Rouge's Trail

XXV

"Why the hell are you doing this? I would have bought you whatever you needed!"

Sophia picked up the suitcase and went to the balcony. I watched as she pulled it up to throw it over before standing and brushing off my new pants. My legs took me over to face my "mate".

"First off, I don't need any of this. I wanted it."

"Novem-"

"Secondly, isn't this expected? I mean," I pointed at myself and lifted an eyebrow, small smile forming," Rouge. I ran away from you for how long? I stole from how many? Is it really all that surprising?"

"November-"

"Thirdly, don't you know better than to barge into a ladies room?"

"November, you can't steal from people if you're my mate. I'm the beta of the Jade Forest pack."

"Great," I turned around and went to the bed stand, picking up the dagger he had only just returned and putting it safely under my sweater," Then leave me. I won't change because you have expectations."

He let out a frustrated growl, hands going up to run through his hair. I silently prayed that I hadn't gone too far with my facade and put up my hand ever so slightly to calm a worried Sophia. She had already reached up to grab her poison but put her hand down when she saw my sign.

"Pack your things," he said in a low voice, not bothering to look up because I knew his eyes were black," Carlisle is ready to go."

I nodded and he left. 

When the door slammed behind him Sophia came in, taking a seat on the bed and pulling me with her. Even though I've faced worse, my hands were trembling around the fingertips. 

Through my experience I've learned that some Betas are worse than Alphas.

"Acting brave and impudent hadn't worked. It only made him mad. I'll remember that for next time."

"You could try and be real to him? Who knows-"

"Nothing can happen," I cut her off," We need to find the haven and he needs to go home. I'll find my own way to drive him off."

She nodded and I thought about how the only blue eyes I've ever truly stared into were his and they looked like they wanted to kill me.

__

Carlisle stared out the window, not making eye contact with anyone as he watched the passing scenery. I tried to copy his actions but couldn't. There were too many distracting factors.

Carlisle had promised that we would find a path to the haven through the appalachian mountains but he also said that some people take months -even years- to find the correct path and that some people take so long they lose their minds and go insane, wolves taking over entirely.

But he knows a guy.

Lucas was vehemently against going trekking through the mountains, saying insane things about rabid cougars and murderous rouges that got nothing but glares from us.

Though it took hours, we were soon in the mountains. The driver of the car we road in claimed he couldnt take us any further and all but screamed at us to get the hell out of his car before he turned the meter back on. Luke smiled warmly at the jack ass when he handed him a few bills for the payment and his- useless- time.

I lifted an eyebrow and stared at him in the least amused way i could imagine while he winked at me and began to walk up the road behind Carlisle, our fearless leader who shook at every loose pebble.

The twins and Ajax traveled shortly behind Carlisle which left me to take up the rear with the tall drink of smolder Luke made us bring along.

I suppose that I prefer walking with Thomas to walking with the others at this point.

He doesnt do small talk, he wont try to make us all turn back because of some big issue with the haven we shouldn't see, and most importantly; he wont try to make me realize that he is my predestined love.

No, he doesnt do any of those. He walks. He doesnt walk very fast or too slow. He just walks.

Its nice to just walk.

After almost 4 hours of just walking the only thing I said to him walk short and to the point and barely lasted 20 seconds.

"Im sorry I kicked you in the balls."

"Self defense."

And that was that.

But when it was nearly sundown and Luke had managed to convince Carlisle that we should stop to rest, Thomas glanced over at me in a very curious manner which made me question him.

"What is it? Is there a reason we're stopping?"

He laughed a little, keeping his voice down so no one would listen in on our convrrsation.

"Lucas Sterling is the most fearsome warrior of the strongest pack to exist in the New World," he jerked his head in the direction of Luke with a small smile," do you really think 6 hours of walking and the "fear of cougars" would make him stop?"

I looked over at him. His blond hair fell into his eyes while he pulled out camping tools to keep us all safe from the elements and warm in the chiy mountain air. He was so focused on putting up a tent with Ajax and Sophia that I couldn't move my eyes away fast enough qhen he looked up.

"Then why is he?"

"He wants you to rest. He wants to keep you safe from cougars. He doesnt want anything to happen to his dear, pained mate with quite the rebellious streak."

"Rebellious streak?"

He fully smiled now, leaning down so he was closer to my level but not all the way so Luke would suspect he was trying anything.

"You didn't think I wanted to walk with the girl who brought me to my knees in a Canadian public restroom, did you?"

I scowled at him but he was already walking to help Ajax and keep Carlisle from stabbing himself in the eye.