7. Phantom Pack

"Thought you changed your mind," Rage said playfully when I arrived at our meeting place on the day of our departure. 

"If only I had thought of another way to kill you, I could have changed my mind."

He hissed but still smiling. "Honest as always."

"I don't lie to make anyone feel better."

"Yeah. Sounds like very you."

"Now are we not going yet? I don't like chatting with you for long."

He shook his head with a ghost of smile on his lips and mounted his horse. "You really don't care if you hurt someone else's feelings with your words, do you?"

"Do I have to care?" 

His lips parted in disbelief. I then reigned my horse towards the right way. Rage followed at once and coped up with my pace.

"You are so heartless."

"I don't need to be kind to live." In fact, my principle is the other way around. To kill is to live. That is the only thing I need to do. Why should feel those unnecessary sentiments when all of those are useless.

"Life must have been tough to you," he said. There was no hint of playfulness in his voice this time.

I don't know why I felt something different. But instead of talking back, I reigned my horse to a faster pace. I don't want to talk about my life with anyone. Especially with my victim. Unnecessary things should not be done to avoid conflicts later on.

* * *

"Beyond that rock formation is where the base of my grandfather's pack is situated," Rage said.

"Why do you have different packs when you are relatives?"

"They are my relatives on the maternal side. My parents had their own packs before, but when they got married, Mother chose to live in Raven Pack since Father is the Alpha and can't leav the his own pack."

So that is why. I was kind of confused before, but now I understand. Though, I still have a question in my mind. If he is the Alpha, then that means his father is already gone. And where is his mother?

"Are you ready?"

I looked at Rage and raised a brow. "I always am."

He smirked, and for some reason, I saw pride in his eyes.

"Let's go, then."

"Lead the way, mongrel."

He hissed. "Will you stop calling me that? You should start calling me by my name, or better if we have endearment for each other. That is what a real couple does, Elena."

I cussed under my breath. Damn him. Just damn him.

"What kind of endearment do you want, then? Should I call you love? Sweetheart?" I fired sarcastically. "I would rather be killed by your relatives than call you that."

"Is it that hard? You would just say the word, and you are telling me that you would rather die than do that? How inconsiderate of you."

"So I am the inconsiderate here? Who lured me to a contract without telling me what it truly entails? And you are saying that I am the inconsiderate between us?"

He did not say anything and draw a deep breath.

"Fine. That is my mistake, I apologize for that. But since we are already in this contract, can we do a little effort to make this work? Because if you would not help, then all our efforts will just be put into waste. And that would certainly affect whether you get what you want or not."

He really never forgets to remind me of the main purpose why I'm doing this. Such a smart asshole. He knows where to hit his opponent right.

"I am not making an effort, huh? I am already doing the best that I could, you moron!"

He shook his head. "You don't call your mate that way, Elena."

"Why? Are couples always necessarily sweet? I suppose not."

"What do you know about relationships, anyway? You have no experience."

"And you have?" I retorted, ears were flaring.

There was a pause, and then he cleared his throat. "I don't, but I know how to observe my surroundings and the people around me, unlike you who does not care about things that don't concern you."

"So what are you trying to say? That I should follow your idea because you know how things between couples work? And you are suggesting that we should have those ridiculous endearments? Just kill me instead."

"You are so hard, Elena."

"From the start, you knew I'm not the easy type of woman. You were completely aware of what kind of person I am, yet you chose me for this awful job—"

"I chose you because I know that you need something from me. It would make things easier."

"Easier?" I echoed the word with sarcasm. "You know what would have been easier? You should have just fought with me that night I broke into your chamber. If I was defeated and you had killed me, then you could have just hired a random girl willing to execute the pretend-for-one-week job perfectly."

His face is now grim.

"You really believe that I would kill you? That I could..." His voice was low, silent, but lethal.

"Given how strong you are as a werewolf, even I'm a skilled fighter, there is no doubt you could do that."

