Awakening: Book 1

by L. T. Marshall

  Meadow slinks over to Cesar on one of the armchairs and crawls onto his lap, curling herself around him and nestling her butt against his crotch. I can’t help but watch the way he opens up and accepts her invasion, wrapping her in his arms willingly, and whispers something in her ear before she smiles at him sexily and flutters a kiss on his lips quickly. So fluid, no refusal, and no insecurity in her that he might not want her sat on him.

  It’s obvious they’re completely bonded in all ways and although I haven’t seen her mark, I can tell it’s done. They have that connection oozing from both of them, that says their union is finalized and they can communicate on a deeper level than what we have so far. A mark can be wherever your mate decides to put it, although most males like to have it on show and put it on a femme’s throat, not all do. They’re known for territorial possessiveness so it’s more common than not. Cesar is obviously very secure about his fiery hot femme can battle off males by herself.

  I find myself aching for that, wondering where Colton would choose to place his, and have to tear my eyes away from him before Carmen kicks off again. My heart beating a little too fast, and my soul yearning stronger than before. I miss his touch already.

  I realize I’ve zoned out, blinking back to reality and they’re talking about zones and patrols and something to do with the new containment areas. I try to listen in as Colton explains that they’re setting up homes in the valley to try and accommodate the families from other parts of the mountain tomorrow. That tents and temporary buildings will need to be erected and the local bar and school on this side will be converted, along with the gym and the community hall. They have caravans and mobile homes coming out of storage for some, but a lot of the people they want to move closer are refusing to leave their homes and unite on this side.

  “You can’t force people to shift everything and up and leave to move a few miles. I get the why, but these people, they don’t want to leave their homes for a tent in the fields, Cole.” It’s Jesus, and I watch as they all lean forward, seriousness kicking in as they talk this out and freely throw in opinions. Everyone except me, and of course Carmen, who is now focused on the conversation at hand and silently listening on the outskirts of the huddle, gazing longingly at Colton.

  “We don’t know when another attack will come, and it’s easier to keep them safe if we have them here.” Colton shrugs, seemingly repeating what he’s been told, but a look flashing across his face tells me he doesn’t agree. I almost will him to stop mimicking his father’s words and be honest with what he thinks we should be doing.

  “Easier to control you mean? We all know your father has been angling for supreme reign for years, and this sounds a lot like he’s trying to force the packs into one place, so they’re easier to police.” Matteo verbalizes what I guess I was thinking and feeling, surprising me that I’m not the only one. Colton throws a dangerous look at Matteo, a growl in the undercurrent as he jumps to defensive over an insult aimed his father’s way, but Matteo doesn’t back down. “You know it Cole ... you know how he is. Tell me it’s better to coral people together when they have a device that can disable us all within one space and I’ll drop it.”

  Matteo talks sense, and I agree. Bringing the people together means we’re a sitting target if they use the same device. At least spread out we have a chance of escaping the effects and fighting back. They can’t attack us all in one go with one those things, surely.

  I catch Colton glancing my way, something flickering across his eyes as he thinks and then he turns back to Matteo. I miss the fleeting message in his look, not sure what it was meant to mean.

  “Okay, maybe. I mean we always knew he would try and maneuver some sort of union around the mountain, I just didn’t think he would physically expect them to move here. The device, we don’t know enough to be able to second guess what it would do to us all in the valley. The range was limited in what we brought back.” Colton is stiff, uneasy, and I can tell he doesn’t like his pack questioning orders from above. He truly is hooked by the nose when it comes to his father, and I need to figure out how to get in there and remove the darn thing. Maybe I wasn’t paired with Colton so he could save me from my life… maybe I’m meant to save him from his. The fates work in mysterious ways and thing’s aren’t always obvious.

  “You can’t keep tabs and instill fear into people if they’re not close enough to feel your wrath.” Radar butts in again, and it’s not hard to see that when it comes to Juan Santo, Radar isn’t completely loyal to his alpha. There’s a hint of malice in that tone, definite sarcasm in what he said, and I glance to Colton to see if he reacts in any kind of way.

