Thank you to my special Queen, Mia or miaaofficial Proud creator of the Panda Fam group chat on Snapchat. Love yah girl (:

Be sure to email me at [email protected] with your banners, and username so I can give you a mention!

Word Count: 2663

~Thea

My eyes followed the road that was almost endless, stretching miles straight, carving an obvious line through the thickness of trees.

This place is an entire village, a settlement. Average sized and styled homes stand close to each other, placed to conveniently face the road, that seems to lead into nowhere. It is all so...Domestic, normal. Something I haven't seen in what seems like a while.

"What is this place? I question.

My bearings are way off. These trees aren't familiar, the sky is clouded over, and a soft fog seems to be dancing around the edges of the road. Something tells me this isn't on the map, or at least in any Pack.

"Some people call it a safe haven. A home between the Desire Pack, and the Love Pack," Jasper tells me, as I rub my eyes tiredly.

My sleep was decent, and by the looks of it, the day is just starting again. Although, I have to admit that I could really do with another nap at least.

"Why here?" I ask him. "Who lives here?"

Jasper turns the car on again, pulling out from where we were parked on the side of the road. He keeps to a decently slow pace, giving me the chance to look out the window at all the house. They are all very similar looking, with nothing being too expensive looking.

"My Pack members. They are those who fled from the Pack centuries...Well, the offspring of those. Terrified of Phantom Wolves, they had nowhere to go, so I disappeared from my old Pack to look after these people where they would be safe," he explains.

I frown. "Are they Phantom's too?"

"Some are, some are not. Those few who are Phantom's do not share that with anyone else, due to a law I enforce that Phantom's must not be spoken of, because of the hysteria is causes. Many aren't even aware I am Phantom," he tells me.

All these people living a lie. They are think they live in a perfect town, free from Phantom's under the protection of Jasper.

"Do they not get suspicious that you never age?" I ask him, taking a glance at his perfectly sculpted face as smooth skin, wondering how he could be so old. But when I look at his eyes, shrouded with memories and experience, it makes sense to me.

Jasper shrugs. "I've made them think a Phantom granted me with eternal life to suffer. With such hatred toward the murderous Wolves you spent most of your life around, it didn't take much convincing to get them to believe."

Staring out the window, I see very few people. They all look very normal, living their lives without having any idea that their Alpha is actually what they fear the most. Their neighbours are may even been one.

"So we are staying here?" I ask, wondering what a life would be like here.

"If you please. I brought you here to be safe, but ultimately it is your choice if you would like to stay here or not. I cannot make you stay," he tells me, as I fall into his gaze.

Could I stay? With an Alpha?

I shrug. "Let me think about it."

Where we were driving, I don't know. The road seems to never end, as do the houses. Just the same houses upon houses, with different street numbers printed on their fences. Sometimes we would drive past a few stores, but only those that sold necessities.

"Why here?" I decide to ask. "Why is everything the same?"

"It is hidden within the trees, secluded. If these people were found...Those other Phantom's would surely kill them. Everything here is fairly basic, as to not draw attention to anyone who may happen to pass by. I even enforce a curfew to reduce the risks of lights being seen through the trees."

My eyes widen. I had no idea it was that extensive, that Jasper would feel the need to completely shelter these people away like this.

I decide to stop asking so many questions as we continue down the road. Where exactly he plans to take me within this little settlement is still unbeknownst to me. It possibly would have worried me a week ago, but now it just seems normal for Jasper to show me rather than explain.

"This is where I live," Jasper tells me, when finally we catch sight of a home.

His home is beautiful. The place is very similar to what he lived in momentarily back in the Devotion Pack. Slightly outdated, but it had a charm to it that instantly insinuated home. The wooden exterior, larger than one story estate was set separately from the other houses down the street, making it all the more magnificent in comparison.

"It's beautiful," I tell him honestly, as he parks the car outside.

The logs used to structure the home were a rich colour, contrasting against the wildflowers native to this strange forest that crawled up the entire walls, even threatening to block the sun from the large windows on every story.

