A Spiritual's Mark

Chapter 7: A New Home

-Hope-

“And this is your room,” Lara remarked, opening the door to the room I had been given.

I was very grateful to Lara for taking me in. I had already thanked her so many times that she had to remind me I didn’t need to express gratitude all the time. She was glad she could help and mentioned it was nice to have the company. She didn’t see her mate a lot, but he had left two males behind he trusted a lot: Brody and Tucker, who helped her run the pack. And there was, of course, her female beta Cecilia, a very sweet female whom I had exchanged a few words with upon my arrival.

“You are sure this is okay?” I inquired as I walked inside and placed my bag on the bed.

“Of course! I understand why you needed to get away.”

“Hunter explained?” I asked.

She nodded.

“I can imagine how much it sucks. Can’t say it was easy for James and me to accept each other either. I understand if you need a little distance. I sure did,” she commented.

“Thank you,” I expressed.

“What did I say?” she teased.

“Right. Enough with the thanks.”

“Exactly!” she exclaimed and winked. “I will have someone come show you around. I sadly have to get back to work.”

“That’s okay. I can find my way around.”

“Are you sure? You could get lost,” she remarked.

“I will be fine. I just want to settle in. Maybe try to eat a little.”

It was almost strange to hear myself suggest eating a little when I had been avoiding it for so long, unless someone told me to do it.

“Very well. You are free to walk around, but if you leave the house, please take someone with you. I don’t want you to go around unable to protect yourself,” she instructed.

I nodded. “Will do.”

Lara smiled and then walked away, leaving me to unpack. Yet instead of doing exactly that, I sat down on the bed, took a deep breath, and tried to gather myself. I could do this. This was a new chance. I could make a life here even. I just had to take it one step at a time, and with that thought, I started to unpack.

***

The first two weeks here kind of passed in a blur. I didn’t see Lara much. She was working hard as always, training with the others and constantly changing the border patrol, so they were never the same. She feared Connor watching her would make him find weaknesses in her defense, and I quickly learned everything I had heard about her was true.

She was simply amazing! I had never before met a female like her. She was so strong, but that didn’t mean there wasn’t time for her to hang out with her family, pack members, and, of course, her mate as well. She made time for it all, and I could only say it made me admire her.

I got to know some people as well. I talked a little with Cecilia, but she always stayed close to Lara, who was running around. I became friends with the two males, Brody and Tucker, but they were quite busy too. I became close to Helena and Lucas, especially Lucas. He was so funny and always made me laugh. It made me feel like I could really make a home here. One I could fit into as well.

I even got to know Lara’s family. They were rather crazy, but in a great way. She had three older brothers who often took the time to visit her and make sure things were all right. Her father didn’t always have the time to go with her, but sometimes he came to visit her, and it was clear that Lara and he were close, even though they had only met less than a year ago.

James couldn’t be here that often either, and I could see how much it pained both of them to be apart. I was often invited to the dinners she had with her family, and it was then, James found the time to visit as well, though it was hard to watch them say goodbye the next morning.

James was working even harder now that the king was going out of his mind, unable to get to his queen. He didn’t know how she was doing. I empathized with his distress.

I had no idea where Phoenix was or how he was doing, but of course, the king and the queen were a lot closer. They had to go through a lot in order to get where they were today. I could easily understand why he was getting more and more frustrated. Connor had not made a sound in months! No one had heard anything from his son, Chris, either. I just hoped he was okay, and Phoenix and the queen as well, wherever they were.

“What are you reading?” Lucas took the book from me as he jumped down beside me on the couch, inspecting it.

“Just... a book.”

“The Powers of The Mating Bond,” he read out loud, looking at the cover of it, and then looking over at me, smiling. “Something you want to tell me?”

I rolled my eyes. “No!”

I took the book from him, but he held it so far away that I had to lean over him in order to get it.

“Lucas!” I complained.

But he just chuckled as he kept the book away from me. No one knew of my connection to Phoenix other than Lara, and perhaps Cecilia. I wasn’t certain about how much Lara had disclosed to her. Those two women seemed to be quite the team. It often appeared as though they knew what the other was thinking without verbalizing it. I knew, of course, they could communicate through the pack bond, but it was the way they looked at each other, almost communicating silently, that indicated they weren't even using that.

“You know if you are looking for someone to explore that bond with, all you have to do is say so,” he teased me.

“You are so funny!” I replied sarcastically, trying to reach for the book.

“What are you two doing?” Helena entered the living room, finding me lying halfway over Lucas, who was leaning back as far as he could. I knew we must have looked ridiculous in this position, so I smiled innocently up at Helena.

“Nothing,” I replied.

She crossed her arms and then glanced down at Lucas.

“Are you bullying the newcomer again?” she asked him.

He feigned offense, but I also noticed he was distracted as he looked at Helena, which gave me the chance to snatch the book from his hands. He turned to look at me, and I just stuck my tongue out, feeling rather smug. He simply smiled at me before turning back to Helena.

“I never bully her,” he remarked and ruffled up my hair.

“Right,” she stated and sat down on the chair beside the couch Lucas and I were sitting on.

“I am just making her feel welcome.”

He turned to smile at me, and I glared at him as I fixed my hair.

“What kind of book is that?” Helena inquired, tilting her head to the side to read the letters on the cover.

“Nothing special,” I responded.

“It is a book about the mating bond,” Lucas remarked.

I glared at him again, but he just smiled at me.

“I told her if she wanted to figure out what it is like, she just had to say so.”

“Don’t listen to him,” Helena stated. “He is an ass.”

“You like my ass,” he remarked.

The two of them were like siblings. Always teasing and making fun of the other, but it was clear it was never done with evil intent. No, they were always laughing. It had been hard for me in the beginning to really understand their relationship, but I had slowly grown accustomed to it.

“Why are you reading that book though?” Helena inquired.

“Just... interested.”

“You wonder what it is like finding your mate?” she questioned.

I wanted to tell her I already knew. To be honest, I was not sure why I had chosen this book. Maybe I hoped to understand how I could remove this ache in my heart or maybe I hoped I could find a way to somehow break our connection, without having to reject him. But so far, the book told me what I already knew: it couldn’t be done.

Phoenix was my mate, and the mark I had placed on him wouldn’t simply vanish out of the blue, freeing us from each other. That was just not going to happen. It made me feel so defeated because I knew Phoenix wouldn't want to see me again, even after he finally learned I had left Hunter’s territory and he could come home again. However, I was a little surprised when two weeks passed and I heard nothing from Hunter. But I had no doubt that Phoenix would return once he learned I wouldn’t be there to bother him...