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My skin starts to wrinkle, so I wash my hair three times to get everything out of it before scrubbing my skin and turning the shower off. Wrapping a towel around my hair and body, I move to the sink, brush my teeth, and do my skincare routine. I don’t bother adding any makeup because I have a feeling I’ll be shifting today, and for some reason, makeup always becomes weird during the shift. Maybe because it’s not a natural part of our body so the shift rejects it. Instead, I save it for when I know I’ll be staying human.
Rubbing my hair as I move to the wardrobe, I drop the towel and let my long locks air dry. I can’t be bothered with drying it since it takes so long. Opening the wooden doors, I peer inside, happy to see someone has been keeping clothing here for me. Idon’t mind nudity, none of us do, but I feel the need to cover myself today.
Selecting some loose linen pants, I tuck in a white stretchy shirt before calling it good. I don’t bother with socks or shoes since I like the feel of the grass underfoot.
I turn to leave when there’s a hesitant knock at my door. I cock my head and listen, hearing an anxious heartbeat on the other side, and a familiar scent wafts under the door. Shaking my head, I open it and grin. “Hey there, cupcake.”
Toby and Sarah stand with their heads down. Toby wrings his hands before him and is almost flattened against the wall opposite.
“We just wanted to see for ourselves that you were okay,” Sarah murmurs, raising her eyes to meet mine to show her affection before they drop again out of respect.
“And apologise. I never should have sent you out there.” Toby winces.
“Nor should I have been out there alone. It’s my fault,” Sarah adds, taking the blame for the omega, making me grin.
“It doesn’t matter. It’s my job as beta to protect you. I did that, didn’t I?”
I don’t realise my dominance has slipped into my tone—a habit with wolves in the pack—until Toby drops to the floor, prostrating himself to the alpha.
Sighing, I crouch and lift his head. “It’s done, over. Come on, I’m hungry.”
I sling my arm around their shoulders and drag them with me. After all, it’s not their fault. Yes, Sarah should have known better, but I’m betting she has been chastised enough and feels bad as it is. It’s the hunters’ fault, not hers.
They are clearly still worried, but they let me drag them into the dining room where the pack is. All noise stops, and every gaze turns to us.
Rolling my eyes, I grin. “I know I’m beautiful, but how about we stop staring?” I call, and I hear some chuckles. “I’m truly fine,” I say, answering the unspoken question.
“But did the hunters follow you?” someone asks and then ducks.
I seek them out, making sure to hit every eye as my expression goes dead serious—Jang calls it my alpha mask. Heads duck and wolves whine as my dominance leaks out, making it hard for them to breathe.
“I would never put this pack in danger. I was very careful on my return. The alpha will brief the pack shortly on what’s happening, so until then, let’s not speculate or spread rumours that could be hurtful to our people.”
“Yes,” they reply.
I drop the dominance and see some of them sucking in shuddering breaths. “Good, now let’s eat.” I grin.
Walking the perimeter of our territory, I search for any trace of hunters. I’m worried, not that I will show anyone else that. They are looking to us for protection and hope. They are scared after a beta was captured, and we don’t need them to panic for no reason, but we also need time to discern the danger.
However, that is Jang’s job. As beta, it is my job to keep us safe and report to the alpha, so here I am, searching for any signs, but I find none. They didn’t manage to follow me like I expected, the storm keeping them at bay, not to mention Jai’s wound. I knew they would choose him over hunting me, or so I hoped.
We are safe for now.
They were drawing closer, though, and that’s concerning.
I’m just running back when I smell something in the air. “Tetrim,” I snarl. “There is no point in hiding. I can smell you.”
He saunters out from behind a tree a few feet away, no doubt following me. I’m completely alone but not scared as I lean back into a tree and wait as he moves closer. It’s clear he wants something, and it’s better to get this over with out here. I’m sick of the shit he’s pulling, like I’m his and he has the right to follow me.
It is time he learned his place.
“What do you want?” I ask, spreading my legs slightly and dropping my hands, prepared to defend myself. I infuse my dominance into my tone and watch him flinch as he stops. His chest heaves as he fights it, so I pump more out of me. He falls to his knees, trying to fight it, but he’s weaker.
“I wanted to check on my future mate,” he spits.
Snarling, I feel my eyes flash as my claws extend, and I move so swiftly, he flinches back. I grab his neck and force his eyes up to mine, letting him see my wolf there.
“I will never be your mate. Do you need a reminder?”
