Chapter 6

Chapter

Six

BEN

It didn't help that Ben slept through the flight, his wrist cuffed to the armrest but with enough chain for him to stretch out comfortably in the overstuffed seats. The private jet was all creamy leather and soft brown trims, like some rich asshole with more money than sense owned it.

The wolves left him alone, talking quietly at the back of the plane.

He only woke as they began their descent.

Ben peeled off the blanket someone had laid over him while he slept and peered out the darkened window. Very few lights were on the ground, indicating fields or forests.

Where the hell were they?

The wolves moved quickly when they landed, opening the door to allow the most fantastic smell to flood the cabin.

Leaning forward, Ben took big, gulping breaths of ancient trees, rich earth and gloriously clean, crisp water. It smelled incredible, like an old memory. A lump formed in his throat as he stood and pulled against the cuff to get closer.

Seamus fetched him, cuffing his wrists in front of him this time, and ushered him down the stairs and across the tarmac to a waiting truck. The area was eerily quiet save for the chirp of crickets in the grass beside the airstrip.

Ben was too distracted to take note, his head swimming from the vibrant smells assailing his senses.

"Where are we?" he croaked once he was pushed into the middle seat, squashed between Seamus and Kris.

"Oakford territory," Stone said from the front, not turning to look at him. "Home."

Maybe for the wolves.

They drove along a darkened road heavily lined with trees. Anders followed behind them on a bike, the headlight's glow bouncing on the truck's ceiling. They soon pulled off onto a side road that quickly turned into compacted dirt, travelling another thirty minutes along a winding track until they turned a corner and the headlights struck a large, wooden cabin.

Ben gulped.

It looked like one of those forest retreats only the wealthy could afford, with floor-to-ceiling windows and a wraparound porch with a sunken spa off to one side. They pulled up, and everyone piled out of the truck.

Ben smelled a large body of water somewhere close by. There must be an alpine lake behind the cabin. Listening to the soft rustle of a breeze through the leaves, Ben bet this place was even more beautiful in the daylight.

The wolves ushered him onto a wide porch as Stone unlocked the door and flicked on the lights. They entered a huge living space with a kitchen on one side and floor-to-ceiling windows on the other. Large couches and deep rugs screamed luxury, as did the kitchen's marble island and polished fixtures. Despite the insane wealth, the place carried a warmth that settled something within Ben.

Stone approached and undid Ben's cuffs with quick, gruff movements. The wolf still seemed mad at him.

"So I'm free to go?" Ben asked, unable to stop himself from poking at the alpha.

Calm blue eyes meet his, the lack of amusement like ice. "Only when you learn your life is more valuable than Vaughn's."

Ben scoffed. He knew his life was worth more, but that didn't mean the world wouldn't benefit from him sacrificing everything to see Vaughn dead. No more orphans or destroyed clan lands. It was worth it. It had to be.

He just didn't understand why Stone seemed so offended by his plan.

Stone must have read something in Ben's eyes, for he sighed deeply and pointed to the barstools along the kitchen island. "Go sit over there and I'll make you something to eat."

Raising an eyebrow, Ben gingerly sat down at the marble island and watched the wolves bring bags from the truck and carry them upstairs. Stone went to the fridge and pulled out cream, herbs and other ingredients.

Resting his elbows on the stone island, Ben said, "You got servants to keep you pampered and bring you groceries, Stone?"

Stone grabbed a board and started chopping onions. "No servants in Oakford. Any decent pack looks after their own."

"Must be nice," Ben muttered.

"It is."

The alpha quickly put together the makings of alfredo pasta, the smell so divine it caused a lump in Ben's throat. He couldn't remember the last time someone cooked for him.

"So, is this your place?" Ben asked, desperate for a distraction.

Stone grunted as he grated a wedge of parmesan. "Most of the pack is spread around the lake or up in the mountains, but yes, this is my home. Jake and Seamus live together in the next bay over, and Kris and Anders built their cabin next door, though you wouldn't know it considering how often they spend the night here." His mouth quirked. "My enforcers like to stay close."

Ben glanced up as footfalls thumped overhead. He wouldn't have picked any of the enforcers as a pairing, but he'd only seen them act in a professional setting.

"They're not your only enforcers, though, right?" Ben asked.

