14

14

"You still hate humans that much?" he asked with an air that told me he was skeptical about his own suspicions.

I looked away from his prying eyes, wringing my hands in front of me, I struggled to maintain a neutral expression, it was hard considering he knew me best.

"Yeah, I can't afford to touch someone so weak with the life expectancy of a sick rogue." That was honestly the way I felt about humans, and he knew that. I only hoped I added as much venom in my tone as I usually did.

Erin nodded like he understood, he did not really share my views about humans, he never even left the pack grounds much, he was mostly brooding in either his classes or his parents Den.

"We would not want you to get even a splash of water from the human on your royal highness, so just get me a bowl of fresh water and take a huge step backwards."

I don't have any strength to argue, or any reason. I follow his instructions religiously.

"Who do you think this guy works for?" Erin asked randomly.

"I don't know, but we do have a name, he called a certain James." I whisper.

"James could be anybody. He could be his grade school teacher, a neighbour, a pet, an online friend.. the list goes on and on, without a surname, it's like looking for a needle in a haystack."

If he picked up on my whispering he said nothing about it. But he had a point, the name James was listed among the most popular male names, it could even be a celebrity for all we knew.

"it's the only thing we have to go on for now though. I will have people finding all the James that were around him. That should be a good way to start." I tell him.

"Why would he risk his life so much for someone? I don't get it. Humans don't have that much mental capacity to hold on after receiving that much pain."

I had thought long and hard about that. I thought about what he was desperately trying to protect by hiding the corona so much. Taking on Calli's torture and even Lia's, giving up just a name. It was more than impressive, it was also very worrying.

"You said he was in a cult. They have high pain tolerance level according to what I heard."

"I did say so. But if he was just a middle man, a thief for the main bosses, what was his gain? What was making him hang on? They must be with it, they must have paid him, why is he hanging on? Why was he not talking?"

My neck turns to face him, he was cleaning the human's hand tenderly, I felt myself smile, Erin was talking good care of him. Erin had a point. Based off our assumptions, he was just a thief, his job was done, he was not obligated to defend them even in the face of death, code of honour be damned.

"Do you think he is being controlled? Maybe they have something on him, so he can't talk. Maybe they have evidence to take him to jail." My eyes wide in realization as I tell Erin.

"I don't think he would pick death over going to jail. It has to be something worse than death, something very sinister. Something he would rather choose instead of death."

I frown. My brows pulling together to form a knot.

"What could possibly be worse than death? What could be worse than dying in a strange land, surrounded by complete strangers? That is the worse kind of thing ever."

Erin stands up from the bed, and stands close to me, his body warmth brushing against me. We both look down at the unconscious form of the human with high pain tolerance.

"Whatever it is that is his motivation, whatever it is.. it is impressive. And the only person with the knowledge of whatever it is, is him."

Erin spoke softly, as if scared of waking him. The human looked so relaxed in his sleep. His chest rose and fell as he slept, his face free of the annoying but familiar smirk. His brows relaxed enough and he looked even better asleep. I felt the familiar pull drag me to him. And before I know it, I take a step towards him. I wanted to hold him close to me and not let go, it was the first time I felt such strong feelings but it was overwhelming.

"We can't keep him here too long. He has to divulge the information he has, whatever it is, he has to tell us soon. This night he can rest, but tomorrow, i can't stop the immense pain in store for him." I say mostly to remind myself that he was not here to stay and i could not let myself get closer than I was already. I pull myself back to the place I stood before with Erin still standing where I left him.

"He could try to escape again. Tell the guards to put a hand cuff on him. And also make sure to keep the place on complete lock down. He will not leave here." I say storming out of the cells. Erin hot on my heels. Grace whimpered as I pulled away from the holding cells, she must have been very content just staring at him, but it was torture.

"Your father invited us to dinner."

"Us?" I ask in confusion.

"Yes, Us, as in me and you."

Our families loved having dinners together. They mixed together so well that having dinners with each other didn't even seem like a big deal anymore. Even when I moved out of my parents Den, the dinners continued. They just dragged me to it and let it continue like I never even left.

"Well, I didn't have dinner plans anyway."

Erin snorted just as we reached my parents house.

"M! Look at you!! Your eyes." Erin's mother gasped dramatically. Her eyes roamed all over my body like she was looking for something wrong. And she found a lot of things, like she found every day we met.

"Don't you have food back at your den? Erin!! What have you been doing? Can't you see how pale she looks? Have you not seen how sunken her eyes look? She looks so tired and hungry and you haven't even thought to buy her food?" Bertha was always a worry worm. Always worrying about how underfed every body was, as long as she was not fussing over you, you were okay.

"Bertha. Nice to see you too." I say with a smile.

"What you fear is correct. She has not eaten anything in the past six hours, and her fridge is the desert." Erin responded as he hung his coat on the coat rack.

Gasps came out of every corner of the house. Dang it, Erin had to go and say that one.

Suddenly, three other heads popped out of every room.

"Erin has visited the alpha den?"

"What were you doing in there Erin?"

"Erin don't you know the alpha den is out of bounds for one that is not mated to the alpha?"

They gasped again.

"unless.."

I rolled my eyes before plopping down on the sofa.

"No. Erin and i aren't mates. He is just a stubborn mule that has no regards for rules and regulations. He popped in without my permission once and that was it." I say looking pointedly at Erin. He only shrugged lazily.

"You can never be too sure. Erin has not come of age yet." My mother sing songed.

"Catherine, the food smells delicious. Potatoes?"

I nodded in approval. Erin knew how to change the topic without making it obvious. My mom smiled at him brightly. She loved hearing that her cooking was nice.

"Yes, it is potatoes. Mashed potatoes. You wouldn't believe what I made it with." She said with a huge smile.

I turned to my dad, tuning them out.

"Why are you so against the fact that Erin might be your mate?" my dad asked suddenly.

"Because I think i would have known if he was."

"He has not come of age yet. You shouldn't be too sure about it. Erin is the very best you could ask for, trust me, I have seen every guy in the pack land."

I rolled my eyes.

"I'm pretty sure Erin was not choose for me."

I know who was. I hate who was.

"You can't be extremely sure.. unless.. you already know who your mate is."

Shit.