CHAPTER FORTY-SIX: Moving On

Private Airstrip Outside of Budapest

Aaron stood outside the plane, watching for Alex. The moment he received Lucian's call he had advised the men that Alex would be joining them on their flight home.

Sure enough, a cab was soon pulling up to the plane; Lucian had kept his word. The rear car door opened, and Alex stepped out. He saw that she was wearing men's clothing; but both pants and shirt were big on her. She leaned into the front passenger window, obviously speaking to the cabbie; then she straightened up and walked over to where Aaron stood.

"I don't have any money on me right now. Can you cover this for me?" she asked proudly.

"It would be my pleasure," he replied, before walking over to pay the cab driver.

She stayed where she was, waiting for Aaron to finish. When he walked back over to her, she noticed he was smiling.

"I'm glad you decided to come back with us," he told her.

Alex took a deep breath before she answered. "I haven't decided just how I feel yet."

Then she turned her back on him and made her way over to the private plane the Council had sent for them.

Aaron watched her walk away, her shoulders were slumped, and her demeanor was withdrawn. She wasn't going to confide in him, which really didn't surprise him. It was the sadness he detected in her voice that had him concerned. He hoped they had made the right decision. Then knowing there wasn't much he could do about it now, he followed her into the plane.

Once inside, Alex looked about until she found a seat to herself. The guys greeted her as she walked down the aisle, but all she could do was offer them a small smile. As soon as she was seated, she pulled down the shade covering the window and leaned her seat back as far as it would go. She closed her eyes, and prayed she would fall asleep.

But her solitude was soon interrupted, as she felt someone come sit beside her. She knew, without even looking, that it was Malcolm.

"I want to be alone right now," she warned him.

"I understand luv," he responded. "I just wanted to welcome you back."

Alex didn't bother replying. She just sat there as the tears she had been trying to keep at bay, began slipping between her long lashes.

Malcolm, seeing her tears, reached out to capture one as it slid down her cheek. But without even opening an eye Alex seemed to know his intent, for she lifted a hand and pushed his fingers away. Malcolm waited a moment, but when she offered no response, he moved back to his seat.

Guilt and remorse tore at him. He had been the one to convince Aaron that Alex would be better off returning to London with them. He also told him that by having an employee of the supernatural persuasion could only help the Council during the next few months. Then, when he had Aaron on his side, they confronted Lucian and somehow managed to persuade him about how unhappy Alex would be if she were to stay with him. But now, seeing how unhappy Alex was, it made him wonder if he had done the right thing.

Alex was left alone for the rest of the trip. No one bothered her with questions, nor did anyone come over and try to make her feel better. By the time they landed in London, she was feeling a little better. While the plane was taxiing up to the gate, she walked over and sat next to Aaron.

"So what happens now?" she asked.

"No one here has been apprised of what happened to you while you were in Budapest," he assured her. "I wanted that to be up to you as to whom you confided in and how you were to use these new powers of yours."

"I can't remain with the Council with the way things are Aaron," she told him. "I've seen too much and have become even more. I will never again take an assignment where I will be expected to go in and kill lycans and vampires because the Council deems it so."

Aaron sighed, knowing the Council's current regime had come to an end. Changes needed to be made and new procedures needed to be implemented. He hoped Alex would stay around to help them in this time of conversion.

"I need your help in order to make things better," he told her. "Some major changes need to be made, and I will need you by my side to make sure things are handled correctly."

Alex thought about it for a moment. Technically, she never had to work again a day in her life. Over the last several years, she had earned more a substantial amount of money working for the Council. And thanks to some prudent financial investments, she had an amazing portfolio. But she had to do something, she was never one for just sitting around, she's go stir crazy in less than a week. No, she needed to keep busy. So, she might as well do what she did best. She would take on the bad guys. The only thing different this time around was that she no longer believed the bad guys were only the other species, especially now that she was one of those others. This was her chance to learn more about her abilities and to make things…different.

"Okay, I'll stay," she finally replied. "But know this, I'm not making you any promises. I'll stay as long as I feel things are moving in the right direction. If I no longer believe in what the Council is doing, I will walk away." she informed him in no uncertain terms.

"We'll take what we can get," Aaron answered, relieved with her decision.

Alex nodded, then stood as the aircraft came to a complete halt. "I'm going to take a bath and drown my sorrows in brownies and truffles. I'll give you a call tomorrow," she said as she turned and walked off the plane.