Page 18 of Alpha Queen
"What do you mean kicked out?" River hadn't really known Austin, but he was a decent guy. Solid, kind, funny.
"Are you that naïve? How could you not know what has been happening?"
"Because I was never really part of the pack. My mom kept me separate, and I never fit in. I had nothing to do with pack politics or anything else except to keep my head down and help when asked."
Titan chewed his lip. "I'll wait for you outside. You can put on clean clothes, and then I'll take you around. You won't be keeping your head down while in my pack. You are strong, and we need your strength to help pave the way for a new future for Lycans and shifters."
"And what if I don't want anything to do with paving the way to a new future with you?"
"Then you are welcome to warm my bed while I do it."
A bark of laughter escaped River. "I'd rather bite through my tongue and eat it ."
An eerie smile spread across his face. "We shall see, my Luna." He walked out.
Her wolf snarled. Not him.
What was with Titan? One minute he was a total asshole, and the next he was asking her to give him a shot. She couldn't pinpoint what his game was, but she had to find out if she wanted to escape.
River emerged from her room several minutes later, dressed in a velour pink lounge outfit. She couldn't remember a time when she'd worn pink before, but it was the largest of all the clothing. Luckily, they'd brought her sports bras and white cotton underwear, so though she had no desire to wear anything Titan had gotten her, at least it was comfortable.
Titan looked her up and down and then held out his hand for her. She shoved her hands in her pockets, and he started up the dark staircase.
River glanced around. A hall ran down to her right, and stairs lay straight ahead with a locked door at the top. That was it. The walls were bare white, and the floors cement, as if it were a fake set on a TV show. It surprised her how much effort he'd put into making her room look so normal.
"Coming?" he asked from the top of the stairs.
River sighed and started up the stairs. "Do I have a choice?"
Her stomach cramped and growled, and she coughed to try to cover the sound.
Come on. Not now. Keep it together for just an hour, will ya?
She'd chugged a cola, but it wasn't enough to satisfy her hunger. Nothing was though, so she wasn't about to risk eating something and puking in front of everyone. That would raise more questions than simply refusing to eat. Not eating, she could explain away. Vomiting not so much. She popped a small butter mint into her mouth and sucked on it, letting it dissolve.
She stopped a step below Titan, and he pulled out a key ring and unlocked the door. Natural light flooded the stairwell, and River shielded her eyes. How many days had it been since she'd seen real sunlight? Sure, there was a fake window with simulated light, but it was nothing like real sunlight.
Her wolf whined and lifted her head, but couldn't do more than that.
Don't worry, girl, I'll let you out when the time is right. For now, let's enjoy the sunshine and air.
Her wolf grumbled.
Titan stepped to the side, allowing River to exit. A dozen locks adorned the outside of the heavy metal door.
She glanced around the hallway, surprised by its grandeur. She wasn't sure what kind of house she'd expected Titan to live in, but this was not it.
Rooms shot off in both directions. The house was decorated in whites and creams. White wainscoting, cream wallpaper, contemporary furniture, light colored flower arrangements. It looked so… normal. Elegant. It reminded her of her mating ceremony, and her heart squeezed.
Wait… She looked around again, taking better stock of the setup. It… it was the same configuration as Ares and Apollo's house. A chill ran through her.
"Come on," said Titan. "I want you to meet some people."
She didn't say anything, but when he placed his palm on her back to lead her, she shrugged out of his reach as her wolf gnashed her teeth.
"This way." He motioned for her to walk in front of him.
She didn't know if it was because he was afraid she might make a run for it, or if he feared she might stab him in the back. Either scenario was possible.
