Rising from the Ashes
Chapter 15

The drive back to the Bluemoon pack felt longer than the drive to Stonebridge. Perhaps it was because Charlotte was absolutely never happy after the first five hours. Nothing was ever right. She was either hungry or she needed to pee or she needed more coffee or she needed more sleep but couldn't get comfortable enough to sleep or she needed to eat again.

Elenora just didn't have the patience for it. Especially not with the phone call she had with Mia fresh in mind.

It could have also been the lack of touch with Nakoa. They had both silently agreed they wouldn't be nearly as hands on with Charlotte in the backseat. Elenora just didn't think when they made the agreement it was no hands on. Nakoa hasn't touched her in any way since the beginning of this miserable drive where he kissed her cheek and sat down in the drivers seat.

After Nakoa saw her worry he told Charlotte and her he doesn't need to stop at a hotel. He has stayed awake for a week before. Of course he did not mention the side affects staying up for a week might cause somebody. Elenora would know. Still, as they drive closer to the Stonebridge border Elenora cannot help but notice Charlotte had finally fallen asleep and it looks like she won't be waking for awhile. Then she looks to Nakoa who seems to be trying to stay awake so really Elenora is just doing him a favor.

Maybe it is lack of sleep. Maybe it is her wolf to blame for being so horny all the time. All Marcella wants is him and it gets on Elenora's nerves sometimes. Except right now all she wants is him too. With that being thought out not so thoroughly Elenora touches Nakoa in a place they've yet to explore. The reaction to her touch is quite interesting, especially when she starts to move. First of all, the growing hardness which only makes Elenora that much more curious. Second of all, his entire body tenses as he jerks. Third, the immediate change of eye color.

His eyes are not yet red but they are most certainly darker. "Elenora." He manages to get out looking very much awake as his hands grip the steering wheel. "May I ask what you are doing?" He growls lowly jerking his hips uncontrollably when her hand picks up pace.

Is it terrible how incredibly turned on she is? She did this to him and that's surprising given her only experience is the twenty minutes she spent searching top ten ways to pleasure your man. Which is absolutely ridiculous and Elenora felt odd about it the entire time. Especially when it got to the handjob. Lets not mention when she came across the blowjobs. People actually put it in the mouth? "May I?" Elenora finds herself asking when her fingers find his zipper.

Nakoa swings the car off the dirt path and slams on the breaks. Elenora immediately checks to see if Charlotte slept through that. She did. Then her attention is pulled to Nakoa when he grabs her and kisses her in a way he has never kissed her before. It's hard and rough and frustrated and so very wonderful. Elenora does not think it's possible to get enough of this man. "Elenora as much as I would love to continue this we are a mile out from Bluemoon. I can already hear some of the warriors in the trees this far out which means Alpha Scott had tightened security. The last thing I want to do is show up to his warrior packed border with stained pants." But he kisses her again and again "And your daughter is in the backseat!" He growls lowly before pulling away. He adjust in his seat looking very uncomfortable.

Elenora understands completely "I can help with that." She points to his bulge. She had also read that a hard on can be very painful and since it is her fault he has one it is only right she helps him with it.

"Your daughter." He reminds looking quite flushed.

"If she did not wake up with your driving I would say we are safe." Elenora tells him with complete confidence as he pulls back onto the dirt road. He spares her a side glance and Elenora is quite proud to see his eyes are switching between a very dark brown and a very lovely red. Somebody is struggling with control. Why might that be?

"My driving is perfectly adequate so long as I do not have a shockingly....forward woman in the passenger seat." He whispers lowly. Elenora cannot help her grin but she does relent. They are only getting closer to the border and he is sadly right. Perhaps it is best they save this for the privacy of a room.

Elenora grabs his hand almost on instinct before pulling it to her lips and kissing his knuckles as he had done to her several times before. He instantly laces their fingers as she leans back on the seat and they pull up to the border. Security had definitely increased and with it, warriors she does not recognize. One steps up to the car completely on guard looking to them as if they are a threat. "State your business!" A young man growls. For a moment even Alpha Bardrick seems shocked at this welcome.

Elenora suspects he is not quite used to people not recognizing him. Especially a neighboring pack. "Rogue. Elenora. I am a current resident in this pack. Alpha Nakoa Bardrick. He is returning me back home. Unranked. Charlotte Barlowe. Here for entry." Elenora speaks first, all in one breath. Much had changed since stepping foot into Alpha Scott's pack it would seem. She hadn't realized how much until this very moment.

