HSDWM, a fanfiction

Chapter 19

I woke up to Alpha Xavier stroking my arm telling me it was time to leave. I opened my eyes to see him looking at me with concern.

"Come on, love," he said, his voice gentle. "The car is ready. Get up and put your shoes on. I've already packed your things."

I untangled myself from the cocoon he'd wrapped me in and headed to the bathroom to empty my bladder and wash my face. Then I drank a glass of water before going back to the room to put on my shoes. I searched around for my bag, but he was carrying both his and mine, and a styrofoam food box.

I reached for my bag. "I can carry it." My voice was hoarse.

"I've got it. I had your lunch boxed since you didn't eat. It's chicken tenders and fries. You can have it in the car."

"I'm not hungry."

His brows rose and he paused, studying me. "Well, it'll be there when you are hungry."

Raven and Jenna were already downstairs by the car waiting for us, Raven loading their bags in the trunk of the car that would be taking us back to the service station.

Raven zeroed in on my face as we stepped outside and walked straight to me to lift my chin to get a better look. I knew my face and eyes were puffy and blotchy despite the cool water I'd splashed my face with before heading down.

"What happened," he demanded.

"Nothing. I'm fine," I said.

Raven glared at Alpha Xavier as he rounded the car, saying, "What did you do to her?"

"Not now, Sonter."

Raven growled, but opened the car door for me, then slid in beside me. Jenna rolled her eyes at us, but didn't say a word.

We thanked the guy who drove us, and Alpha Xavier paid his bill, then we climbed into his car. Alpha Xavier and Jenna in the front seats, Raven and I in the back.

Everyone was quiet as Alpha Xavier started the car and got us back on the road. I stared out the window watching the trees go by. He drove for three hours, then we stopped along a stretch of road with a good shoulder near a meadow to stretch our limbs and eat the sandwiches Raven had bought for us while we were still at the hotel.

Well, the others were eating their sandwiches, I was picking at mine, still not hungry. They were sitting facing each other, I was watching the sunset.

"How much further Raven," Alpha Xavier asked.

I could feel his eyes watching me, him and Raven, both. I could feel Jenna glaring at me, too. But I didn't care right now. I focused on the colors of the sky as the sun began to dip down to kiss the hills we were driving toward. There sure were a lot of them. I guess that's why they're called the Endless Hills.

"If we drive through the night we should reach the area where he lives by tomorrow afternoon."

"We're not going to stop," Jenna asked. "What about rest?"

"We rested plenty at the hotel," Alpha Xavier said. "Tonight we drive. The sooner we get there, the sooner we can get back to our normal lives." He closed his box and tossed it in the plastic bag we were using for trash. He took Jenna's and Raven's boxes, too.

Huh, normal. Normal for him, maybe. What's that saying? Oh, yes, what's normal for the spider is chaos for the fly, thank you Morticia Addams.

I closed the box I'd been picking at and handed it to Alpha Xavier. He peered at me for a few moments before putting my sandwich box with the one my untouched lunch was in, saying it would be there when I was ready for it.