Everything Anew

Chapter Twelve

Chapter Twelve

Lila

Once the room cleared, Nathan's grey eyes settled back on me. He walked over from where he was once seated and leaned against the edge of the table; palms pressing back against it while his hooded gaze found mine.

"What's your take on all this?" he asked.

I rolled it over in my mind before answering. "Honestly, I'm relieved to have the chance to get out for a change and not be cooped up inside. Though, I'm not sure the risk is worth the reward." I bit at my lower lip anxiously. "It's terrifying. They walked right up to your door. They aren't afraid."

"No, they aren't, but they should be." Nathan's fingers tightened along the table's edge. "What we lack in numbers, we make up for in intelligence and strength. Eric and Evan can take a few wolves on at once, Seojoon could probably make them run circles around each other, while Markus can outwit a dozen of those idiots." Nathan shook his head while letting out a sharp breath. "Still, it scares me too."

I watched him curiously, wanting to bring up the one thing nagging at me. A part of me knew better than to intrude, knowing it wasn't any of my business, but I found myself asking anyways. "What did you mean earlier, about them having their hands on us again?"

Nathan's body went rigid, and his eyes shifted to the wall rather than on me. He huffed out a breath, and his voice sounded angry when he spoke. "The only people who I trust with my past, is my pack."

I knew that thought process first hand, so instead of pushing it further, I put it in the back of my mind for now and decided to ask at a later time. Instead, I leaned back and found myself looking up at him. My eyes trailed down the straight edges of his body, to the curve of his chest dipping down to his stomach. I tried my best not to remember what he looked like without his shirt on, the definition of muscle and that tired voice that ignited something within me. I looked away the moment his head turned back towards me.

I hoped more than anything he hadn't noticed my scrutiny, so without giving him a chance to comment, I spoke up. "When will you be heading out again?" 

"Probably this evening before the sun sets. It's too dangerous to leave the pack separated at night. Since you're coming, we'll make a quick trip to get you some clothes too."

I arched a brow at that, finding myself interested in the idea. "Is it safe for me to be going out?"

"Not really."

I pursed my lips. "I guess it's a choice between two evils then."

"Exactly." Nathan sighed out the word. "You'll have to wear a scarf to hide the collar, and there's no doubt other werewolves will notice you by your scent alone. Once the end of winter comes along, and your cycle starts, I'd suggest you stay inside as long as possible."

I slid further into my seat as I felt familiar heat flourish over my face. "I'd have a better chance leaving this place before that happens." I said, not wanting to imagine being in a house with five men during such a vulnerable time. 

"Honestly, that's not a bad idea either." Nathan looked at me, his tone of voice completely serious. "We'll make it a goal then, to remove it by January at least."

I nodded slowly in response. That meant I had anywhere from two to three months, and the time seemed so far away that hitting those goals might have been simple, but there was always a possibility that we would run out of time. What if my cycle began, and the collar stayed on my neck? I envisioned myself shifting into a wolf with any extreme change in emotion, and feeling myself slowly die as I choked to death.