So His Name Was Bryan

Valine had no idea how long they were driving but the sun shining brilliantly in the clear, blue sky was enough for her to figure that it was adequately long. Perhaps three hours? And she wanted to think that they were very far from the place she had been in. All through the drive she just kept her eyes occupied, watching the establishments, the people, everything passed while her head was leaned on the stranger's broad back. They didn't stop even for a moment. The man keeps his motorcycle rolling down the road. Fortunately, the robe tied to her body keeps her revealing dress from being blown away and making her bare skin exposed. But she was aware how her reddish-brown locks were gaining unwanted attention from some. Her body was stiff and protesting from pain. Every movement earned a wince from her but she held it in. After 30 minutes, she noticed the vehicle turned into a narrow and dark alleyway. Old and shabby buildings surround the path. Trash and dry leaves littered around. Her heart pounds anxiously as she looks around, creating some distance from the unknown man but her fingers are still clutching his leather jacket. They turned numerous times and at every turn, she was beginning to feel more alarmed. Valine daintily tapped the man's shoulder "I think I will be fine here" The man shakes his head accordingly. Valine bit her bruised lip. Is she some kind of danger again? For Pete's sake, she just wanted to live peacefully! Out of nowhere, the vehicle halted before an old and scruffy building. The waste containers were completely pushed down and the side of the establishment was loaded with garbage. The man gets off his bike and removes his helmet. A pair of hazel eyes gaze at Valine. The man had messy dark blonde hair and sharp features that will pass as a model. Valine slowly got down from the vehicle, grimacing as a stabbing pain erupted from her back. Her wounded feet touched the dusty road. She eyed the man suspiciously, catching the man peering down on her feet, making her lamely put her left foot that was wounded behind her right one. Pathetic, she knows. Displaying weakness in front of a man was not her style. Well, except for her mate. She cleared her throat. "Thank you for helping me and practically saving me earlier" she smiled nervously. Fighting a man with her beaten body was not a good idea at the moment. "Thank you, really" "Don't tell me you're thinking of leaving?" the man said, frowning down at her. "Yeah, I think I am good here," Valine replied, unsure. The man shakes his head. He can't allow the woman to circumvent go around the place alone, particularly because of the way in which appealing and hot she was. It will be risky, especially in the area they were in. "No, you're not. Sorry for the word but wearing that" he highlighted the dress Valine was wearing "around here may bring a different impression to some men and may put you in danger again'' "I... " Valine attempted to protest. "I bring you here so I will get you out of here but first you need to change your clothes if you want for us not to be traced. If you're uneasy about the place, don't worry, I will not do anything to you. And I choose this place because I know someone who lives here and this place had no CCTV camera so it will be difficult to trace your location, especially that the man who tried to chase you looked to be not just an ordinary man at all" 'We are not normal since we are wolves' Valine thought while searching for a smidgen of a lie in the eyes and expressions of the man. Dealing with a lot of people and disguising for years made her skilled in detecting lies. And right now, Amaris and her gut were still quiet. "So, let us go. You need to change your clothes" the man held out his hand. Valine peered down at his hand for a second. Right now, she had no one on her side but just this man. If anything goes wrong, she will just use some of her strength to bolt out of this place. Or on the other hand shift. He was only a human, she could outrun him. She reluctantly put her hand on his. The man held it firmly, tugging her gently inside the building. A low whimper came from her lips, her face contorted in pain catching the attention of the man who looked back at her with concern written on his face. "Are you okay? Can you walk?" Valine nodded, clutching the side of her stomach. "Yeah, I can" The man contemplated for a second if he would help her or not but he eventually continued walking again. As soon as they stepped inside the building, the strong smell of alcohol, and smoke immediately hit the sensitive nose of Valine. She held her breath, stopping herself from covering her nose afraid to offend someone. There were few people around. A reception desk that was full of empty bottles and ashes of cigarettes was on the corner while a worn