Stone shook his head. "I grew up with Kris and Seamus, so we're naturally close. The pack has many enforcers; some like to stick together in small groups, others like being part of something bigger." He glanced up, blue eyes penetrating. "Vaughn is a rival only because he doesn't care who gets in his way. His pack is barely mid-sized, but he encourages competition and violence. His kind don't last."

Sure, but the damage Vaughn left could scar generations.

Shifting on his chair, Ben again glanced up at the loft ceiling and wondered if this was his best chance to make a run for it. The enforcers were busy upstairs, their voices muffled, and Stone was distracted by the meal prep. Ben knew he could reach the front door before Stone caught up to him, but things were shaky once they got outside in territory Stone dominated. But Ben couldn't shake the feeling he was running out of time; the exhaustion he felt in his bones slowly crept into his soul. Vaughn needed to die before Ben fell to whatever it was that slowly spread under his skin.

Stone must have sensed a change within him. Without looking up from the cutting board, he said, "Do I need to cuff your ankle to the chair, Ben?"

Ben straightened and glared. "I wasn't doing anything," he said, hearing the sullenness in his voice.

Piercing blue eyes held his gaze. "I'm not in the mood to run you down, but I will do it to keep you safe."

Ben scoffed. "I don't get it. You think this is the safest place for me?"

Stone cleaned up the prep area. "You mentioned you have friends on the east coast. Were you telling the truth?"

Ben raised an eyebrow. "Kind of irrelevant now, don't you think?"

Stone merely looked at him.

Tracing a vein in the marbled countertop, Ben said, "You know it's a lie. I have no one—is that what you want to hear?"

"I'm sorry, Ben. It doesn't make me happy to hear you've lost your people. My understanding is that sprites aren't supposed to live alone."

Ben certainly wasn't the last of his kind, but the survivors of his clan were too scarred and angry to handle being around each other for long. "It's not safe when there's no grotto. Luckbringers draw too much attention, especially when we're together outside our clan boundaries." Ben bit his lip. "And we're not like wolves—we can't move to a new clan if our old one no longer exists or doesn't want us. You stay with your clan and grotto for life."

"And if the grotto is gone?"

Ben shrugged. "Then it's the end of the line for the clan. We need the grotto to restore ourselves, or we eventually die out."

"No new home? The clans haven't always just existed, Ben. They started somehow."

"I don't know. It wasn't something I was ever interested in asking about when I was a kid." Ben had barely wanted to sit still as a kid, and now he couldn't find anyone who was able or willing to share their traditions.

Connor made a soft sound like a wolf's whine.

Ben straightened, feeling suddenly uncomfortable and exposed. "It's fine. It's not your burden, wolf, and I accepted everything years ago."

The alpha looked like he wanted to reach across the counter and touch him, but thankfully didn't. Ben wasn't sure what he would have done. Either smacked Stone's hand away or leaned in…it could go either way.

A timer buzzed, and Stone pulled garlic bread from the oven just as his enforcers made their way back downstairs. They'd all changed into sweats and t-shirts, though still all in black like a uniform. Jake settled beside Ben and gave him a quiet smile, while Kris jostled with Anders and Seamus for the best seat at the island.

"Cut it out and grab some glasses, Kris," Stone said, ignoring the dismayed yell as Kris lost his seat to Seamus, who stretched out his arms to take up more space than was necessary.

Kris pulled out two jugs of iced water before grabbing glasses, bowls and cutlery. He gave Seamus a pointed glare but filled a glass of water for everyone.

Seamus took a big gulp and loudly smacked his lips. "Got something to say, Kris?"

"I say plenty with my knives," Kris snarked as he sat beside Seamus.

"Big talk, buddy. It's been a while since I wiped your ass in a spar."

Kris grinned, all bared teeth and eagerness. "Tomorrow, then?"

"Done," Seamus said, bumping his shoulder against Kris in rough affection.

Kris momentarily leaned into the touch. Wolves were such tactile creatures, and it was clear this small group were close, even if they teased and irritated each other.

"I'm not cleaning up the blood," Anders muttered, setting off another round of good-natured ribbing.

Ignoring the sniping of his enforcers, Stone dished out the pasta and nudged a heaped bowl towards Ben. "Eat as much as you can, Ben. A pup could take you down."

Ben wanted to snark back, but he wasn't at his best and the food smelled amazing. "Thanks," he said, taking a fork as the wolves grabbed their bowls and started eating.

