Chapter 44

"Right now?" Luciano's eyes widened and the glass in his hand trembled. "Like, right now?"

"Yes!" I jumped up and planted my drink on the table. "I want to go home. I just—we are done here and Dillion is coming along with us to the States." Any second more I wasted over here, I could waste there.

"Oh, yes, pretty please." Anna almost moaned. "I've been dying."

I snapped at her, "You actually died so let's not go there. You got marked!"

"Well, the hotel was pretty nice but I rather be alone in a house where no one can here us—"

"We heard you, Anna, this is where you cut." Luciano raised his voice and said, stopping my sister from going any further to explain how her night went with Ben who was eager to share the details as well.

Without anymore delay, I announced, "We will be leaving then, today itself."

"I'm in!" Anna was excited more than any of us, even me. Guess she didn't really like England after all.

"Me too. Tired of the cold here." Ben added his thoughts to the conversations.

I glanced at Luciano and raised my brow at him, waiting for his reply. Did he want to leave or not? The silence only lasted a second before we heard what he wanted.

"I'm getting the jet. Meet me at the dock at five." He gave it all in, at once, breaking the silence with our laughters.

Once the moment of joy died, Luciano approached me at the corner and snaked his arm around my waist. I thought—I believed I knew what he wanted when he came to me but then I felt a cold metal pressed against my stomach.

I gasped at the sight of a gun.

"Shush. Keep it." He raised my shirt and tucked it in.

"Why?" I furrowed my brows while my stomach took a wild turn.

"Just for now, for your protection. Promise me you'll kill whoever does wrong to you?" His voice was lower and huskier than usual as he was hiding this from everyone else in the room. "Promise me, Red?"

I clutched his wrist and nodded, "Yes, yes."

"Good. Ben will be here and I doubt anything will happen but if it does, use it." He dragged a piece of my hair behind my ear and kissed my shoulder. "I'll be at the dock and will try to arrange a plane back home. Don't want to get in that cargo ship again ever." He joked.

I giggled, shaking away the bad thoughts swarming in my head. "I can't wait to leave."

"Same."

I twirled around and took his face in my hands. "I'll see you at five then."

"Five it is." He gave me a deep, burning kiss that forced a fire to spread through my body. "Tonight, after everything, I want you, just you and no one else."

"You'll have me."

After shooting a quick wink at my direction, he waved his hands at Anna and Ben before leaving the house in his rented car and driving away. The cold gun brushed against my stomach and I suddenly stiffened.

Just a few hours.

It was going to be okay.

The three of us sat back down by the fireplace. It had been a few minutes now since Cordelia and Dillion were talking. I hoped I had fulfilled her wish and that I no longer owed her anything.

Sonya walked in from the corner of the room and gave me a short bow—a bow. Was something wrong with her or me?

"You don't have to do that. I'm not the Queen of wolves." I said, shaking my hand in the air.

"But you'll be one day." She replied.

"Maybe, but I'm not right now."

"All right. Would you all like for us to arrange something for lunch? Alpha Dillion asked us to take care of you guys while you are here." The sudden change in her tone and actions ticked me off.

"No, no, we are fine." After sobbing and all the talking, the only thing that was going down my throat was either alcohol or something meatier and bigger—not food.

"I'm not. I'm starving!" Anna yelled from the corner. "Is there something to even eat?" She cocked her head around like magically a feast would appear for her.

"Don't worry, I'll get for you." With that, Sonya walked out of the room.

I shot glances at Anna who rubbed her growling stomach. "What? I have eaten."

"We just buried our Mother."

"It's not like we knew her, Red. I mean—I'd grieve if you died because I know you but I never even heard about her." She stated facts. We weren't connected with our parents to even feel a slight bit of sorrow.

We all got up on our feet when Dillion walked out with Cordelia. They didn't have tears in their eyes which meant something went well. I hoped it did.

I cleared my dry throat and said, "We are going to be leaving today for the States..." I ran my tongue across my lips, a little hesitant to ask what I wanted to ask. "And, I was hoping since you were already planning to go there, you could come along with us?"

Dillion nodded, "Of course. I wouldn't want to be anywhere where you two aren't." It was a quick response that made me gasp in surprise. Really?

"Oh, wow, that's great then!" I smiled, lines of happiness carving my face. I looked over my Father's shoulder and found Cordelia behind, leaving. "I'll be back in a minute." I said to Dillion and Anna.

Scurrying out, I followed Cordelia to the backyard. "Wait. I've something to ask and say." I stopped her.

"Yes?"

Catching my breath, I asked, "How did it go?"

"It went well. We are definitely looking at renewing our friendship before anything else. Thank you for all your help," she stretched her hand out and took mine. "Dillion would never have spoken to me without your help." Her glassy stare landed on mine.

"I'm sure he'll be more willing now that he has buried my Mother. I just want to make sure he stays happy wherever he will be." I said, truthfully. "And, I know this is a little too much to ask but I was wondering if you can come along with me, for a little while." There was something desperate in my tone.

Cordelia was confused, "Why?"

"I could use some help from the one of the greatest witches I've known." I replied, twining my strands between my fingers.

The kingdom of magic never accepted me, not even when Gretel was the Queen. A part of me knew that upon my return, problems would rise again, either from Damon or Lisa's side or other witches and I needed to have someone supportive on my side.

Jacqueline was there, she was always but the witches didn't like her either. We both chose wolves over them so they hated us both equally. At my stay in Lunaris, I looked at the witches and the way they spoke about us.

The wolves whore's.

Whatever they had against the werewolves was going to be triggered again when we would arrive there.

Cordelia was strong, known and Gretel's mentor. She could be helpful to me—only if she wanted too. She placed fear in people's heart, she knew how to control her own kind, and they respected her back.

"You don't need help, Red." She shook her head.

"Oh, I do!" My mouth left a quick giggle of sarcasm. I always needed help. "Please. Dillion will be with us as well and it's a beautiful country, you'll love it there and I won't ask for you to stay for long, just as quick as things are sorted out." I began pleading.

I needed her.

"All right. You have me, Red." 

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