Rite of Submission - Rite 1

48: Advanced Education

"What do you mean he isn't coming?" Sophie yelled at someone in the other room. I was disappointed to find myself in her bed, instead of where I wanted to be. I yawned and climbed out of bed to find out why she was yelling and who she was yelling at.

Nathan stood there stoically with his arms folded over his chest, waiting for her tirade to end. I'd come out just as she demanded to know where Dmitri was so she could scold him, and I caught the way his jaw clenched. "He can't tell you," I sighed, "He's been ordered not to." He looked relieved to see that someone understood the strain he was under, but her face started to turn purple. I smiled, "But, I'll bet that he didn't make sure to cover his ass and include where he isn't. Has Dmitri left the house today?"

Nathan's relief quickly faded to annoyance. "No."

"See?" I gestured towards the door, and sat down at the table to pour myself some coffee, ignoring the pang I felt when I thought of how he'd poured it for me the day before. "You just have to ask the right questions."

"I shouldn't have to play 20 questions to see my brother and find out what is going on," she growled.

I took a long pull on the mug in my hands, "It wouldn't be him if you managed to hunt him down anyway."

The both looked at me stunned. "How do you know that?" Nathan grunted.

I shrugged, "I just do." I was just taking a guess, assuming he'd left his wolf in control still. "Are you supposed to be my babysitter for the day?" I assumed that Blake was given the day off after how haggard he looked when Sophie sent him off last night.

"I suppose, if that's how you want to see it, then yes." He eyed me suspiciously.

"Breakfast?" I asked them both. Sophie dropped in to her chair grumpily and poured herself some coffee. He followed, sitting across from me beside her. It was like a family dinner when your parents were fighting, awkward and quiet. He didn't look any happier when I added, "You still good for that crash course in politics after I get in a quick run?"

"You can't go for a run," he frowned at me.

"Can't I? Am I a prisoner now?" I was not going to let anyone dictate what I could and couldn't do any more. He hadn't answered me so I decided to go a little easier on him, "I'll give you two options. You can either lock me in a cell, or you can let me do what I want and I'll promise to stay inside the pack house."

He gave me his patented annoyed stare down as his eyes glazed over a moment. "Fine." He didn't move to drag me back down to the cells so I figured he had been instructed to let me move about the house.

Finally changing out of my clothes from the day before, I threw on a sports bra and leggings with some sneakers. "We'll be back in an hour Soph," I tightened my ponytail as I walked through the room, "Let's go warden." I didn't wait for Nathan as I made my way down to the gym.

It didn't matter how hard I pushed myself on the treadmill, I couldn't seem to find the quiet in my mind that I usual got from running. All the hurt I'd felt the night before had turned into anger, and it wouldn't go away. Nathan hadn't come into the room, something about giving me some space to blow off some steam. I couldn't help but wonder if it had been an order to keep him from watching my tits bounce while I ran.

I took a quick show, knowing Sophie was waiting on me, but was staring at all the clothes in my section of her closet. I wasn't Alexandria, she was my past; I wasn't even Luna in any capacity now that the contract was worthless. Who was I now, and what did Selene like to wear? I grabbed a long black maxi skirt, with a long slit up the side that I was only ever allowed to wear out of the house with opaque tights on. I paired it with a white, silk, backless blouse from their mother's closet, and black ballet flats. I tossed my hair up into a messy bun since it was still damp.