As a rogue from the forest the very moment she stepped up to any border she was tense and wondering just how fast the situation might escalate. Her first instinct had been telling them exactly what she is, exactly who she is, and her intention. It had been important to keep the interaction as quick as possible to avoid any trouble and depending on the pack, trouble was inevitable.

Elenora had barely paid closing in on this border another thought. Her thoughts exactly were probably something close to this.

Who cares about proper procedure when I could be seducing a certain Alpha

That was her focus and with the way her lips still tingle, Elenora would have to say she succeeded at least a little bit. Now she has managed to gain both Nakoa's attention and the warrior who doesn't so much as flinch or stand down.

"Do you have proof?" The warrior snaps. With the way Mia is always going on about how uptight Elenora is, I think she needs to meet this guy because even Elenora can tell he is a whole new level of it. Or maybe Elenora has spent too much time with her beloved friend.

"I am a rogue. I have no ID but," Elenora pauses and leans over to Nakoa and because she really wants to make the warrior uncomfortable she kisses him as she pulls out his wallet. The warrior clears his throat and so Elenora decides it would not hurt to enjoy herself a couple seconds more. Nakoa makes it all too easy as he responds with great fervor. His fingers tangling in her hair as he explores her mouth in a way that feels absolutely breathtaking. When she finally pulls away the warrior is flushed red and her mate is breathing heavily, eyes darkened a significant degree. He looks so heavenly Elenora debates kissing him again.

Then she curses her wolf because this has to be her fault. Never had Elenora gotten attached to somebody so quickly and now she never wants to leave Nakoa's side and just when did she start calling him Nakoa instead of Alpha Bardrick? This is moving too fast for her to even process it and Elenora cannot help but wonder if there is a way to slow it down. There has to be a way. They are currently entering a pack and all she can think about is this man and his lips and his hands traveling -no! Focus Elenora! With that thought she practically shoves Nakoa's ID in the flushed warriors face "His ID now let us in you oaf!"

Elenora cannot even fully appreciate messing with warriors now. It becomes a favorite past time when you realize you will not get murdered for it anymore.

The warrior seemed moments away from denying them entrance when Tiras of all people walks up behind him and gives him a gentle shove aside. By gentle Elenora witnesses as the demon practically throws the warrior to the ground as if he were nothing but a bag of potatoes. Tiras smirks down at the two of them as he leans down to look in the car. "Now I see why you never gave me the time of day love. This fine man must have had you captivated the moment you laid eyes on him. I can understand. The things I would do to him."

Elenora's face flushes for more than one reason and she isn't quite sure what to say to that. First of all. It is all wrong. The first time she met dear Tiras she did not know of Nakoa and she did not like him one bit. Secondly, Tiras must have completely overlooked Nakoa because he followed her to his bar once. Third. Does he really swing both ways because if so no man or women is safe from his clutches. The fourth thing is most important and so she speaks it, her fingers clenching Nakoa's "You keep your demon claws off him Tiras. I am not overly fond of sharing."

"Now Elenora!" Tiras gasp, widening his emerald green eyes "Sharing is caring and I could just imagine a threesome with you two. It would be delightful." Threesome? Is he serious. The thought leaves her flushed and shaking her head in pure disgust. Elenora might be old fashioned in her beliefs but the thought of a threesome is revolting. The thought of sharing her mate with somebody...

"I am afraid I only have eyes for Elenora." Nakoa tells Tiras before clearing his throat and pointing to a path. "May I?" Nakoa does not get an answer but we do get a new warrior to the mix. This one, Elenora admits, is not completely unwelcome.

"Why is Bob on the ground?" Warrior Thompson ask pointing to the warrior Elenora had completely forgotten about. Tiras seems to have forgotten about him too because he stares down at the warrior curiously.

"Good question. Why are you on the ground Bob?" Tiras ask the man who can only stare up speechless. Warrior Thompson forgets him fast and turns back to them, offering Elenora a wide grin.

"Good to see you back Milady! Pleasure horns over here hasn't been bothering you too much I hope? Apparently he came to offer protection to the pack but I have a sneaky suspicion he actually came to get laid."

