Chapter 14
After Devran walked out of the room the severity of my actions hit me like a ton of bricks. I just threw myself at the man who hates me. The wolf who runs this pack now. The one with the power to make me leave or make my life here a living hell.
He had responded to the kiss but that’s just a natural reaction to a person kissing you, you kiss back. A replay of the moment flashed into my mind.
Our lips were pressed together and fit like puzzle pieces, locked perfectly. His hands cupped my bottom and held my waist to hold me flush against his hard body. It was a fleeting moment but it happened. I fucked up.
His face when I pulled away and apologized was a harsh one. His nostrils flared in his anger at my action. I couldn’t stay here tonight. That moment sobered me.
I collected my dress, slipped my sandals back on, and in his long green shirt I tiptoed out of the house and made a run for it to Nealin’s home before anyone was awake to see me.
Nealin’s home was a two bedroom single floor cottage. All the homes here varied in size depending on the number of occupants in a family and also cost. I don’t know the extent of where their money comes from but I know some have more than others.
When you first entered the front door you were greeted by the modest living room area. Just behind that was the kitchen. The right side wall held three doors where the bathroom and two bedroom doors stayed.
The furnishing was limited and you could tell there hadn’t been the touch of a woman in a long time. Nothing there warmed the home.
The living room consisted of white walls, a blue couch, low coffee table, and bookshelf. Not all homes had televisions either since service in the mountains wasn’t good and you needed hot boxes like the one in the Pack House.
The kitchen had limited appliances, just a sink, stove, and a refrigerator that was currently empty. The dishes were enough to serve four people only as there were exactly four plates, four glass cups, and a set of four for each utensil.
There was no kitchen table or anything so I suppose meals will be had on the coffee table in the front room. The first bedroom was clearly Nealin seniors, and I felt strange staying in there so I decided I would stay in Nealin Jr. room.
The walls were white in there also, but he had a beige comforter with forest green sheets and pillow cases. His dresser had a picture of his mother on it and a few random things. And on the wall a beautiful art piece of a wolf howling in black and white charcoal.
His closet was very small; it just had one rack across it to hang things and some floor space for shoes and such.
I had noticed the bathroom had a small washer machine but I think I’d have to hang dry items as I didn’t see a dryer, but at least I had a washer. The little shower had a plastic curtain but it was noticeably old. This place could use some work.
I did have some money from when I ran away but I wasn’t sure I wanted to spend some of it on fixing the place up. I’d have to get creative.
The sun was coming up now and I knew I needed to sleep. I decided to sleep on the blue sofa since everything was quiet dusty and would need cleaning. I had just hit the pillow a few times outside to be sure any dust was cleaned off and slept without a blanket.
All my things were still at Melaine’s.
Sleep took me quickly as I was exhausted after a very long entertaining night. I didn’t wake up until late afternoon when there was a hard knock at the door. I held my breath in fear that it might be Devran. I wasn’t ready to face him.
When I peeked out the window I saw it was Jasper instead.
“There you are. I went to your room this morning and you weren’t there. I got worried,” he said, walking into the house uninvited.
“I don’t have pants on” I rolled my eyes at his intruding.
“Oh, well everything’s covered” he waved me off. “Whose shirt is that?” he took a better look at me. “Okay...I have a story” I came clean. I told him everything that happened and instead of shock he instead laughed hysterically.
“Oh man, you fucked up” he wiped a tear from his eye.
“I’m aware” I sighed, plopping on the sofa beside him. I had been pacing as I spoke. “Well, at least this place has some potential. Are you going to clean it up today?” he asked.
“Are you going to help me?” I countered. “Can’t, got Delta business now that the fun’s over” he booped my nose and stood up.
“Well, before you go can you at least mindlink Mel and tell her to bring my stuff. I can’t walk around town pantless” I motioned back down to my bare legs. “Will do” he saluted before exiting.
I guess I was on my own today fixing the house. First things first was cleaning. When Melanie got there with clothes I threw on a pair of comfortable shorts and kept the big shirt on while I cleaned. Melanie said she would help but ended up sitting on the sofa talking the entire time.
I had to borrow a vacuum from the woman next door and a few other cleaning products. I started making a list of things I’d need to maintain this home.
I vacuumed the sofa, the area rug in the living room, and all the wood floors of every other room too. I took the sheets off the bed and threw them in the wash, and dusted every room.
