Chapter 26 Three Bags Full

The file folder sat in the middle of Sara's small round four person kitchen table for the next five days. She couldn't help but look at it. She didn't open it. But she was very aware of its presence.

It was like the monster under her bed. She always felt it there, waiting, hungry. She didn't know what the file was hungry for but she wasn't brave enough to find out either.

She saw it sitting there in the same spot multiple times a day. After waking, leaving for work, getting home, eating dinner seated at the bar, on the way to the restroom, on the way to bed. The mostly open floor plan allowed a view of the table from almost any doorway.

Sunday morning Sebastian had decided that he would kick-start her movie collection with three movies he claimed were a must in every collection and a few he suspected she would enjoy.

He brought microwave popcorn, a ice cold six pack of Dr. Pepper, and laid out ten movies on her almost empty movie shelf.

He closed his eyes and picked one of the ten at random. 

Sara owned only one movie. She had bought it at Second Chance for a dollar. She had watched it over the last week twice.

She didn't have the typical high school experience so she wondered if The Breakfast Club really represented high school.

Sebastian removed the DVD from the DVD player and replaced it with the one he selected.

Five minutes into the movie a knock sounded on her door.

It was a pair of male teenage Lycan holding five bags each of groceries. Sara insisted she hadn't ordered them. "My job is delivery. But the order says they've been paid for and gives this address. I can call my supervisor." The taller one offered. He sat his bags down and pulled a cell phone from his pocket.

Sara kept track of the conversation. She wondered why he didn't use the pack link but didn't ask.

She could hear both sides of the discussion. Since her first shift her hearing had improved drastically.

The manager insisted that it was the correct address. No, he couldn't say who placed the order. Yes, it had been paid for but it had been with a prepaid card, a no name card. No he wouldn't disregard the purchase. Yes, he insisted that she accept delivery as it would be bad for business other wise. Yes, he would contact her if he found there had been an error.

"Someone is going to be upset when they don't get the things they bought." Sara insisted as she put the milk in the fridge.

"Mr. Hans was sure the address was correct." Sebastian said putting a box of cereal on the shelf. He pulled more boxed items from the bag.

"Yes but..." She countered as she pulled packages of meat from the paper bag.

"Sara. Stop. If it is the wrong address then you simply have to return the money when Mr. Hans contacts you." He turned around and saw the white packages almost filling her freezer. She was placing two packages on top of the white packages. "What's that?"

Sara glanced at him to see what he meant. "Oh, it's deer." She said with a blush. "The Alpha and Luna gave me some of the meat from my first hunt." She closed the freezer door. "The rest was divided between them, Gabriel and Victoria, and the packs foster family."

"Yeah. The foster family. The Masons. They have five kids." He said thoughtfully. "One son of their own and and four orphan children they've taken in."

"You know them?" Sara asked pulling a tin of corn from the bag on the counter.

"Yes. I lived there." He said turning back to the bags on the counter. Sara could tell he didn't want to talk about it so she didn't voice the questions running through her mind.

They had continued the movie and consuming popcorn and soda. In the middle of the second movie the soda was gone.

Sebastian had insisted they pause the movie marathon so he could go get more soda. "It's not the same without junk food, Sara."

She had just rolled her eyes at him and given in to his plan.

Ten minutes later a knock sounded on her door. Her heart thumped. She knew it wasn't Sebastian because the pull in her stomach would have alerted her. It seemed every moment they spent together strengthened the bond. So with caution she opened the door. Their was no one there but the scent of lilac and strong male soap hung in the hall. She glanced down. The paper lay just inches from the doors threshold.

Evodine was already growling in her head. She wanted to rip the note leaver apart.

Sara knew what the paper would contain. A typed, unsigned, tirade on cheep printer paper.

When she had the note inside she debated just feeding it to the garbage disposal. Maybe she should have, but she didn't.

