Lockwood City: The Tale of Eloise

Ten

Skazi- Acelera

Elias:

Standing in front of her is different. It doesn't feel real. She doesn't seem real to me right now. Her hair is down today. It's so long and shiny. It reaches her waist. Thick dark waves cascade down her back like an oil waterfall. I want nothing more than to have it sprawled across my bare chest. I want to touch it. s**t, I'd brush it if she'd let me.

She's wearing black skinny jeans that show off her curves perfectly. The fitted, black, long-sleeve t-shirt covers most of her skin. The only visible mark is mine. She has on a set of bangles on both hands and a couple of necklaces that stand out against the black-on-black outfit. Her icy gray eyes glow against the dark color. I'm having a hard time focusing on making her breakfast. I've never cooked before. Jax and I printed a recipe. I memorized it as he drove me here so it looks like I know what I'm doing.

She goes over to the speaker on the counter and docks her phone. Bones Exposed by Of Mice and Men blares out of the speaker. A smile spreads over my face as she takes a seat in front of me. My body reacts to her violently. I want to say this is a new feeling. That she wasn't always like this but ever since we were kids, my dad would f**k me up because of all the dumb things we would do together. God, if she hadn't been taken, we would have had a lot of fun together. Of that, I am sure of. Eloise loved challenging Alpha Tec. She lived for it and by the looks of it, that hasn't changed much.

"No onions," she says when I reach for them. "At least not for me. I don't like the taste and I don't want to throw up today,"

"No onions," I agree. I laugh when Oxy Cotton by Lil Wyte starts. "Do you still know the lyrics?"

"Yes," she grins. "One does not simply forget Lil Wyte,"

I lift my eyebrow challengingly and as soon as the song starts she follows. She does the entire first verse and the chorus and points at me for the next one. I give her what she wants. I leave her favorite verse to her. We sing the chorus together after. She's happy again. I feel the warmth in her right now. Enough to calm me. Enough for me to enjoy the warmth flooding through the two of us. If I feel this without the bond completed, what will it feel like when it's fully cemented?

"I can't believe that was our favorite song when we were seven," I laugh.

"What do you listen to now?" she asks. I press my lips together and shrug.

"Dubstep, trance, EDM,"

"EDM?" she sneers and shakes her head. "Isn't that what she likes? Raves,"

"What's wrong with raves?" I ask ignoring the snide comment. Yes, it is what Tiffany likes. She introduced me to that scene but I like it for a completely different reason than she does.

"Raves are for people who let go of their emotions," she shrugs and gets up. She goes over to the bike parked on the deck. That's where I found her when I arrived.

"Sounds like you could use some of that in your life," I call after her. She scoffs.

"I can't afford to let them go," she begins to tamper with the bike. Connecting things, there are tools on the floor next to it. "I'm going to need them moving forward,"

"Do you know what you're doing?" I ask her. She sits back and tugs her hair back before tying it with a large black scrunchy.

"In theory," she shrugs. "My dad doesn't want me to ride it so he disconnected the electrical wiring. I've been working on it all night. I just need a couple of more things to connect,"

"You're going to ride the bike? Have you ever ridden a bike before?"

"Yeah, this one. The tire marks in the living room. That was me. I've jumped this off the stairs," she climbs on it and smiles. "Got it,"

"Eloise-" she cuts me off by starting the bike. It purrs to life. She laughs satisfied with the results.

"Not riding, my ass," she scoffs. She turns it off and begins to clean up.

"You need a helmet," I tell her.

"I have one," she says and comes over.

She bumps me with her hip and crouches down in front of me when I move away. She takes a jar of coconut oil and hand sanitizer out and sets it next to the sink. She uses coconut oil to take most of the grease off her hands and then sanitizer to take the rest of it off before she washes her hands with soap.

"You do this a lot?" I ask. She glances at me.

"Uh, yeah. I built my setup myself and I have to tune up the bike as well. You know, so my parents don't give me s**t about driving it in the apartment," she smiles. I laugh.

This feels really familiar. It feels really good but this isn't who I am anymore. I can't just give in to it. Not when she might fall apart. I can't risk her state of mind just because I miss who I used to be. She needs me to be level-headed. Patient. The numbness she feels is not normal. I don't know how to fully address it without my feelings getting in the way. I need to be professional about this.

