by L Baker
“What the hell are you doing?”
My question was answered with him lifting my hair from my shoulder and sniffing it, he then looked at me with a hint of confusion before grinning.
“You’re a spirited one huh.”
He dropped my hair and looked to my face, boring his eyes into mine, the half-smile now gone. He placed his hands on the counter to my sides.
“Good.”
“But let’s get a few things straight….one, I will be the pack Master. Two. You will respect me” a low rumble came from his chest “And three. You” He paused before grabbing my chin “will belong to me.”
I looked at him fuming from what he was saying. After a few seconds of realization sunk in, I bravely voiced my opinion.
“You may be the pack Master, I may have to respect you, but I will never be yours princess.”
He chuckled at my courage, leaned down with his face closer to my neck than my face, and took a long whiff of my scent before walking towards the door.
Over his shoulder I heard him speak.
“We shall see.”
I was livid as I realized my banana was now smashed into mush. I collected myself and walked towards the sink. The cold water running over my hands felt amazing and I realized my skin was on fire. I rubbed my arms and chest with the water to cool myself.
I heard my mother and brother walk into the kitchen, and I rolled my eyes still standing at the sink with my back to them.
Great here comes the lecture. I thought to myself before turning around to face them staring at me. My mother obviously furious.
Her auburn colored hair was now out of the bun she wore and had fallen to her shoulders in loose curls.
She looked at me with fierce green eyes and I couldn’t help but stare at her. Her beauty and youth never seemed to fit her age, and one glimpse had the power to captivate and draw you in.
“I know Mom, I’m sorry, I couldn’t stand the way he spoke to you, he was so rude, and I just, instantly disliked him.”
“You heard.” She asked completely ignoring my ranting statement with a hint of worry in her voice.
“No.”
I was a bit confused she did not object to my open loathing of the Alpha male.
“I heard the way he spoke to you.” I admitted “and that made me angry. He’s a jerk and I guess…. I just couldn’t control myself.”
I was explaining my behavior but felt it was unnecessary, and was not the most important topic at the moment.
“Yes Anna, but you must, other wolves have not been so lucky when it comes to disrespecting their Alphas.”
“Yes, ma’am, I understand” I said flatly, before my brother joined the conversation.
“Yeah little sis, you must be careful, or the big bad wolves’ll get ya” he said jokingly while grabbing me and swinging me around.
He was taller than both of us, and looked exactly like our father, six feet and covered with muscle. His faint green eyes matched mines but his olive toned skin and his straight brown hair was positively from our father.
I laughed, and knew I could always count on my brother to keep it light when the heavy came pouring down.
“Annalise Katherine Jameson, and Jackson Lucas, I am offended at your behavior,” my mother almost yelled.
Lucas put me down when he realized she was serious.
The last time she called our names like that, I was five, Luke was eight and she found us playing with fireworks in the house.
I smiled at the memory of our stinging butts.
“Ok, ok, Mom, I got it”
Yeah, we hear you.” Lucas said as he grabbed a fresh banana and handed it to me.
“I take it that’s a product of your anger,” he whispered, looking at the remains of the smashed banana on the floor. Some hardcore wolf you’ll be, I would’ve at least went for the face,” he chuckled while elbowing me in the arm.
I looked to the floor and smiled, knowing Mom was still angry and Luke’s joking was inappropriate.
“Lucas.” She snapped “You know this is no joking matter and yet you still antagonize the situation.”
“Aw Ma” he said walking towards her to pick her up in a bear hug. “You know I’m just playing around, somebody has to keep it fun around here.”
He placed her back down on her feet, and kissed her cheek, I watched my Mom and brother as she threw a quick punch to his ribs, and he buckled over pretending to be in pain.
“Sooo” I said “what was that all about anyways.”
They both immediately stopped joking. My nerves stood on edge as the room became dead serious, and they both looked at me.
I didn’t know what to think at this point.
“Mom, what is it?” I asked becoming impatient with the silence. She turned half way around towards the pantry, and begun pulling out items to clearly begin lunch.
“Luke?”
No one answered me, and my patience was wearing thin.
“MOM” I shouted, and she turned to me abruptly, worry creased her forehead.
“Well Anna, things are a bit complicated right now.”
She looked at Luke for reassurance, I followed her eyes to him, and caught the quick nod he had given her.
“It seems Master Gabriel will step down soon, and Eric is to take his place.”
“Yeah but what does that have to do with me,” I interrupted, awaiting a response.
She walked towards me, grabbed my free hand, and looked me square in the eyes.
“Well, Anna…….. You two will be married when he.”
“WHAT” I screamed, interjecting, yanking my hands from hers. “What are you talking about? That’s ridiculous” I said doubtfully
“She’s kidding right” I turned to look at Luke who was leaning against the wall with his eyes on the floor, and his arms folded.
“Luke, what is she talking about?” I asked, hoping mom had lost her mind.
Luke never took his eyes off the floor, as she tried to grab my hand again.
