Ashton leaned against his car as he waited for Cassandra. Caleb had gone to Los Angeles to get a few things Cassie's friend had packed for her. The few times Ashton had raised the matter of Cassie's whereabouts with Caleb were rewarded with silence or a plea for subject change. Ashton shook his head. The two siblings were very alike, proud and stubborn.
Cassandra's sweet scent filled the air around him and he looked up, she was coming towards him. Ashton quickly pulled out a bag from the backseat which he handed to Cassandra when she got to him. “I told Aunt Rosie I was coming to get you and she prepared this bag for you. You can change in the car." Cassandra just stared at him blankly and he took it as his cue to excuse himself.
After a few minutes of kicking stones, Ashton's horn blared, piercing the silence of the quiet area. He understood that that was Cassandra letting him know she had changed. By now, the bus to convey the Mirandas had arrived and the family was getting settled into it already. He walked to his own vehicle and took his place at the driver's seat. Cassandra was seated in the passengers' seat. Now she was wearing denim shorts and very large blue shirt. It was Caleb's varsity shirt from Moon Stone University, where he and Caleb met. The blue went well with her skin and dark blue eyes.
“So, does wearing Caleb's shirt mean you've forgiven him?" Ashton asked as he locked the car and started it.
“No." She snapped. “I just didn't like the other set of clothes Aunt Rosie packed. And this is comfy too." She adjusted in the seat till she felt comfortable.
He just smiled at her before returning his focus to the road and silence resumed in the car.
“Good wolf is beside us." Silo suddenly said in Ashton's head. By now, Cassandra had dosed off. She was probably tired from all the farming work the Mirandas involved themselves in.
“What does she think about us? I think we impress her." Silo continued.
“Where's all this goof coming from, Silo?" Ashton wondered in his head.
“I don't know, but I feel good energy from her." Silo replied.
“Alright, I will tell her when she wakes up."
“No!" His wolf interjected. “No need for that. Her wolf heard us already."
Ashton almost jumped in his seat. How come? He looked at sleeping Cassandra and he was sure he felt her wolf, Adèle smile at him from within Cassandra. What?
“Bonjour, Alpha." Ashton heard in his head and he knew it was Adèle.
“Idiot, stop wondering about it. You let your defences down, that's why." Silo laughed in his head.
Really? Ashton only let down the defences around his mind and wolf when he was with Caleb or his father. And when he did it, he knew when he did. But now, he just didn't know. He glanced at Cassandra once more and lifted his defences again. Who are you, Cassandra? And what the hell are you doing to me? He returned his focus to the road.
Cassandra trembled in her seat and sweat broke out on her forehead. Tears ran down her cheeks as she sobbed in her sleep. She was reliving the memory of her mother's death in her sleep. Her breath shook as she watched the big bad rogue tear her mother to pieces and take out her heart.
Ashton noticed her tremor and pain and he quickly packed his car. By now, they were already in the main town. They were just in front the Silver Moon Art Center. He brought the car to a stop and turned to Cassandra. He undid her seatbelt and shook her gently, calling her name but she wouldn't wake up. So Ashton sat back and just took her hand. He held it soothingly and squeezed it in gentle beats. “Cassandra, I'm here. No one can hurt you here." He hoped she heard him.