I told you you don't belong here. Leave. Save yourself the humiliation of being banned in front of the entire pack. You are nothing. Sebastian, the Luna and the Alpha - they will see how unworthy you are. They'll find him a choice mate more deserving. YOU ARE JUST A CAVE RAT, A NOTHING. Leave while you still have your skin and your pride if you have any left.

Cave Rat! Evodine mentally screamed. I'll show him cave rat when I rip out his throat!

Ignore it, Ev. Sara said trying to calm her. She could feel Evodine trying to push through her skin. Her hands shook.

He threatened to take our shin. Anger rolled through her.

No, he didn't. Sara said with a mental eye roll. None of the other notes had been so - whatever that was. Still it couldn't have been meant as Evodine was taking it though.

"Leave while you still have your skin," That is a threat, Sara. Clearly Evodine had made up her mind that it had been a physical threat.

We don't know who he is so there's nothing to do. Besides, I don't see how anyone could hate us so much. Everyone has been so nice. It was true. Not one member of the community had been less than pleased to meet her. Lycans and humans had greeted her with respect. Sara had been surprised to learn there were human pack members. Some were mated to Lycans, some the shifter gene had simply skipped although that was rare.

Obviously, someone is a backstabbing liar. The thought only made her angrier.

No one knows. Sara said said confused as the wording sank in her thoughs. Cave rat? That makes no sense. Only the head of the pack know where we lived.

Evodine mentally growled at the statement. The growl cut off as Evodine's concentration shifted. Sebastian was closer. The pull of the bond was stronger. Mate. Evodine said.

Sara shoved the note in her pocket. Don't say anything. She commanded. They had agreed to keep the notes private and she wanted to be sure that Evodine realized that still stood in effect. Nothing had changed even if the tone of the notes had shifted to a more menacing feeling.

She moved towards the door and opened it before Sebastian even exited the elevator. She plastered on a fake smile that she had had plenty of time to perfect in the institution.

When he came into view the fake smile shifted to the real thing. If asked she would never be able to explain why. He looked normal. Well, not really. He was obviously wider, stronger, and she knew that his wolf shared the body with him. His red T-shirt was just tight enough to define his muscles. His black jeans clung to his long tone legs and she could see the muscles bunch and relax as he walked closer.

Evodine purred in her head. Mine mine. Want. Mate is mine. She said.

Ours. Sara heard herself correct. She knew if she kept looking at him at that moment she would do something she wasn't sure she was ready for.

He looked up. Their eyes locked.

Evodine pushed at her consciousness, urging her to walk forward and bite him, mark him, mate him, and bond him. She knew she had to stop looking at him. It took more strength and focus then she wanted to admit to look down.

He had left with the intention of buying soda but he carried three full plastic bags in his right hand. The bags must have been heavy because his tan skin rippled with muscle movement.

Sebastian felt her eyes on him and had to bury a smile. He didn't look up. Taron preened like a peacock, lapping up the attention of their mate. He demanded they flex muscles. Sebastian didn't oblige him. When he couldn't avoid looking up any longer he almost stumbled across the smooth carpet of the hallway.

Crap. He thought. Sara's eyes swirled gold. Her wolf was right there. Sara's body trembled. Did she realized how close she was to shifting? He couldn't be around her if she shifted. There was no way he would be able to retain control of Taron in Evodine's presence. He would shift. They would most likely mate. Sara wasn't ready for that.

He sucked in a breath as her eyes moved down. He gripped the bag tighter. Pull yourself together. Do you want her to have regrets about us? If we take advantage of a moment of weakness she will. Thankfully that worked and Taron relaxed, slightly. He wanted the wolf and human part of his mate to be willing and happy.

"What happened to getting soda?" She laughed.

"I did." He held up the bags.

"Uh huu." She smirked. She stepped back into the apartment. He followed. He soon deposited his treasures over the coffee table. She pushed play on the remote and they settled down to enjoy movies, popcorn, soda, microwave corn dogs, chips, and candy.