This Dark Wolf (Soul Bitten Shifter #1) - Everly Frost Page 0,61
same time, I want to retreat from it all. There are too many people, too many unknowns. Even on the mountain, I was secluded from the public, left alone a lot of the time.
It feels like mere minutes that we drive through the streets of Portland into the heart of the city west of the river. We reach another building, this one tall, situated on a corner. It’s made of white stone with multiple levels rising upward, while large arches decorate it at street level. Craning my neck, I make out the structure of a clock at the top of the building before we turn the corner. It looks like a clock tower. An old one but well-cared for.
We turn directly off the street toward the garage door to the left at the base of the building, and Jace drives down into a basement garage. I’m grateful for the sudden silence—not a silence of sound, but a silence of energy—as we pull away from the humans going about their business out on the street.
I lean toward Tristan as the SUV pulls to a stop beside ten other dark gray SUVs. “Do you control this building?”
“Control?” Tristan says with a sharp backward glance. “I own this building. Along with others.”
“Oh.” It wasn’t the answer I expected. “This is where your pack lives then?”
As I speak, Jace jumps out, rounding the back of the vehicle and opening the trunk. Danika and Iyana also slide out, leaving me sitting in the middle seat, caught in Tristan’s gaze.
“Yes, this is our home.” He clears his throat, lowering his voice with apparent effort. “I’ll show you everything tomorrow. I need to get cleaned up now.”
There’s a smudge of blood on his cheek and shadows in his eyes. He nearly lost a member of his pack today. He seems more tired than anything now. When I look closer, I can see the dark rings under his eyes and signs of exhaustion in the tension around his mouth.
“Of course,” I murmur. “Answers can wait.”
He’s still turned in my direction, paused. His lips part, but whatever he was going to say is lost in the bang as the trunk shuts.
I shake off our quiet interaction—the quietest we’ve had—as I slip from my seat out onto the concreted area to find Iyana and Danika waiting for me.
Tristan shuts his door and strides past us. “Come with me. We’ll get you settled with the others.”
Our boots tap a beat as we follow Tristan to the elevator at the side of the garage and once again cram inside it. This time, I’m standing closest to Tristan, close enough to see that he still hasn’t done up the top button of his jeans.
I remind myself that he has a wolf’s soul. He’s comfortable being naked. In fact, he’s probably more relaxed naked than clothed, whereas my human self finds the idea of walking around nude in front of random people incredibly uncomfortable.
Quickly refocusing upward, I’m caught in his lazy smile, surprised by how relaxed he looks now that we’re inside the building, although I have no idea what I’ve done to make him appear so pleased.
“Unknown to humans, my pack occupies most of this building,” he says, causing Iyana and Danika to focus on him while Jace watches the rising floor numbers above the door. “The first three floors are leased to humans who have no idea that we live here. You’ll stay on the seventh floor with the single female pack members. The eighth floor is for the single males. They have designated apartments, but don’t expect them to keep to them.”
A flush creeps through my cheeks. Along with being comfortable in their naked skin, shifters like to mingle.
Tristan continues. “The ninth and tenth floors are for families. The eleventh floor is a gym, which you’re welcome to use whenever you want.”
The last statement makes Iyana smile. “We will, thank you.”
The elevator dings and the doors open at the seventh floor. Jace holds the elevator open for us.
Danika is the first to step into an entrance room that looks as homely and well-loved as the library back at Hidden House. The sound of female voices filters across the space as I move forward after Iyana steps out.
The female shifters in the distance don’t sound unhappy, even if there’s an edge of tension in the pitch of their speech, indicating a state of concern that’s natural if they’re worried about Carly and Becca.
In contrast, my tension increases. My senses are nearly billowing