cloud

When I wake up, to my surprise, Raiden is still asleep. Usually, I'm asleep before Raiden and he wakes up before me. But after we dropped Nara off when we came back, Raiden almost immediately fell asleep.

I guess after running around all day he got tired.

When I leave the room and make my way down the hall, I pause. Normally, this would be a good chance to search the house for items, but I didn't really need anything else. I could take my bag and sneak off when the time was right, and there have been multiple chances to, but I keep hesitating.

Ever since I got here, the one thing that's been on my mind is leaving. Leaving this pack and werewolves in general behind, but the closer I get to Raiden, the more I hesitate.

It would crush him if I left — I knew that. Still, I didn't know if I could stay here. This pack didn't feel like a home to me and honestly, I doubt there will ever be one that truly will. Where Raiden thrives with people and is easy to talk to, I'm the opposite. It was easy for him to blend in, but I tended to stick out.

I knew that it didn't matter to him, but it felt like just being here was bringing him more trouble than it was worth. I knew that if I planned to leave then I needed to stop and get rid of the feelings I had developed for him, but the more I thought about it, the more I didn't know.

While I didn't feel at home in the pack, when I was with Raiden it did feel like a home. Sure he didn't know much about me, but he didn't let that stop him from trying to get close to me. He didn't let my attitude scare him away and he always stayed by my side.

As much as I wanted to deny it, I could see myself building a home with Raiden and the thought of that scared me.

Running my hand through my hair, I shake my head and quickly slip on some shoes. This was the last way I want to spend my morning worrying about.

I unlock the door and step out of the house. Even though I technically wasn't allowed to leave the house without Raiden, I didn't care. It wasn't like I would be going across the pack lands, it was just a walk to clear my mind.

Stuffing my hands into the pockets of my sweatpants, I begin to take off. With it being early in the morning and Raiden's house being further away from others, there weren't many people out. It was times like this that I enjoy the most.

I know I can't stay out too long. Knowing Raiden, he'd be up soon and would have a heart attack if I wasn't there. As much as I did enjoy messing with him, I don't want him to drop dead.

"Cloud?" A voice calls out, causing me to stop. My brows furrow in confusion as I slowly turn around. The only one who would call out to me is Mars and that definitely isn't his voice, though it does sound familiar.

When I turn around, Raiden's parents stand in front of me. His Dad's face is blank as he looks me up and down, and his mother forces a smile on her face and waves at me.

I give her a once-over before turning back around and continuing my walk. I have no time for her.

"Cloud, hold on!" She tries again.

I sigh and stop. As much as I want to ignore her, I know that if I do, she'll show up at the house and bother Raiden. I didn't want to ruin the good mood that was flowing around the house recently so if that meant I had to deal with her so Raiden wouldn't, then so be it.

"What?" I say, not even trying to hide my annoyance.

Her eyebrow twitches at my blatant disrespect, but she quickly masks her anger. "We haven't seen you in so long! How's Raiden doing?"

I knew her question was pointless. Knowing her, she had Maia doing the dirty work and whispering in her ear what was happening between Raiden and me. I bet she already knew that we had gotten closer, but just to piss her off, I paint a big, wide smile on my face and say, "Raiden and I are doing really well, actually. We would've come to see you, but we've been a little busy doing other things."

Other things like sleeping, but I wasn't going to tell her that. Instead, I can see the anger boil behind her fake smile, and Raiden's dad's eyes widen slightly.

"Cloud, honey, let's be honest with each other, you don't really like Raiden, do you?" She asks, her tone cloaked in sincerity. She doesn't give me the chance to reply before she continues. "Look, from what Maia tells us, you don't have anywhere to go, but your being here is only doing more harm than good for Raiden. My mate and I are willing to pay for travel and a place for you to stay in the human territory if you leave. We'll even help you find a job as long as you stay away from Raiden, how does that sound?"

Is this woman serious?

I can't help but laugh at that. Sure, I may have thought about running away, but the last thing I was going to do was stoop to their level and let them buy me off. Hell, even if I didn't like Raiden, hearing that would make me want to stay just to piss them off.

