"Yes," he says.
Beside him, his twin brother stiffens. "Are you sure that's a good idea, Darius? We have a place for shifters like her," he says and she freezes, her heartbeat speeding up until it's rabbit fast. She remembers that day in the streets, with the rabbit shifter and how she was treated. She wonders if they're going to do the same to her.
"Ethan," the werewolf Alpha's voice is harsh, biting. He turns to him with eyes that flash red for a split second and his brother bows his head.
"Right, right. Just do whatever you want," he rolls his eyes and even though they sound the same, the way he intones his words is different, less like he's giving out orders.
There's no question who's in charge here.
"You belong to me now," he says and her eyes widen, scared but not terrified, not now that she remembers him from all those years ago, telling her why she has to be careful, not when she recalls the articles she reads about him in the papers and books, all the good he had done for shifters all over the world. Shifters like her.
The rabbit shifter - Kayla - had gone on a news site afterwards and gotten an interview about how much her life had changed after Alpha Darius saved her, how good everything is for her now.
Nevermind the fact that she had taken up work as a high-end escort.
Aria doesn't like to think about it.
"I belong to you?" she whispers. She considers calling him Alpha Darius, but she can't make herself do it, not when her Alpha is right there. Instead, she asks, "Where will you take me?"
"Home," he says. "Go get your stuff. We're leaving now."
She stands in front of him without moving for a few stunned seconds. Her stuff? Right now? It all seems to be moving too quickly and she's not sure what she's expected to do. She doesn't own anything in the house. Everything in the basement is 'pack property', so when Darius- Master Darius, her mind corrects automatically - tells her that she should go to her room and bring what she wants to take with her, she comes back with just a plastic bag of books that her cousins had gotten for her from the library. She hasn't finished reading them yet.
Ethan looks as though he wants to ask something, but a stern look from Master Darius makes him pause.
Master Darius helps her with the small bag of her borrowed possessions with a weak smile. "Is that all, Aria?" he asks.
She nods and manages a weak smile in his general direction before looking firmly at her feet again.
"Would you like to say goodbye?" he asks.
She hesitates, wondering if it's some sort of test. She doesn't know what the right answer is. In the end, she shakes her head. A
untie Darla and her cousins might miss her a little, but Alpha Franklin is right. She's a burden. She bets they'd be happy to get rid of her.
"Come then," he says and instead of taking her leash, he offers her a hand.
She frowns. That's not the right way to do it. He should be taking her leash. She doesn't want to correct him though. She doesn't like being dragged by her leash. She takes his hand, marveling at how large and firm his grip is when he closes his fingers around her much smaller hand.
"Come on, Aria. Let's bring you home," he says and his voice is so soft, so soothing.
She can't help but feel a swell of hope that things will be better when he tugs her forward until they're walking side by side, his pack members trailing a little behind them as they leave.
Chapter Two: Pets, Master
The black sedan waiting for them outside of the house is impressively big. Very long, she thinks quietly, and wonders how it's going to manage turns. She climbs up into the backseat and is momentarily jarred by how much space there is inside of the car. To her surprise, Ethan is the only one joining them in the car. He closes the door behind them, and she sees through the tinted windows the rest of the werewolves climbing into their own cars.
When Master Darius sits down, she finds it easy to fold her legs under herself and sit by his feet because of how much space there is.
"Aria, you don't need to do that," he says, expression pained.
Her heartbeat stutters. Has she done something wrong already? "Do what, Master Darius?" she asks.
Behind her, she hears Ethan snort. "Master Darius, eh?" he asks.
She grimaces, hoping he wouldn't order her to call him Alpha. She already has an Alpha. She feels as though something had grabbed her gut and clenched at the thought. She had an Alpha, she corrects sadly.
"You don't have to sit by my feet. Come up," he says.