"I'm shocked but not surprised," I admit. She glances at me looking me over. "Do you not like what I'm wearing?"

"You look like a tool," she shrugs.

I flinch. Brutally honest. That's not something I remember about her. If she didn't like something, she'd keep it to herself. If you can't say anything nice don't say anything at all, were the words Luna Bes used to make her repeat before we went anywhere.

"I'm sorry?"

"Why do you dress like that?" she asks. "You look like some rich ass hole's trophy son. I would know. My brother dresses like a tool. Slacks, button-ups, jewelry. Do you also have a collection of pretty ties and cuff links?" she giggles mockingly. "Who are you?"

"Haha," I sneer. "Yes, I do have ties and cuff links. I'm going to be formally addressed as Dr. Elias Graeson soon. I have to look the part,"

"Is that why?" she sits down at the counter again.

I place her breakfast in front of her. Freshly made biscuits in gravy topped with egg whites. She pulls the plate closer to her and takes the fork I offer her. I take a seat next to her with my own plate.

"What else is there?" I ask. She takes her phone and slides it to me.

"Play something you like for me," she shrugs as she takes a bite of her food.

I type in a song and tap on it when it pops up. She puts it back. The song begins to play. Odd Mob, Left to Right. I laugh when she looks at me like I've lost my mind. To my surprise, she eats all of her food. She doesn't touch the coffee or the orange juice. She just drinks water. The song changes and The Business by Tiesto starts.

"Are you okay?" I ask when she pauses mid-drink.

"This isn't isn't as bad as the last one," she mumbles and downs the rest of the water.

She doesn't say if she likes what I made or not. She washes her plate and begins to clean up. I finish my food and wash my plate. Eloise goes upstairs and comes back with a black leather riding jacket on, her bright red backpack, and a shiny red helmet with little devil horns on the front. She tosses me a pair of keys. I look down to see the BMW logo on the fob along with a set of keys to Cherry Hill.

"What are you doing?" I ask.

"Take my car. I'll take my bike,"

"Your pink car?" I shake my head. She laughs.

"It's not pink anymore. The velvet red convertible up front. Are you ready to go?" she takes her phone and types the address into her GPS.

"Okay, if you're going to do this. You can't be reckless. You need to drive the speed limit so I can follow behind you. Got it?" It's too early for traffic to block her. It doesn't get bad until after eight.

"Sure," she nods going over to the bike as she puts the helmet on.

She kicks the stand back and begins to push the bike towards the elevator. I watch as she puts her phone on the holder. Am I really going to let her do this? It's dangerous and she can get hurt but I've never seen that look in her eyes. The icy glaciers in her eyes look like they're alive. Like frost violently spreading over clear glass. I'm going to have a hard time saying no to her.

"I am going to regret this, aren't I?" I ask her.

She turns to me but I can't see anything past the pitch-black tint of the protective shield. I know she's f*****g grinning under that. When we get to the bottom she mounts the bike and starts it right away. The smell of gasoline floods the elevator immediately.

"No, no, no," Alpha Tec shouts coming out of nowhere. She laughs revving the bike. "Get off, now. Eloise!" the bike jerks forward making him stumble back before it stops in the middle of the lobby. "Get off the f*****g bike, Eloise," she lets him take a few steps towards her before she turns the throttle burning out in the middle of the lobby. "Eloise," he growls breaking into a run. I run after him just in time to see her take off. She jumps the steps and skids into the street. The back tire screeches as she gases the bike lifting the front of it before taking off full speed. "f**k!"

"Oh, s**t," I laugh watching as she takes the light. Oncoming traffic barely misses her as she disappears into the city streets.

The alpha shifts in front of the building. His massive black wolf takes off after.

"What the f**k is going on?" Luna Bes rushes out coughing. She picks up his phone, wallet, and the pieces of what's left of his jewelry.

"Eloise took the bike," I inform her. She laughs. "Alpha Tec went after her,"

"Well, what are you waiting for? Go after them," she jumps into the passenger seat of the red BMW. I go around and get in. She turns the radio on as soon as I start the car. Big Bad Wolf by In This Moment starts. "Remember when I bailed you out of jail when you tried to outrun the cops four years ago?"

