NADIA
"What the hell is this?" I yelled when I was done throwing up all the contents of my stomach.
Saying that the place is a mess would be the biggest understatement of the century. It is a dumpster. Everywhere looks like it was previously hit by a hurricane.
I wouldn't be surprised if I found out that Asher ordered his pack members to dump their dumpster dirt just before we got here.
On the outside, the small cottage looks clean and beautiful, almost similar to something out of a fairytale. The problem started when we walked into the place.
The inside is a stark contrast to what is on the outside. Dirt litter every nook and cranny of the inside. Days of old rotten trash upon days of old rotten trash.
The place reeked of things that no one should ever be allowed to smell until their death.
Everything was such a mess and the smell didn't help it all.
I could tell that the building was neat and kept and whatever chaotic mess happened in it happened recently.
I am suddenly no longer grateful that we are giving a place to stay. We should have been allowed to choose by ourselves.
Usually, if a werewolf is initiated to a new pack, he or she has the option of letting the Alpha choose a place for them or choosing somewhere they would stay themselves. Most times, they are assigned to the pack house but in case the person wants privacy and refuses to stay at the pack house, the person has a choice to rent an apartment or a cottage. Usually, the landlord, who is also a werewolf, would be asked to allow them to live in the place they chose until they got a job. They had the grave of staying there for two months before they had to start paying rent. In those two months, they are to find a well paying job.
"You can't seriously expect us to stay at a place like this, right?" I ask the guard, my eyes wide at the horrific scene.
"That is what the pack wants you to have. But you know, it's never too late to back out. You can leave now and forget about staying in a dumpster like this. The initiation ceremony hasn't been carried out yet. It's best if you leave now if you can't stay here."
His words make me understand exactly what they are doing. They are trying to throw us off so that we can leave. They don't want us to stay anywhere near their pack. They want us to leave and this is what they are using to make us leave.
I am left speechless. I don't know what to say but I am sure of one thing, they are never going to let us have peace of mind if we insist on staying in their pack. This is just the beginning, I know they are going to continue tormenting us until we leave.
"We can't stay here. What sort of hostile hospitality is this? Is this how you welcome guests into your pack?"
The guard shrugs in response, laughing at my expense.
"We can't stay here. We would need better accommodation." I announce, folding my hands across my chest.
The man copies my movements, an amused smile on his face. "I am sorry, ma'am but this is what the pack is offering. There is no space at the pack house any more."
"In that case, we would like to rent a place to stay." I retorted.
"We are out of rentals, ma'am. You either take what we give you or get the fuck out of our pack."
I would have longed to attack him in anger if not for the fact that Max holds me back.
I am angry and I want to give him a piece of my mind and fury but Max is stopping me.
"We will take it. We are really grateful for your hospitality. We would make sure to make the best use of it."
My head snaps to Max's face in anger, glaring at him furiously. "What do you mean? We can't stay here for anything in this world."
He winks at me, signalling at me to play along with him.
I don't want to but I know I have to play along. He has already told me to follow everything he asks me to no matter how ridiculous it sounds.
To an extent, I trust him and I know that in the situation we are in, whatever affects me, affects him too. If he thinks we can stay here it means he has a plan.
It takes all my courage to support him, hoping and praying that I don't regret my decision.
"Fine, we'll accept the place. My regards to your Alpha for his generosity and chivalry." I hissed.
I didn't mean for the words to come out as harsh and disrespectful but I couldn't help it. I am not really a good actress.
The guard is very disappointed by our decision to stay and he can't even hide or t when his face drops. "Okay. You can shower and take a rest. We would be expecting you both in…" he trails off, checking his wristwatch for the time. "In twenty minutes. Don't be late, make sure you freshen up before coming."
With that he leaves, leaving Max and me alone in the messed up place.
"Explain. How the hell are we meant to stay here?"
He takes me by the hand and guides me out of the place. He doesn't answer any of my questions or react to my rants about how bad the place is until we are a few miles away from the cottage.
He stops, helping me sit on a fallen tree. "I need you to wait here. I need just ten minutes. Trust me, I will surprise you."
Folding my hands across my chest in anger, I pout. "Okay. I only hope it's a new place you want to use in surprising me. Heaven knows I can't stay in that shit house for anything in the world."
He leaves without saying a word and exactly five minutes later, he comes back to get me, dragging me back to the cottage.
When he opens the door, my jaws drop to the floor.