close our eyes for a while enjoying the peace.

"Ares, we have to get up." I say softly after a while and move my hand down to his back.

"Wake up! We have a full day ahead of us-" Aaron walks in the room, stops dead in his tracks and stares at us mischievously.

I really have to lock that door.

"Oh I see...you're occupied. You should have just said so..." He says without knowing smirk and leaves the room but winks at me before he goes out the door.

We lay in bed for a while, but are eventually dragged out by Kristen. Today we are going to Lamarus to get that information, but that means I can't sneak away to Robin's Hollow to meet the mystery person.

I'm planning on just scoping out the area but Ares won't leave me completely alone, and allow me further into pack territory.

Ares goes downstairs and I'm left in my room. What is going to happen when I go downstairs? Is it gonna be awkward because of what happend last night, or are we going to forget about the incident?

I stop and the top of the stairs and stare downstairs. I can practically hear the whole pack making conversation and laughing, so maybe everything will be okay, I'm probably overthinking, right?

I slowly walk downstairs and distract myself with the sunlight shimmering through the window onto the stairs. I have to just go and sit down. I walk all the way to the dining room and sit in my usual seat. The group greet me but apart from that they don't acknowledge my presence majorly.

I eat breakfast, listening to the conversations around me until I finish up. Everyone gets ready to leave to the other kingdom and I go and wait outside, sitting on one of the benches in the sun. Breakfast was actually really pleasant, it almost made me forget about my breakdown.

Almost...

Elias walks out holding a bag. We make eye contact and I look down but he walks over to me with an easy smile on his face. "Hey, what are you doing?" He asks and sits next to me on the bench.

"Just soaking up the sunlight because it's so cold." I say and look up at him, but he's already looking at me. It's quiet for a while but comfortable, with birds chirping in the distance. "The pups say they want to train with you. They think you're a really good fighter. I have a different opinion though, I'm way better." He says with a teasing smile.

"Please, you are a horrible fighter. I'm sure the pups could easily beat you up." I say back while shaking my head mindlessly." I thought they were scared of me. I know they have their own section and don't all stay at the pack house but news travels fast." I tell him thinking back to when we were sparring. I got a few pretty good hits in, considering I lost the fight.

"They aren't scared, intrigued if anything." He says, and stands up because the rest of the group are coming out of the house. He looks at me thoughtfully. "I'm sorry...for what happened. Sometimes bad things happen to good people." He says and walks away to where Sophie is standing, and hugs her.

Was that supposed to be about Elijah? I thought everyone was going to ignore yesterday's situation. The last thing I want is pity, but talking about it openly is kind of freeing. I walk to Ares and the last few people of the group join us outside.

"Alright, is everyone ready to go?" He asks as I stand beside him. "Yeah everyone is here, Quin said she's using the bathroom...she'll be out now." Klaus tells the group and Quin walks out the door and stands by Klaus. He grabs her and kisses her,and she steps back with a blush coating her cheeks, they're obsessed with each other.

"Okay, let's head out."

***

We finally make it to Lamarus after like two hours of travel. Ares, Elias and Klaus have gone to the royal family to see what information they have. The rest of us had to wait somewhere else, so we decided to wait by the forest surrounding the castle grounds and out through the village.

I never got to see this kingdom, any kingdom apart from my own. We were always too busy learning about the Kingdoms or training.

It's actually quite beautiful, the forest has huge oak, birch and maple trees spread out everywhere. I guess with pixies, they have all kinds of natural beauty.

"This is stunning..."Sophie says and looks around in excitement. "Yeah, almost as stunning as me." Aaron says back to her, and she scoffs in disbelief.
"Whatever you say Norbyne." She walks further into the forest.

We walk throughout the forest and look at all the cool things, this kingdom is ruled by pixies, so there are so many different things, magical things. The meeting has taken hours, and I'm worried about what they're talking about.

What if Demetrius is close to finding me, and he takes me back to his pack and marks me? Then any chance of being with Ares will be gone, I really want Ares to mark me. I feel like we've grown closer and a level of trust and comfort has been established. We're mates anyway, so its just a matter of time.

It's getting late and evening is rolling around. Pixies are coming out from their homes and lighting up the forest. It's so colorful, there are twinkling lights and so many small creatures. The calm atmosphere tenses for a moment, and everyone turns to me.

What are they looking at?

A genuine question...

Twigs snap behind me and I turn my head to see...