I heard a knock on my door. "Hey Elora. I'm sorry about Rem. He went on a run to clear his mind. I know this is a lot for you right now. Just know that he's only upset because he's worried about you."
I opened the door slowly and looked Roman in the eye.
"This whole situation is just overwhelming." I replied.
"I know." He pulled me into a hug. I stood still, taking in the warmth of his embrace. I wasn't close to Roman, but I still found his words to be comforting. He continued, "Would you like to spend the day with Mia? I know when she gets upset she just wants a day with the girls. Female bonding or whatnot."
"Yea. I think that would be nice." I stepped out of his arms.
"Thank goddess. Remy would have kittens if you sat in your room and moped all day. Not that you're moping. I'm a male, I can't be responsible for my language like that." Roman said, stepping back with his arms up in surrender.
I chuckled. Remy was right, Roman is the weird "twin". He always spoke a bit strangely, but I'd never heard him use the word "goddess" before. I can't tell if it's his usual oddness or if it's a religious thing.
We went down the elevator and through a series of halls. I wonder if the architect of this place also designed hotels? Or maybe this setup is just normal for multi family homes.
We entered what appeared to be a common area of the building. Living room? Regardless, we arrived and Mia immediately got up to greet me and Roman made his way out. He didn't want to invade on our girl time.
"Hey babydoll! Roman told me you've been through the ringer. I just need to finish up this cake order for the Winter Solstice festival and then I'll be free. We can eat junk, watch movies, do face masks, or anything else you could want."
"Winter solstice?" I quested. I've heard of Christmas, Hanukkah, and kwanzaa. Heck, I've heard of Lunar New Year, but what is winter solstice? Is that a weird cult thing?
"Remy didn't tell you?" Mia asked, surprised.
"No."
"Idiot. Well its a big celebration we hold every year. He said he was planning on inviting you but I guess he's been too chicken." Mia rolled her eyes.
"What is the celebration for, exactly?" I asked directly.
"The moon." Mia smiled.
Celebrating the moon? Thank goddess? Large quantities of people all living in a giant complex with the hope of being self-sustainable? I hope this isn't a cult.  No. It wouldn't be. I'm just sensitive. I need to keep an open mind.
I waited until Mia was done and then proceeded to ask her more about the festival. Maybe it's similar to Lunar New Year?
"So what do you do at the Winter Solstice Festival?" I continued my line of questioning.
"Aside from eating we play a lot of games and we have some sparring matches too. It's all in good fun of course. We put on shows too. Music, theater, the works. Our brother pack from the city actually comes in town to join us too. It's the biggest event of the whole year." Mia went on, her excitement flashing in her eyes.
"Brother pack?" The more she said, the more questions I had.
"Oh, yea. I should have specified. It's the Silver Storm Pack ran by Alpha Thomas." Mia went on. She acted like all of this was completely normal.
Goddess, Winter Solstice, Pack, Alpha? This is a FREAKING CULT! I could feel my stomach drop and my heart race. Adrenaline rushing into my body. I looked across the room and then ran to the attached bathroom to empty the contents of my breakfast.
"Dollface, are you okay?"
As soon as I heard Mia's voice I ran. I ran as fast as I could out of the building, across the driveway, and into the road until I heard Remy.
"ELORA!"
I turned to face him, "Why didn't you tell me you were in a FREAKING CULT! YOU TOLD ME I WOULD BE SAFE! YOU LIED TO ME!"
Remy kept his distance and raised both hands up in surrender, "We aren't a cult. Elora, please come back. I can explain things."
"I"M NOT GOING BACK!" I stepped back.
"Then let me come with you." Remy attempted to take a step forward, but I took another step back.
"WHY? SO YOU CAN RECRUIT ME?" I waved my arms in the arm, demonstrating my clear frustration.
"No, so I can keep my promise. I promised to keep you safe, and" Remy reached out, trying to grab me.
"AND YOU ALREADY BROKE IT BY BRINGING ME TO YOUR CULT! I'M NOT SAFE! I'M NOT SAFE AT MY HOME, I'M NOT SAFE THERE! I HAVE NOWHERE TO GO!" I dodged his flimsy attempt to capture me.
"I'm sorry. Please just let me explain." Remy continued.
"NO!"
"Then let me help you find somewhere to stay. I can't just leave you to sleep in the streets." Remy pleaded.
I went to protest, but suddenly a car was speeding and swerving right toward me. I was ice on the middle of the road, my mind already gone and my body about to be shattered.
The closer the car got, the more it veered toward the side of the road I was on. This was deliberate. Someone was out to kill me or Remy, and with their car.
Like the night we visited the warehouse, Remy grabbed me by the waist and hoisted me onto his shoulder in a split second before running away. The car made its exit just as quickly as its entrance and Remy started slowing down as we reached the line of trees on the side of the road.
"Are you okay?" Remy set me down but didn't release my waist from his grasp.
"Yeah, I'm okay. Are you okay?"
"No. Elora, I really don't think it's safe for you to be traveling alone right now. Please, please let me come with you if you don't want to stay at the farm. I promise I'll tell you everything. Anything you want. Just please let me protect you!" He searched my eyes, and I searched his. He felt genuine, real. There was a desperation to his pleading.
"Okay. Then please explain the cult, how you knew about the creek and the warehouse, and what you want from me."
"I can explain three of those at once if we can go somewhere more private. As for what I want from you, I've already told you. I just want you to be safe. Happy if that's possibly but I know that can only come in time."
"Private? No one is here. And I still don't trust your motives with me."
"I just don't want another car incident."
"Fine. We can walk back to the farm but I'm leaving again if you don't answer my questions."
We walked back in silence. I had been so honest with Remy, and the secrets he held were starting to cut me deep. I felt as though I was a glass hovering over the side of a table, ready to fall and break at any moment.
"Elora, what I'm about to tell, eh, show you might be very shocking. But please promise that if I'm completely transparent that you won't run away again. If you want to leave, I will help you. But I don't want you to be in danger again. Okay."
"Okay."
He seemed to be reasonable enough, but my adrenaline was still pumping. It had been pumping all day. But even the adrenaline in my veins wasn't enough to help me stay conscious when I saw it.