His jaw moved and without a word, he reigned his horse towards a path towards the huge rock formation. What is wrong with him? 

I just didn't dwell much on that and reigned my horse too. I followed the same path and coped up with Rage.

A group of older people welcomed our arrival. Every each of them looked at Rage first, and then to me. All of them looked at me with the same expression. They stared at me in awe as if they could not believe that Rage brought a woman. Though I wonder if it is not against their customs to have a human mate? But I suppose Rage would not have chosen me if that was the case, right?

"Rage!" a man his age went to him the moment he unmounted his horse. I was about to get down from mine when Rage was suddenly at my side.

My eyes narrowed. What is he doing? I can definitely get down by myself.

When I didn't move, Rage stared at me as if he was trying to convey something through his look.

Ah. I then understood what he was trying to say. I remember the "intimacy" thing. I sighed and stopped myself from doing something that could worsen this situation. Everyone is watching us so I should not be impulsive when it comes to these trivial things.

So I ended up reaching his hand even deep inside me, I was cursing him so bad. The ghost of smile on his lips told me that he knew.

I couldn't help glare at him when he held my waist. The fuck is he doing?!

"Quit glaring," he whispered on my ear when I successfully landed on the ground.

How can I stop glaring at him when he is making me furious? I agreed to the intimacy he wants but I don't want to be intimate with him if it is unnecessary!

"Thank you," I said for everyone to hear. Then I leaned closer to him for a whisper. "But next time, you don't need to support me from getting down the horse because I'm not paralyzed."

He didn't say anything and instead faced the people expecting him. I gritted my teeth in silence when his hand stayed at the back of my waist. I know we already talked about this but I still don't like it. It's pissing me off.

"Grandfather," Rage acknowledge with respect. My eyes drifted to the old man who still looked like he could wrestle with a wild lion.

"Rage, my grandson. I am glad that you are here. But I hope this beautiful lady with you is your Luna?"

"Oh!" the younger man smirked at Rage and punched his shoulder playfully. Judging how they treat each other, they must be close. Maybe they are cousins or just friends.

"Indeed, Grandpa. She is Elena, my beautiful mate," Rage said proudly that I almost hissed if only I was not reminded that we have a bunch of audience. I looked at him and slightly raised a brow. Looks like he is into acting. He is quiet good in this pretend thing.

"Hello, Elena. Welcome to Phantom Pack. I'm Richard Black," Rage's grandfather welcomed me warmly.

"Thank you, Alpha," I said, trying so hard not to sound too cold. But I also don't want to look strangely friendly. That is entirely out of my character.

"No, no. Don't address me that way, dear. You are my grandson's mate. You should call me grandpa."

Why would I? I'm not part of your family and I don't have any plans to—

Rage's slow tap on my waist stopped my thoughts. He looked at me with a sweet smile but his eyes were giving me a warning.

I heaved and swallowed the lump in my throat that was supposed to be curses. Patience, Elena. Remember the goal. Remember that you have to kill the only man who dared to control you, the man who dared to touch you. With all that he has done, he should be punished severely before his death. I promise to give him what he deserves.

The images of him dead on my hands gave me satisfaction. That motivated me to do well on this job so I can execute my plan later on.

"It is my pleasure to call you that, Grandpa," I said, a bit more feminine than my usual voice.

"Very good, love," Rage whispered with a husky chuckle. I could feel my blood boiling. If only we were not in front of these people, I could have given him an uppercut even if I know that I would also be hurt because of the contract.

"Hi, Elena. I'm Tyler, Rage's cousin," from the younger man. He even had the audacity to ask for my hand for a handshake. Should I really get throught these trivial things?

I was about to swallow my pride again and reach for Tyler's hand, but before I could do it, Rage already slapped his cousin's hand away.

"Woah! Chill, bro. I'm just trying to know your mate." Tyler laughed.

"There is no need for a handshake for introductions."

