an Everlasting Pursuit

twenty nine

The next morning came around quickly. After succumbing to the scent of Asra's shirt, I had to admit the little care package really made my stomach do flips. I even woke to the sound of someone knocking at my door, only to find Eve on the other side.

She eyed my shirt with a questioning quirk of her lips before letting herself in and sitting at the foot of my bed. I hesitated at the door before shutting it with a shrug and going to join her.

"So... that shirt is... that shirt is not yours." She clicked her tongue.

I shrugged. "You should be glad I am not naked."

She rolled her eyes. "It is not the nudity that bothers me, Ailia, it is the absurd positions I find you sleeping in."

Laughing, I shook my head. "I cannot help it. I am a part-time acrobat in my sleep."

"Sleep therapy is a thing, you know." She hinted, a small smirk gracing her features. "You woke in a good mood, feeling okay?"

The way her nostrils flared when she walked into the room gave away the meaning behind her words straight away. I smiled anyway, acknowledging her wonderful wolfy senses with hidden sincerity.

It didn't work.

Her eyes narrowed. "What are you twitching for?"

"Twitching?" I recoiled.

"Yes. You twitch when you have something negative to say."

"I do not twitch." I huffed, squishing my hands under my armpits.

She quirked an eyebrow. "Then what's wrong?"

I gritted my teeth, my blue eyes meeting her motherly judgemental ones. "Why do you have to smell everything all the damn time?"

Her lips pursed in silent laughter. "I knew something was bothering you."

I sighed, standing to go relieve myself in the bathroom. "I am not leaving this room for the next four days."

"Oh Ailia, it's not that bad. Eliza told you some positive stuff, right?" She called after me.

I grunted in reply before doing what I needed to on the toilet, then turning on the shower. Setting the now clean menstrual cup on the side for after, I tied my hair back to keep it from getting wet. Eyeing the orange waves in the mirror, I could see what Eve really meant. My hair looked like it had been involved in a hurricane.

I knew I didn't sleep well. There was always something happening back home. I remember the dark memories of Darius when he would crawl into my bed and use me for his pleasure. Most of the nights were easy, but some, he was drunk and it never ended well for me. But here in this pack house? I just couldn't settle. I always woke tired and the bags growing beneath my eyes were a test to that.

It was like my brain wouldn't switch off. Last night was probably the best sleep I had since I got here, and that was saying something, considering how I looked.

Climbing into the shower, I didn't spend too much time in there, just long enough to get washed. I hummed a random tune as I dried myself off, securing the cup in its rightful place before walking out of the bathroom naked. Just for fun.

Eve examined me with curious eyes. I could feel them burning into my back scars as I walked over to my drawers and pulled on some underwear. It was like the questions were burning on her tongue and today; I was feeling kind to allow her one minor feat.

"I will answer one question." I stated.

Her eyes widened, and I knew she wouldn't drop the topic. She also knows I would refuse to answer the two most personal ones.