"Thank you very much," Jasper says, and I catch his gentle smile. "It's very old, but I hope you don't mind a little history."

Is he kidding? This place looks something more than welcoming. It is almost like this place has been waiting for me to come home for a while.

The moment I step out of the car, I am enveloped in the sweet scents from the flowers and the freshly cut lawn. Even the pine forest has a lingering smell that gave me goosebumps. This place is like one of a dream.

I grab my backpack from the back of the car as I look around, wondering where that sound was coming from. Birds singing merrily, their song mixing with the sound of the breeze through the pine needles.

"I had someone prepare your room for you in preparation for our arrival. You can sleep again if you would like," Jasper informs me, in a tone that suggests me thinks it would be better if I did sleep. I have been craving a nap...Especially after what had happened with Jasper getting attacked.

Inside his house is even more spectacular as the outside.

The fact that Jasper enjoys books couldn't have been more obvious. Shelves strained under the weight of books piled upon books lined almost every wall in the place. Well, at least what I can see.

All the furnishings matched the ones I had seen in his other house. Everything had an antique look to it, which confirmed that Jasper probably had decorated this place many years ago, and hasn't bothered to change anything.

No wonder he has had so much time to read...

"Would you like me to show me to your room?" Jasper asks, as I look around his living room curiously.

Nodding, I go to follow him, but both of us come to a stop as we see a woman leaning casually on the door frame, staring blatantly at me. Her familiarity hits me like a bus. It is that woman, from the night I snuck out and followed Jasper to that restaurant.

We still haven't talked much about what has happened that night, and I make a mental note to question him about it tomorrow.

"Glad to see you're finally home," she muses.

Staring at her, it is hard to fathom that in actual fact, she is dead right now, having passed away centuries ago. Now, I am staring at the young her, who travels through time to experience every realm.

"Tayten. Glad to see you're still around," Jasper comments, and I can't tell if he is being sarcastic or not.

Tayten smiles, giving me a good view of her perfectly straight teeth. She really is beautiful, and I find myself almost blushing just for thinking such things, considering her interest in woman over men. I see nothing wrong with it, but the way she is staring at me makes me a little uneasily.

Maybe it is just because of those dark eyes that don't suggest anything about what she may be thinking.

"I wanted to meet Thea," she muses, striding forward in a way that could only be described as graceful. She holds out her hand, and I shake it gently. Tilting her head as she blatantly assesses me without holding back for a moment.

I shiver uncomfortably. "Ah, nice to meet you."

"Very...Jasper has told me a lot about you. From what I have heard, he is very fond of you," she tells me, not letting her smile stop for one second.

I catch Jasper's gaze. "Interesting."

Tayten was soon excused, after Jasper insisted I needed to sleep, rather than be stuck in a conversation with her, considering I didn't know her in anyway. However, she didn't leave until she made me promise to come speak to her again some other time, which admittedly was a hard pill to swallow...She intimidates me to say the least.

Jasper lead me upstairs to what would be my room for as long as I needed it to be.

"You can decorate it more if you decide to stay," Jasper tells me, keeping outside the room as I wander in. "Stay as long as you need...Forever even, if you want."

The room is fairly basic, which I don't mind at all. The bed is large and the room has a connecting bathroom. Everything that I could possibly need. If I do decide to stay. Even if forever seems quite daunting.

"Why?" I ask, turning around. "Why do this for me?"

Jasper paused, as if the question surprised him. He hasn't fully explained yet why he decided to be so kind in helping me escape, as well as making sure Luca and the rest of the crazed villagers.

"I knew you were in danger, and I had to save you. Unfortunately I was too late to save the others. They were saving you for last, and luckily I was able to get you out before they could do anything for you...As for letting you stay, I feel like I owe you that much."

His explanation wasn't much, but it made enough sense for me to be able to sleep. "Well, I thank you very much."

Jasper closes the door after him, leaving me to get ready to a nap. The curtains are thick enough to keep the midday sun out, and after a shower, finding sleep wasn't difficult in the slightest. In fact, the moment I lay my face on the pillow, sleep curled its relentless arms around me, and dragged me under its spell.

