The Alpha Summit

Chapter Seven

Achilles looked at Mel with a confused expression, but nonetheless, let the subject go. They had a long car ride tomorrow and needed to be well-rested so they could get going early in the morning.

"It's getting late. We should sleep."

Mel adhered to the suggestion and was about to change when she realized she had nothing. Not even so much as a toothbrush. She felt odd asking Achilles for things when she barely knew him. She could wait until tomorrow. Maybe then she could use the limited money she had always hidden in her shoe and get some necessities.

Achilles grabbed some things from his duffle bag and glided into the bathroom in three short strides. Mel watched as he shut the door, his frame nearly fitting through the door.

Mel looked around the room. It was hard to control her compulsion to make it spotless before she was punished. She shook her head and focused her attention on taking off her shoes. She pulled off the ratty sneakers that somebody brought to the hospital for her. The money flutter down the floor and Mel immediately grabbed it.

The bedside table looked like a good place to hide the money. It was only a hundred dollars, but it was Mel had managed to scrounge up. She opened the bedside table and hid the money under the bible.

Just as Mel had closed the drawer, Achilles step out of the bathroom. He had on a black shirt and basketball shorts. Rubbing her fingers over the knuckles on the opposite hand Mel looked away.

The bathroom door complained as she shut it and walked to the skink. Mel quickly washed her dirt-streaked face. She looked over to the shower and her stomach dropped. It still didn't feel safe to shower. Maybe when she was sure that she was truly safe. Mel then used the toilet and washed her hands. Opening the door Mel saw Achilles looking at her confused.

Mel ignored his gaze and walked over to her small bed. She took off her sock and got in the bed with the rest of her clothes on. It was uncomfortable, but it would have to do.

Achilles felt the burning desire to interject and ask her if she wanted to borrow his clothes, but he felt like he had already overstepped today. And with all that Mel was going through, Achilles went with leaving her alone for tonight.

He pulled off his shirt and got into bed. His feet nearly hung off of the bed, but he ignored it and turned to look at Mel. Seeing her hair reminded him that she was safe and that was all Achilles needed to fall into a deep, dreamless for the first time in nearly four years.

Mel on the other hand-tossed and turned. She couldn't seem to tune out her racing thoughts. She couldn't stop thinking about the fact that nobody had stopped her from leaving her old pack. That wasn't normal. Something was going on. What isn't going on, Mel thought.

She flipped over to her right side and studied Achilles' sleeping face. Her overwhelmed feeling seemed to dissipate as she let her senses take over. His eyelashes fluttered over his high cheeks bones. Tendrils of dark hair flowed from his scalps going every which way. Mel could help but think his bed head looked endearing.

Mel bit the inside of her cheek as she looked at his plump, pink lips. She wasn't used to the feelings she was having. She wanted to kiss him right now. Mel shook her head. Now certainly wasn't the time.

She bit her cheek harder, now wasn't the time to think about anything. Now was the time to sleep and get well-rested for the day to come. Something told her it wouldn't be easy, but there was nothing she could do about it right this second.

Mel smiled at Achilles' peaceful face. I'll be fine tomorrow, she thought to herself. And with that, her eyes closed. She didn't sleep right away, but as time passed she grew weary. Then sleep finally acquitted its journey to her, and with that Mel slept.