Chapter 7

Teagan's Point of View

The inside of the house was the picture of opulence. With the foyer alone that spanned up until the third floor and a crystal chandelier hanging in the middle of it. Exposed sandstone walls. Garling fountain in the middle of it. 

But I couldn't walk another step before a maid appeared out of nowhere. Snatched my luggage right out of my hands with a beaming smile on her face. She bowed her head at Jonah before scuttling off.

"Another will come to show you to your room," Jonah assured me and walked further into the house. "Would you like something to drink in the meanwhile?" He called over his shoulder.

His hands were stuffed into his beige pants. Feet bare against the light floors. Everywhere I looked there were golden accents. Light classical music played in the background.

This was straight out of a movie. Something I never thought I would see.

Ciaran never spared any expense with his homes but this was on another level. Some warped version of a health spa only the rich could afford. I swore it wasn't this grand when I was a child.

"Just water, thanks," I replied but remained standing close to the double glass doors we had come through. 

It felt safer to remain close to an exit. All of this seemed theatrical. Strange. Like Jonah was trying to give off an image that didn't match my memories.

Felix moved behind me. I could feel his arm brush up against mine. His face only an inch away. "It makes your boss' place seem like a hovel, doesn't it? Eiecrunt could never compare to Desert Sun. This is what true old money looks like." He whispered, causing the hairs on my arm to stand on end. 

Just his voice was enough to make my teeth grate against each other.

"If you ask me, this looks like a poorly designed retirement home. But it is fitting, seeing as dinosaurs also need a place to stay." I growled back and decided against staying with Felix in the foyer.

I followed Jonah to the back of the house. To the large kitchen and adjacent dining room that walked out on a massive patio. In the distance, I could see a sparkling infinity pool. Palm trees. Ferns. His own oasis.

"If you don't mind me asking but did you intend to make more renovations to the pack house? Or was it more an expansion on taste?" I asked Jonah as he was pulling glasses out of the cupboard in front of him.

He tilted his head to the side, eyeing me from the corner of his eyes. Smiled timidly. "Call it a rejuvenation. I thought it was high time new life was breathed into the place. After all, it will only be a few more years now until Bellamy is Alpha and he deserves to start it with a freshly redone home." He answered and poured water out of a pitcher.

The sides of the glass condensed almost instantly. The cold was a stark contrast to the heat of the atmosphere. I hoped the room I was in had an aircon, at least. Even the pool seemed more inviting than staying inside.

"Well it is-"

Jonah came to an abrupt stop in front of me. His eyes narrowed in on my face. Lips pursed together. The water in his hand trembled slightly from his hard grip on it. "Let me save you the pleasantries, Teagan, seeing as we are now friends. I am not interested in Ciaran's trade. I have no interest in any trade, as a matter of fact. As you can see," He extended his arms wide. Smiled proudly at our surroundings. "I have everything I need. There is nothing I want. But it makes me incredibly happy to know there is something I have that my misfit of a son does want." 

Glaring back at Jonah, I slipped off the scarf from around my head. Took the glass he extended toward me. Made sure our eyes remained locked together. 

"If you want nothing more than to torment Ciaran, why accept the invitation for me to come here? What do you gain by having me here?" I asked, keeping my voice level. Keeping any signs of distress firmly under wraps.

Another smile spread across Jonah's lips. More feral than anything else. It truly reminded me of a fox about to divulge his big scheme. 

"Because you are ours, after all," his hand extended forward and an index finger traced the outside of my cheek. It took all of my control not to bite at him. Or growl. "I thought you would like to see your parents. Catch up with old friends. Bellamy will be-"

Shaking my head, I took a step back. "I am no longer yours. I haven't been for some time and honestly, the only reason I agreed to be here is because I want to help my pack. If you are saying our business is done before it started, I will have no choice but to go home."

Something flickered in Jonah's eyes. An ember of rage, perhaps. But it was gone as fast as it had come. He shoved out a shaky chuckle. Plastered on a fake smile. 

"You don't wish to see your parents after all this time? They have worried about you for so long. Don't you think what you did to them is unfair?" A gently placed blow.

He wanted me to feel bad for them. Stay.

I just couldn't put my finger on why. Why did he want me here so desperately that he would fake wanting to trade with Eiecrunt? That he would incur the wrath of a much larger pack just to have me around.

"I think I want to be shown to my room now. You have made your point clear. I will discuss this with Ciaran tonight and arrange my transport home. Until then, I hope you can keep my visit a secret. Don't want uninvited guests to show up."

Meaning I didn't want my parents to know I was around. I couldn't fully trust myself not to harm them if I saw them. I knew some part of them would want to reconcile with me. Bring me back into the fold. But I doubt I would ever forgive them.

Jonah nodded and down his glass of water. Smiled at me again.

"Reconsider leaving early. There is a lot to see this time of the year. Sand rallies. A small vacation might change your mind."

I highly fucking doubted it.

***

Harland answered on the second ring. Bolts of electricity fluttered through me. Filled me to the brim as I clutched at the phone.

I was laying down spread eagle on the bed. Had my head hanging off the end of it. Stared up at the ceiling in defeat. But hearing his rushed greeting, I almost instantly felt better.

"Baby," He elatedly whispered. "How was the flight? Are you settled in well? Any trouble yet?" He asked the last part with a twinge of humor in his voice.

A large smile spread across my face. Happiness bloomed in my chest. I never knew how much I depended on Harland until now. How much he eased the tension in my body. "It could have been better. The last stretch might have been the worst." I replied.

"Well, Ciaran offered you the jet but you didn't take it. How about next time you take him up on his offer."

I waited a moment. Inhaled deeply through my nose. "Showing off the jet wouldn't have made a difference, I suppose," I whispered back and sat up on the bed. Stared at the elaborately carved headboard. It looked like vines crawling up the wall.

"What happened?" Harland went from loving mate to devoted worked in an instant. All business and no pleasure.

"Jonah already told me that he won't enter into any agreements with Ciaran. That Ciaran will screw him over one way or another. He offered for me to stay longer and have a vacation but if the deal-"

"You can't let him turn you down so easily. Where is that stubborn streak of yours? You know? Bull-headed, take-no-shit."

Sighing, I slipped off of the bed and shuffled to where my bag lay on the floor. I had packed a picture of Harland and me at the very top. A reminder that I wasn't alone. That I escaped this place with the love of my life.

Insects crawled inside my intestines at the thought of staying here. Being here for longer than I had to.

"Something just feels off. Felix picked-"

"Felix? So Jonah is working with him, not just harboring him. I'll have to tell Ciaran about that. But if Felix is involved then things might get tricky." His words were rushed.

I could hear him shuffling somewhere. A door opened and closed. Voices echoed on the other side. Familiar ones. Four of them.

"Why are you still at the pack house?" I asked, not able to keep the frown out of my voice.

"We had some documents to go over. But now that I have all of their attention, tell them what you told me."

And there it was again. Putting work before me. 

Harland was proud to be in his position. Proud to be working for Eiecrunt. For the greater good. But sometimes I wondered if he put his job before me. If he would much rather I stayed out of it and left him be.

I had called him to get some semblance of comfort. Now he was forcing me into more work. More anxiety. 

Gently, I took the photo of us out of the bag and placed it on the shelf. Smiled at how young we were when we had taken it.

And threw myself back into work.