Inhumane

013

DAMON

I kept up with her so the cuff didn't pinch her wrist. She marched towards the door, the energy of her was that of a hurricane. Paige was an immaculate force to be reckoned with. It was unbelievably intriguing. As we stepped onto the porch, I took her hand again with a shiver and unlocked the restraint.

She tried to pull her hand away but I took a firmer hold on her wrist. I spoke low to her, so only she could hear. "Try to run, try to pull anything with them... Just know things won't end well for you. You may be my mate, but these are my parents. They deserve nothing but respect from all of us. The two of them served this pack for thirty years."

Paige looked up at me, stoic as usual. "Got it." She ripped her hand away from my hold. I was finding it to be consistently harder to read this woman. The only look I ever received from her was a scowl.

I knocked on the door, keeping my hands held behind my back. My eyes kept peeking over to her where she stood with her spine straight and chin up. I could at least give her that; she was a warrior down to her marrow. It was probably the best gift her father could have given her- that steel spine.

The door swung open and my mother greeted us with her bright smile, she was the most tender woman I had ever met. She had a nurturing nature, a sweetness that reached the depths of her, and charisma that could charm the nastiest of Alphas.

"Damon, I was wondering when you would finally bring this lovely female by." My mother greeted us with ease. "My name is Rhia, you must be Paige."

For the second time that day, I watched a female put her cheek to my mate's, and for the second time I felt the cold seep down her back. A sort of pain flashed over her face, she clenched her jaw to dispel the look. But it was too late, I had seen it, and my mother always sees everything. She was nice enough not to blurt it out, and Paige nearly nodded.

"Please, come in. Damon, do we have you for a moment?" She ushered us into the house, pushing it closed behind her. It smelled just like it always did; pine and sandalwood, a touch of patchouli.

"Just one, Cody and Faith are expecting me for some catch up."

"How are you, darling?" My mother turned her attention on the female before her who met her eyes with ease. "Hungry? Thirsty? Cold?"

"I'm starving actually," Paige surprised me by noting. Her eyes weren't so narrowed or dark. In fact, I was impressed to note that they were wide, round, and light. She was looking at my mother like she was something otherworldly. She felt warm inside. I had never felt that from her, it took my breath away.

"Is Damon not feeding you? Please! Come with me, my mate just finished cooking up some salmon. Do you like salmon?" My mother was leading her deeper into the house.

"I like salmon," her voice was soft, edgeless. Her guard was down.

A moment later I noticed she smelled different in my childhood home. There was some sort of pheromone coming off of her, something sweet and subtle. My nostrils flared to let in as much of that scent that I could, eyes closed, head tipped back ever so slightly. That was something I would hold forever in my memory. The scent of her at that moment was enough to let me know I would never give up on her. She would change for the better. Paige would get through this.

They went into the kitchen and I trailed behind a few beats later. My father stood at the stove, hunched over with his towering height and massive width. He wiped his hands off on a towel and turned to look at Paige.

"Welcome, Paige." His smile was small and his voice gruff. He was a man of few words.

Paige closed her mouth and then reopened it to give a firm "hello." The tone had shifted for her, she had hardened in the presence of my father. Where before she had been soft and moon-eyed with my mother, some sort of switch had flipped and in her place was the stoic soldier I had come to know since the bear tried to eat her alive.