Chapter 15
The storage room was huge as was the rest of this house. When the lights flickered on I knew just by the look of it that I’d need to do some digging.
In our village we had solar panels that controlled our electricity. We had an incident last year when during a particularly nasty storm that lasted half the week it knocked our power out for two days.
When I started digging around the piles I found a red glass vase that I could put in the living room for fresh flowers every week. The red would bring good contrast to the blue couch since the walls were white and bare.
I found a laundry basket which I felt might be useful and placed the vase in there. In the storage racks I found a shower curtain along with extra packets of sheets that I wouldn’t take from them. One set of sheets was fine for me.
There was a bunch of furniture but I didn’t want to clutter the limited space I had in that cottage, but I did grab a discarded painting in its frame for one of the bare walls.
Thank god I found curtains too. Enough for three windows but I figured I would keep Nealin Sr. door closed so that window being bare wouldn’t be such an issue.
There were some discarded books and even though some looked dull I did grab a few promising ones I could decoratively add to the top of that bookshelf in the living room. I figured for now that was enough.
As time went on I’d see what else I’d need. I considered a lamp since there was one sitting right in front of me but I wasn’t sure yet and the laundry basket I had to carry back to the house was heavy enough.
“Mira, wait” I heard Leslie call out to me after I surfaced from the storage room. “I got you a candle. Every home should have one, shouldn’t they?” she asked, placing the candle that sat in its glass jar down into the basket.
“Is that too heavy for you? Should I have one of the guys bring it over?” she asked.
“No” I quickly blurted out, but caught myself, “Thank you, but I’ve got it covered. I appreciate this.” I looked back down at the items in my hand which really were too heavy for me. I wouldn’t let it show though.
I just quickly exited the house and tried using my hip to help lighten the load. Halfway down the block I stopped for a moment to put the basket down and flex my fingers that had been digging themselves into the handle so as not to fall.
“You need help?” I heard someone chuckle and froze. When I looked around I saw Declan, Jasper’s younger brother, and sighed in relief. “Yes, yes I do,” I laughed.
He crossed the street and grabbed the basket.
“Psh, weakling” he teased. Having lived in the Pack House I had lived with him too, so we knew each other but have never really hung out. He’s 18 going on 19 so he was between Jasper and Grace.
“Where am I taking all this?” he asked, and I told him. “I was wondering why I hadn’t seen you around the house,” he nodded. On our short walk over we chatted about casual things and once we got to the front door I took a moment to unlock it.
“Are you going to continue living here after Nealin gets back from training?” he wondered, walking in to put the basket down on the floor. “I don’t know, it would be weird living with a stranger. A man nonetheless.”
“I don’t know if this will mean anything to you, but Nealin’s gay. Just so you know he won’t be creepy and hit on you” he laughed.
“Oh, I didn’t know that. Do you know him as a person? Like is he a cool kid or?” I got curious.
“He’s a quiet kid. I obviously went to school with him but he was in my brother’s grade, so I can’t say too much about him” he shrugged.
“Hmm, everyone seems to have that same answer,” I noted. “I feel like I could see you two being roomies. You’re very sweet and to yourself the same as him” he added.
We had left the front door open since Declan had just walked straight in to place the laundry basket down, so while we chatted for a minute it stayed propped open.
I heard voices echo down the road but at that moment I wasn’t paying full attention.
“Honestly, sometimes the constant buzzing around the Pack House with people is annoying. It’d be cool to have my own place” he looked around the room.
“You’re welcome to come hang around here sometimes” I offered, then someone popped into the doorway. “I thought I heard Dec’s voice” Jasper entered.
“Yeah, I was helping her carry this shit” he pointed down. I stopped paying attention to them when I noticed the group of guys idling around the sidewalk, Devran included.
I wanted to scream. I wanted to hide. Instead I stared.
“You guys can go ahead without me,” Jasper called out to them. They all started walking on and I turned away in relief until a new presence filled the doorway.
“What’s happening here?” his deep voice inquired. He always seemed to want to know everything. He was clearly an Alpha who wanted to be all knowing.
When I couldn’t find my voice because flashbacks of that kiss flooded through my mind Jasper took over. “She’s cleaned up Nealin’s place and is moving in, remember” Jasper pointed out that we had already told him this.
“And you?” his blue eyes shifted over to Declan who was still standing in the middle of my living room.
“Carried this over, Alpha” he answered, but I could tell he was confused as to why he was being questioned in the first place. I could feel Devran’s eyes on me but I couldn’t bring myself to look at him. Instead I pretended to get busy taking the items out of the basket.