set of the sofa was across from it where two men who were busy typing on their phones were seated while a brunette woman, smoking, was sitting on the other side of the reception desk. "Bryan!" the woman exclaimed upon seeing the two. The man who was holding Valine's hand smiled back and waved at the woman "Hey, Trisha" 'So his name was Bryan' Valine thought. "Who's the gorgeous chick?" "Friend," Bryan said, shrugging. "Of course, a friend" Trisha wiggled her eyebrows knowingly and looked at Valine, smirking "Goodluck girl, Bryan will not let you walk tomorrow" Bryan shakes his head at the comment but didn't bother correcting her, not liking the thought of explaining. He tugged Valine's arm to the elevator. When they were inside, Valine caught sight of the two men on the sofa looking at them. She cast her gaze on the floor until the door slid close while Bryan pressed the 7th button. Bryan then took out his phone and texted his assistant demanding she wanted her in this area for 10 minutes and asking her to call their family doctor to his penthouse, considering that the woman will pass this place before she came to work. "So, your name was Bryan," Valine said, catching his attention, thinking it was better to know his name at any rate and begin a discussion, anything just to divert her from the pain in her body. Bryan nodded, tucking his hands into the pocket of his leather jacket that Valine was certain was not cheap alongside the cologne she was smelling. "And yours is Valine," Bryan said, remembering the name the man back in the hotel yelled. "That is a beautiful name, it suits you" Valine blinked, feeling herself blush at the unexpected and straightforward compliment. She always received compliments but all those were from people in her not-so-normal world not from humans. She cleared her throat. "Will you ask why I run?" Anybody would be interested in why in the world the person they helped was running. Assuming it was Valine who saved somebody in her circumstance, her brain would frame many inquiries and will presumably fire questions. However, Bryan was not asking her anything. "Will you answer if I ask you?" Bryan asked, glancing at her. Valine thought for a moment. And she arrived at a very clear answer. Shaking her head, she chuckled dryly "No" "I suspected as much and" he shifted his gaze to her discolored cheek "And from your bruised cheek, limp movement, and bare feet, I think I have an idea, a general idea of what happened" Valine realize that what he might be believing was right, maybe. However, there was something in her that needed to explain something. She could have been furious with her mate yet she can't totally detest him as long as the bond was still with them. They might not bore the mark of each other, but in the case of mates, the moment they finally found each other, the bond will do its work and it was to pull and influence their feelings. It sucks especially if someone was in her position. An unwanted mate. "Just so you know, he didn't force himself on me to do anything like that," she said discreetly, looking down at her pale hands. There were some small cuts on her fingers. Regardless of how horrible Dimitri treats her, a part of her believes that her mate will never force himself on her. Bryan shrugged. The truth was he didn't care what the man did to her. He just wanted to help Valine. He didn't know, but something in the way the woman asked for help earlier back in the hotel with those raw fear in her beautiful green eyes, something urged him to protect the woman. When the elevator opened to the 7th floor, Bryan held Valine's wrist and gently dragged her outside and across the hallway. They halted in room number 427. Bryan, knocked, still holding her wrist. No one answered. He knocked again, this time it was louder. "COMING!" someone shouted angrily inside. It belongs to a woman. The door suddenly flings open revealing an angry woman in red lace undergarments only. Her blonde hair was messily loosened. The woman shouted, not realizing the person in front of her. "WHO ARE YOU PEOPLE DISTURBING SOMEONE EARLY IN THE MORNING?!" "It's already 7, Sally," Bryan casually said. "Bryan?!" the woman named Sally exclaimed, eyes widened. "What are you doing here this early? I can't take care of Brielle—" "It was not because of that why I am here, '' Bryan snapped. His jaw ticked in irritation. "I am here to borrow some clothes, I cannot go to a boutique," Bryan said nonchalantly, not letting Valine's hand free. Sally finally noticed another presence, standing next to his ex-boyfriend. A beautiful woman with a bruised cheek. She opened her mouth, shocked to find Bryan with a girl, and was about to say something but thought that she had no right made her shut her mouth. "Oh, uhm.... okay" Sally pulled the door wider "Come in, come in"