CHAPTER SEVEN

Elowen had sat silently boiling in her seat for the past five hours or so. She had tried to read but she could not get Darius's words out of her head. So she decided to just stare out the window - the events of the last week flying through her mind. 

Her father's death was the first thing to come to mind. The mere thought of it had her chin wobbling. If he was here, he'd know what to do - he would be able to give her the answers she needed, would be able to comfort her.

Next was the subject of her ascending as Beta. 

Elowen didn't understand why everyone was so against it. Well, she knew why. She was human - it was such an absurd idea to the Elders that of course they would deny her. Though she was sure that if they just gave her a chance they would not regret it. But she wasn't in Shadow's Peak any more, so what could she do? 

Which led her to the next situation.

Her becoming a tribute to another Alpha.

To an assohole of an Alpha nonetheless.  

She had only known him for about six hours and she already couldn't stand him - no matter how handsome he was. 

Although, it should be a crime for looking so good while being so arrogant. 

She had to admit he looked good though. Hair curly and a slight mess atop his head - a result of carding his fingers through the inky strands. His large arms were crossed over his chest - which was as broad as his shoulders. Elowen could see his straining muscles under his black button up shirt.

"So, you wanted to be Beta?" Elowen snapped out her thoughts at the sound of Xander's voice. He was sitting beside her, although she didn't remember him doing that. 'Must have been deeper in my mind than I thought.' 

"Yes." She nodded her head, offering a small smile. Xander seemed nice enough, he hadn't said anything cruel to her yet, so she would give him the benefit of a doubt. 

"You will address him as Beta." Darius reprimanded her and Elowen couldn't hold in the small growl that left her lips. "Your manners and etiquette scare me."

"I don't believe I was talking to you. Besides, he hasn't told me to call him Beta, Alpha." Her eyes narrowed and her lips pulled up into a cruel grin.

Elowen knew she was treading on thin ice, practically jumping on it. They way she was saying his title was mocking, disrespectful. And if her father was here he would be either clamping a hand over her mouth or laughing. 

"Have you always been so vexatious?" Darius asked, and even though it was a rhetorical question, Elowen couldn't stop an answer from rolling off her tongue. 

"Depends, have you always had a stick up your ass?" She tilted her head, her smirk not once faltering. "Alpha." 

She crossed a line, she was sure of it. Darius's eyes were dark and his upper lip was pulled into a snarl. But, she merely raised a brow at it. 'Someone's touchy.'

"You look stressed, Alpha. When was the last time you got laid?" That earned her another growl.

By now Xander was barely holding in his laughter, his eyes flicking between the brunette and his friend. Elowen supposed it was like watching a tennis match - each insult bouncing back and forth. 

"We will be descending in 10 minutes - please stay in your seats and buckle your seat belts."  The pilot's voice came from overhead and the human decided she had teased the poor wolf enough for now. 

"You might want to look out the window when we get closer to the ground." Xander said after he had choked down his laughter. 

Elowen furrowed her brows in confusion, but decided not to question it. She leaned back in her seat - eyes shutting in relaxation.

It had been awhile since she had been in a plane - almost a decade. She remembered she was with her father, holding onto his hand as the jet took off. Elowen remembered how scared he had been when they first hit turbulence. How the little eight year old had buried herself in her father's side. 

"Are we gonna crash, Daddy?" 

"No you silly girl, it's just strong wind - we will be fine."

When they had finally gotten up in the air and were flying level - Killian had opened the window and little Elowen was amazed by the image she saw. White clouds that looked as soft as snow surrounded them in a white flurry - all of them different shapes and sizes. Her father was watching her the whole time with a wide smile - awe in his gaze as he listened to his daughter identify each cloud she saw.

Now she could only list it out in her head and imagine her father's praise. Replaying it like a CD over and over again - only it never went away, never faded. His voice was always there. 

"Look now." Xander pointed to the window and Elowen turned. 

It was beautiful. 

She had read about the Ravaging Falls. Elowen knew that before the werewolves had taken over, it was once named Niagara falls - but it had been renamed due to the dangerous river and its strong currents - the deadly rapids keeping anyone from reaching the shore. Ravaging Falls seemed like a much more fitting name.

Elowen had seen photos.

But nothing compared to the real thing.

The waterfall was massive, with water as blue as the sky if not more. It fell down into the lake below, water flying around it as it hit the surface with such a strength that it made it appear to be mist. The water from above looked so clear, so calm - the rocks in the sand below the surface reflecting the sun's light as it shined from up above. She now understood what her father meant when he described it to her, how it would take anyone's breath away.

Elowen believed him now. 

"You were right, dad." The human whispered, hand touching the window with a gentle caress. "Like always."

She missed the look Darius sent her. 

* * * * *

When she entered the airport she was surprised at how vacant the waiting room was. There was hardly anyone here aside from a brunette who stood with her back turned to the trio. And when the woman did turn, Elowen almost dropped her backpack in shock. 

She recognized those green eyes anywhere. 

They had soothed her as a child when she had fallen and scraped her knee. 

"Well, look at this - Little Winnie is all grown up." The brunette chuckled, one hand on her hip - and the other gestured for her to come forward. "What? No hug?" 

Her bags fell to the floor as she ran across the airport waiting room, colliding with the other brunette. Elowen's arms wound around the other woman's waist tightly - shoulders shivering with emotions.

"Aw, now no tears, Suga' - we don't want that pretty face red." The older woman said and Elowen pulled away to look up at her.

Maria. 

She looked just like she did when she left eleven years ago. Her brunette hair was longer and her eyes were still that shade of green that reminded her of oak leaves. She was still the Marica Sinclair that Elowen remembered.

The eldest of the Sinclair siblings had always been in Elowen's life from a young age. The older brunette, being her best friend's older sister, was usually roped into her and David's schemes. She had even babysat Elowen once or twice - always reading to her before it was bedtime.

"I thought I would never see you again, Ree." She admitted and Maria merely smirked, poking her nose much like she had done when the two were younger and now at thirty-three the older brunette was still doing it. 

"Funny how fate works, eh Suga'?" The older brunette chuckled. "I hope Xander didn't give you too much trouble, he can be a pain."

"Xander is your-" Elowen looked to the Beta who was speaking with Darius. The Alpha looked more than annoyed while the Beta was smirking openly, not even bothering to hide his grin. 

"Yep, that's my mate." Maria finished and elbowed her with a grin. "Quite the looker, isn't he?" And just like when they were younger Maria was able to pull a blush from Elowen faster than anyone could. 

"He didn't give me any trouble." Elowen recovered, clearing her throat. Her blush faded as a scowl worked its way onto her face. "Your alpha on the other hand is quite the character." Her eye twitched when Darius turned to face the two - having heard the last comment. 

"Darius is actually very sweet and respectful." Maria responded, eyebrows furrowing when Elowen scoffed, arms crossing over her chest.

"That male is anything but respectful." Elowen hissed and marched over to snatch up her bags before Darius could. The two scowled at each other, neither breaking their glare.

She hated him, she knew she did. 

But then why did it feel like she was lying to herself?