"Sorry, but Raiden and I are happy with each other, I know it's hard to believe, but it's the truth. Maybe if you stopped trying to force your agenda onto him and actually paid attention to your children, you'd see how they actually felt," I told her before walking past her to leave. Before I do, I turn the pack around and say, "Oh, and even if I did leave, Raiden still wouldn't marry Nara."

With that, I continue on my way. It was hard to believe that those were the people who made Raiden.

Having to waste time talking to them, the once quiet area soon begins to liven up, much to my dismay. If they're waking up then that means that Raiden is going to or is already awake. Which means that it's time to head back.

As I walk back to the house, my eyes scan the area. I never really paid too much attention to the area around us, but after yesterday, I start looking around more often. There was no doubt that the pack was beautiful, but it just didn't feel like somewhere I could see myself spending the rest of my life.

I sigh to myself and turn my attention back in front of me, but instead of an empty path, I see Alpha Demos staring at me.

Why is it the one day I go out on my own, the day everyone wants to pop up? Is it national piss-off Cloud day?

"Cloud, right?" Alpha Demos questions, but his tone is different from the last time I saw him. It doesn't have the same false politeness coating it. I don't reply to his question and he just laughs to himself. "You know, I've been racking my brain to try and figure out why you seemed so...familiar, and then it hit me."

Alpha Demos moves closer to me and it takes everything in me to not back up. I didn't want to give him the satisfaction of seeing the effect he had on me.

"I knew there was a wolf rescued earlier in the year who was named Cloud, but surely it couldn't be the same one, right?" He asks, mainly to himself. "So I did a little digging — the perks of being on the council is almost nothing is off limits — and sure enough, the same wolf from the lab rescue just so happened to find his way here of all the places."

Alpha Demos' eyes seem to darken as he stares at me. I force myself to remain calm and I meet his gaze.

"What do you want?" I ask him and an amused expression takes over his face.

"What I want is for you to...disappear again," he says blankly. "You see, I have plans for Raiden and you're getting in my way."

"What plans? For Raiden to marry Nara?" I scoff. "Even if I was gone, Raiden wouldn't marry her."

"In time he will come around," Alpha Demos dismisses. "Well, that is, if you're out of the picture."

"So what are you gonna do? Kill me?" I roll my eyes.

Alpha Demos only smiles. "That is a possibility," he hums. "But I'd rather not get my hands dirty over a little wolf like you," he pauses. "Well you're not really a wolf, are you? I guess the correct terminology would be a defect. A defective bastard child."

My body unintentionally flinches at his words and his smile grows.

"You see, Cloud. I don't want to hurt you. In fact, that's the last thing I want. However, if you keep getting in my way, you won't leave me any choice and then you won't be the only one who ends up hurt."

What did he mean by that?

As if reading my mind, Alpha Demos continues. "You know, another perk of being a council member is that I get to oversee and vote on the cases," his lips move closer until they're near my ear. "As it stands right now, the council is divided on the upcoming trial of, who was it, your brother's beta's mate? You see the last vote will be mine and it would be a real shame if it was decided that he was a danger and needed to be put down."

My jaw clenches. "So you're willing to kill someone you don't even know because you can't have your way?"

Alpha Demos stares at me amusedly. "But I wouldn't be killing him. You would."

His words cause my body to shiver and he walks past me. "Make the smart choice, Cloud. Don't be selfish."

Alpha Demos walks away, leaving me frozen in the same spot. Once he's gone, I close my eyes and take a deep breath before I continue on my way home. When I arrive, the door bursts open and Raiden looks at me with eyes wide with worry.

"Where were you?!" He questions, but he pauses once he sees my expression. "Cloud? Are you okay?"

I brush past him and enter the house. Raiden closes the door and slowly trails behind me. I take a seat on the couch and let my head rest in the palms of my hands.

"Cloud? You're worrying me," I hear Raiden say.

I can feel him touching me and I slowly look up at him and I take a shaky breath before saying the words I never thought I would say.

"I need to go back to my old pack."