The Red

Chapter 4

The ride was exhilarating! I had never rode atop of another person before. The rush of air around my hair and watching the blur of the trees past me made me wish for a different life. A life where I did things like this often, where running in the woods was something my family liked to do. The man I was with seems so unfazed by all of the crazy antics that have transpired over the last hour. I wonder how his normal day to day life is. And how I am going to fit in it. 

As he shifts back I notice a tall figure approaching in the dark. Although I knew it had to be a pack member I still shrieked and hid behind my savior. His big body rumbled with laughter.

"Castiel, you have brought a woman? Kidnapping is unbecoming of you brother." The man stepped into the light and I gasped. There were two of them!

Castiel, as I now know him as, spoke back with great mirth to my annoyance. "Ah yes, because she looks so unwilling." His arm snakes around my waist and brings me into his side. I grind my teeth.

"We are not together. He has offered me protection for information on your missing members." I try to pull from the big oaf and he keeps a tight band around me as he guides us closer to his brother and the big log cabin behind him. The cabin itself was rustic and old but was beautiful. When I glanced at Castiel he had a small frown on his face. His brother on the other hand had a large grin. 

"I like her already. Let me get the family and we will meet you in the great hall." He ran off without another word and I twirled on Castiel in anger.

"Don't think you have some weird claim or entitlement to me because I asked for your protection. We are not together. When this is all over, I want to be sure that I can leave without repercussions. All I've ever wanted was my freedom and I won't let anyone get in the way of that." I didn't mean to let that last part slip out but there was no taking it back now. Castien was handsome and sweet and even caring. I could see myself falling for him but I won't let that happen. I refuse to let someone else stand in the way of my adventure. But I know I will never be safe as long as my father is out there. His connections run too deep and there is no way I could outrun him forever.

To my complete bewilderment, Castiel smiled. He leaned down in my face just a breath away from my lips. Before I could move back he had his arm back around my waist pulling me closer. My body sizzled with heat everywhere our skin met. I licked my lips and he growled. "Mine." he whispered. Before our lips connected he stepped back. "Before this is over you will come to me and I will claim you." 

The rest of the walk to the house and through the hallway was silent. All I did was blush at his stupid smug face. Castiel led us to a room and when the door opened all eyes fell on us. There were six people, including his brother and another man that was older but had the same features. Must be his father I mused. To the right of him sat a woman with short brown hair and a serious expression. Two other men sat across from them in plaid shirts which were rolled up. One had green hair which made him look odd while the other had blonde curls. They both took one look at me and started having a silent conversation with one another. Last was a man that had grey cloudy eyes with a scar running down his cheek. He looked blind but as far as I could tell he was staring right at me.

"Everyone this is Arielle, she's brought us information concerning the whereabouts of our people. What I am about to share must not leave this room. Ace, I am assigning you to be Arielle's personal guard. Take her upstairs and make sure she has everything she needs. Introductions will be made once I make sure everyone is up to speed." The grey eyed man moved forward but not before Castiel growled a warning to him. "Let a hair be out of place, a tear fall from her eyes, or a need not be met and it will be your ass. She is mine, no one is to come near her without my explicit permission." With a curt nod from Ace, Castiel turned to me.