West was a singer.

Not the best, but he did try and jam it out to the latest pop song on the radio.

"You mean you've never road tripped before?!" he asked me when I wondered what you do for so long.

"Er, not really," I said defensively. Didn't have the time to or the people to do it with.

"Wow, we needs snacks," West declares, and it's only been ten minutes into the ride. He took an exit, going to the first gas station he saw. "Wait right here, I'm going to get some snacks." Not knowing what to make of this situation, or him really, I just sat in the car, checking my phone for the thousandth time making sure Blaine didn't sent me an SOS text. I only got some snapchats from Callie and Penelope. Penelope told me not to worry and that I did need this "mini vacation" after studying super hard all week and trying to see how I'd deal with not being at school. School was a safe place, a sanctuary. Penelope promised me she'd check up on Blaine and my mom, and I'd call him and text him to see how he was doing.

West opens the car door, and instead of two items like I expected, it seemed as though he bought the whole store. The bags went to the back.

"What's all that for?" I asked, incredulous.

"I didn't know what you liked, so I just got..." West looked a little sheepish, "a little bit of everything."

"Thanks," I said, touched by his thoughtfulness and bashfulness.

"What," West cleared his throat, "do you like anyways?"

I picked out the bag of cheddar cheese ruffles. "I'm not that picky." Growing up has taught me to be thankful of everything. I couldn't afford to be picky on food.

West stared at me for a moment, clearly thinking about what he was about to say, but didn't and picked up the M&M's, opening the bag and plopping one in his mouth.

"Snacks. A must for a road trip."

"West, it's three hours."

"Three hours of snacking."

I rolled my eyes, looking away so he couldn't see my smile.

"Don't do that," he said softly.

"Do what?" I asked.

"Hide your smile. Your dimples." West turned on the car.

"I hate my dimples." They were like two giant saucers and made me look like a pup.

"They're beautiful," West commented, like it was nothing new. "Everything about you...beautiful."

When we got to the hotel, the woman at the desk looked at the both of us. Unamused by us, like she's seen it all. Probably has.

"Can we get two rooms?" I asked her. There was no way I was sharing a room with West. I did trust West not to do anything weird, but maybe I didn't trust myself?

"Sorry we're too booked for two rooms," she replied, clicking something.

"Booked?" I asked, frowning. This couldn't be happening.

"We have quite the reservations." The woman shrugged. "We do have one room that is available however..."

"Two beds?" I hoped.

She smiled one big happy fake one. "No, just a king sized bed."

I groaned internally.

"We'll take it," West inputs, pulling out his credit card, and I gawked at him.

"No, no-" I got cut off when the woman was all the too eager to take it and swipe it.

"Please enjoy the Japanese style hot springs this hotel has to offer!" the woman unhelpfully cheerfully calls out to us.

Ugh.

It was a wonder how this hotel was booked when I saw no one here. No one was at the hotel roaming around.

No one.

"Kinda creepy here, don't you think?" I asked, voicing my concerns out loud.

"Nah," West shook his head, swiping the key card, and I saw that there wasn't a couch that I could sleep on.

Double ugh.

"I'll sleep on the floor," I announced, putting my duffel bag on the table that held the phone.

"Wha- no, you're not sleeping on the floor-" West protested.

"The car," I wandered out loud. I'll sleep in the car. Yeah, better than here.

West nearly growled out, "Not when there are rogues out here."

"We'll talk about this later," I said, knowing I needed to go to the hot springs. West agreed he needed to go too.

Entering the hot springs itself was super confusing because I didn't know which way was which, but I saw the universal sign of what looked like to be a women's sign

Thankfully, I had the hot springs all to myself. The springs were out in the open, with the night sky looming over me. Two huge boulders were in the deeper ends of the steamy springs, and I tried to relax, closing my eyes. Trying to not think about the drugs infiltrating the school and then the packs. Trying not to worry about if Mom is okay or not because Blaine and Penelope told me they'll take care of her.

Trying not to think about the other side of this thin wall, West was there.

After some time soaking in the warm water and relaxing, I found myself sleepy, so I went back inside the changing room, but couldn't find my clothes and wondered if someone moved it. Where are the towels here????

The one I was wearing was sopping wet, but I wasn't going to take it off because where were my clothes?

I moved another curtain, and realized- much too late- it was the male's side of the hot springs.

And I was staring at the very naked and muscled back of West.

I can literally just die right now.

He probably already knew I was here.

"West could you hand me that towel on the chair?" I hid behind the curtain. The wet towel dripping did nothing but stick to me like second skin. Which meant I wasn't covered.

