Alpha Vaughan

Chapter 32

The next day came in a burst of bright sunlight and high expectations. Standing beside Vaughan's sleek mustang, we were packed and ready to head out. The werewolves were gathered a short distance away from it, wishing us good luck, their voices loud and loaded with hope.

Vaughan nodded, saying a few words to them, then he got into the car. I did the same, settling into the smooth leather seats. Beyond the windshield, I watched as the pack's gates lifted. A part of me suddenly got hit with the direness of our situation.

'The vampire Link would play an important role in the coming war,' the Seer had said. 'A role that might not work in our favour.'

If we didn't find this Link, we might as well kiss our chances of ever winning the war goodbye. After driving up the service trial, we hit the main road.

We drove on in silence, with Vaughan staring up ahead, hands tight around the steering wheel.

A few minutes passed by. The silence seemed to stretch on and taunt me, until I broke it.

"Hey," I started softly. "Thanks for bringing Nayla and William back."

He didn't say anything, just kept on driving.

After a while I sighed, turning to look out the window. "You plan on ignoring me forever?"

Nothing.

I huffed. "Well, I can be immature too." I proclaimed, "From now on, I'll be ignoring you."

Still nothing.

At length I placed my head on the window, staring at the colourful stores and water front areas around, cars whizzing past us. Peering at the Christmas decorations hung up in some of the stalls, I said, "Look, Christmas's just around the corner, and it's still a bit warm here in Australia, which is good--because it would be freezing cold back in Alaska." I glanced at his stony profile. "Do you like Christmas?"

He surprised me by answering, "No." A muscle ticked in his jaw.

I sat up straighter. "Why?"

"Why do you like it?" he threw the question back at me.

Brows furrowed I answered the obvious, "Because it's Christmas...?"

He scoffed lightly, turning right into a long lane. "You might as well have said 'because it's when I receive gifts'."

My eyes narrowed. "I didn't say that."

"You didn't say anything, either. 'Because it's Christmas...?' doesn't exactly explain a lot."

Under my breath, I muttered, "Well someone's grumpy this morning." Then replying to his question, I said, "And that's because it doesn't need explaining. Everyone loves Christmas, so I don't exactly have to explain why I love something everyone else does--when my reasons for liking it are basically the same with theirs."

"And what reasons are those?"

I leaned forward, "Well, you get to spend time with your family for one, and..." I trailed off, looking at him closely. "But you don't have one," I observed quietly.

Canting my head, I asked gently, "Is that why you don't like it? Because your...parents passed away? Because you don't have a family?"

When he didn't say anything, I continued, "But you have your pack. They obviously adore you and would love to spen--"

He shot a glance at me, peeved grey eyes briefly flashing bright yellow. "I'm done with this conversation."

An angry scoff escaped me. "Yeah, shut me out at the barest hint of appearing vulnerable. Shut me out, like you always do."