Hades

Chapter 8

"Is she going to be alright?" Ethel asked after over half an hour of my silence.

Hades and I were sitting on the back seat while she was driving the sporty car. Through the entirety of the trip I said nothing. I hadn't let my lips form words or even huffed out a sigh. I just stared out of the tinted window; my hands folded neatly in my lap. And every single time I blinked I saw it. I saw Caleb's wolf laying in the dirt. Lifeless.

"I think that she'll be alright. This all must be a shock to her, that's all," Hades explained. There was still that confidence in his voice that he always had, but he didn't sound certain at all.

"I could imagine. Being mated to the man who determines what is just must be very hard on anyone. Why didn't you let her stay with her family? At least she could've adjusted a little better that way," Ethel suggested, her warm eyes finding me in the rearview mirror.

I snapped my gaze away from her, going back to staring out the window.

Hades let out a tense breath from beside me. I could almost picture him running his hand through his dark hair in an act of uncertainty, but I didn't dare steal a glance to confirm it. I told myself that I didn't and would never care about how he felt.

"I would've preferred to leave her with her pack for a few days," he admitted. "Unfortunately, that wasn't much of an option. Her father is the beta of the pack and wasn't too pleased when I had to kill the alpha's son, which is understandable." There was a pause and I could feel his eyes moving over me, trying to assess how I was reacting to his words. My gaze remained on the window, though just the thought of those amber eyes was enough to make me sick. "I think it's quite safe to say that he wanted me off the land as soon as possible and he saw keeping Charlotte as a risk."

"Shame, if only people understood," Ethel sighed, sounding so saddened.

But I couldn't wrap my mind around why she would possibly sympathize with a murderer. Or maybe she just felt bad for me, being yanked away from everything I loved, everything I knew.

There was silence for another half an hour as we drove on the secluded road. Well, at least there was no talking. Ethel turned on the radio, playing something that I would consider soft rock. It was lyrics that I heard before and it made me perk up. It was something that my parents listened to on occasion, I just couldn't place it.

"It's Kid Rock," Ethel stated, noticing my change in posture. "I go to Nashville to see him live every year."

My lips parted for the first time in hours, since I had spoken to my mother. But just as I was about to reply, I saw movement out of the corner of my eyes. Hades perked up, ready to hear whatever I had to say. I let out a hiss of breath and slumped back down on the seat, turning away from both of them again. I wouldn't give either of them the satisfaction, no matter how nice Ethel seemed to be.

Neither of them tried to engage me after that. They spoke a few words to each other, but I ignored them for the most part. I was watched the Canadian landscape roll by. It was only when the dense forest gave way to a small group of houses that I began paying attention again.

"Just to your house?" Ethel asked.

"I think that would be best," Hades agreed.

We spent another five minutes in the car, pulling away from the small little village. We were no longer on a secluded highway, instead on a narrow-paved road that would barely be wide enough for two vehicles to drive on. The density of the trees came sweeping in once more, shielding my view as we drove on the winding road.

Then, there was a tall, iron fence that appeared seemingly out of nowhere. As we approached it gave out a mighty, old groan, the hinges aching to move. The sleek call crept forward.