The Lost Elixir

Chapter Six

Rayne was exhausted.

Walking through the forest on dead feet and catching their dinner proved to be taxing, so she demanded that they get a room at one of the wolf lodges nearby so that she could recuperate. Jarrah quickly tried to decline and insisted on moving forward, but she didn't wait for his answer when the next lodge came into view. She simply spun on her heel and marched over to the front door. It was late and she needed to rest for at least a night on an actual bed.

Jarrah angrily mumbled under his breath behind her, but she ignored him and swung the door to the lodge open. The cool breeze of air-conditioned pinewood pushed through her nostrils, along with the familiar scent of other people like her. She could only see one other wolf in sight at the front desk, but she knew there were others lingering in bedrooms and banquet halls. And by the look of the parking lot out front, they might even be a full house for the night.

An older woman with red-rimmed glasses, onyx waterfalls of pretty hair, and almond-shaped eyes full of pretty walnuts was standing patiently behind the counter ahead of them. She caught sight of Rayne making her way towards her, and by the subtle sniff she did, she knew exactly who she was, as the neighboring pack's alpha's daughter. She bowed respectfully, a common custom among the wolves everywhere.

"Welcome," she greeted. Rayne didn't hide the relief she felt at seeing a friendly face and being talked to like a normal person for once, without an ounce of annoyance or hatred.

Rayne, as much as she hated to admit it, was desperately homesick. Now that she was staying at a hotel, she could call her parents and Ronan to give them a quick update and see what was happening at home. She missed Ronan's annoying jokes, her brother's hot headed protection, her mother's meals, and her father's long hugs. She hadn't been without them for long, but Jarrah was making her want to go back home to it all more than anything.

How do you think Jarrah feels? After being kidnapped away from his family?

Rayne's stomach turned guilty at the thought. She forced a smile for the woman whose name tag read Monica and asked for two separate rooms of any size because there was no damn way she was going to sleep in the same room as that asshole. Not after the hell she had already endured with him.

Monica glanced over Rayne's shoulder and quickly took note of the silent brute standing somewhere behind her. "I see. Let me see what we have that's available. We have a lot of . . . displaced guests for the night, but I'm sure we can find something."

Refuges.

Rayne sighed softly at the thought. The war was getting closer and closer for not only her pack, but for the packs that were left. For the displaced members who were lucky enough to have fled with their lives. If her and Jarrah didn't get the elixir, they'd surely be done for.

And that was if the elixir even existed. They must call it 'The Lost Elixir' for a reason, right?

She didn't know. She was too drained to think and desperately needed a comfortable bed for a few hours before they returned to the forest. They've put a lot of distance between themselves and her pack, but they still had some ways to go. And the lodge surely provided enough resources for them that they could spare a night.

That was, until, Monica opened her mouth and gave her the worst news she could have thought of. And then her entire mood soured.

"I'm so sorry, alpha," Monica said, guiltily. Rayne was too anxious to correct her mistaken title. "But we only have one bedroom left for the night and all that's available is one king size bed. We have many families here, and they've all taken up the rooms with two beds."

"Do you at least have a spare cot?" Rayne asked, not even bothering to hide the hopefulness in her tone.

Monica looked back at the empty room behind her, but Rayne already knew the answer. There was nothing they could do for the two of them unless they took the room with the king-size bed. And seeing as how she was too tired to argue or overthink about sharing a small space with Jarrah, she agreed to the room. Monica apologized again and was quick to hand over their room key and the instructions for dinner if they choose to dine in the lodge. Rayne nodded stiffly, thanked Monica, and walked right over to the elevator with Mr. Grump in tow.