9 What is That?

What in Helheim is that?

I stared at what Alistair called the 'Main House' with the deadest expression I could possibly give as my eyes raked down it until they landed on Alistair, my expression never changing.

He just stared at me flashing a cheeky grin. "What?"

Blinking a couple of times, I just stared at him before throwing my arm forward dramatically, pointing at the 'house'. Turning to look at what I was pointing at, Alistair looked back at me as he once again took his usual stance.

I'm starting to think he doesn't know how to stand any other way.

When he didn't say anything, I just stared at him.

"What is that," I asked, my tone exceptionally flat.

"That would be a house," he retorted, amused.

"That would be a house," I mocked, rolling my eyes. "No shit it's a house. I'm asking what the hell are we doing here? It's creepy. The whole damn thing is just creepy."

Alistair just stared at me as he tepidly dropped his head to the side.

"I already told you when we arrived that this is the Main House. This is where I stay, where you will be staying and where you will be physically reunited with your sister," he answered matter of factly, boredom obvious in his tone.

What? Oh, no no. No, no, no, no.

"Yeah, um, no. Nope, hard pass. I am not staying there," I said, my voice hitting a high note on 'there' as I pointed at the house.

"I'm going to stay with Triaa wherever she is staying."

Alistair sighed and raked a glove hand down his face in annoyance.

When did he put that on?

I guess I thought to myself too loud because River graced me with her exceptionally pleasant presence.

"While you were moping," she piped, startling me.

"Now is not the time."

"You are staying here where I can monitor and keep an eye on you."

Alistair's voice broke me out of my trance with River.

"Uh, no. I'm not," I quipped, staring at him.

"Uh, yes. You are," he retorted, mocking my tone.

"Where is Triaa staying," I asked.

"The main pack house."

"Then that's where I am staying," I huffed, turning on my heel to walk back in the direction in which we came.

However, I didn't make it two steps before Alistair's gloved hand grabbed my wrist, halting me in my tracks. Looking over my shoulder, Alistair's black orbs were staring back at me, his expression hard.

"No," he growled through gritted teeth. "You are staying there." His tone didn't change as he pointed to the Main House.

"Yeah, no. No I'm not. I want to stay with my sister and that place," I said, pointing at the overwhelmingly creepy house, "is creepy. I'm not staying there. It looks like it was built by Hel herself."

I tried jerking my hand from him, but he jerked back, pulling me past him. Stumbling at his sudden movement, I fell right on my rear. I glared up at him.

"I'm not staying there, Alistair."

"River."

"Yes," she responded, catching me off guard with her promptness.

"Want to run?"

River thought about it for a moment before flashing me a toothy grin which honestly, it was slightly disturbing.

What did I get myself into now?

Without warning, I felt the pressure but no pain as we shifted and looked at Alistair. In my little corner I stuck my tongue out at him and River barked.

"I'm warning you," Alistair growled but River didn't budge.

When he lunged at her, she easily evaded him and took off in the opposite direction of the house.

We ran for a moment. I laughed as I heard Alistair yell after us before there was thunderous beating of paws behind us.

Rune.

With this, River moved faster, claws digging into what was once dirt, now cobblestone.

It didn't take Rune long to catch up to us as River evaded each nip but barely.

As we ran along the stone path, we passed Triaa being led in the direction in which we just came from by an unknown man.

Skidding to a halt, we looked back just as Rune collided with us, sending River tumbling before resting on her back.

He pinned River down, looking over us before shifting. Pushing off of us was a naked Alistair. There was a brief twinkle of amusement in his eyes before they instantly morphed into anger.

"SHIFT," he roared, causing River to vanish, leaving me naked as the day I was born covering myself to the best of my ability.

"NOIR!"

I heard my sister shout but a look from Alistair caused the man guiding Triaa to instantly restrain her.

"You!" Alistair shouted to a villager. "Shirt, now."

Without questioning his alpha, the man removed his shirt and handed it to Alistair who in turn tossed it at me, the fabric hitting me in the face. As I put in on, I saw Alistair looking around for someone else.

"You," he growled. "Pants."

Now fully dressed, I stared at Alistair, annoyed.

"You are coming back with me now," he snarled, rounding on me.

"The hell I am," I shouted before sitting, my back to him.

Jerking me up, Alistair growled. "Yes, you are."

Before I could protest, I was being dragged backwards by the collar of my new top.

Growling, I dropped all my weight to where I was 'sitting' again, arms crossed but that didn't stop Alistair. He continued to drag me by my shirt, snarling in annoyance.

Alistair dragged me past the man and Triaa, my arms still crossed and legs out in front of me.

"Hey Triaa," I chirped like the scene that was unfolding was normal.

My sister just looked at me dumbfounded before shaking her head and waved, wiggling her fingers.

"Hey Noir."

Hel - Queen of Helheim