Crossing Paths With The White Wolf
Chapter 18

Helios P o V

I was outside waiting for Gonzalo and Natalia to arrive. We needed to discuss the shifts for surveillance. Gonzalo had the good idea of grabbing two cars so we didn't have to waste time driving people back and forth, sharing one. I'm a little embarrassed about what I said at the diner. I could have sounded a little bit less like a caveman when I tried to get her to stay back.

I don't even know why I tried. I knew she would flip and insist on going, but everything in my head was just flashing to everything that could go wrong and the ways that she could get hurt. The need to protect her was overwhelming and I was beginning to understand it didn't all have to do with my mission, my redemption. I was beginning to have deeper feelings for Natalia. Scratch that, I was pretty sure I was beginning to fall in love with her, which was confusing to no end. I'd only met her a few days ago. A pretty little car caught my eye at the red light to turn into the hotel. A sexy black Maserati purring at me seductively. I squint my eyes at the driver. That couldn't be her? Could it? The tinted window rolls down and Natalia's beautiful face comes into view. She smiles at me, which surprises me considering our last conversation. She lifts her hand and waves at me. My hand automatically begins moving up to wave back when the light turns green and I hear the beast of an engine roar and she takes off. I leaned off the door of the hotel, dumbstruck. Did she just leave? I saw Gonzalo turn into the hotel in a black Audi. He begins to park it and I start yelling, "What are you doing? Go after her!"

He sighs as he gets out of the car. "She's in a Maserati Helios. You really think this thing can catch her?"

"Why the f**k was she given the keys?" I yelled at him.

"Because I can't drive two cars at once. I didn't think she'd run," he said, rubbing the back of his head and looking back at the hotel entrance as if waiting for her to come back in.

"She's been wanting to leave since we met her and you didn't think she would leave?" My chest hurts as I say the words. I'm beyond pissed.

"She has to come bac-"

"She left me!" I yelled at him. His eyes widen and then soften, reading more into my words than I want him to. I turned on my heel and into the room, slamming the door behind me. I grabbed the coffee table and threw it against the wall. I feel myself hyperventilating and I struggle to release the ache in my chest and I'm wondering once again if a god is able to have a heart attack.

After a few minutes, I managed to get my raw emotions under control enough to realize my predicament. I failed them. I failed my sister. I failed Celeste. I failed their unrelenting faith in me. I sat on the side of the bed for a while just wondering what the f**k I was supposed to do now. My head snaps up as I hear a familiar purr of an engine. I get up and crack the window curtain a smidge and my being is flooded with relief to see Natalia getting out of the car. She throws the keys to Gonzalo, who is already walking towards her with a scowl on his face.

"What the f**k was that? Where did you go?" He demands.

"I just wanted to take a spin on the car. You said I wouldn't get to drive it again."

"Could you not have f*****g told me? We thought you left!"

"Well, it's not like I have a phone to call you. I wasn't going to be screaming like a banshee out the car window," she countered.

I close my eyes and re-center myself. It wasn't all lost and she was back. I'm not sure which of those two thoughts brought me more relief. I quickly leave my room without sparing them a look. I walked to the end of the parking lot that faces a wooded hill, needing to clear my head. I leap to the top of the hill once I'm out of sight. How does someone have so much effect on my emotions? I sat at the top of the small hill just wondering what the f**k was happening to me. My reactions were not normal. For the first time in my 1728 years, I was scared of my feelings. Worse still, a she-wolf. When she inevitably replaces out everything I've done to her kind, she will rightfully hate me. I looked up at the sky. This is my punishment? You're making me fall in love for the first time so that you can watch as one of your children rips my heart out for you? You should have just done it yourself.

I leap off the hill and stop at a convenience store before heading back to the Hotel. I take out my phone and notice several missed calls from Gonzalo and Theo. I walk into my room to replace an angry-looking she-wolf sitting on my bed. I feel my heart beat faster at seeing her there, but I'm much too tired of trying to figure out my feelings for her to actually deal with her. I walk past her and towards the bathroom before I turned back to her. She's looking at me curiously, likely having expected me to fight with her again. "You should go get ready," I say before I reach into my pocket and throw her the phone I just bought her. "I've already programmed our numbers in there and even Celeste's, just in case." I walk into the bathroom and shut the door.

When I come out of the hot shower, I notice my phone is blinking as I wrap a towel around my waist. I grab it and head out into the room. It's now empty. I checked my phone and there were three text messages from an unknown number. Unknown: 'It was a prank. I can see how it wasn't very funny now. Sorry!

Unknown: 'I trust your judgement on this. I know I can't do this on my own without risking her safety!

Unknown: 'I wish you would trust me a little bit more but I guess I have to earn it.'