"The stolen Mercedes," I nod feeling ashamed.

"Drive it like you stole it or he's going to get to her before we do," she smirks as we put our seatbelts on. "Or let me do it,"

"I got it,"

I look up to see Tiffany standing in front of the Lockwood Tower. She shakes her head disapprovingly. I ignore her turning my attention to the street. I put it in sports mode and hit the gas. Luna Bes turns the radio up all the way as I shift the gears on the back of the steering wheel. I don't go the long way the GPS is taking Eloise. She's going around the city. I have to go threw it if I want to get to the gate before they do.

"Oh, s**t. You're taking the shortcut," she laughs drumming her hands on the dashboard. "Let's go,"

I push her little car to everything it's got and I'm not sure if this is the car for her. If she drives the bike the way she did just now, she's going to be just as reckless with this thing. Thankfully it's too early for anyone to interrupt us. If it were past eight, the streets would be packed in tightly. I'd have to break a s**t ton of laws to get her before them. As soon as we arrive at the gate I hear a loud growl approaching from behind us. I press the button to open the gates.

"Left," I shout when she zooms past us.

Her bike skids and she takes the sharp turn like nothing. I hear her laugh as the bike bolts forward just before the alpha slides across the pavement his paw missing the back tire by inches. He falls on his side and struggles to get back up before going after her again.

"Go, go," Luna Bes laughs.

I wave at the guard who laughs as I go through the gate. Eloise is in front of the garage facing off with the alpha. I put the car in park and rush over to her to stand between them. I know he's waiting for her to get off the bike so he can tear it apart.

"She's not going to do that again," I put my hand up to stop him.

"Says who?" my mate laughs as she takes the helmet off. She shakes out her hair, completely capturing my attention. The alpha growls angrily reminding me that he's pissed right now.

"Not helping, Ellie," I growl at her turning my attention back to her father. "She's not. You know she's only doing it to get a rise out of you. If you f**k up her bike she's not the only one who's going to be upset," I look over at Luna Bes who is walking over to us with her ridiculous, high heels.

"He's right. That's my bike. I gave it to her," she says.

"I won't let her do that again," I say but we all know it's bullshit.

If she wants to ride that thing, I'm not going to stop her. There's only one way for her to learn how dangerous that thing is. I've fallen off of mine a couple of times myself. If she can take the hit, then why stop her? A fall off of that thing isn't going to kill a wolf of her rank. I've cracked my head a few times. The alpha reluctantly lets out a huff and steps away from us. He runs off.

"f**k," Eloise gets off the bike and tosses the helmet it bounces off the bricks cracking the black plexiglass in the front. I pick it up as she throws up on the grass. She falls to her knees heaving hard.

Luna Bes lets out a heavy sigh as she approaches her. Eloise growls at her threateningly. I pull her mother away from her and offer her my keys. She nods and makes her way inside. Finally, Eloise leans back letting her head fall back as she gasps for air. She wipes her mouth with the back of her hand then reaches into her jacket to pull a mini Listerine bottle from her coat pocket. She empties it into her mouth.

"You could have just said you didn't like my food. It's my first time cooking," I admit. She spits the Listerine out.

"What?" she asks breathlessly.

"You could have just said-"

"I heard you," she smiles. "I loved your food. It wasn't too crazy but it was good. I know you snuck sausage in there. I could barely taste it but it was really good. I haven't had meat in a very very long time,"

"Ellie, you know you don't have to hit the ground running, right?"

I crouch down next to her. She puts the empty bottle in her pocket and trades it for a hand sanitizer one. She pours a lot on her hands. She even wipes some of it across her mouth. No wonder her lips are always chapped. I wonder if the scent of the sanitizer helps her.

"There is no other way," she sighs and pushes herself up to her feet. I try to reach out to steady her but she dodges me. I have to admit that it stings. It's going to be a while before she lets me touch her again. Even if it's not s****l or loving. She doesn't want to be touched at all. "If I don't give it everything. Then we're just wasting our time. Just so we're clear, I'm not doing this for you. It's not happening because of you. You just happened to stumble into me at the very beginning of it, Elias. I want your help but I don't need it. I'm tired of doing things the way everyone else thinks I should do them. It doesn't work. Not for me at least,"