The Code of The Alpha

Chapter Four - Silence of the Wolfs

An eerie, early morning glow settled over the fog that fell on the acres of rolling farmlands outside my window.

We made it over the Oregon border into Washington after a few hours had passed and neither Luca nor myself had spoken a word.

I kept my head turned towards the window for most of the ride so he couldn't see the slow, silent tears rolling down my cheeks. I already missed my family and Mady.

There was also the issue of the fact that I was exceedingly uncomfortable-not just because I was somewhere I didn't want to be and alone with someone who I only knew to be a murderous tyrant, but also because my hair was still damp from the rain that had also soaked through my shirt and pajama pants. My bare feet were freezing, despite the heat being on in the truck.

When Luca noticed me fidgeting uncomfortably in my seat, he sighed.

"We'll stop when we get to Spokane," he said. "You can change there."

I turned to look at him with eyes that were red and swollen from crying.

"Where are we going?"

He glanced at me for a moment, his features softening, before turning back to look at the road in front of us.

"Montana," he replied. "Northern Montana. That's where my pack is. It's only about three hours from Spokane. We should get there sometime after lunch."

Luca drew in a deep breath before speaking again.

"You still haven't told me your name, amore."

I let out a shaky sigh.

"Caroline Blair. Everyone calls me Carrie."

I saw the corners of his mouth draw upwards in a slight smile.

"What?" I asked, eyebrows furrowing.

"I like that," he said.

"My name?"

"Yes. It suits you."

Well, here's hoping. I couldn't very well change it if it didn't.

We were quiet for a few moments before Luca spoke again.

"Are you an artist?"

"I'd like to think so," I mumbled, trying my hardest not to fall into the trap of conversation that he was setting.

Luca startled me by reaching out in front of where I sat to open the glove compartment, pulling out a notebook.

"I'm assuming this is yours, then?"

I immediately recognized my sketchbook, gasping as I reached out and took it from his hands.

"I never thought I would see it again after I left it in Vegas."

"I'm glad you did," he said. "That's how I found you."

Luca reached over and flipped open the cover to reveal the 'if lost, please return to' box where my old address was written.

"Oh," was all I could say.

"I picked up your scent back up at your hotel and I followed your address from there. The rest of your things are in the back as well."

I turned around to look into the backseat and see that mine and Mady's things we had taken to Vegas were sitting next to my suitcase.

Thank God, I finally have my toothbrush...

"How did you find me in the first place?" I asked.

"It was my Beta, actually," he said. "When he came back from dinner the night before last, I could smell your scent on him. I asked him where he'd been and we retraced his footsteps until we landed back at the hotel. I thought it was just stuck to him at that point. But when we were leaving our hotel the next morning to go to the meetings, I picked up the scent again and we followed it to the Mandalay Bay."