The next morning I was happy to find my brother awake and aware of his surroundings. He didn't look too well and he was quieter than usual. Every time I had tried to engage him in small talk he had brushed me off. I wasn't sure if he was tired or if his pride was hurt by everything that had happened. Surprisingly, out of the two of us Darren was the sensitive twin. Always wearing his heart on his sleeve. 

"I'm going to take a shower. You need anything?" I asked him as I moved toward the bathroom, pausing to give him an another opportunity to share what he was feeling. 

"I think I'll survive without your presence for a little while..." He mumbled under his breath, rolling over so that his back was to me. I noted the way his breath seemed slightly labored under the small movement. I nibbled on my lip as the small bubble of concern in my stomach seemed to grow with every passing moment. Something was not right with Darren. I was going to have to talk to Alexei if he didn't start showing any improvement over the next couple of hours. 

I showered quickly, my body feeling flushed by more than the hot water. My thoughts seemed hard to control when I had nothing and nobody else to reign them in, straying constantly to the kiss that I had shared with Alexei. I had never felt anything like what had been transpiring between the two of us. I didn't like how all  consuming it felt. I was afraid that If I wasn't careful I  really would of lose myself as Anna had warned I would the first day we had arrived in the community. 

The sound of the bedroom door opening, had my thoughts focusing. I sound of Darren protesting weakly had me rushing to the bathroom door, pulling it open, "What the hell is this? What's going on?" I questioned as Anna stood into the room, scooping Darren up off the bed, even as he tried to resist. 

"Hey, put him down." I moved out of the bathroom, dropping the towel I was using to dry off my hair with. 

"Yes, put me down before I turn you into dog food, bitch." He hissed between his teeth. He was trying to look threatening but the pale color of his skin and the dark bag under his eyes made it clear he had no strength to back up any of the threats he may have wanted to throw at her. 

"Alexei insisted." She didn't sound overjoyed but there was no part of her that was trying to defy his wishes, "If you've got a problem take it up with him, witch. Now be silent." I couldn't tell if she was talking to me or to my brother. I felt anger radiating through my body as I scrambled to reach them as she moved from the room with blinding speed, definitely faster than I could move. 

I chased after them, pushing my way through the hallways. I charged out the front door to find there was a horde of Lycan's buzzing around, loading up into a caravan of dark SUV's. I scanned the crowd in a hurry, not taking long for me to find my prey. It was as if my body was cued up with a radar that specified in finding Alexei--perhaps he truly was the devil after all. 

I rushed down the stairs, "Alexei Grimm!" I yelled his name loud and clear, enjoying the way his body stiffened up for a moment, "You better have a damned good reason for all this or I swear wolf..." Most of the Lycans in my way moved in a hurry to clear the path. 

"I don't have to explain myself to you, Witch. Your the guest here, and I'm the one in charge, not the other way around. Now, you will get in the car with your brother and go home." His words were not entirely a shock to me, since he had come by the room last night spouting off similar nonsense about sending us away. I had assumed when he was more sobered minded we could discuss things like adults but clearly that had been to much for me to expect of someone like Alexei. 

Cole approached him, glancing warily in my direction, "Niklaus says that the witches have agreed to terms of the investigation. Everyone is ready when you are, Alpha." 

"Good. Let's head out. Have a save trip home, Snowflake." He didn't even have the decency to look my direction as he gave me a coldly dismissed me. I couldn't believe this was the same person who had kissed me so passionately last night. That seemed more like a dream and this was the reality. 

"No way are you getting rid of me like that. If this is about the dark druid then I'm going with you." I walked quickly after him, chasing down the quickly moving entourage of Lycans. I tossed a glance to see Anna putting my brother into the large SUV.

"Alexei, I'm talking to you. Don't ignore me." I hissed at him, my blood heating in my veins as I pushed my way through the Lycans, ignoring the snarls they sent my direction. I was not in the mood at the moment, and if any of them wanted to go a few rounds I'd show them exactly what Druids were capable of. Cole sent a look in my direction as I squeezed my way passed him, "Damn it, Alexei! Stop blowing me off!" I snapped. 

My magic hissed, inky tendrils surging forward and wrapping themselves around his arms and legs, freezing him. He let out an angry growl, struggling a bit before twisting his face in my direction. His icy blue eyes were narrowed into small slits, the features of his face a bit more angular as the beast made its presence known, "Release me, Witch." 

