Chapter 10

Lana s POV We drove for what felt like hours and I couldn t wait to get out of the car and away from Drake. He had two years to prepare, so to find out I was some secret he has kept really ticked me off. When he took a turn off heading along a dirt road amongst the trees, I knew we must be getting close. Drake suddenly tensed in his seat, straightening up and he looked nervous. We followed the dirt road which is surrounded by a dense forest. It was quiet out here. The only sounds were nature. Everything lush and green and completely secluded the further we drove. We came to what looked like a watch post. I could see a few men standing next to the wooden building. They look up as the car drives closer. Drake pulls the car to a stop beside them, and two men walk over looking in the windows. Drake winds his window down, but I don t pay attention to what they are saying instead my eyes focused on their guns. Exactly how bad was this feud between them that Tate felt the need to have armed guards. Weren t being werewolves enough. Suddenly the car starts moving again and we follow the dirt path before pulling up at another hidden road and follow it to some huge iron gates, the entire perimeter was fenced and looked out of place in the middle of nowhere. Elias gets out walking to the gate before opening a panel next to it and punching in what must be a security code. The gates swung open, and I suddenly felt claustrophobic even though we were surrounded by forest. Back home we didn t have the borders locked down like this, we had patrols, but you could easily go from one place to another. This place was locked down like an army barracks. Elias waits for Drake to drive through before securing the gates again and hopping back in the car again. "Three more to go" Elias states, making me turn in my seat to look back at him. "What? Three more gates?" I asked. He nods resting his head on the head rest. "Bit of overkill don t you think? Why the security?" I ask wondering what exactly they were trying to keep out, or were they trying to lock their people in? I was unsure. Drake says nothing. Instead we follow the road and Elias was right, there were three more gates to get through before we came to a town. Considering how far out we were it was pretty well established even more so than some of the towns we drove through on the way here. Trucks lined up leaving the way we came in and I noticed men in uniform checking the back of each truck, like they were looking for escapee s. The town was bustling with people, the main stretch full of people going about their day and seemed quite content despite the amount of warriors in uniform walking around with guns looking like we just stepped into some concentration camp. "This is different from back home, is everyone here werewolves?" I ask. Drake looks at me grabbing my hand. "You re safe here" He says, kissing my fingertips. "Safe from what? Werewolves don t faze me. Hybrid remember" I tell him. "Alpha Tate likes being prepared, training is daily. Meetings weekly and the same with drills" Elias says. "Drills.. what are you preparing for a world war?" I ask. This place was unbelievable. Yet the people looked happy considering. Drake pulls up to a modest house, nothing like back home and the mansion I grew up in. It was bigger than most houses but not over the top. Drake pulls the car over parking it in the carport next to the house. He hops out and I sit in the car, suddenly feeling homesick. Everything was different and I wasn t sure if I liked it or not. This was going to take some adjusting to. Back home, I could just jump on a train and go where I please. Here I was going to be in lockdown, confined to the town because I didn t know how to drive, and I doubt they had buses that even came this far out of civilization, let alone be able to fit up the narrow road to get here. Drake opens my door looking down at me where I was frozen in place, staring out the windshield. He holds his hand out expectantly. I reluctantly grab his hand before getting out of the car. Suddenly I see Tate s car pull in behind us, blocking Drakes in. Drake looks up and smiles at him as Tate hops down. My eyes trailing over him. He only had a tank top on and camouflage pants. He also had tribal tattoos running up his arms and I could just see them across his chest where his tank top exposed his skin. He looked vastly different from when I last saw him, how both of them changed so much over a couple years astounded me. Tate wastes no time rushing over, a huge grin on his face like all his Christmases came at once. He crushes me against his chest, his strong arms wrapped securely around my waist, my feet leaving the ground as he hugged me. I didn t know what to do so instead remained still. Tate places me back on my feet, his hand grabbing mine as he brings it to his lips. "I missed you" He says, I wish I could say the same. Though his words made something within me tug. What surprised me most though was when Tate wrapped his arm around Drake, pulling him closer before kissing his head. Drake pushed on his chest. "Geez you trying to scare her off already" He says, pushing him away. I thought the gesture was odd considering they hated each other, though seeing them here they seemed different together. "What's wrong?" He asks, looking at Drake. "Nothing I need to head back" He says, and Tate presses his lips in a line. "When will you come back?" He asks and Drake shrugs. "I don t know, I need to speak to my father" He says, sighing deeply. Elias comes over with my suitcase, putting it on the ground next to me. He nods to Tate and Tate hands him a set of keys. "Drive Drake to the border" He tells him, and Elias grabs the keys. "Yes Alpha" He says, walking toward Tate s car. Drake stands there awkwardly looking at me and I actually feel bad for him, he didn t look like he wanted to leave. I didn t understand what the big deal was with him staying, he was an adult and an Alpha, he could do what he wanted. "Why do you have to leave?" I ask, confused. Drake looks at me and with a worried look on his face for a second. "My father doesn t know I left the Pack; I will have to deal with him" "But your Alpha, why are you answering to your father?" I ask, confused. Tate squeezes my hand making me look between the two of them. The look they were giving each other confused me, I could almost feel the longing in their eyes. Tate I could clearly tell didn t want Drake to leave. "To outsiders I am Alpha, my father hasn t handed the pack over yet" Drake admits, and my mouth falls open. Everyone, even my parents thought he was the Alpha of his Pack. It was extremely unusual that his father hadn