He turned around, cocking an eyebrow at me, and I tried not to notice too much about his body and arms that were to die for and his chiseled chest carved out to perfection as he slowly got the towel.

"Why don't you come and get it?" his voice held a wickedness to it that made me swallow, but now was not the time for games.

"You jerk-"

Boisterous laughter made us both pause because there were people coming. Actually, the unpleasant smell hit me now and my eyes widened.

"Rogues!" I almost screeched on high alert now. In lightening speed, West is holding me- the body that might as well be naked- and in the next second my back is crushed to one of the boulders that is in the back of the springs, the steam covering us mostly. This thin towel does nothing for me, and my chest is crushed against West's hard one.

Oh my flipping gosh.

I see West swallow thickly, glad it's affecting him and he has some shame because it's his fault mostly for trying to tease me about this.

When the scent hit both of us, we both tensed up. Definitely rogues. I could sense about eight of them. They had a distinct stench to them that was clear they were without a pack. Rogues that lived too long without one could gain an odor to them unknown to them, but sensitive to regular pack wolves. Clear that they didn't belong anywhere. And didn't want to.

We were now on enemy territory. These wolves here were probably going to eat us alive. But I can shift, and West can't shift. We both are Alphas. Even though I haven't been groomed to be an Alpha, I still train harder than anyone else in my pack. West is probably the shoo-in to be after Alpha Lance.

When we hear them splash closer, I stiffens considerably, but West is too calm, having a protective hold on me, and completely blocking me in case these rogues were to see us. But couldn't they smell us? How come they didn't smell us yet? Was West doing something?

".......Did you guys hear that?" someone asked. I clutch West's arms. My heart beat too fast. Genuinely afraid for me. For him.

"No-" the rogue got cut off when the sound of thunder boomed over us.

I could hear something, and then shouts ensued throughout the spring. "There's a fire! Get out!" one of the rogues yelled, and we hear splashes where the rogues are trying to get out- even though water is probably the best place to be at- and the door getting shut.

We wait a few breaths until they leave, the only comfort I had was seeing West's chest rise and fall calmly, and I pull away, forcing West to move back. West's eyes drilled onto me as I make my way to get a thicker towel to cover up better. I mean is there even a use to cover my breasts anymore?

"We were almost going to die," I tell him angrily and unfairly at him, turning around to leave him.

His eyes turned to a deep amber. His wolf was on edge too, ready to jump out. I wonder how he got Salvatore to stay under control.

"I will never have let anything happen to you back there. Over my dead body would they have laid a finger on you. No one will ever hurt you."

I wanted to shudder at the low protective growl in his own voice.

Another step, he gets out of the hot springs, never breaking eye contact and I try to feel comfortable in my own skin by standing straighter. Acting like I am comfortable in my own body, hoping he wouldn't see any of my ugly scars from Silas.

"Get dressed in my clothes I'll make sure they're gone," he said gently, walking past me.

Maybe it was scary for him too. Losing you was scary for him a voice whispers into my head. I look over my shoulder to see a forlorn looking West staring at the ground, and my heart lurched at the sight. He just told me he was going to protect me. That he would never let anything happen to me. That he would die for me.

That scared me.

"West," I say out of instinct turning around, my mouth not being mine, and his head snaps up to me as he turned slightly, and I can't help myself.

Like a magnet, I take a few steps towards my mate, and my hands automatically went to his face I kissed him, like we were just about to die...which we were. He doesn't even take any time to think about it, as his strong arms wrap quickly around me, holding me tightly and kissed me hard, and full of passion.

Like he couldn't get enough and was starving of me.

I gasp which breaks the kiss, but he starts kissing my neck, sucking it and hitting my sweet spot, lightly teething, but he breathes out in a tone that made my insides melt, "I can't yet." And his assault on my neck continues. I didn't even think about how there would definitely be hickeys there afterwards because the height of emotions both him and I felt right now was the only thing that's important. I urged him to come back to me, I already missed the feel of his lips. Once our lips collide again with more fervor, he makes a noise that loses all my inhibitions. My hands made their way to his hair, greedily tangling my fingertips in his soft, silky hair. I imagined this a lot, and feeling him right here with me felt so right. I lightly tug him impossibly closer, to get as impossibly close as I can. And his impossibly soft lips that mold over mine perfectly. Meant for each other.

"Hot springs closes in 5."

We were so wrapped up into each other- literally- that we didn't hear the janitor and the door slamming shut. This breaks us apart, our heavy breathing only filling the air as West's lust filled eyes gaze through mine. I tried to redeem myself by straightening my towel out, but there was one truth in this matter.

West Stryder took my breath away.