Guardians

Chapter 6

  I wake up the next morning with a huge yawn, but when I go to flip over, several things seem off.

First off, this isn't my bed. Second, there's a heavy weight holding me still, pinning me to my spot. I freeze when I hear the light breaths of my captor. Whoever it is doesn't seem to be asleep.

"Haven?" A quiet voice breathes in my ear. It takes a wild second for the events of the previous night to find their way to the surface of my memory, and when they do, sorrow blooms in my chest.

My head burrows into the fluffy pillow, fighting for a trace of my mom's warm, buttery scent.

"Haven? you ok?" The tears that prick the back of my eyes start to leak out, answering his question for me. Alden pauses for a moment, seemingly lost, before he wraps his arms around me more surely. He puts his face close to mine and whispers sweetly, slowly, as if I'm a deer that can be startled easily.

"We are going to find her, Haven. And when we do, we'll make them pay. Ok?" His voice is surprisingly​ hard as he doles out the unusual comfort.

It's actually exactly what I need to hear at the moment. All the fear and helplessness vanishes, replaced by rage, which burns in my belly. I clear my throat and smile at him.

"Thanks, Alden. For everything," a small tingle spreads down my spine at his gentle smile.

I just met him two days ago-has it really only been two days?- but I feel like I've known him a lot longer than that. His voice and face are already familiar to me, the way one side of his mouth tips up higher than the other when he smiles. The bright gleam in his eyes. Everything.

He seems to be completely at ease with me as well, judging by the way he continues to hold my shoulders tightly, but he's known me a lot longer than I've known him.

Curiosity blushes through me, and I can help but to ask a question. "How long have you been... with me?" I  hesitate before that last part. It still feels...  Stalker-ish.

"Are we really back to the stalker thing, princess?" He sighs dramatically, not answering my question, "I thought we went over this,"

I glare up at his, rolling my eyes. "What do you call it, then, your majesty?"

He pauses, "I would call it 'being your 24/7 bodyguard', actually,"

I glare at him, straight in the face. "Let's not be overdramatic, now. How much could I possibly have needed you?"

He raises his eyebrows haughtily. "You almost died three times when you were fifteen. All while driving. way too fast, i might add."

The blood drains out of my face a little. "Oh, well. Uhh. Three times isn't... A lot. Considering that I'm eighteen years old."

"That's not all, miss priss. In all, I've saved your hide at least twenty two times. Though three or four of them weren't really your fault. Amanda could use a few driving lessons. I almost lost you one time."

"Oh. Was it the time with the drifting?"

"Yup," he smiles at the exasperated groan I let out.

"I'm never getting a ride from her again." I promise myself as much as him.

He nods, "sounds like a good plan to me,"

I smile and push myself up, pulling away from his warm arms with difficulty.

"You never answered my question." I announce as he rolls over to grab his shoes from the other side of the bed. I see his shrug as he leans closer to me, narrowing his eyes coyly.