Navy Wolf

Chapter 52

In the stillness of the forest glade, 

every rustle tells a story, 

each breath of wind a chapter of the earth's timeless narrative. 

☾

Anakin stood there with a guilty face biting and licking his lips. His attention returned immediately to me after he shortly acknowledged my sister who hurried inside leaving us at the front door of our house.
"How did you even find us?" I looked from the Wagon to him and back.
"Your address was saved in the navigation system."

What an honor.

"Why are you here?" I asked. "And why is Kaven not?"
"He doesn't know I came here. I need you to come with me."
I hesitated. „Why?"
He worked his jaw and exhaled. "It's really important and I need you to trust me."
I raised my brows.
"Please," he insisted.
"Where have you guys been this entire time?"

Anakin shifted from one foot to the other, dropping his head. Assuming, he had nothing to tell, I was almost going to roll my eyes and walk past him. But he then nodded to himself, as if I had confirmed something in his mind.

Undoubtedly.

"You will get all of your answers, I promise. But I need you to trust me now and come with me. I'll explain everything on our way to our destination."
„Destination?" I frowned, my voice low in a sarcastic tone. This was getting weirdly suspicious.
"River, please," he begged, growing impatient now.

I never would have thought that Anakin would ever beg me to do anything. He was just way too aloof to care. But right now, something was up. And it seemed to be important to him.

"Anakin, to be honest, I don't know why I should listen,... I mean, after all this time-" I didn't get to finish my sentence. He cut me off abruptly.
"It was my fault, okay? This entire thing was my fault and I have to take you to Kaven. Right. Now!", he exclaimed, not caring who heard us.

I glared at him, my nostrils flared. "Your fault?" I repeated in disbelief. "What are you talking about?"
"Get in the car and I'll explain everything," he demanded, pointing at the car.

„Anakin," I growled, narrowing my eyes. „You don't get to tell me what to do."
He pressed his lips together. Eyes closing slowly in disappointment. Fingers fidgeting. „River, please."

I gave him another keen, sinister look, crossing my arms. To my surprise he withstood it, patiently waiting, reciprocating.
So I sluggishly went around the Wagon and opened the door to the passengers seat. As soon as Anakin realized I was getting in he yanked the drivers door open, jumped in and drove us off at full speed.

***

"Just so you know, this is not Kaven's fault."

Anakin drove Kaven's car so fast that the left lane became his and his only. He warned many cars with lights to free the highway so he could drive through with a speed that was at the brink of insanity. Weirdly I wasn't scared one bit.
"It's yours," I confirmed, glancing over at him seeing his messy hair and perfect profile just like Kaven's.
Anakin had dark circles under his eyes and I couldn't fathom why. He seemed on edge and stressed, which must have been a state he had been in for a while now.
"Are you okay?" I asked, not sounding as worried as I actually was.
"I'll be in a sec."
"You seem really stressed."
"Yeah, but that's coming to an end soon," he said, watching the rear view mirrors. "Hopefully."
"I thought you were going to tell me everything on our way to our destination?"
"No need for me to tell you. There's someone, you need to hear it from."
"Which is?"
He drove down a garage gate with bright neon lights and chalk-white walls. The sound of the engine came back in an echo and large numbers in dark gray were written on every column of this underground garage.
The Wagon came to a stop right in front of a glass door and behind it were steel grey elevator gates next to each other.
"Here." Anakin handed me a golden chip key. I frowned.
"You can enter the elevator with this chip key. Go to number seven-seven-eight-seven. That elevator door will open with this."
"What the hell is going on?" I protested and was visibly irritated. "Whose apartment is this? Why am I going there alone?"
"Kaven's going to be there. He doesn't know you're here."
My heart skipped a beat. Speechlessly I blinked at Anakin multiple times.