Unable to help himself, Ben moaned around the first bite of creamy, salty goodness. Damn, it was good. Quite possibly the best alfredo he'd ever eaten. Who knew the fiercest alpha in the country liked to cook? The next mouthful was just as good as the first, and Ben sighed happily.

A sudden quiet settled over the kitchen. Ben looked up to see the wolves all staring at him.

He swallowed quickly. "What?"

Connor's pupils looked slightly blown. He cleared his throat and sent his enforcers a glare. "It's nothing, Ben."

The enforcers quickly returned to their meals, with Jake grabbing extra slices of garlic bread.

Wolves were so weird.

"You do make the best pasta, boss," Anders said, eyeing the saucepans as if checking for leftovers.

"I'll remember to make more next time." Stone glanced at Ben. "Taste okay?"

Ben swallowed his next mouthful and nodded. "It's really good. Thank you."

He didn't understand why Connor made the effort to include him when the alpha was so pissed about the whole Vaughn situation. Was this what pack was like—looking after each other no matter what? Sprites tended not to be so close.

Connor leaned on the other side of the island, watching them all eat with a soft smile turning up the corners of his mouth.

Ben found it incredibly sexy. He didn't think an alpha taking care of his pack could be so hot, but the heat pooling in his belly told him he'd found a new kink.

Homemaker alpha.

Yes, please…

Ben quickly ducked his head, forking more of his pasta before he made an idiot of himself by getting caught staring. It reminded him that he needed to get out of Oakford territory before Vaughn showed up and ruined everything here, too.

They finished their meals in comfortable silence before Jake jumped up to start clearing the kitchen. The other enforcers went to the living area, pulling out a gaming station with easy familiarity, making bets and threats over who would lose.

Ben hesitated, not sure if he could join them.

Stone grabbed his sleeve and motioned with his chin towards the stairs. "I'll show you the room you're staying in and you can get cleaned up."

That sounded better than Ben wanted to admit. He wanted to wash the last few days from his skin and grab a few moments to think and plot his next moves.

They headed upstairs, and Connor opened the second door to reveal a large bedroom with a solid timber bedframe, dresser and thick rug that Ben wanted to sink his toes into. The room felt sort of unused but comfortable. A door to the right led to an ensuite with an oversized shower that called to Ben.

"This is nice," Ben said, feeling a little overwhelmed.

"I'm in the next room over," Connor said, staying in the doorway. "The enforcers will sleep in the rooms further down when they're not on patrol."

Ben snorted at the unsubtle warning not to run. Even though the enforcers were large men, Ben suspected they were fast and sleek as wolves, and could definitely outpace him in the surrounding forest.

"Sure thing, Stone. I'm not going to try anything."

Stone's mouth quirked. "Current behavior notwithstanding?" He shook his head. "You've fought alone for too long; you can give up control for a while."

"And you're the one to take control?" Ben snarked.

"If you'll let me," Stone said.

Ben couldn't decide if he was insulted or interested. A weird buzz went through his body at the thought of trusting Stone enough to stick around.

But there was no point when Vaughn was coming for him. He could already tell Stone had a good thing here, and Ben didn't plan to be the one responsible for ruining everything.

"I was doing just fine before you came along, Stone. You should stick to pack matters."

Stone smiled. "Oh, I fully intend to, Ben." He pushed off the doorway. "I'll leave you to it. Yell out if you need anything. Otherwise, sleep well," he added before closing the bedroom door.

Ben listened but didn't hear a door lock. The alpha's footsteps faded downstairs. The wolves must be very confident that Ben couldn't escape. Ben went to the window, opening it to look out at the night-filled forest. It was too dark for him to see what lay below him, and Ben figured it would be best to scope out the area before making a proper run for it.

Sighing, he went into the bathroom, finding a t-shirt and sweats neatly folded by the sink. Black, just like Stone's pack, and too big for him. Ben wondered whose they were.

Shrugging, he stripped down and hopped in the shower. The hot water immediately soothed him; the scent was fresh and without chemicals as if it came directly from an alpine lake.

Ben let himself enjoy the water. The last few days left him feeling shell-shocked, but he was a survivor. The wolves clearly thought he wasn't a threat or that they could handle whatever he threw at them. He'd show them.

He'd survive this, too.