Runaway (MxM)

Chapter FIVE- Consent

A few moments later Sten appeared and cooed at me. "Come on sweetheart." he coaxed. I shook my head and sniffed, looking behind him with fear.

He sighed and turned. "Hey guys! Shut up and sit down, you're scaring the poor kid!" he hollered and the noise faded.

"Come on Pepper." he tried again, his arms out with a gentle smile on his face. "You can't stay out here, it's almost dark, plus it's getting cold." he reminded me and I could already feel the cold breeze chilling me, the darkness creeping in.

I shivered and took a cautious step forward.

"That's it, come on, aren't you hungry?" he coaxed.

My stomach growled in agreement, damn stomach, traitor! But I was really hungry and thirsty.

I took a few more steps forward and ever so slowly grasped onto Sten's forearm, looking up at him intensely, hoping I could trust him. "Come on." he led me indoors and the wafts of warm air hit my bare skin.

He closed the door and my hands wrapped around the crook of his elbow, holding him tightly, pressing as close as I could to his arm. I glanced around his burly and thick arm, getting a peek at the entrance way.

Many shoes were piled on a narrow mat, the shoe rack on it overflowing. Above that were a coat rack, many coats and jackets on the hooks, I'm surprised it hasn't fallen down from the weight. It was a short entryway, the only other thing a few large wicker baskets.

The next open doorway led to a large sitting room, the floor a cool hardwood, regularly polished from the nice sheen and how smooth it felt on the skin of my feet. There were a mixture of dark leather sofas and upholstered armchairs, groups of them arranged around a few coffee tables in a rich dark wood, some round, some rectangular. A huge tv was mounted against the far wall, above a rustic protruding fireplace that was presently burning, it must be where the warmth's coming from because I haven't seen any radiators yet.

Rugs were scattered around the room, the wooden walls adorned with shelves, bookcases and cabinets. Full of books, ornaments and DVD's for the tv. Blankets and throws were laid over the sofa's which some people were sat on, being quiet like Sten had asked, but staring at me.

I ducked behind Sten's much larger frame, pressing my face against his muscular back, my forehead not even reaching his shoulders.

He continued to lead me, walking behind the sofa's and out of the sitting room and into a long room taken up by a very long dining table in the same dark wood as the coffee tables. I couldn't even begin to count the chairs, there were a lot though.

Pictures were hung up along the walls, depicting landscapes, some of forests and others of mountains. Some were of groups of people, some only one, some looked old, whilst others looked recently done, all framed beautifully.

At the end against the wall was a huge painting, hundreds and hundreds of people were gathered together, those at the back looked like they'd been painted a long time ago, as you look forward they seem to age backwards in when they were painted. "This is the pack." Sten explained. "Every person who's ever been a part the pack gets painted into the picture, we have smaller ones around the house, just of specific families within the pack, but this has everyone, from the first to the most recent addition."

"When do you get painted?" I wondered, looking at the picture I don't see many children there, so not when they're born.

"Normally when you come of age, of course some joined the pack later in life, so they'd get painted in when their older. Plus if someone dies before then they get painted in as well." he added, his voice taking on a sad tone.