The Art Of Sneezing

Chapter 45

Dust flies into my lungs and I begin coughing. The near-death experience wakes me. I squint through the dark and rub the sleep from my eyes. The small concrete room smells like dirt and blood. A cage-like door presses against my back. I stumble up, my muscles sore, and yank on the bars.

        "Hello?" My voice echoes  down a stone hallway.  "What am I doing here? Let me out!"

        "Don't be like that, my Luna. You belong here."

        It's too dark to see the person, but I'd recognize that voice anywhere. "James. Where's Alexander?"

        James growls. "He's not your concern anymore."

        "He's my mate! I'll always worry about him! Which is more than I can say for-"

        Suddenly, James enters my vision as he slams against the bars. "Shut up! Not another word about Alex!"

        I'm startled twice. Once, when he hits the bars, I jump back. Second, the nickname slips easily from his lips. I am the only person that calls him Alex. James has previously called him Aly and now this one, too?

        "How do you know Alexander?"  I whisper. "You talk like you two were close at some point and I want to know how. How do you know him, James?"

        He grins, "Alex is keeping secrets from you, too?" I lean in as his voice drops to a whisper. "See, no one really calls me James around here. You're probably the only one and that's my fault." He pouts, then raises his voice with a sigh. "Okay, I'll tell you. James is only my middle name. My real name is - drum role please -Taylor James Crescent!"

        I gasp, "No."

        "Yes," he fake squeals. "Isn't this amazing?"

        "No, it's not 'amazing'. This is crazy! Why are you doing this to your own brother?"

        "Half brother," he sneers through the bars. Taylor reaches in and grabs my hands yanking me down as he sits. "Have a seat."

        I jerk my hands away, but sit on the dirty floor. "What do you mean, half?"

        "We're the same, Mouse.  My idiot dad cheated on Rose before they had Alex. I was raised by them and everyone knew I wasn't the rightful Alpha. I worked through it, trained to be stong and challenged my dad when I was 18.  Things got . . .  difficult with the pack. They said I was crazy, that my wolf would drive me insane because we can't communicate."

        He was a child of a human-werewolf non-mate pair. I remember Rey explaining what the child would go through. Defect,s he said. The wolf becomes almost rabid while the human is paranoid.

        There it is. That glint in Taylor's eyes that makes him look dangerous and edgy, like a timebomb. It's because he is. He's insane like every other wolf in our predicament. Taylor can not reach his wolf and it's driving him mad.

       This should have happened to me.

        "So, I teamed up with the Rogues," he continues. "I brought them together in my own pack. They accepted me. Worshipped me. I brought them to Crescent Pack, but Crescent sided with my brother. They attackd my pack, so we ran. We hid until we had enough warriors and all we need is a Luna. We'll take over every pack and rule together."

        Taylor stands. "My stupid brother is making a comotion. I'll come back later and introduce you to the pack," My heart flutters. Alexander will save me. He'll be here soon. Taylor's voice echoes as he walks away.

        "We're the same, Riley. We're the same."

        I wait for Alexander, but eventually fall asleep.

Strong arms lift up my sleeping figure. I blink in the darkness reaching up to touch the persons face. "Alexander?" I make skin contact and realize it is not my mate.

        Taylor laughs. "Nope, just me. My wolves took care of his."

        "Please tell me no one died." I whisper.

        "No fatalities on either side. Sadly. Now, I'm taking you-"

        "Achoo!" Taylor's feet stop echoing steps on the concrete floor.

        He sighs and continues walking to a door at the end. "I'm taking-"        

        "Achoo!"

        "I'm-"

        "Achoo!"

        "Taking you-"

        "Achoo!"

        "STOP IT!"

        I flinch has he yells at me, dropping me to my feet. "I - achoo - can't." He growls lowly and grabs my arm. We exit the building into a clearing where many wolves and people are training to fight.

        Taylor drags me as I sneeze past the people and into a large pack house. I can't focus on the interior as we walk to wherever.

        "Sabrina!" He barks.

        A petite young woman pops in front of us, dressed all in black. "Yes, Alpha?"

        "Go to-" He pauses as I sneeze and then sighs in aggravation. "Go to Crescent Pack house and get somethings of the Alpha's. Shirts or jackets, just something with his scent."

        Sabrina accepts his command. I take in a large breath of smoke and sneeze it out. The thief dashes out as Taylor pulls me through the house.

        I sneeze. "Why did you send her to get his stuff? How can she get in the pack house?"

        We turn a sharp corner and he pushes me into a room. "His scent will stop this ridiculous sneezing. Sabrina is our best thief." He steps into the room with me. "Are you hungry?"

        "I don't want anything from you."

        Taylor growls. "You're my Luna now so deal with it." He turns and stalks out of the room. I see two buff wolves step in front of the door before it closes. No windows. I'm trapped.

        I walk around the room and come to the conclusion that it's Taylor's. My clothes are dirty, torn, and bloody. With no other choice, I grab sweat pants and a black 'Avenged Sevenfold' shirt from his closet. I walk to his bathroom and take a fast shower.

        Alexander will come for me.