t handed the Pack over yet. Most Alpha s handed the pack over when the oldest son turned 18. "I don t understand," I tell him. Drake steps closer and Tate lets go of my hand. Drake wraps his arms around me pulling me flush against his front before kissing me. His lips were soft and warm. Sparks rushed over me and his scent overwhelmed me. He stopped and went to pull back, uncertain but I was more startled by my own reaction. My lips parted before I kissed him back. If he was shocked, he didn t show it, instead I felt his tongue trace my bottom lip before it slipped into my mouth playing with mine. His hand went to the back of my neck gently holding me there while he deepened the kiss. Drake pulls back, biting my bottom lip before letting me go. My cheeks flush at my reaction to him. I liked kissing him. Tate smiles no hint of anger in his expression like he expected it before Drake does something, I never thought I would see yet it didn t freak me out like I expected. Didn t even bother me but I felt my breath hitch when suddenly Drake kissed Tate. Tate kissed him back and I stood there stunned at what I witnessed, they both pulled back almost breathless, and I could see the desire in their eyes. Tate chuckles when he catches my shock which must have been on display for them. "Wait, am I missing something? You two hate each other" I tell them. Drake shakes his head. "Two years is a long time Lana, things change. I never hated Tate; I love him. I just don t have to hide it here" He says, shocking me more. "But"- Tate pulls me against him, wrapping his arm around my shoulders and kissing the side of my face. "We are mates Lana always have been, Drake's father doesn t approve" Tate tells me. "Do us two being Mate's bother you?" Drake asks, staring at me with worry etched on his face. Honestly, I didn t know what to think but it explains how I could be mates with both of them. Maybe things would work out like my mother said they would. I never thought seeing two men together would turn me on, but it felt right, and honestly it was hot seeing them together like that. "So, your father knows about you two?" I ask and Drake nods. "That s why his father won t hand the pack over and that s why we fight constantly, honestly this is the first time Drake has actually let me kiss him, our relationship is very strained, but he knows he can be himself here, usually we can t be in the same room with each other" Tate answers looking at Drake. "But you just kissed each other, that doesn t look strained to me?" I tell them. Though I was still overwhelmed by kissing Drake myself, the mate bond reacted having both of them so close. I know it wasn t as intense as what they felt, but I could definitely feel some strange pull with both of them present. Drake shakes his head. "He caught me off guard and sometimes it s hard to fight against my wolf, sometimes I don t want to, for the most part we are at each other s throats" Drake says, and I notice Tate looks at him sadly. I could tell it was one-sided, Drake was the one not comfortable with his sexuality, but Tate I could tell was and didn t care what anyone thought about him being mates with another man. "We can t be together, it's not right" Drake says even though I could tell they both wanted to be together. "Says you, there isn t anything wrong with it Drake" Tate tells him before muttering under his breath and I could hear the anger in his voice. It must be hard for Tate being denied by him then accepted the next, I could see why he was getting frustrated with him. Drake just let Tate kiss him and was now rejecting that they have a relationship and Drake kissed him back. I was confused so I could only imagine how confusing it was for Tate. It seemed absurd, there are a few same gender Alpha s, so I didn t understand what the big deal was and why his father could be that old fashioned and outdated to believe there was something wrong with them being together. "Can we not do this right now, she just got here besides I need to leave but I will be back soon, I promise" Drake says pecking me on the lips and walking to Tate s car. We watch them leave before Tate grabs my bag and walks me toward the front of the house and up the steps to the front door. "Ready?" He asks and I nod nervously. He pushes the door open and I step inside. The place was homely, warm and I could smell the fireplace burning, hear its crackle as the logs burned. It was completely different from the Victoria era architecture outside. Stained floorboards lined the floor, a staircase leading up to the landing above. Off one side of the entry was a living room and fireplace, the other side was a dining room. I stepped inside looking around. Off the dining room was a kitchen with granite bench tops and stainless-steel appliances. Walking back out Tate was watching me. "I know it s not like back home-" "It's cosy, I like it," I tell him, and he takes a deep breath like he thought I wouldn t like the place. "If you go through the living room there is a study and library, bathroom is down the hall next to the stairs and bedrooms are upstairs" He says showing me. I nod, making sure to remember what he was telling me. Tate grabs my hand and suitcase before walking me upstairs. I see four doors. He opens one revealing a bathroom with black tiles and stainless-steel fittings. It looked freshly renovated. Had a huge bath in one corner that could fit two-three people in it with jets. A shower that took up an entire wall and three sink basins along the far wall. He closes the door before walking down a small hallway and opening the door. The room was just as big as the living room, a huge super king bed sat in the middle with bedside tables that had lamps on each side. A door leading off the far wall which Tate opened and showed me was a closet. Tate places my suitcase in the closet, and I sit on the edge of the bed. "We are sharing the same room?" I ask, a little nervous. He walks over to me stopping in front of me. "I can sleep in the spare room if you want, I just thought we-" "No, I am not kicking you out of your own room, it's fine, just didn t expect to be sharing a bed with you so soon," I tell him, a little nervous about the sleeping arrangements. Tate crouches in front of me, his hands going to my knees as he looks up at me. "Drake and I will never force you to do anything you re not comfortable with, you don t need to feel pressured into anything. I don t mind sleeping in another room if you're uncomfortable" He says. Suddenly there was a knock on the door downstairs, Tate looked toward the bedroom door before standing. "I will be back," He says, his hand brushing my cheek before he walks out.