With Hands to Hold | ✔

|04|

Due to their unscheduled stop, it had taken them an extra half an hour on the road.

After Spiraea had calmed down, she had been left feeling tired and embarrassed. There was a small part of her that wondered what had really happened, and how long she had been in hysterics.

She never remembered the exact moments- what she did or saw, it was almost as if she had completely left her body an empty husk. She had no concept of time in moments like that, but she could always tell by her state when she found herself again.

Sometimes she had guessed that it lasted for days. On those days she usually found that she had either soiled herself, or by curtosey of Marianne whenever she could, had been changed into fresh clothing.

The girl decided that it probably hadn't been too long considering they were still in the car, and the sun was still fairly high in the sky.

She avoided Vincent as much as she could in the confined space of the vehicle, her embarrassment and shame not allowing her so much as a glance in his direction. Eventually her eyes began to droop, and her body demanded she rest.

Vincent could smell the sharp, acidic scent of her emotions. It practically polluted her own fresh floral scent, he didn't like that. He didn't ever want her to feel ashamed or embarrassed around him, no matter the situation.

It also didn't please him that she seemed to be distancing herself more than usual. He was going to be there for her, even if she didn't want him to be.

He watched as her eyes began to droop, momentarily taking his eyes off the road to take her in. He shrugged off his jacket as best as he could, laying it over her curled up form.

Spiraea tensed, though any apprehension left her body after a short second. It was strangely an unconscious comfort for her to be shrouded in the crisp scent of mahogany and cigars- a scent that was purely Vincent.

The intoxicating scent, coupled with the sheer exhaustion of her body and mind, was enough to send the girl into a much needed sleep.

Her soft snores filled the space between them. If he didn't have to keep his eyes on the road, they would've been completely fixated on her. He wanted to feel the reassurance that she was beside him.

He didn't even think, as his palm reached across the small space. Snaking underneath his jacket to rest comfortably on her warm thigh.

If she had been awake there would be no way in hell he could've done anything so bold, however in her unconscious state, her body welcomed the comfort of her other half. Her reaction just as instinctual, as her fingers covered his own linking their hands softly.

They stayed that way for the remaining two hour drive. Vincent was admittedly driving faster than he was ought to out of his desire to be back in his pack with his mate.

Initially he had hoped that they would spend the private time together in the car to talk, and bond with one another but it wasn't hard for him to see that Spiraea had to trust him before she began opening up to him.

From the way her body reacted to him, he didn't have much to do, except prove to her waking mind that he was worthy. Simple.

The road became rougher as they began to approach the packs boundaries. The sharp jolts of the rocky terrain causing the small girl to whimper as she was roused frightfully from her rest.

For a moment she had thought that she was back in Damiens territory, being forced awake by one of those cruel men.

It was the soothing hand on her leg and the peaceful silence of the car that made her realise that she was safe.