I stepped towards him, hands fisting at my sides, "Not until you tell me what the hell this is all about? Are you really trying to send us away? What about the Dark Druid? What about our deal?" My anger dropped off a bit at the end, as the ache in my chest bloomed. It was the same ache I had felt the other night when he had talked about sending me away. I thought I was upset because I wanted to be the one to catch the dark druid, after all--whoever they were--they had been targeting me. If I was going to be honest, I was more upset about the fact that Alexei was trying to put distance between us. 

His expression remained fixed in an intense scowl, "I'm not trying to send you away. I am sending you away. You and your brother have worn out your welcome. Our deal was just a silly way for me to pass the time, it didn't mean much." 

The ache spread at his cold words. I should have been used to his behavior by this point. It's not like he had ever tried to make excuses or pretend that he was something that he wasn't. He had never worn a mask, but I had felt at times as if there was something more to him. Something that we shared, something past all the cold. My magic seemed to respond to his words, sizzling out of existence. 

Alexei twisted his body towards mine, straightening out the wrinkles in his shirt, "As for the dark Druid that's no longer anything you need to concern yourself with." His voice was smooth and calculated.

"How can you say that? This has everything to do with me. What if they come for me while I'm alone, or with my family, or at school? What then?" I could feel myself getting frantic. I needed him to understand that I was taking this all very seriously. I knew I was strong but I didn't know if I was strong enough to fight off whatever the dark druid would throw at me. No, I wanted to go to the hellgate and have the element of surprise. I didn't want to sit around and wait for them to gather more power to attack with.  

He moved towards me with steady steps, grabbing my chin between his fingers. I sucked in a breath as the familiar rush of warm electricity raised across my skin. It made it hard for me to keep a clear mind. I could feel all the invisible threads that seemed to tie the two of us together, sizzling and crackling with awareness. Alexei held my gaze, "You are done with all of this, do you understand me, Poppy?" 

I tried to pull away but he gripped me tighter, eyes darkening, "I said, Do you understand?" 

I clenched my teeth together, grinding them, "I understand." 

He released his hold on me, stepping back in a manner that appeared casual, but I could see the tension in his shoulders that he was trying to hide, "You don't need to worry about being attacked, just know that we have everything handled. All you will need to do is just go about your life as usual. You should be happy. You'll have your life back the way you wanted it before we met." His words were a taunting goodbye, that stabbed at my heart. 

"The only thing that could make me happy now would be if I had killed you." I said the words to be cruel. I knew deep down I didn't mean them, no matter how much I wanted to mean them. He had hurt me and I wanted to hurt him back. It wasn't right, nothing about anything between us was right. If we were soulmate's shouldn't things be simpler? Shouldn't we feel deep love for each other? This thing between us was so twisted and dangerous, like we were seconds from consuming one another. 

Alexei let out a dark laugh that sent shivers up my spine. His eyes were cold as they stared into mine, "Too have been killed by you, Snowflake would have been a good death." 

I had nothing more to say to him. He was not going to change his mind and I wouldn't waste anymore of my energy trying. I turned away from him with a sneer, pushing my way through the Lycans. If he actually thought that I was going to give up that easily than he hadn't learned anything about me. I planned to see this through to the end, with or without his consent to do so. 

Anna met my gaze as I moved toward the door, grabbing my arm as I tried to ease my way past her, "I know you are upset right now. I know you are planning to defy Alexei's wishes but he is only doing what he thinks is best. You don't understand how vulnerable you make him and the rest of us. He is the Alpha of this community, we depend on him to lead us. If something happens to you then we would all be in trouble." 

I wrenched my arm from her hold, sending her a heavy glare, "Frankly, I don't give a damn about any of you. Alexei isn't a hero and I am not a damsel in distress that needs to be saved. And even if I did need saving, I am quite capable of saving myself. Now get the hell out of my face. You're the last person I want to get lectured by." I snapped. I didn't want to hear anymore about Alexei. I just wanted to go home. Anna smirked at my words, lifting her hands in surrender as she stepped away from the door. I pulled myself through opening, saddling up next to my brother. 

He looked just as miserable as I felt, "This is bullshit." he mumbled under his breath as he sunk deeper into the seat. I couldn't have agreed more. Once I was done fuming I was going to come with a plan to find the druid on my own. Alexei Grimm, could take his stupid commands and shove them up his ass. 

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Song: Innocence (Feat. AlunaGeorge)