“Honey,” she started, but I rushed passed her towards the door.
I have to go.
That thought was the only thing I understood at the moment. My mom called after me, and I could hear Lucas calming her. I didn’t bother to care what either of them had to say at the moment. I grabbed my shoes on, and walked out the front door, slamming it behind me.
I walked towards the woods that sat around our house. I marched mindlessly for a while until I was completely surrounded by the thick trees.
What the hell is she talking about? Married? She must be going crazy! Especially if she thinks I’m pairing with that dick, of all people.
I kept walking, thinking about the conversation in the family room, realizing that the tension was because of the pending pairing. I cursed under my breath, mad at this world I was born in-to.
What about my expectations, what about what I wanted. Did anyone bother to consult with me before deciding my future?
Chapter 3: The woods
“Ugh” I sighed crossly, and fell to the ground on my knees.
At that very moment, all of the anger I felt, was gone. The only thing I could feel was a deep sadness that quickly exhausted me.
I sat there staring at the ground as the sorrow engulfed me, and a tear hit my jeans. I hadn’t realized I was crying. The thought of me being so weak and crying like a simple girl triggered the boiling of my blood.
I immediately threw my hands up to my face and wiped away all evidence of the salt water that had coated my cheeks.
I jumped at the sound of sticks cracking behind me, and I realized I wasn’t alone. I stood up turning around to see who, and noticed that the sky had grown darker, and for what I thought were minutes must have been hours. I listened as more twigs began snapping and my eyes darted to three distinct locations.
I was out numbered.
I stood still with a bit of fear as I listened for the sounds of the snapping twigs.
I began backing up, my drive t
o run kicked in, as my eyes still followed the incoming noise that approached. I tried focusing my eyes to find the figures in the dark, but for a long while there was nothing that I could see.
Yellow eyes finally glared at me and I saw the first wolf that was now to my right. It was big and had a muddy brown color to its fur, the wolf now to my left was a lighter brown with shades of gray throughout its fur.
Fear began to run through me as noticed that I did not recognize either, and I had no way to defend myself. The wolf to my right snarled, and I took a step back, both stepped forward.
The grayish wolf let out a long howl that made me clap my hands over my ears. I took another step back only to land on the ground after tripping over a small branch I hadn’t noticed was there.
Fear was ripping through my heart, promising a heart attack before I could be done off by the unknown wolves. As the thought of my death crossed my mind, a figure approached shirtless in the center of the two wolves.
A look of disgust purposefully covered my face, as I saw Eric walking towards me. My heart began to slow, thankful somewhat of a familiar face had approached.
He walked towards me and grabbed my arm pulling me off the ground.
I tried to snatch it away to take a step away from him, but his grip tightened, and I felt his fingers dig into my arm.
Before I could say anything he was hauling me behind him so fast my feet were stumbling on the floor of the woods.
He continued to walk with his hand still firm around my arm. Obviously my fumbled steps had no effect on his momentum.
“Wait, wait,” I said frantically trying not to fall.
My instincts were telling me I would be pulled through the forest whether I was on my feet or not.
He kept walking as if he didn’t hear me or feel me on the verge of tripping.
“Let go of me.” I screamed at him.
He yanked me to a halt in front of him. I saw his eyes were a deep black, instead of the lighter grey from earlier. I flinched back at the new sight of him, and collected myself, determined not to show fear.
“What the hell is your problem?”
“My problem” he growled “You run off like a spoiled brat, and all of a sudden, I’m the problem.”
“Yes, you are” I yelled, “no one asked you to come here, you have no right to.”
“I have every right” he scoffed, dismissing me while grabbing my arm again and leading me towards the house.
“I can walk on my own” I stated yanking my arm from his hand, and began trudging through the woods.
I made it only a few feet before I was grabbed, and pushed into a tree. Eric was standing in front of me with each hand on opposite sides of my head.
Startled I looked at him, wondering how he managed to move so fast, but feared the black in his eyes and the trembling of his body.
I tried ducking under is left arm but was sharply pushed against the tree before any progress was made.
He looked at me with sharp eyes
“I am really trying here Anna, I would appreciate it if you didn’t test my patience.”
I looked at his eyes to figure out how far I could push this before he snapped, maybe I could push him to run away from me and decide against me being his mate.
I tried once more to break free from him after rolling my eyes at his statement. Again I was pushed back into the tree with a thud this time obviously harder than the first. I felt the ache in my back and brought my hand up to meet his face with a loud smack.
The wolves behind us growled. Eric barked an order at them and they ran towards the house which was about thirty feet away.
Before I realized what was happening, his hand was around my neck and my air was being stolen.
“You will learn to respect me whether you like it or not. I prefer to be as amiable as I can about this. I didn’t ask for this, and neither did you, but how we proceed from here is up to you.”
His breath was warm against my ear as he spoke.
He released his grip and I grabbed my throat thankful that the pressure was gone.
I was immediately being pulled towards the house again.