  In fact, this whole conversation isn’t all that friendly where Juan is concerned, and Colton isn’t biting back in the way I expect. Outside, if anyone dared to offend his father, he would rip them a new one and leave their remains smeared across the mountain, so I’m a little surprised to find he lets them speak freely. I guess he respects them enough to let them be honest with their opinion, and nothing said is repeated outside of their circle of trust.

  I’m envious for a moment, a longing of belonging I used to know well eating at me, and it pushes me to go sit in the corner on a stool by the bar. Listening, but not part of this as it’s not my place, and they are not my pack. My opinions on this mean nothing.

  “Whatever the reason… he wants us out tomorrow afternoon, driving to the other villages and changing minds.” Colton gazes at the floor this time, that same twinge of jaw muscle and the color of his eyes glow a little amber for a second. A hint he isn’t happy, his emotions in turmoil, as I feel them ebbing this way strongly and suddenly and it only takes a second to find out why.

  “Is he really suggesting we apply force to families and children if they refuse to be rehomed?” It’s Cesar who bursts out with it, outrage in his tone and almost accidently evicts Meadow from his lap with his aggressive thrust, who looks equally startled, adjusting her position with a frown at him

  Colton remains silent and the room falls into matched hush as they take it in. I can feel and taste the confusion and disgust, but no one wants to be the first to say it. I gawp at him, not sure I heard that right, but looking from ashen face to ashen face, of a group of people who all know what he means, it dawns on me that’s exactly what Juan wants.

  He expects his sub packs to go and forcefully move people from their homes and into the valley floor on the south side. In the name of protecting them from attacks, but the motive is bringing them in and taking control. Refusal will not be tolerated, and I wonder what kind of punishment he plans to exact. Juan is a cold bastard of a man and this isn’t even as low as I expect he’ll go. Juan always intended to push his agenda and now he’s using the attack as his excuse. He hungers for power and reign across the packs and has been biding his time for so long.

  They won’t be any safer camping in the valley than they will in their own villages under the guard of patrols and watchers. Setting up alarm systems and training all who can fight how to do so is a better use of their time. They can all work together to safeguard and improve security from their own homes. How are they going to care for and cater for the hundreds who live around the mountain skirt if they dump them all in the center of the valley on this side?

  There are enough Santo’s to successfully spread out and patrol the mountain every night after dark, the only time Vampires can come out. They can rest in the day. Raising an alarm is enough to get them there fast… the orphanage is proof that they can span miles in half the time of a human in a car, and if they had warning, they would move to get there in time. With patrols already out there, the people would have way more expectation of getting through it. It makes no sense to bring them here. Matteo is right; this is about control.

  “What good is gathering us all in one place. Like Matteo said, they set off that machine and every one of us, corralled in the valley, will be rendered useless. No one will be able to turn or fight back. It’s easier to massacre a race when we�
��re all laid like fish in a bowl, and no one’ll be free of its effects if the only area we patrol is the valley. I’m sure they can make bigger, or use multiple, to hit us all at once.” Jesus is now on his feet pacing, agitated, and getting worked up by the second. I’m starting to feel the restless unease spreading through them all like a virus, as they mumble their agreeance and I keep looking to Colton to say something.

  “This is pointless… you think I don’t think the same and that I didn’t try and reason with him? Nothing I said made a difference. It never does.” Colton stands up, losing his temper, agitated too, and utterly drained. I can feel it coming off him intensely, and his eyes lock on mine again as he catches me across the room, ignoring Carmen throwing her own his way.

  “Come on, Lorey. I need to show you to your new room. I’m too tired for this, and we all need to meet down at mess hall for dawn. Go to bed, you reprobates. Stop arguing with me because it’s futile, and it’s not my place to make you obey him. We need sleep.”