“Okay, I’m starving. If you aren’t going to help me clean can you at least go find me something to eat” I complained. She agreed and made a run for it when she noticed I was about to clean the bathroom. She definitely wouldn’t want to help with that.
It was a deep cleaning. The kind people call ‘spring cleaning’ where I even sprayed down the windows to clean the glass. There were only two front windows in the living room, and one in each bedroom. The kitchen had no view.
“I’m back” I heard Mel’s voice call out while I was hanging the sheets up to dry. “Since I’m such a good friend I brought you some food essentials to put in that empty fridge of yours” she held up a reusable bag with some goods in it.
“You’re too kind” I thanked her, grabbing the sandwich that was in her hand and the water bottle. “What’re you going to do to liven this place up?” she asked. Since I was in the living room I took a look around while chewing.
“Maybe some wild flowers here in the front room. I need a new shower curtain, that one is gross. Um, I don’t know what else...I’ll have to see” I shrugged.
“Maybe a candle to make the place smell less stuffy” she suggested. “Oh that reminds me, I wanted to open these windows to get some fresh air in here” I put my mostly finished sandwich down and slid open the windows.
“You probably need curtains too” she tipped her chin in the direction of the bare sills. She was right, I wouldn’t want people to see straight in, that’s a lack of privacy I wasn’t willing.
“Maybe the pack house. They have a huge storage room, don’t they? They probably have a ton of shit lying around that you could put to use” she reminded me.
“Oh! You genius, yes” I shook her in excitement. Alpha Conan and Luna Leslie definitely wouldn’t mind. Well I guess he’s just Conan now...we have a new Alpha.
I had yet to tell Melanie about what had happened last night with Devran. I was too busy at the time and she’d have wanted me to sit and talk about it for the next hour.
“Alright I need to wash all the dishes from dust and I think I’ll be done here for today.”
-
When I finally did confess to kissing Devran, Jasper was already back and the two of them just had a field day with it. We were all in the living room and it felt nice to have this space for at least a little while, and be able to share it with my friends.
This would probably be the new hang out spot which meant I could avoid the people I didn’t want to see.
“I need you to mindlink Devran and see if he’s at the Pack House. I want to sneak in and pay a visit to the storage room but I can not, I repeat, can not run into him” I told Jasper.
It wouldn’t be weird for him to ask where his friend was.
“I can do you one better. He’s going out for dinner with a bunch of us, so I can tell you right now that at 7 he won’t be there” he informed me.
“Oh, perfect!” I sighed in relief. All I needed was probably 20 minutes tops to ask Dev’s parents for permission and then to search and grab a few things.
“I’ll mindlink Mel when we leave,” he offered. “I actually have to go in a little bit. The parents want me home. My aunt’s coming over” she explained.
I would be doing this alone I guess. It was fine with me. I’ve spent most of my life doing things for myself.
“Fine, 7pm” Jasper repeated. I nodded and eyed the clock. That’s just under an hour from now. My friends said their goodbyes then it was just me in Nealin’s home.
I waited about ten minutes past 7 before walking down to the Pack House. I wanted to be sure they were gone. When I knocked, a staff member welcomed me in and informed me that Devran’s parents were in the dining area.
“I’m sorry to interrupt,” I peeked in, noticing they were eating. Leslie stood right up and came to give me a big hug.
“No intrusion at all. In fact, we miss you around here, Mira,” she smiled down at me warmly. Conan smiled and greeted me, waving me to come join them.
“Oh no, I just came to ask a small favor actually. I assume you know I have moved into Warrior Nealin’s house for the time being. I was wondering if I could check out the storage room to see if I could find a few things for the house” I rocked back and forth on the balls of my feet feeling awkward
to have to ask anything of someone.
It wasn’t something I liked doing.
“Absolutely” Leslie immediately agreed. “Take whatever you need,” Conan added. “I was thinking we should pay you a small wage now that you aren’t living in the house but will continue working for us. It’ll pay for your groceries and necessities,” Conan added.
Shit, I forgot I’d be still working here. I couldn’t hide from Devran if I were to be coming here every day. A pit in my stomach began forming and I nodded, not being able to find words.
“You can take the weekend. Start back up on Monday? We miss your cooking” he chuckled.
“Sure” I nodded again with a forced smile. I quickly took leave after that and tried to calm my breathing. I can’t face Devran. I needed to find a way to avoid him, even here.