"Here we are, pup."
The Cadillac rolled to a stop at the edge of the forest, tires crunching over the gravel. Lucas looked outside and up to the glooming trees. The trees here were ancient—oaks with gnarled branches that twisted toward the sky like reaching hands, their leaves whispering secrets Lucas wouldn't understand yet.
Aida killed the car's engine, then a sudden silence washed over them.
"Well," Aida said, cracking her back as she stretched her neck. "Home sweet home, pup."
Lucas continued to stare at the entrance of the pack village. Earlier, he was just at the motel where he shared his last goodbye with Sebastian, and now, here he was. At the foot of the place for a stray like him.
His fingers curled around the door handle, contemplating whether to open it and get out of the menthol-smelling car.
But his body refused to move. The air smelled different here—rich with moss and wild herbs, far different from the lavender-scented meadows and salted breeze back home.
The faint metallic tang of wolf territory humming beneath this new scent. He could feel Lyra liking the new environment, yet the bond inside him was gnawing at him every minute that passed.
Aida didn't rush him. She lit another cigarette and waited, her eyes sharp in the rearview mirror. She fixed one of the gray strands to her messy bun when she felt the car move. She glanced at the young wolf coming out of her car.
Finally, Lucas did it. His boots hit the dirty gravel with a thud that felt too loud, too final.
Aida couldn't help but smile. She felt proud of the young pup she just met this morning. Lucas looked at the entrance of the pack village and saw the pack house standing at the end of a narrow path.
Its wooden walls were weathered silver by the time smoke curled from the chimney as if someone had left the porch light on.
Aida went out of the car as well as she smiled at the two figures approaching the two. Lucas caught his breath as he watched the two walk slowly hand-in-hand.
One was a woman with the same features as Aida, sharp cheekbones, and another one was a broad-shouldered man with a huge scar running down his arm.
"What took you so long, dear sister?" The woman called, her voice warm and sweet, like a syrup on a fluffy pancake.
Aida snorted, slamming the door shut, and walked towards the woman. "Traffic," she muttered, slowly hugging the woman tightly and kissing her cheeks. "It's nice to see you too, dear sister."
The woman smiled and slowly gazed in Lucas' direction. Her nostrils flared slightly—testing his scent. Then she smiled. The kind of smile that made Lucas' shoulder loosen like a sigh of relief.
"You must be the stray," she said. The man beside her chuckled, wrapping his arm around her waist. "My name is Elijah. This is my mate, Mara. What's yours?"
Lucas cleared his throat and looked down towards the leaves behind Elijah. "Lucas."
"Lucas?" the taller man muttered. Lucas looked up to meet his eyes and saw the amazement in them.
"Your name sounds familiar to my ears, young man. Have we met before?"
The moment Lucas said his name, Elijah went still. His grip on Mara's waist tightened—not possessively, but like a man bracing for bad news.
"No, sir. I don't think so." Lucas answered, gulping nervously, forcing himself to meet Elijah's gaze, his own fingers twitching at his sides as a cold trickle of dread slid down Lucas's spine.
Aida, now leaning against her car with her arms crossed, blew out a stream of smoke. "Elijah, are you okay?"
Elijah looked at his sister-in-law and shook his head. "I heard rumors," Elijah murmured; his voice was neutral yet overwhelming for a young Alpha like Lucas.
"My brother, from the eastern pack, had said something about a lone wolf who had caused a stir by walking out on his bloodland after imprinting to an enemy."
Elijah's eyes flicked towards Lucas' direction. "Is that you?"
The forest seemed to hold its breath. Even the wind stilled. Elijah's nostrils flared as he scented the air between them. Lucas knew what he smelled: sweat, exhaustion, and beneath it all, the fading musk of Sebastian's scent from their last moments together.
Lucas squared his shoulders. "Yeah." There's no point in denying it anymore.
Mara gasped at the sudden revelation. She looked worriedly at the young wolf as she muttered a breathy, "You got balls, pup. No one had tried doing that before."
Elijah laughed lowly, then stopped. He cleared his throat as he looked at the kid in front of him with an odd warmth.
"That imprintee of yours had been tearing up half of the territory looking for you."
Sebastian, looking.
Sebastian was looking for him. Those mere words sent a stupid, traitorous thrill through Lucas' veins. He crushed it as soon as he felt it.
"Let him look," Lucas said, his voice filled with faint doubt and newfound assurance. "He won't find me here."
Elijah exchanged a glance with his mate. Something unspoken passed between them—a conversation in the tilt of a chin, a worried smile, a deep inhale, and the press of lips. Finally, Elijah exhaled a shallow sigh and scrubbed a hand over his face.
"Fine. Come on," he muttered, turning towards the path of the village. "Our elder will want to hear this."
Lucas could only nod as he walked behind the taller Alpha. He stopped by the border and looked back at Aida. He waved her goodbye and muttered a low "Thank you," then walked away.
As they walked, Mara fell into step beside Lucas. Her shoulder bumped his—not quite an accident.
"What kind of creature did you imprint on?"
An innocent question, Lucas would've answered it as fast as he could if only Sebastian were human. The young man looked at him before looking away again and lowly muttered, "A vampire."
Mara's eyes widened, and she heaved a deep inhale. Ahead of them, Elijah's back stiffened, but he didn't turn around.
"Let's hurry up."