Everyone walked out of the office and Oleander followed. Origin was waiting for him. "Ready?"

"What?" His mind went straight to Origin, killing him. He wasn't ready to die.

Origin started to smirk but saw actual fear in the other man's gorgeous face. "For a tour." He paused. "Are you okay?"

Oleander shook his head and almost fell into the wall. "I thought you were going to kill me! I might be freaking out a little!" He looked pale and couldn't breathe.

Origin wrapped an arm around him. "Easy. If you don't give me a reason to kill you, I won't. Let's get some air. Okay? Just breathe, nice and slow." He led Oleander up some stairs to some more. They kept climbing around until Origin opened a metal door. There was fresh air. Origin pulled him outside into the dark.

Oleander looked around and took a breath. "Whoa!" He looked out at a large city. "This is incredible." He just stared and enjoyed the fresh air and the warm breeze.

Origin nodded. "I figured I would start here. This is our city. We live here and work here. We protect them. They are our people. We stay hidden. They can't know we exist."

"You mean humans?" Oleander stared some more. He was breathing better.

"Yes. Are you okay?" Origin had to ask. He liked Oleander.

"I have no idea!" Oleander sighed.

"I mean your wound." Origin was looking at his back. He liked his markings. Each wolf was unique and their marks were too. This wolf had dark lines and swirls that went up his beautiful shoulder blades to his neck. They wrapped around his side and down past his jeans. Origin figured they were on his legs also. His wolf had the same marks. They were one.

"Oh, right. I could heal faster if I could shift." Oleander didn't dare shift. They had to have permission from their Alpha and he had no Alpha. He would need permission from Oak. He wasn't getting that so he was healing slowly. It would take a few days or a week to heal like this.

"Our land goes from Rhode Island to Maine. Most of the original states." Origin sighed. "I'm sorry to hear about your pack and your brother."

Oleander nodded. He was silent for some time. He wasn't talking about the past right now. "It's pretty here. It's hot! I'm used to colder weather. I have never been this far south."

"I see." Origin knew the past was too much for Oleander. "Let me show you where your room is." He walked back down the stairs and to the room they left. "This is it. You will sleep here."

Oleander nodded. "This is a nice room. Thanks." It was more than he had in almost two years. He missed his family. They weren't his anymore. He had no family. He wiped his face and forced his feelings down.

Origin gave him a tour of the house and walked out. They got into a nice truck and drove around town. Oleander listened to Origin talk about the city and his pack. They pulled into a driveway across town. "This is my house. I live next to Cedar and his wife, Rain. Come in, I need to eat."

Oleander followed Origin into the house. It was a nice normal human house. Origin pulled a book in the living room and a door opened in the wall.

"Come on." Origin walked into a secret room with silver doors along the wall and books on the other side. The middle of the room was a lamp and six leather chairs. "I came here to eat and read. I love to read and I love creepy secret rooms." He smiled.

Oleander smiled. "It's nice." He looked at the books. He touched each one. "Have you read all of these?" This was a very cool room. He had never seen a secret room before and he loved all of the books that were here.

Origin shook his head. "No. I just love to read."

"What do you do? Do you have a job or just work for the Alpha? I don't know how other packs work." Oleander sighed.

"I work in construction. I just opened my contracting business. I love it." Origin smiled. "I built this room."

"Wow!" Oleander smiled as he looked around. "I can't build anything."

"What did you do?" Origin was curious.

Oleander sighed. "I was a guard for the Alpha. I was off duty that day. I blame myself all the time."

Origin was shocked to hear this and had a serious need to comfort the wolf. "Oleander! I'm sorry. That wasn't your fault. It had to have been planned. It's not easy to kill an Alpha! That wasn't your fault!" Origin knew that and spoke very gently. This was the first time Oleander talked about his past.

"If I had been there..." Oleander stared.

Origin interrupted. "No! You would have died too. You know that."

"That's what my ma...Cosmo said." Oleander almost slipped. He stopped talking and wiped a tear. He had to stop crying. The pain had to stop soon.

"Cosmo?" Origin heard the slip but couldn't figure out what kind of slip it was but it wasn't brother. Ma...wasn't brother. He said that Cosmo was his brother but that wasn't the word he was about to use?

"My brother." Oleander tried to fix it.

"Oh, I see." Weird slip. Brother didn't start with ma..? Origin let it go and tried to be gentle. "He was right, Oleander. I'm sorry that you're sad too." He sighed. "I lost my family at a young age but I got this one in its place. I love them. Maybe you can find your place too."

Oleander cleared his throat and quieted his feelings. "Thanks but I don't have a place, Origin. Once I am allowed, I will go and live quietly. Disappear." He knew his future was gone with Cosmo. He missed that wolf.

"Well, I hope you don't disappear." Origin smiled. His phone rang. He pulled it from his pocket. "My mom." He smiled at Oleander as he explained who was calling. "Hello, Mom." He was quiet as his mom talked. Oleander waited patiently.

Origin sighed. "Mom, I don't know. Hold on." He looked at Oleander, who sat in a leather chair. "My mom is asking if you want to join us for dinner? Just so you know, she isn't really asking. She pretends to ask." He smiled.

Oleander was so disoriented. "Uh..."

"Are you hungry? You have to be." Origin nodded as he was back on the phone. "We are coming." He hung up. "Come on. There is no escaping my mother." He walked out of the secret room and Oleander followed. They got into the car and Origin drove through town again. "My mom wants to thank you for saving my life."

Oleander blushed. "I don't think that I saved your life. You would have been fine."

Origin would have blushed if he could. "Thanks, Oleander. I'm sorry about my mom. She wouldn't have stopped until you came to dinner. Giving in is easier. She's persistent."

Oleander smiled and nodded. He just looked out the window. Origin ignored the urge he had to wrap his arm around Oleander and pull him close. He wanted to comfort him, badly. Hold him all night and protect him. Keep that sad look off his face. There wasn't a thing he could do so he drove home.

Oh, right! Don't forget to vote and comment if you like! I got sidetracked by the abs!! Ha Ha! 

KISSES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!