Running From The Big Bad Wolf

3.

I've spent all week locked in my room. I got my laptop back and it looked to be tampered with.

I had breakfast and dinner delivered to my room every day and for that part, I wasn't complaining. I didn't have to cook and the food wasn't too bad.

I would get up every morning and shower in my bathroom that was attached to my room and get dressed in the hopes that I could leave my room, but it never happened.

I banged on my bedroom door. "Hey, asshole!" I called out. "I have no clean clothes left!" They wouldn't even let me do my laundry. I don't have a lot of clothes. If I wore every single item till I had none left, my clothes would last me twelve days. That's it. Twelve days.

To my surprise, my door opened and I stepped back, slightly shocked. The same man was at my door and told me to go with him. I hesitated but did, my instincts telling me to listen.

I was half tempted to run, but there were men everywhere. In every room we went through once we got downstairs.

We were heading to the front door and I had a hopeful thought that I could leave. Go north, like Eli told me. But then we turned and my heart dropped as the door to the old study was opened.

I rarely entered this room. It was my father's room and I don't know the man. I know he upped and left us when we were younger.

I stepped in to the room and noticed someone by the desk immediately.

"Who the fuck are you?" I asked as I raised my head, letting him know I wasn't intimidated by him. The other man left the study and the door closed.

The man at the desk sat up and looked at me and I noticed his features immediately. He had dark thick black hair, his dark eyes glared at me. I could see the long and strong jaw structure and his strong nose.

"Caitlyn, sit." He said in a calm voice that rattled me. The man was handsome, I'll give him that, but he was with all the other strangers in my home.

"Don't tell me what to do in my own home." I snapped at him, crossing my arms. "I'm a prisoner in my own house! Who are you people and what do you want?"

"I'm Axel Wolf and I'm now your guardian." He told me in such a blunt manner my jaw dropped.

"No. Eli is." I managed to say after I recovered.

"Eli is missing." Axel kept up with his blunt tone.

I blinked several times. "Missing?" I whispered as my shoulders slumped downwards. "No. That's not true."

"While he is missing, I have to take his place." Axel sounded annoyed.

"No, you don't. I'm old enough to fend for myself. So thanks but no thanks."

I stared straight in to his dark eyes as they narrowed at me. "You don't get a say. I don't want to do this but I have to. So in the mean time, too bad." He growled out.

I pouted my lips and held myself tighter. "Where is my brother?"

"Missing tends to mean that a person or object cannot be found, Caitlyn."

"Why is my house full of strangers?"

"Because it is."

Next question. "I've never heard about you before. So why would Eli give you guardianship of me?"

Axel was getting bored as he looked down at what was on the desk. "Because he did."

"Because isn't an answer!" I snapped. "I want my house back! I want you all to leave."

Axel closed a folder and stood up, staying behind the desk. "I'm sorry you feel cramped. If it helps, you can leave your room, just not the property."

"But... I have bills. The only way to pay them is to work. And to work means I have to leave my house!" I whined out to him. It was the only excuse as to why I should leave the house. I'll leave and go north, like I told Eli. Maybe he is there.

I saw how Axel raised his eyebrows, amusement on his face. Yes, Axel was handsome and hot, but he was pissing me off.

"Well, now I'm in charge and I'll handle all that while I'm here." Was what he said. "So you won't need to leave."

I groaned in disbelief. "What?" I honestly just felt like I got grounded. "Why can't I leave my own house?"

Axel's eyes got darker at me. "Be grateful you get to leave your bedroom." He growled then waved me off. "You can leave this room now."

I tried to protest him and even with my jaw open, nothing was coming out. I spun on my heel and left the room in a huff. He was so arrogant and nasty and mean and cold!

I made my way back upstairs and closed my bedroom door and threw myself in my bed. What has happened to Eli? I thought to myself. Where is my big brother? What has he done for all this to transpire?

For all I knew, my brother could be dead in a ditch! That thought brought tears to my eyes and I tried to shake it out off my head.

"Eli's fine. He is fine. He has to be." I whispered to myself for some comfort.

I hate the situation that I am in and there is nothing I can do about it. I can't leave my own house. The house I grew up in. The house with so many loving memories of my mother, myself and Eli.

My house is no longer a home.

It's a prison.