When we stepped out of Devin's room, there were vampires crowded by the door. Their disapproving murmurs rippled through the room as we silently wove our way through the lifeless room. I did my best to appear comfortable but it was a difficult task.

Devin climbed up the first step before pausing and facing the room once more. "I'm leaving the annex." He began and for the first time I saw genuine emotion in his eyes, "And when I return, you all will be free from this place and this life."

With that, Devin took to the stairs keeping us in close tow behind.

We stepped back into the alleyway and just as magically as it appeared, the hidden doorway to the annex retreated into the brick wall seamlessly. My fingertips gingerly traced over the rock wall as we walked out of the dark corridor, Matteo cleared his throat next to me and gathered my attention that way.

My eyes flickered up to his and then down to his hand which was outreached towards my own in a silent offering. And I took it.

Quietly I slipped my hand into Matteo's and we walked together hand in hand as if it was something the both of us were completely comfortable with.

The reality was that Matteo and I were the farthest thing from comfortable with each other or even amicable with one another but this small gesture somehow felt right. In the moment at least.

Once we were out of the alley, the chaos of Freeman's Land descended upon us again. A smiling girl covered in blood head to toe holding a snake around her neck ran smack into me, I stumbled into Matteo who readily was there to steady me as I stared bewilderedly at the wild woman who collided with me.

This place was so outlandish, I couldn't imagine living as recklessly and free as everyone here lived.

Devin looked over his shoulder with a smirk as I stepped away from Matteo's warm body and continued walking with him.

Amias peeked his head between Matteo and I, "I wish Cheese Man was here to see this." He lamented, though I wasn't entirely certain exactly what he was referring to.

Devin stopped suddenly, "Cheese Man?"

Amias nodded sadly, "He was our musical friend--"

Matteo snorted lightly, "He was a drunk who fell out of a window beside us and became someone's meal." He paused, "Who also sang a song about cheese."

Devin shook his head, "I know who he is, he's Benji, and he isn't dead or crazy. Benji is one of Lysander's."

Fran quirked a brow, "So he's a spy then?"

He nodded and silently cursed, quickly glancing over his shoulder and scanning the nearby surroundings. "Benji is one of his more recognizable lookouts, he's probably alerted Lysander to your presence already."

Amias frowned with a pouted lip, "But he seemed so jolly and wise."

Devin gave a short laugh and continued walking, "Lysander has people all over just like that, unassuming and real. It's how he gets all of his information which means by the time we get to him, Lysander will already know we are coming thanks to...Cheese Man."

Amias quietly started humming the tune Benji had created and fell back in line with Fran behind Matteo and I.

"You're shaking."

I blinked and turned to Matteo, I hadn't realized it but sure enough, I was trembling ever so slightly. I'm sure to the untrained eye it would have been unnoticeable but Matteo was calculated, he was attuned to his prey of choice.

I offered him a small smile, "I hadn't noticed." It was a phrase I so often used sarcastically that I felt the need to clarify its intent, "That wasn't sarcasm, by the way."

I sounded like an idiot but also, why did I care?

"It's just a lot to process." I added after Matteo grew quiet for a moment longer than comfortable.

He ruffled the back of his hair, he was uneasy with the whole 'talking without threatening someone's livelihood' thing. "With Lysander?"

My voice hesitated, I wanted to just agree with him and end the conversation right there and then. But, I had no outlet I had no one to turn to with all the thoughts and fears pent up inside of me so when the opportunity arose, I couldn't help myself. "Not just with him, it's everything, Matteo. Don't you see? You're part of the problem, I've been in this nonstop, warp speed whirlwind with you since last week and I'm not like you. I'm not able to just roll with the punches, I can't process everything that is happening it's just too much for me."

I expected him to be annoyed or hurt or angry, anything other than understanding which remarkably was the reaction I garnered. "Breathe." He reminded me and gave my hand a small squeeze before he slipped out of my grasp and made his way up to Devin and I fell back in step with Amias and Fran.

For some reason I was left smiling, his words lit up my face instead of burning up my fuse. It was just what my crowded mind needed, a breath of fresh air.

Fran looked at me knowingly, she'd seen our exchange and more importantly she had seen Matteo's comforting handheld gesture. I immediately felt whatever good mood I was disappear, Matteo didn't care about me on a relational level. He cared that I was his ticket to getting his wolf back, everything he did was solely to get his other half back. Matteo had said it himself and I couldn't let myself forget that.