Tyler hissed. "You are too possessive, Rage. Don't worry, even I'm a bit more attractive than you, I will not steal your mate. I will find my own."

He is more attractive than Rage? That is quiet debatable since I think Rage is more attractive than—wait, what the hell I am saying? Why am even I praising that damn mongrel?

"Your chamber is already clean, Rage. I will ask someone to put your things there. For now, let us go to the banquet I prepared for your arrival."

Dinner with a pack of werewolves. Great!

"Behave, my love," Rage whispered as he led me the way, still holding my waist.

"Stop calling me that or else I would end up losing my cool," I warned him but he only chuckled. I really hate him.

"You should practice calling me like that too, you know."

"I thought we already decided about that matter?" I asked, impatient and irritated. 

We already talked about the endearment thing last night and we both agreed to just call each other by our names. But here he is, teasing me again and again. So far, I think the biggest mistake I had ever made was to accept this mission. If only I refused it, I won't be in this complicated situation. I hate him to the bits.

I sighed my irritation away when Rage pulled a chair for me like a goddamn gentleman. I was used to doing my things all by myself ever since I was a child, so being look after by a person irritates me.

I sat and tried to lighten my expression when I realized that most of them were looking at me. Well, it is obviously because of two things: first, because I'm a new face, second, because Rage was the one who brought me here. Or it could also be because I'm not their kind.

"You are such a beautiful lady, Elena," an older woman said. "I'm Cordelia by the way, Rage's aunt and Tyler's mother. You may call me aunt if it is fine with you."

Ugh. Too many names. Why does Rage need to have a so many relatives? I hate memorizing the names of people.

"It is all right with me, Aunt," I said in a lower voice to hide the coldness of it.

"Can you be a little warm, at least?" Rage whispered. He is smiling sweetly so that the others would think that we are just having the usual small talks between couples.

"I am already trying the best that I can. Don't push me too much," I said in a smooth voice but my eyes were like cold silver cutting through him.

"I can see that you are not one of us, Elena. In what town are you from, then?"

"Asran, under the kingdom of Hales."

"What do you do?"

"I'm an ass—"

"Her family owns a tavern, Grandpa. That was where I met her."

Darn it. I almost slipped. This is really my problem with lies. I hate lying because I usually have a hard time remembering the lies that I had said or I would say. But this werewolf, Rage, sounds like an expert when it comes to lying. He does not even mind if he is lying with his family and friends. In short, he is an asshole.

"Have you already introduced her to your pack?" Richard Black asked.

"Not yet, but I will once we got back. I'm still buying time for Elena. I want her to be ready first before I introduce her to the pack," Rage answered.

"Yes, I agree. She is not our kind, so it would surely take time for her to adjust." Cordelia smiled at me. Meanwhile, I remained still, the corners of my lips did not even rose for the least bit. I don't know how to fake a smile when I haven't been smiling for a while now.

"But I have to say, as a normal human, it takes quiet a courage to come here in the base of a huge pack of werewolves." Cordelia chuckled.

For all she knows, I'm not a normal human like she was saying. I wonder what would be their reaction if they would know that I am an assassin from the famous House of Spades and hundreds of lives were killed by my hands. The idea made me smile unconsciously.

"I was honestly nervous, but Rage kept on convincing me that it would be all right. I can see that now," I said. I realized it is quiet fun to play around with these extraordinary humans.

"I understand. My husband also felt like that the first time I brought him here to introduce to the pack."

My forehead creased slightly. Is she saying that her husband is a normal human?

As if she heard the question in my mind, she then answered. "Yes, my late husband was a normal human like you."

Late husband.

"I'm sorry about that," I said, but I think I sounded cold and indifferent rather than apologetic.

"No, it's okay. It was already about a decade when he died. It is nothing to me now."

I nodded and started eating although I'm not hungry. I just need to do something else so that they would not notice my indifference.

"Didn't know you actually know how to apologize, huh," Rage whispered, teasing me.