“I should go wash this,” I muttered to no one in particular while holding the new red vase. I needed to get out of that suddenly clustered room.
Footsteps followed me and I thought they were Jasper’s but when I heard Jasper say “What’re you doing?” I realized exactly who followed. My heart started pounding right into my ribcage. I couldn’t tell if it was rattling or if I was trembling on my own.
I didn’t look at him. I just continued to the sink and turned the faucet on. Devran shut it off. I squeezed my eyes shut for a moment trying to find both strength and patience. When I turned to him I couldn’t read the look on his face.
“You have anything to say to me?” he asked, clearly wanting to humiliate me.
“I...I had too much alcohol. I’m s-sorry” I stuttered out. I heard Jasper holler “Dev come on,” from the other room. He knew exactly what he was doing.
“Sorry for what?” he further instigated. I couldn’t give him the satisfaction so I beat around the bush. “For...attacking you” I said instead. “Attacking? Is that what you call it?”
“Sorta.”
“Dev, what’re you doing? Come on” Jasper appeared in the entryway to the kitchen and eyed me to see how I was holding up. “Jasper, get lost” his agitated tone surfaced.
“Uh, I guess I’m gonna go. See you later, Mira” Declan spoke from behind his brother. I waved bye but the tension in the room was palpable.
“Do you make a habit of always having men hang around you, especially alone at night. I know Jasper can’t seem to detach from you” he condescendingly spoke. He wasn’t even asking a real question; he just wanted to throw a dig at us wherever he could.
“Since when am I your constant target Dev? Do you have a problem with her and I being friends?” Jasper spoke up.
“Just getting to know our village’s newest member” Devran answered calmly.
“No you aren’t. You’re angry, I just can’t figure out why” Jasper continued. I really wish he wouldn’t.
“I just declared this official Alpha business. Jasper, get out” he dismissed his friend. Lately they didn’t feel like friends at all. “What? Dev you’re being ridiculous. Besides I’m your left hand” he reminded him that he could be involved in official business.
“Not this. Leave” he used his Alpha voice to command him. Jasper cursed under his breath and gave me an apologetic look before exiting the room.
“I’m very uncomfortable right now,” I mentioned quietly. I was afraid to be alone with him in this house.
“Why’d you do it?” he ignored my previous comment. “Do what?”
“Kiss me, why’d you do it?” he asked, serious as ever. “It was a mistake. I was really drunk” I answered with a huff. He was not only making me uncomfortable but also flustered. I was embarrassed and I knew my cheeks were tinted pink right now.
“That’s a silly reason to do something,” he stated, crossing his arms. He made this kitchen feel small. “I can’t take it back. All I can do is a-apologize” my small voice continued at it’s best.
“Do you want to take it back?” he asked, confusing me.
“Do you not want me to?” I questioned him now. “I never said that.”
“I..I don’t know what to say” I fidgeted with my fingers, flustered. “I’m just trying to figure out how many guys you try to confuse” he was accusing me of something now.
“Confuse?!” I exclaimed. I had no idea what he meant. “Men flock to you. That’s obvious, but after last night I wonder how many men you’ve tried to seduce” he had the audacity to say.
“Excuse me?!” He and I stared at each other in silence for a few moments. We both just stood in the middle of the kitchen several feet apart and yet the room felt full. There was a presence of its own here.
“You’ve been nothing but trouble for me since the moment I got back into town” his expression was hard.
“How? I’ve tried to stay out of your way, you...you’re the one who keeps appearing to me” I was afraid to accuse him but it was the truth. His brows knitted together and his jaw was set. He didn’t like the truth of it.
“Yes, well that is part of the problem” his deep voice resonated in my own chest.
“What is that supposed to mean?” I asked, still confused with this man. His low growl had me take a step back. With his palm he hit the fridge door before storming out of the room and slamming the front door.
I stood in the middle of that kitchen trying to understand what had just happened. He accused me of seducing men. He doesn’t like them around me, but doesn’t like me around him.
He’s controlling, that’s obvious, but was he like this with everyone? I’ve yet to see him interrogate anybody else. What the hell does he want with me? When Jasper stepped into the room I almost jumped out of my own skin.
“I never left, I just hid in the bedroom” he chuckled. I slapped my forehead. These people would drive me nuts. “I listened in, for your safety of course” he smiled knowing he’s a nosy bastard.
“Mira...I think Devran likes you.”