"Stop calling them that!" Tiras snaps, looking more flushed than Elenora had ever seen him before. "They are called-"

"-Pleasure horns." Warrior Thompson grins up at Tiras "I know. You guys can pull ahead." Warrior Thompson waves them by and Nakoa does not waste a moment before stepping on the gas and leaving the two bickering men behind. His only intention seems to be getting far away from the two men.

"Your friends are quite interesting to say the least." Nakoa tells her as they pull up to her cabin. For a moment they only sit in silence before Nakoa sighs and looks to her seeming awfully worried. His grip on her tightens before he ask a question Elenora is not sure she can answer "What will happen now? Do you want to try for something more or will you go on to ignore everything that has happened these past weeks? To hide you would be a disgrace. Your rightful place is Luna-"

"You are getting way too ahead of yourself Nakoa." Elenora interrupts. They are moving fast. Too fast. Not too long ago she had only kissed him because the packs were nowhere near. She was just Elenora and he was just Nakoa. They did not have to be anything else. Elenora cannot help but long for that hotel room once again. She wants to run. Far away.

"I am exactly where I need to be Elenora. I am an Alpha and you can be my Luna."

"It is not so simple. I am a rogue. A rogue! You might have forgotten that but it is part of me. I have lived a rogue for five years and that is not something your pack will easily forget Nakoa. They will not accept me." That is not something Elenora can forget nor is it something Mia can forget.

"They will accept you the moment I announce you my mate, their rightful Luna. If you are really so worried we do not have to tell them. You no longer smell of rogue-"

"I will not hide." Elenora growls and for just a moment her anger flares, the fire raging at the thought. She did not want to fight with Nakoa. Not at all. She had hoped they would get back to the cabin and maybe they kiss and maybe they linger. She had hoped to catch up with Mia and make Mia swear she would never worry her again. An impossible feat for Mia but she had hoped nonetheless. Now they are talking about things Elenora had refused to even think about "I will not hide from your pack and you will tell them nothing of me being your mate Nakoa. If I am in it they will see me! They will see I am a rogue and they will learn to accept it without you shoving a title in their face or I will leave. You will learn to accept it as I have accepted you as an Alpha" With that Elenora climbs out slamming the car door shut. Nakoa climbs out as well, closing his door much calmer than she had though he shakes in his own fury.

"Have you accepted me as an Alpha? I must have missed that part Elenora because to accept me is to accept the pack and clearly you have done no such thing. My pack has caused you no harm but you insist on hating them all the same." His words are slow and spoken in a voice no higher than a whisper but Elenora hears every word more than clear.

It is a lie. A pure lie. He might not know the harm he caused her but he has harmed her in more ways then one. She had lost a close friend at his hand and he has no clue. Elenora doubts he even knows the name of her friend because every rogue he killed was just that. A rogue. It did not matter who they were beyond that. How could Elenora forget? Why would she allow herself to so easily. Because of what? A mate bond? "I know you are an Alpha." She mutters, her voice becoming more tired than she wishes to show him and more defeated. She does not want to fight. Not with anybody. She wants to forget is what she wants to do. "My stance on this matter remains the same. Tomorrow I will start work for Fergus and I will do so as a rogue not the Luna. I ask that you respect this wish Nakoa. I need them to see me."

The thought of this does not seem to sit well with Nakoa and he makes this more than clear. He walks around the car and embraces her before muttering his fears "If you wish to remain nothing more than a rogue than that is how they will treat you Elenora. Most are not like Fergus." He does not get it. That is exactly what Elenora wants. She needs to see how they will treat her. She needs to know how they might insult a stranger. She needs to see the worse. Elenora is not absolutely certain as to the why but her instincts scream at her to face this.

His arms offer a certain warmth and so for just a moment Elenora buries herself in it. She is not certain as to what tomorrow might bring. She does not know how her first encounter in the pack will go without Nakoa there to ward off anything terrible. However, Elenora is certain she can face it and she will. The slamming of a door startles both of them and Elenora jumps just about a foot away from Nakoa before turning to face her daughter who she is ashamed to say she had forgotten about for a moment.

"Yes. I'm still here." Charlotte grumbles before going inside, leaving her bags for Elenora to grab and she does so without a word. Neither Nakoa or her say more and there is no kiss. It seems they are both a little angered about their discussion. Elenora does not spare so much as a backwards glance at him though she feels his eyes on her. It feels wrong and Marcella howls in her head.

Perhaps a run for the mutt is needed tonight.

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