Alpha's Blood

Chapter 3

Red illuminated numbers slowly tick higher on the small screen. It had taken them only a few moments to climb over twenty stories, but to Lilliarna it felt like a lifetime. Her eyes flick to the control panel, scanning up the numbers until she reaches the highest floor- thirty-five. A deep breath fills her lungs as she sucks in her bottom lip, biting softly. Her hand reaches behind her, searching for the railing, grabbing tightly as it connects with the cool metal.
"Lilliarna?" Cairon's voice comes tinged with a hint of worry, "You ok?"
"I'm..." She hesitates, the truth embarrassing for her to admit. Heights were something children feared- not someone in their twenties. Not someone who had done the things she had. "I'm not the world's biggest fan of heights."
A small chuckle leaves Cairon's lips.
"Well, that may be a problem, seeing as how you're going to be staying in the penthouse."
The only response to his joke is the soft hum of the elevator music.
"You going to be ok? You're looking pretty pale."
"Hmm?" She hums inquisitively in response.
Looking into the elevators mirrored wall, she glimpses at herself for the first time. Matted hair frames her bruised and bloodied face, while a thick sheet of grime covers the rest of her body. It seems an impressive feat, he was even able to tell she was pale at all.
A weak laugh barley escapes her lips. "I'll be fine. I just want to get up there and get clean."
She flashes a small smile at Cairon, hoping to lighten the building tension in the air. It works to a point, and they fall into a silence, somewhere between comfortable and not as he looks back at her. It was obvious he didn't want to pry but the slight cock of his brow and quick shifting eyes betrayed him.
Lilliarna wonders if she had been what he expected when he came out, or if their boss had kept him in the dark. Something about his ever wandering eyes however, tell her its the latter.
The pair continue to stand quietly, soft orchestra music filling the surrounding space, joined only by the recurrent beep from each passing floor. Cairon is the first to move, his finger falling away from the button as the elevator comes to a gentle stop on the top floor. A loud ding sounds around them as the door slowly peels open. Gripping tightly to her bag straps once again, Lilliarna exits the elevator; the lush carpet of the hallway crushing slightly under her shoes.
A few feet down, Cairon stands messing with a key ring as he searches, mumbling a few curses under his breath. His efforts are met with success as he holds up a single brass key before inserting it into the lock; twisting it he's met with an audible click. Pushing the door open, he motions for Lilliarna to enter.
Her jaw drops open as she crosses the doorway, eyeing the space around her. The penthouse seemed to be bathed in every inch, with hues of nature. Strong browns and forest greens melded together around her as plants dotted the room sporadically. In front of her a set of large windows stretched from floor to ceiling, the city setting contrasting drastically with the feel of the surrounding space.
Cairon's face holds a smug smile as he looks at Lilliarna, watching as she soaks in every detail surrounding her. "It's nice right?" He gently nudges her arm with his elbow, careful to miss any visible bruises.
"It's breathtaking. You're so lucky to have a place like this Cairon." She glances up, her eyes stopping on a loft to their left. The soft glow of a lamp illuminates the tops of bookshelves seen just over the railing.
"It's your place too, you know. Boss's orders." Her eyes move once again, settling on Cairon as he moves towards a hallway just under the loft. "Come on. Follow me." Lilliarna wanders down the hallway after him, stopping at a white door on their right. "And this is your bedroom. It's got the whole works. Walk-in closet and its own attached bathroom."
Lilliarna flashes him a half-hearted smile as he finishes speaking, "Thank you Cairon." She clears her throat before speaking. "If you don't mind I'd really just like to shower and then maybe get some sleep."
His eyes widen slightly, "Oh shit yah, no problem." He turns to leave, looking back at her over his shoulder for a moment. "If you need anything, just let me know. I'm in the room adjacent to the kitchen."
"Thanks Cairon." She replies before watching him retreat down the hallway.
Reaching out, her hand rests on the brass knob before turning it to reveal her room. The sight in front of her fills her with awe; the same forest colors cascade around her with gold accents popping around the room. A queen sized bed sits near another impossibly tall set of windows.
Lilliarna's body draws closer to them, the nervous ball in her stomach winding itself even tighter, lurching as she looks out at the city skyline. Sighing, she slowly allows herself to settle, the ball unwinding and shrinking in size. Letting her head rest against the window, she savors the feeling of the cool glass against her skin as her mind drifts. A single tear drops from her eye, running down the length of her face as she takes a deep breath, settling herself once again.