  I don’t need to be asked twice. I jump up, suddenly a little too excited at being alone with him again and know it’s because I’ve mentally taken another path and have a plan in place. One that hopefully involves those beefy arms around me and the sexy mouth on mine once again. I go to follow him as soon as he makes a move towards the door and almost gloat at the way Carmen’s face crumbles.

  “One of us could show her.” She snaps bitterly, and he spins his head back, stares down at her with a blank expression and doesn’t move a step further.

  “Yeah you could… but that isn’t what’s happening. I want to do it.” He shrugs with one shoulder, his tone icy cold and it seems to shut her up. Recoiling back as though she’s been burned, and I can tell he’s in no mood for more defiance or squabbling. Her eyes mist over with what I expect are fake tears, maybe not this time, and I really try hard to figure out what it is he ever saw in her. Carmen’s a horrible person with a selfish spoiled attitude, and I really don’t like her.

  At least I now know why he’s this way with her. The indifferent behavior and biting tone. Colton’s ego’s wounded, his pride dented, and as much as I don’t want to believe he had any feelings for her after we imprinted, I can feel the hurt in him radiating outwards. He maybe doesn’t love her anymore in the way he used to, but he cared enough that he thought he could salvage their pairing until she hurt him. Her betrayal in that way cut him deep, and he’s lost all respect and trust for her, which doesn’t bode well in a sub pack.

  Colton walks past me on the way to the door, catching my hand in his as he does so, making me jump as I was too busy looking at her and leads me out amid the happy joyous coo of Meadow

  “Don’t stay up too late… go to bed. Hers or yours, either is optional and fine by me, Chicas.” She laughs in that raunchy cheeky way she has when she’s being brazenly sexual, echoing behind us as we leave the room, and I blush crazily, trying not to look his way as I catch his eyes flick to me. Nervousness envelopes me once again and instantly I’m back to being awkward and shy.

  Soon as we hit the corridor, he shuts the door and gives me a proper smile, swinging my hand in his like we’re children and tugs me closer so we rub arms as we walk. Working our way out before hitting the main passage.

  The closer I am to him, the more aware of how truly drained he is. It’s seeping from every pore and despite the smile and the playful behavior, I can feel his stress levels are elevated crazily and his body is emitting a low depressive mood.

  “You look really, good.” He says it with a half-smile, one dimple on show and I shrug childishly, still not ‘owning it’ as Meadow would say.

  “I’m not sure about the look, it feels kind of weird to be wearing such tight clothes.” I squirm as I try to unwedge the jeans from my butt gracefully, and he throws me a cheeky look as he watches me attempt it.

  “Want some help?” it’s a grin, a smooth move kind of flippant comment made by the males who walk around like cockerels in a hen house, and not an actual serious question. It’s obvious he expects my usual rebuff, but instead I throw a smile back his way, swallow down the utter nerves and butterflies he’s hitting me with and nod, in the way Meadow showed me. She gave me a crash course in simple flirting, while doing my hair earlier, and I throw on the sexy smile and flutter my lashes, butting in against him coyly.

  “If you like.” I bite on my lower lip, not sure if I’m doing it right, but his reaction, I guess, says I am.

  Colton trips over an imaginary piece of carpet, and coughs, to cover his clumsy response, immediately less confident, perplexed, and failing at Mr smooth, all in one fell swoop. Cocky but not actually willing to follow through.

  “Not the response I was expecting.” He frowns, swallows a little obviously, and fixes his eyes ahead of us while he regains his previous composure.

  It’s not like I couldn’t tell, and I throw a one shouldered coquettish shrug, absolutely dying inside with how weird and fake this feels. I’ve never flirted or played games with boys. I never had any interest in doing it before Colton.

  Colton turns away, seemingly putting a little distance between us and the opposite of what I was going for as he points us up a flight of stairs.