❤️••❤️

When I woke, I was groggy and delirious.

Forcing myself from the bed, I plug my phone into the charging spot, and check the time. Nearly midnight, and now I am fully awake...

Wandering to the bathroom, I was my face and wonder what to do next. Tying my hair up, not bothering with my night clothes, I decide to go downstairs and find something to eat. My stomach is currently complaining to me about how it hasn't been feed a decent meal since the Love Pack.

My feet pad down the wooden stairs, my mind silently thanking Jasper leaving a few lights on so I can actually see.

It took me a few minutes to find the kitchen. I was trying to keep as silent as possible, but the blanket of silence magnified every movement I made. When I even bumped my shoulder against one of his bookshelves, I cringed at the sound of one of his books hitting the floor.

Finally I found the kitchen, turning the light on.

Instead of potentially seeing food, I instead saw Jasper leading against one of the kitchen counters, chewing on a banana. He grinned at me the moment he saw me, as I stared at him, completely stunned.

"I thought I heard something," he murmurs, tilting his head slightly.

I let out a deep breath,placing my hand over my erratically beating heart. "You nearly gave me a heart attack."

Jasper strolled to the fridge, opening it before peering inside. I watched him curiously. Again, his torso his beautifully bare, lit by the fridge light that illuminates every muscle. Obviously he has been sleeping too, by the way his hair is mussed from sleep.

"I guess we woke from sleep at the same time. Let me find you something to eat,' I hear him say from inside the fridge.

I slip onto a bar stool, resting my elbows against the counter as I watch Jasper rummage for something in there. He ends up pulling out a bowl of fruit that apparently belonged to Tayten, before he slid it across the marble to me, where I begin picking out the assortment.

"Are you okay?" Jasper asks suddenly, cutting through the silence like a knife.

I pause, an unchewed piece of pineapple in my mouth. Then I shrug.

"I heard what you and Tayten were talking about...You said I was valuable. Why?" I question, narrowing my eyes at Jasper, who stood close to the sink. He sighed deeply, and ran a hand through his hair.

"Not right now Thea," he mutters, the first flutter of desperation I have seen on his face suddenly appearing. "It will make sense soon, but not yet."

My heart skipped a little. I have been able to handle not knowing much about our situation...But this? Obviously he is keeping a massive secret from me, and my curiosity to know what it is digs at the back of my mind.

I go to open my mouth to speak, but Jasper shakes his head at me.

"Please trust me," he whispers, walking toward me with soft steps. I stay completely still, not saying a word as I watch him come only inches from me.

"Why?" I ask him, as he leans over me.

For a moment, I wonder if maybe he would kiss me, or at the very least touch me. How would I even react? Would I respond if I felt his lips on mine, would I finally accept the attraction I feel for him, despite how little I may know about him.

"I promise I will make it worth while for you," he muses, smiling slightly. And then he leans away, stealing the moment between us. It leaves me speechless for a good second.

Then he winks. "I think you should go back to bed Thea, before you tempt me."

I scramble up from my spot on the chair, so surprised by his words the blush on his cheeks could be toxic. Not looking at him again, I nearly run upstairs to think over what he had just insinuated.

💛••💛

Want more and don't want to wait!? More of Jasper is available now on Radish! (:

Want a taste of Malik!? His book is up now too! First three chapters free!!

👑••👑

Guys guys guys!!! I can't believe Malik is up right now! I'm enjoying writing their story so much, and I think it's going to turn out great! (:

I hope you guys will check it out!

Also, I have fish now. My Quails died recently (my cat killed them) So I told my mum I missed having something to look after, so she got me a tank.

Let's hope I don't kill them!

Also, the spammer is no longer an issue! (: I have a crack team of behind the scenes private investigators. They kind of gave themselves the job :p

Hope you guys enjoyed this chapter, vote and comment for more! (:

Snapchat: Midikacrane

Radish: Midika

~Midika 💜🐼