My Possessive Werewolf Mate (Who is Also My Step-Brother...)

Grund genug

"Grund genug" - Madeline Juno

🎵 Ich stopf das Loch in meinem Herz / Schluck noch 'ne Pille für den Schmerz / Will keinen Schlaf verlieren / Zeit für 'nen Zug von dir 🎵

Five hours.

For five long, torturous hours, I was trapped on a train headed to Nordwestmecklenburg with none other than Dominik: a.k.a. the Most Angsty Teen in all of Germany!

We sat in complete silence in one of the passenger compartments. It was really tiny and cramped, reminding me a lot of those trains that I've seen on the Harry Potter movies that take the students to Hogwarts; but instead of a magical school, my destination is some random town! I sat on one side of the tiny compartment (that wasn't even as big as my bathroom at home), keeping my rabbit backpack tight in my clutches in front of me. My phone had been foolishly left in Alaric's van (thanks Dominik), so I really had nothing to entertain myself. I mean, I did have my inhaler in my backpack, so maybe I can take a few puffs and get high?

Does it work like that?

Dominik, being his usual weirdo self, quietly fumed on the other seat. His big arms were crossed in front of his large chest, and he impatiently tapped his foot over and over in the tiny room. The little pitter patters of his shoe kept sounding out, almost in tune to the gears that I heard being sputtered from the train. A deep frown was set on his face, and every so often, his yellow eyes would dart over to me, making me gulp.

I may not be psychic, and I really suck at reading people, but if I were old enough to place bets, I'd bet my whole piggy bank back home in Canada (CA$34.21) that Dominik did not like me. Like, at all.

In fact, the poor dude looked like he was kind of in pain, like even being near me sent him over the edge. For real, his pale face was getting redder by the kilometer, and he tried so hard to keep staring out the window. Speaking of which, he'd cracked it open on his side, and he made sure to lean against the wall so that he constantly got a rush of fresh air.

I know that I didn't smell... I doublechecked and I'm B.O. free, so maybe he really just didn't like Old Spice's Wolfthorn— the commercials made it seem like everyone loved it! Whatever, I really don't know what his damage is, but it was getting really uncomfortable. Seriously, I felt as if I could cut the tension with a butter knife, and every time I'd clear my throat to strike up a conversation, the weird teen would flinch as if I'd startled him out of his daydreams of murdering me.

At this point, if Dominik does kill me, I just hope he doesn't slice up my face. I want an open casket. I did not stick to a strict skincare routine just to have it all F'd up by some brooding guy.

"Um," I mumbled, the tension really starting to give me a headache.

Again, Dominik seemed to wince, and he narrowed his gaze at me.

"Have you, um, have you ever been to Nord-west-mec-klen-burg?" I asked, having to say the town's name slowly in order to pronounce it close to correct, and hoping to fill this dead space with even the stupidest of smalltalk.

"Ja," Dominik huffed, before turning his attention back to the scenery outside. I think we were getting closer to our accidental stop because I could begin to smell the salty stench of the ocean, and I know that Nordwestmecklenburg is a coastal town.

I just nodded, irked that my attempt at smalltalk was destroyed in under five seconds. Wow, get good at talking, Dumb-inik. I couldn't help but chuckle at my little mental joke.

This summer really sucked butt. For real, I feel so childish for complaining nonstop about being left out and feeling alone, but damn! Emilia was attached to Sofia's hip whenever we visited Dad; and even back in Canada, she wanted to hang out with her friends and pretend that I didn't exist. I mean, I guess she's older and doesn't want her baby brother cramping her style or whatever, but still, it would be nice just to watch TV together or something! And then Dad has been all over the moon with Alaric, acting like some cheery couple on some cheesy rom-com, always with each other and ignoring the rest of the world... which unfortunately included me.