Chapter Two

The omega lead us out to a truck with a snow plow built into the grill. The off road tires were the first things that caught my eyes since they were abnormal where I came from. They were necessary to getting around I noticed as we drove toward the mountain side to go in the direction of the city that the pack's ancestors built.

The city was built down the mountain's side with sky scrappers that are able to withstand the climate here. They were built thick at the base but light enough to move with the snow storms that came and went here. Whoever designed this town was had a brilliant mind probably descended from whoever built the leaning tower of Pisa, it's ruins still to this day give us no true identify of the artist. The truck could not get us down the mountain far enough to the city that I knew we were headed to. Instead we went in the direction of a bullet train that would take us there.

Last night we had crawled up the side of the mountain and went right by the city, but now we would take a train straight into it. My guess is Alpha Artyom never got a chance to come to the pack house and the elders kept him busy all night discussing the masquerade's outcome. I couldn't help but fear he would try to use me to his advantage in getting his treaty with Alpha Camren. It was a possibility I had yet to consider last night.

We pulled up at a rusted wait station that's roof was falling in. The thick stormy weather from the mountain top was carving out the welded metal holding it barely in place. The train was coming as I could see the light coming up to greet us. The omega kept the engine running as she peered into the back seat where we both were waiting uncomfortably.

"This is as far as I go... You will be taken the rest of the way by Beta Aimee. She will be on the train, it will be hard to miss her, not many come up this far so she will probably be the only one waiting."

"Thank you for the ride," I amused her.

I followed Casimir out of the truck and over to the station. As soon as we reached the steps the train had came to a stop and the doors opened bringing a slight gush of hot air out before the freezing air rushed in as if stealing the air right out from inside of it. It was like watching a bunny enter it's burrow. Casimir tugged me onto the train and as soon as we stepped inside the doors shut. We were the only ones boarding.

"Over here," I heard us being called to. The omega was right, there was only one person.

Beta Aimee was a light skinned Caucasian with a fake salon tan which looked overly not her style. Her hair was chestnut brown with mahogany brown highlights that complimented her ebony brown eyes. She was a slightly overweight gal with a plump round figure that didn't seem to set back her mind with how she flaunted her attire. She had thick thighs, a round and enjoyable figure, and a slight double chin. Her muscular arms were exposed to the bare air with tribal tattoos running against the forearms. She was scary and I wouldn't want to battle her. There was a long scar running across her jawline and down her throat toward her breast. She had won some battle and I was curious to know what kind of battle that was. She was actually older than us by at least ten years in appearance.

The closer we got to Beta Aimee the closer I realized she was mated, her scent was easy to pick up on being consumed by another man's mark. She was taken and my mind was at ease with being around her almost immediately. We sat down across from her and Casimir wrapped his arm around me as a kind gesture to warm me up.

"I'm Beta Aimee, I will be taking you to see Alpha Artyom. He is my cousin also but I am no relations to the king." I wasn't surprised. Usually Betas were first cousins to Alphas. It was something Alpha families liked to keep traditional.

"This is Casimir," I explained as I patted his thigh. "My name is Josephine." I didn't want to tell her much since I didn't know how much she already known. What did Artyom say when he brought us into his territory? I'm sure he told them something, rather it was a lie or a truth I don't know.

"You're both rogues," she announced the obvious. I flinched as I heard the term finally being used for me. I sniffed my hair to see what I smelled like. Was it so obvious? "Having you here will upset the moon goddess. I suggest you both leave as soon as possible. Say your good byes to my alpha and leave us alone. We don't need him getting into anymore trouble than he's already in with the werewolf king."

I know something happened last night between Camren and Artyom. Something must have because I found his scent all over that bloody battle field where I found Ethan unconscious and barely alive. I hope he's ok. I barely know him but I wish for his well being. If whatever happened lets Artyom onto our side then I wouldn't deny his help. His pack is large and could clearly bring fear into Camren and possibly make him back down the illusions of wanting... me. I could be safe here... So could Cas, we could go anywhere under the protection of someone as strong as Artyom. He would be a great ally to have. 

"I suppose that's going to be Artyom's final decision on getting involved with him or not."

"We are leaving," Cas told her as he gave my head a kiss.

"Good. None of us want you here," she said directly at me. I finished at her words. Cas growled as he narrowed his eyes at her. She leaned forward and bared her teeth at us. "I have very little patience. I don't care what Artyom tries to run by you two but you don't need his help and you want to leave, understood?"

My eyes started to swell up, my hair stood on the back of my neck, and my body trembled under her gaze. She was so intimidating I couldn't stand it. I nodded weakly as I tried to understood what could cause her to act this way. She took her eyes off me as she felt the train rattle as it picked up speed to take us back down the hill.

"We understand," Casimir growled as he seemed to unlock from her gaze. He rubbed my arm and gave my temple another small kiss. "We want nothing from this pack but freedom to leave for my father's pack."

"Good. I don't know the details about everything that happened last night but I understood he gave both of you refuge. You were all running away from the pack as fast as you can. He tells us little to nothing about your situation. I can smell trouble," she growled out as she specifically looked at Cas this time. "It's the last thing he needs is trouble."

"We get it, we're leaving soon after pleasing your Alpha," Cas growled at her. I was going to speak again but Cas squeezed my shoulders and I knew to bite my tongue. Whatever Aimee was saying had nothing to do with Artyom's commands or wants. We won't know what he's planning until we meet with him. I know Cas wants to leave but we really need to leave on good terms here. 

It's not like this will end with Artyom using me as a treaty bargaining gift. He looked pretty pissed for being attacked last night. I closed my eyes to try to calm the nerves. I didn't want to play into her game. She might be trying to provoke us and have a reason to run us out of her territory or worse. Her gaze is like being under a microscope. She's an intimidating bitch. 

The train sped down the mountain and straight into the city side. It was massive and would run straight down into the valley side where a frozen river separated another part of the city that would be surrounded by thick woods. We would not go that far. We headed toward one of the city skylines. A tall triangular tipped building was built with its own station mid air where we would stop at. 

We got off at the building and Aimee brought us into a warm entrance. A biometric door scanner was put into place behind a stand up greeting counter. A security team stood by nodding at Aimee as she walked us up to the only door they guarded. It made my hair stand up on my arms as I realized we were walking into a den of wolves. I could smell them. Their high alert stench warning me to behave. I could hear the threatening silence that roared with every tap of my shoes. I was making too much noise. I stopped breathing until we were past the biometric door that Aimee's thumb print gave us access to. 

Nobody came here unless they were expected to. I glanced over my shoulder as the door closed behind me. I could see their eyes still watching us carefully until the last inch of the door shutting. I was nervous suddenly. The fear of being kept here was creeping into the back of my mind. My hand was squeezed as a reminder that Cas was holding onto it. I relaxed... for now.

Aimee took us down a dim lit hall with gray mono tones and boring marble flooring. There were signs on the doors that made me aware this was some sort of work building. A conference room, printer room, generic bathrooms, lounge, break room, there were names on the doors including one for Aimee. We stopped at an elevator with only one calling button labeled up. We took it to the top floor. 

When the doors opened we were greeted by cool air, it was cold again. I could smell his scent like fresh baked cookies. It meant he was here. We were outside of office doors where a secretary desk awaited and an omega held her head down in a respectful bow.

"They are here," she announced as she held a button over an intercom system.

"Bring them in," I heard Artyom's voice echo back into the room.