Page 18 of Alpha Bond
Fuck, fuck, fuck.
I lean a hip against the table and casually hold my bundle of clothing in front of me.
“Yeah. Those men I told you about. And…from everyone.” Her voice is husky. “I was afraid. I knew I’d be left alone if anyone passing thought there was a dominant male around.”
“Makes sense. Still curious how you found yourself a bucket of pee, though.”
She clears her throat. “The guys who had me. I…saw their leader stop to relieve himself, and when he left, I…uh…ran over and…rolled in it.” Her nose crinkles. “Anyhow, I’d better get that shower.”
I keep a narrow-eyed stare on her as she disappears into the bathroom. She’s mainly telling the truth, but there’s a lie in it. Best form of deception, in my opinion. I don’t push for more details. Either she’ll be gone before it’s an issue, or the truth will come out, eventually.
With her out of the room, I unwrap the towel and dress quickly. By the time she comes out, I’m running my fingers through my hair. Hers is wet around her shoulders, and she smells good enough to eat.
Not going there!
“Ready?” I see that she still has the odd swatch of fabric wrapped around her neck. I look down at her feet, and when I look up, her expression is wry.
“As long as nobody minds me walking around barefoot,” she says.
“Nobody minds much round here.” I shrug. “We’ll get you some shoes in the market after breakfast.” I open the door and wait for her to step out.
“You have a market?” Her eyes are wide.
“Sure. In the town.” I start walking, not waiting for her to fall into step beside me. She keeps up more easily than she did yesterday. A good meal and sleep will do that.
“You have a town, too?” Now she looks completely astonished.
“I told you – we inhabit an old steel town. There’s a suburb. A market. We grow our own food. But we also go to the cities. We’re pretty civilized, Sierra.”
“Of course…I never…I mean…” She’s stuttering. “Of course you’re civilized. I meant no offense. It’s just that your pack is really…different.” She’s pushing for information again, though I can’t sense malice in it. I think she’s just curious. And I suppose that’s to be expected, considering she’s stuck here for the foreseeable future.
“Our security teams guard the town, which is where our family units live.” I sweep an arm at where the steel mill has been sectioned off into single living quarters that overlook a vast common area where rough buildings house our command centers. “The main area of Steel Lakes is beyond the walls.” I nod toward the far end of the sprawling facility. Boots clatter on the metal flooring, and a group of males files past us, dressed in fatigues. They eye her with heated curiosity but look away when they’re met by my scowl.
She’s trouble. I knew it.
“Your people go around dressed like that? Doesn’t that raise suspicions?” Her brows pull together. “We were always told to blend in and…” She stops again, gnawing on her bottom lip
I wait for her to go on, but she doesn’t, so I do. “There’s a military base a few miles away. Generally, we’re mistaken for troops on maneuvers when anyone sees us. Not a lot of folks in this neck of the woods, though.”
“And just where would ‘this neck of the woods’ be?” She’s still frowning.
“Midwest,” I say vaguely. It’s not like she needs coordinates or anything. “Titer’s people set up here years back.”
“And the humans didn’t mind?”
“There weren’t any. They all left when the money ran out. Factories shut down. No more jobs. The town was abandoned.” I lift a shoulder into a shrug. “Worked out for us, though.”
Steel rattles as I jog down a flight of tread plate stairs that lead to the mess hall. The aroma of bacon and coffee has my mouth watering. The murmur beside me tells me Sierra approves, too.
“And then Titer gathered all the rest of you here?”
“You ask a lot of questions, Sierra Barr.” I shoot a look at her.
She looks away. “I’m sorry. I didn’t mean to pry. I just wanted to know more about the people who’ve taken me in.”
“Sure.” I change the subject by nodding toward the wide entrance. “We’ll get a table up front. Cook will take care of us.”
“Great.” She runs an eye around the hall. It’s not as full as it would be later in the day, but there are small groups dotted about. More curious stares turn our way.