Status: Keep or delete?

Pathways

Meeting Ryder

It didn’t take very longer for the rumors to start spreading about me, and Gwen didn’t take any time longer to make sure I knew them. It seemed that Darren’s pack had split feelings about me. Some believed that I was a ‘witch’ and that I was here to trick Darren into loving me, others believed that I was the one bewitched and that Darren was planning a secret attack on my pack. That was only a few of the stronger rumors, or so I’m told. There were minor ones that I was his captive or that I wasn’t from my pack at all and that I was simply a rogue. I didn’t get to hear many rumors though, she only opened that mouth of hers if Darren wasn’t around. It was like she was scared of what he would do to her. Almost like he would hurt her if she was the one spreading these rumors about his mate. Honestly everyone around here acted kind of scared of him, I’ve yet see someone walk up to I’m and talk like someone would do in my pack. Back home, Roe was our friend and everyone told him their feelings. Here, Darren was a ruler and everyone seemed to watch their tongues. I wonder if he has a forceful side that I haven’t seen yet, was he hiding the side of him that they seen from me? Was I the only one who he was…well nice to?

I shifted on the lounge seat, watching his world from a window in his bedroom. Though I can’t really call it a bed room. The place was huge. To me it was the size of my entire broken down cabin at home. The king sized bed would’ve taken up an entire room in my house, and I could’ve lain down in his fireplace completely stretched out. Not to mention the window that took up with entire eastern facing wall. Darren could look down onto his city as he was laying in bed. I think it was so he could watch the entrance of his city, make sure that no one was attacking. He acted more like a warrior then he did an alpha, but I think his people liked it that way. As I looked out of the window at the town below I could see the every inch of land and it seemed that no matter what someone was always looking up at the window and showing respect in some way.

“Rose?” Darren’s voice hummed, from somewhere behind me. I looked back at him, seeing him standing in front of his closet. He was now dressed in dress pants and he was slowing buttoning up a white dress shirt. His blond hair was now combed back and had been cleaned of all the dirt and twigs that it had gathered during our trip. He smirked at me a bit then crossed the five long steps towards his mini lounge in the corner of his room. It consisted of a gorgeous crimson rug that had a cream wing chair-which I was resting on- and a longer cream lounge couch. He reached me then and leaned down to place a gentle kiss on the top of my head. Darren seemed to inhale a bit, taking in the smell of my hair. “You smell, wonderful. You know every time I traveled even remotely close to your spot by that tree I could smell you, it makes me wonder what other man was intrigued by your scent.”

I felt my face flush then I looked down at my lap. “I doubt any man.”

He chuckled a bit then stopped buttoning his shirt, taking my face in his hands and tilting it up. “Then they didn’t have a nose because you are simply delicious.” He kissed me gently and then pulled away. “I have to go talk to my pack, but I want you to stay in the house. I’m scared someone will hurt you. Like I said before you’re not exactly a fighter. Being a hunter is something you are good at, but I don’t know how well you would do in a fight. So until I’m sure my pack won’t hurt you, I’m going to keep you in here. I trust the people in this house, they are my friends.”

I nodded a little, liking the feeling of his hands on the skin of my face. “What are you going to tell them?”

“Whatever it takes. You’re not going anywhere, I’m not loosing my mate. I plan on never loosing you. Remember, whatever it takes.” He kissed me once more. “Get cleaned up and explore. I think that you’ll find some fun things around here, there’s a library and you can get some food if you’re hungry. I shouldn’t be long.”

After he left I found myself in his bathroom. Resting against the wall of the shower as the water sprayed on my back. It felt calming to me. I think I was nervous and scared. I did feel out of place here and my fear that no one would accept me welcoming true. It could be worse than in my pack, here they never knew me. At least in my pack I had some people who were on my side, here it was Darren. That was it, there was no Roe or the butcher, hell I didn’t even have my home. Here I would be a complete outcast.

I must have been in the shower for a long time, I think I honestly feel asleep. Maybe I leaned against the wall and simply day dreamed for a while, but the next thing I knew I was listening to the bathroom door opening and someone shuffling inside. It took a couple of seconds for me to register how cold the water was. A white hand reached past the shower curtain and turned off the water. I could tell it wasn’t Darren’s because of the skin tone, and if it wasn’t him who was it?

Instantly I retreated to the corner of the shower. Baring my teeth and trying to hide a bit. I was ready to attack but I knew that I wouldn’t have a chance. The hand began to pull away the curtain and I instantly covered myself with my arms and growled loudly. Begging the person to be a bit scared and hoping that they would run.

“Whoa!” A man’s voice hissed a bit. “Its okay, I’m not going to hurt you.” He stopped pulling the shower curtain back and handed in a pure white towel. I quickly wrapped myself in it, savoring its warmth. I think he waited a couple of minutes before he pulled the curtain back the rest of the way showing me himself.

He was a lanky teenager, still older than me. Tall and skinny. He had messy black hair and a pair of brilliant blue eyes, the lightest blue I’ve ever seen. He cracked a small smile and began walking out of the bathroom, running his hand along the light brown walls, guiding himself. I quickly followed him, curious to why he was in Darren’s bedroom. I watched him gracefully avoid all the furniture and imperfections in the rug, and then suddenly he tripped over the discarded tent that Darren had simply thrown down. He fell flat on his face and then let off a string of curses.

“What the hell!” He screeched, sitting up and throwing the discarded tent to the side. “Dumb ass, move your stuff!” He pointed back, which I was assuming was meant for me but his finger wasn’t even pointing to me at all.

“Are you pointing at me?” I whispered, with a small smirk in my voice. I found it a little amusing that he tripped over something in plain view.

He moved his finger down and blushed madly. “Yes…I’m sorry I never told you…I’m blind, Darren took me here because his father was going to kill me because I couldn’t do anything for his pack. Darren said he would make me in as his butler. I just ended up here as his friend, he asked me to look after you. I just came up here because the shower was running for a while, I never expected you to still be in it, the water was very cold.”

My amusement passed and I walked forward to him, taking his hand and helping him to his feet. “I’m sorry, if I would’ve realized that you were blind then I would’ve warned you about that tent.”

He smiled when I helped him up and held out his hand to shake mine. “Its alright, my name is Ryder. How about you?”

I smiled a little. “Rose, it’s nice to meet you. I’m sorry I growled at you, you kind of startled me.”

“It’s fine.” He chuckled, backing away from me a bit and falling over the tent once more. Oh man, this will be a long day.
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I like this chapter, what do you guys think?