  “This way, you should memorize the route so you can find it again.” His tone is distant, his mood not exactly what I expected, and I sigh at the deflated mood that hits me heavily.

  We’re away from the main hall and the grand sweeping staircase, and in some back corridor with narrow steps to the next floor. Every wall painted beige, dark wood floors, and potted plants dotted around prettily. They have even started replacing windows up here, and one newly glazed one is letting light shine through. Colton begins leading the way, his hand no longer in mine as he slides in front of me to climb the stairs, and I suddenly feel awkward and shy that my attempt at flirting backfired badly.

  I don’t get it. He’s meant to be completely hot for me and yet acts like a coy virgin who doesn’t do well with girls at my first attempt of encouragement. I know for a fact he’s not a virgin, and not inexperienced with girls, I have all his memories. He seems all too hyper focused on where we’re going and no longer on my presence. His mood still weird and now he’s making me feel the same way. Sort of sad, depressed, and a bit tetchy and unsociable.

  “Here, this door on the right. This used to be Taryn’s room, but she mated up and now lives with Franko, her mate on the third floor. Room’s all yours.” Colton steps in front of a large dark wood door, tucked into a tiny alcove in an airy part of the hall that widens out, using a keycard and motions for my hand when he slides it into the machine.

  “Hand here, and it’ll save your print for future use. No card or key necessary.” He throws me a courteous quick lipped smile, takes my wrist, lifts my hand, and holds it on the smooth black panel, pressing in digits as he does so and then yanks the card out before it flashes red and beeps. He lets my hand go quickly, as though he doesn’t want to be here holding it anymore, and I can sense his urgency in wanting to leave. It brings me down with a thud and a seriously painful ache in the chest.

  “Not hidden away in the west wing anymore? I ask quietly, sounding as somber as his mood, looking for something to engage him in conversation with, because I literally feel his intentions of sneaking away and leaving me to my new room, and it sucks. He’s disconnecting form me, shutting me out and it’s shredding my soul to pieces a sit becomes clear that’s what he’s doing.

  “He wasn’t happy that I decided you should be among the rest of us, and part of this pack, seeing as he’s trying to unite the mountain. Convinced him your showdown was under better control and wouldn’t happen again.” Colton avoids my eye, obviously not really telling me everything that was said.

  “And he gave in, just like that?” I hate the fact that I can sense he’s being evasive and keeping things from me.

  “Not exactly. Sometimes I’m good at arguing my corner. Sometimes…” Colton looks away, seemingly defeated as though tonight has taken a to
ll on him. Whatever was said to his father, I can sense his strained emotion, and weary mood coming at me like a fog the longer we stand here.

  “Just tell me… I’m a big girl, I can take it.” I sigh, desperate with a raw, pleading tone, letting my frustration out, and I catch the flicker of hesitation before he sighs.

  “He doesn’t care that you have a special gift. He wouldn’t entertain the topic. Shut me down and bombarded me with his disappointment in my lack of putting my pack, and my responsibility, first.” His crestfallen face and the surge of pain that hits me in the chest tells me his father’s words wounded him. It serves to remind me though, that this is not all about him doing the right thing, it’s also about pleasing someone he looks up to and loves and has always obeyed. As he’s meant to.

  He swings the door open and steps aside, making it clear he’s depositing me like a gentleman, and nothing else. He’s done talking about this and he isn’t going to argue about it either. No usual Colton touchy feely, no intimacy, or any kind of anything. He just steps back and holds it wide as the lights flicker on automatically. Putting space between us and fixing a look on me that screams more of commander, than boy that loves me. He’s closing off, shutting me out and my heart starts to bleed.

  “If you need anything, then mind link me. There’s food in your room, I had it put here before I came to the communal. Enjoy your dinner and get some rest. I’ll come for you at dawn.” It’s empty and devoid of emotion. He moves to leave as I step inside but panic grips a sudden response out of me. That churning nausea that he’s being like this, slicing at my guts and ripping my soul in two.