"I don't want to say I told you so." Fran smugly whispered beside me and Amias glared over at her.

He grabbed ahold of my arm protectively, "Go back to hating Olive, Fran. Stop trying to steal my new friend."

So we walked like that arm in arm down the perilous streets of Freeman's City, walking behind a vampire and evil mate who was leading us further into the lawless land with every step.

After some time of walking, we left the chaos of the city and entered a the mayhem that was the forests surrounded the town. There was still the occasional person popping up from time to time and somewhere in the distance there was classical music playing but it was a significant improvement to the city by far.

It was early evening at this point when it was decided that we would make this our camp for the night. There was a small grassy clearing and a quiet stream that lined it, it was an oasis in Freeman's almost raunchy way of life.

I started to sit down and relish the sweet feeling of being able to do absolutely nothing when Matteo caught my elbow. He hauled me upwards and refused my attempt at relaxation, "Don't think I would forget that easily, we have work to do."

Unlike the last time when Matteo decided to have a training session with me where everyone was busy off running errands, we had an audience. Devin, Fran and Amias all sat perched eagerly around the clearing as if they knew what was going to happen next would be of the utmost of entertainment.

"You're not going to kiss me again this time, right?" I shouldn't goad him on like that but my irritation from being deprived a respite got the best of me.

Matteo's eyes darkened momentarily though he didn't appear angry which was strange. "Let's see a defensive stance."

I considered ignoring him but I knew better than to believe that Matteo would just let me blow him off like that in front of everyone. So despite my obvious aversion to listen to Matteo, I found myself settling into a study form of defense that I was taught in my training classes at Grace Pack.

He walked around me, examining more than just my form but my every curve and muscle to my body. He was seeing more and it made me nervous. Matteo leaned close, "Keep your heart rate steady, Cheese Man fifty miles away can hear you right now like that. It's your tell and if you're nervous going into this, how do you expect to get a good result out of it?"

"A good result for me or a good result for you?" I asked, abandoning the stance for a second to question Matteo as I pointed out the hypocrisy. He rolled his eyes and knocked my legs out from underneath me with a casual swing of his leg to avoid the real issue, "The smart remarks also, aren't beneficial for your training."

I glowered up at him from my new position on the grass but didn't move. He stopped in front of me, "That isn't the stubborn Olive I know."

For some disgusting reason my heart melted when I heard that?

"Up." The joking, lightheartedness from seconds before was lost. This time, it was a demand not a request or a helpful suggestion. I quickly righted myself onto my feet and returned to the stance.

Matteo dropped his arms to his sides, "For this to work, I need to see what I'm dealing with here."

I furrowed my brow lightly together, "For what to work?"

"You're stalling." Matteo pointed out and it was a true statement, but I wasn't about to go and admit that to him. He seemed to pick up on that too, "If you are ever going to get your wolf, Olive, it's not going to be through triggering an emotion." He explained, "I was wrong to think that but now I've realized that the only way to unlock yourself is by fine tuning who you are."

I was lost and Matteo could tell. "I need to focus on training you, just building you into the best werewolf you can be until it becomes natural to you. Fake it until you make, that sort of cliche sh:t."

I feel like I'd been doing a fair decent job of playing the part of a werewolf for the past eighteen years of my life all on my own but I kept that to myself.

He gestured me forwards, "Let's see it then."

I didn't move towards him, instead i fidgeted nervously under his gaze and the eyes of everyone in the clearing. "See what?"

He frowned clearly not amused with my attempt at playing dumb, "I want you to try and knock me down so I can see what material I have to work with."

"So you want me to fight you?" I asked slowly.

Matteo groaned in irritation, "No, I want you to f:ck me, Olive." He laughed exasperated, "Obviously I want you to fight me."

His attempt at sarcasm was not well received, the entire clearing went silent as everyone awkwardly skirted away and went about doing anything but watching us.

I was left standing red faced before Matteo who surpassingly enough was looking equally as embarrassed by his own words that came out of his mouth.

"That was sarcasm, by the way." My eyes lit up as Matteo paraphrased my words from earlier and twisted them to fit the awkwardness of this situation and I laughed. That special full body, belly aching kind of laughter.

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