Well s**t, now I feel bad that she feels bad. f**k emotions. I want to go back to not caring. How did I become this love-sick puppy in just a matter of days? I sit and save her number as I think about a response for minutes without knowing how to answer. I don't want things to get awkward or more confusing than they already are.

Me: 'I will try harder.' Was all I could think of replying. I got an almost instant reply.

Natalia: 'Does this mean you might let me drive the Maserati again?'

Me: 'No.' I typed right away.

Natalia:

I chuckled.

Me: 'If you earn enough brownie points, maybe I will let you drive my lambo' I typed back.

Natalia: 'YOU HAVE A f*****g LAMBO?'

I look through my pictures until I replace a picture and send it to her.

Natalia: 'I will behave.'

My heart dropped to my stomach at her response. I don't want her to behave, I just want her not to think me a monster.

I typed back.

Me: 'I just want you to give me a chance to explain my reasoning for something before you claw my eyes out every time we talk.

Natalia: 'For a ride on that bad boy, I will try. :D'

I laughed out loud this time. Clearly, this woman loves cars as much as I do. If only talking to her in person was as easy as texting. I got another message from Theo asking me to meet them in their room so we could make final arrangements tonight. I asked him to give me a few and I put on my black jeans and shirt before going over to their room two doors next to mine. Everyone was crammed in there, arguing.

"What's going on?" I asked.

"She's fighting again," Theo said, smirking at her and leaning back on his chair.

"I am not! I just don't understand why I have to take the middle shift." She growled. Gonzalo looks at me, asking for help. I put my hands in my pockets as I leaned against the window.

"It's the safest. People expect to be attacked before morning or as night falls. They get a sense of security around 1am to 4 am."

"It's the safest. People expect to be attacked before morning or as night falls. They get a sense of security around 1am to 4 am." "I.don't.need.safest," she ground out. "I'm perfectly able to take care of myself."

"Cus you did such a good job not getting caught," Sebastian mocked.

"I told you! I got caught on purpose. I needed them to take me to Eun," Her irritated look was adorable.

"Look, against another beast, I'm sure you can take care of yourself. Even better than we can probably. But these are gun-wielding humans, it's a different type of fight." I saw that made her pause for a moment, so I took a chance, "It might also be the best time to grab her if we get the chance." I told her.

She narrowed her eyes at me and I could tell she was about to bite my head off again, so I just looked at the wall behind her, voiding my face from emotion as I waited for her to take it wrong again. I was surprised when I heard her sigh and say "Fine." "Great! Theo and I will go first," Sebastian started, "Helios and Natalia can take the middle shift and Gonzalo and I can take the last one."

"I can take the last one for Gonzalo as well." I said.

"Are you sure?" he asked.

"Yeah, you'll be driving back tomorrow and I can catch a nap before 1 am."

"OK then. Anything else?" Theo asked.

"I'll go put the girls to bed," Natalia said, getting up and heading out of the door. I turned to the guys.

"The equipment is in the trunk of the SUV," I told them.

"Helios?" Theo stopped me from leaving.

"What's up?"

"Are you OK? We're all a little worried here. You are not one to lose control like you did earlier."

"I'm fine, there's just a lot on my mind. Let's get this mission done so we can all go back to normal," I said. The boys shared a look that I didn't want to know what it was about. I left and laid on my bed hoping to sleep for the next 7 hours. As is the norm, the only time I fell asleep, I was plagued by the usual nightmares. I turned on the hotel TV at around 10 pm and resigned myself to a night of no sleep when I heard my phone beep. I smiled when I saw it was Natalia.

Natalia: 'Can't sleep. Can you?'

Me: 'No. I stashed a 6 pack of energy drinks in the Maserati.'

Her response was immediate.

Natalia: 'What are you doing for the next 4 hours?'

Me: 'Flipping channels until I replace something that doesn't make me want to gouge my eyes out. You?'

Natalia: 'I bought (well technically you bought) an on-demand movie I've never heard of. Want to come watch? The girls are asleep, so you'll have to be quiet!

I felt butterflies in my stomach, and I was going to say no, but before I could stop myself, I answered back.

Me: 'I'll be over in a few.

I went over to the vending machine and grabbed some chocolates and twizzlers and went over to her door. Before I could knock, she opened the door. "They are sleeping," she said as an explanation, and I looked past her to the girls that were sharing one of the king-sized beds. I raised a finger, asking her to wait, and grabbed the stack of paper cups. I opened the chocolate and dumped it all out into the cups before coming inside. "That's genius," she said, and jumped into the spare bed with a cup of chocolate. I started heading to the chair when she surprised me again. "Get on the bed, I won't bite. Those chairs are super uncomfortable and we're already in for a rough night." I hesitated for a moment, my heart racing in my chest, before I went over to the other side of it and got into the bed, sitting up against the headboard.