I stumbled in silence until we reached the front of the house and my mother instantly grabbed me in a hug with the same worried look from before. She released me and I walked up the stairs to the front door.
I heard my mother thanking and then apologizing to Eric.
“I suggest she quickly learns her place, Mrs. Jameson, I have already grown tired of her impish behavior, and it is not something I will tolerate.” He retorted
I slammed the door at his arrogant, and insolent tone.
“Ugh.”
I have never in my life despised someone as much as I do him.
My angry thoughts filled me mind as I made my way to the kitchen.
Lucas was sitting at the island in the kitchen eyeing me as I walked through the door.
“Can we talk?” he asked
“Sure Luke, what’s up?” I responded normally
“This is important Anna, and I want to make sure you listen to me carefully.”
My brother was usually not the severe one in the family, so I knew that he was serious.
“Ok, Shoot, I’m all ears.”
“Anna.” he said flatly, and firm.
“I said I was listening Lucas.”
I was making my way to the seat opposite of him, and looking him dead in the eyes.
“So what’s so important that your panties are in a bunch?”
“Anna I don’t think you’re taking this as seriously as I need you to…… You know the laws of our pack, and you know that what is said must be done. There’s no way around that if you want to avoid punishment.”
I shook my head at him, as I realized where he was going.
“Anna, it has been decided that you and Eric are to mate, and”
“And what Lucas, I’m expected to marry him when I don’t even know him, do you even know him Lucas, and who said, who said we had to follow these stupid rules, we can run, and not have to be a slave to their” I was babbling trying to persuade my brother.
I looked up to see him sitting their quietly waiting for me to finish but I stopped before saying the word society.
“Anna I love you and I don’t want you hurt” he began “but you know it is impossible to run…this is our family. Regardless Anna, everyone has a role, yours, is just a little more significant than others. You must realize that……. You know we partner to produce the strongest offspring, and you know that is why you have been chosen by Eric.”
I sighed “But does the mate ever have a say, what if I was perfectly happy marrying a mongrel?” I mumbled
“You know it’s impossible. He can sense the dominance of your wolf and has decided you will be his female alpha. You have to accept that Anna…. for the sake of our pack……. do you under-stand?”
“Anna?”
I sat there frozen at this admission, not knowing what to say, I was confused.
This entire situation was draining me, and I wanted to run. I heard my mother enter the house and call for me. She walked through the door, disappointment clean across her face.
She sat in the seat next to Lucas and they eyed me intently.
“Do you know how much trouble you are causing?” she said calmly.
I didn’t respond I looked at the both of them, then back to her for her to finish.
“You must learn your place Annalise, the state of affairs here is very delicate, and there are people who are watching and we must be very careful about going about this business.”
I couldn’t speak, I had nothing to say to them and stood to head to my room.
“Also Annalise, be careful of the waters you tread. The Gadreals are a dangerous clan and they’re the type to demand respect, not ask for it… Eric has gained a reputation for his anger. He is our Pack Master now and you know what that means.”
My brother spoke with defeat in his voice for the first time.
I knew what my brother was saying to me, I could hear it in his speech. I knew that the Pack Masters word was final, and could not be challenged.
I walked to my room with this information racking my brain. I slumped down on my bed, closing my eyes until I was dead to the world. Secrets alpha haunt
Chapter 4: School?
My back was bare and a sheet covered my butt. I was lying on my stomach and I could feel the warmth of another body pressed against mines. Small fingered steps danced along my back and I turned to see Christian looking at me. He kissed my neck repeatedly before rolling on top of me. My back was now pressed against his hard stomach. His fingers locked into mines and he entered me from behind. We were now one instead of two and a feeling of pure delight washed over me. I called his name before lurching out of my sleep. I woke to the sound of my alarm blaring.
Shoot.
I had forgotten about school completely, not realizing it was Monday. I jumped out of bed and was headed for my shower when the voices from yesterday hit me, and I stopped dead in my tracks.
I groaned to myself “I seriously cannot deal with this today.”
Forget it I thought to myself, I’ll be damned if I allow him to ruin my day.
I let the hot water run all over me as I thought about the dream. I enjoyed the feel of my body and couldn’t resist the urge to masturbate.
In my bedroom Eric was sitting on my bed with a pillow to his nose. He tossed it to the side as he ogled me in my towel. I was instantly self-conscious and a smart remark failed to escape my lips.
“Adorable.” He said lustful. “Did you have fun?”
Anger flooded my body, and I could feel the redness tingle through my cheeks.
“Get out of my room!”
I stayed near the bathroom door as far away from him as possible.
He walked towards me and sniffed my neck again before looking into my eyes, and rubbing his finger across my collar bone.
Unwilling electricity passed through me from his touch, and I slapped his hand away.
His eyes showed the same enthusiasm as his sinister smile.
“Fine. I just thought I’d let you know that I’ll be driving you today.”
“The Last time I checked, I didn’t needed a chaperone.” I yelled to his back as he headed out the door