Standing up straight, she decides to find her bathroom. Her eyes scan the room, finding two identical doors on either side of the room. Settling on the one to her right, she pushes herself forward, fighting against the sleep her body begs her to finally get.
The bathroom was decently large, sporting both a claw-foot tub and a large shower on one end and other bathroom essentials on the other. A memory foam mat squishes beneath her feet as she approaches the shower, turning the chrome nob nearly as hot as it went before stripping down.
Stepping in, she winces as the scalding water runs over her skin. Lilliarna forces her body to stay under the running water, trying to let the heat burn away her sins. Trickles of red run down her body as blood washes away from her hair and body, pooling around her feet. Hot tears fill her eyes at the sight as she breaks down into quiet sobs.
Falling to her knees, she lets the water continue hitting her body; sobbing as it washes away the physical signs of her actions that night. Her body shakes as she's wracked with more tears, her lungs burn as she holds her breath, trying to stifle a scream. Inaudibly she cries, sitting in the shower as it slowly turns cold; only standing to wash herself once icy water graces her skin.
Turning the water off, she wraps her body with a towel before exiting the room. Stepping out into her bedroom once again, she crosses over to her duffel bag, digging through it for clothes but turning up empty. She glances back at the bathroom, contemplating at least putting her old dirty shirt back on but decides against it.
Staring at the door to the hallway, she takes a deep breath before moving forward. Her feet lightly pad across the floor, the sound dampened by the lush carpet. The hallway is dark as she enters it, making her thankful for her wolf vision; without it, she'd be helplessly lost looking for a light switch. The hardwood floor is cool against the soles of her feet as she continues towards a small glow of light at the end of the hallway.
She she calls out gently into the night.
"Cairon?"
Pausing, she listens for a response. His scent is thick in the air, and while she knows he must be close by there is nothing but silence. After a few moments, she calls out to him louder.
"Cairon?"
"Yes?"
His head pops around the corner from the dimly lit kitchen.
"Whatcha nee-"
His voice stops short as his eyes scan over Lilliarna, drinking in the sight of her. The towel clings to her hips, the soft material riding up from her short walk down the hallway.
Bright red flushes her cheeks as her body turns hot under his gaze.
"I uh.. I-" She stutters out, "I don't have any clothes."
"Mhmm"
He hums, his gaze catching on Lilliarna's chest. The sound of her clearing her throat thrusts him back to reality, his cheeks mirroring the color of hers.
"Ah- Yes! Clothes, of course!" He says as her question finally registers in his mind. He sharply turns, shaking his head as he leaves the kitchen, crosses the Livingroom and disappears into what Lilliarna assumes is his room.
Rounding the corner, where Cairon had been standing moments before, Lilliana enters the kitchen. She moves to the large island, hopping onto one of the back bar stools; looking down, she idly traces the lines of the soapstone top.
He returns moments later, a small pile of clothes in his arms. "I wasn't sure what exactly would work best for you so I just grabbed a few things." He deposits the items in front of her on the island, stealing another glance at her towel covered chest before wandering over to a cupboard. The sound of glass tinking off of each other echoes through the surrounding space. Lilliarna watches as he produces two glasses, moves to the fridge and fills them from the water dispenser. He slowly moves back towards her, sitting one of the glass cups next to her. "I figured you might want to take a drink back with you."
She smiles at him, struggling to pick up both the clothes and glass without letting her towel fall. "Thank you Cairon. Really." She turns, racing back to her room, the towel becoming more loose by the second.

Closing the door behind her, she allows the towel to fall away from her body before moving to the bed. Placing the clothes down she looks through what Cairon had grabbed, settling on one of the large short sleeved cotton shirts. Pulling it over her body, she's relieved as it comes below her butt. It was decent enough to sleep in for a night, but tomorrow she would definitely need to find some clothes.
Inhaling deeply, Cairon's scent fills her nostrils, a soft mix of fresh air and pine. It reminds her slightly of her old home, calming her as she lays down in her bed. A yawn escapes her lips as she lets her eyes close, her body slipping into slumber once again.