*Danika*
“You said you wanted to pee! Why venture into the abysm of the forest to do that?”
I shook on my feet, my hands finding my gown in lack of a proper response. It’s true that I had told him I was going to pee, but that was the only thing I could come up with at the moment.
“You are rapidly getting on my last nerve, Danika. Don’t you dare pull this stunt ever again! Do you know what it took for me to leave that rogue, all because it’s thoroughly your fault that he found you?!” I bristled, my eyes wavering at him as his jaws clenched and unclenched.
“I’m sorry!” I surged, tears beginning to form. “It won’t happen again, I promise, just don’t be mad at me, I beg you.”
His fist balled as he pinched his eyes closed and forced in a robust breath, releasing it-his sparkling mad orbs found mine. “Stop with all the pretentious attitude. I know your type. You are acting all subdued and pathetic now, but the next thing, you are pouncing to show your true colors! Get back to the fucken car, now!” His finger was pointed forward, and I instantly began moving in that direction. “AND FUCKEN STOP WITH YOUR USELESS APOLOGY! Fucken abnormal,” I heard him snarl behind me but didn’t dare look back.
Just as I had thought back when I watched him challenge that rogue, it had turned out that way. I was at fault. If not for me, that rogue wouldn’t have found me, and the Alpha King wouldn’t have had the need to save me.
My thought trickled back to how he had combated the rogue-if I could call that a combat anyways. The rogue after being flung off me had lain there whimpering helplessly-which I suspect was because of the powerful aura of the Alpha.
I was thinking my mate would finish him, but he didn’t, instead, he kept growling at the rogue until the latter managed to move from the ground, disappearing into the deep woods. I felt bad for him. He must have suffered a huge injury. And it was all my fault.
He nearly killed you too. Don’t forget that. My inner mind said.
Yeah, but he wouldn’t have attacked if I didn’t come here. I reasoned.
I was still scouring my head with diverse remorseful thoughts when I reached the clear road. Lance rushed forward to meet me, his face morphed into worry.
“What happened? We were worried that you took too long.”
“I’m sorry. I had… I got distracted,” I rushed out, flipping my hair away from my face, and looking back the way I came for any presence of my mate. What is he still doing there?
“Are you okay?” Lance’s calm voice assailed my mind.
“Yea, yea. I was. Just. Thinking.”
“Thinking about what?”
“What did he come to do back there?”
Lance sighed and moved back. It was already dark so I couldn’t properly discern his facial expression. “Let’s just say he was really furious when you didn’t exit fast. I wanted to come get you but he asked me to stay behind. Said something about feeling woozy.”
Felt woozy. Did he feel when the rogue attacked me?
“I was attacked by a rogue,” I confessed immediately and virtually regretted it. Lance’s hands were on me the next minute, checking me out.
“How? Did you go deep into the forest?”
“I needed to clear my head,” I told him. Lance and I are becoming closer and I felt maybe I can also be open with him.
His eyes fell to where his hand was holding mine, “You will do just fine, okay?”
I nodded, bit into my lower lip, and wrenched my arm mildly from his. I didn’t want my mate seeing us in this position after I had just provoked him. He might eventually decide to feed me to the rogues of this territory.
“I think I should get in the car,” I informed him, skimming my hair behind my ear and moving to the car. I could feel his eyes follow me, knotting my stomach.
Lance is a very nice guy. But he is not my mate.
“Take me out of here hence I lose my restraint and kill somebody!” The angry oaf finally exited the forest. If we were cordial maybe I would have asked him what he remained behind to do. I just pray he didn’t kill the rogue.
“Hey,” Lance’s face reached into our car as he said, “We will be going to a nearby hotel until this car is fixed. Come.” He beckoned me forward to assist me out.
“You should also carry her bridal style since she is invalid,” harrumphed my mate. I withdrew my hand from Lance and walked ahead of him to the waiting car.
I don’t understand why we have to go through all these setbacks to get to his fucken pack. Is this just nature’s normal way of elongating my tribulations?
Hell, yea. They never stop coming.
The car moved in tranquility since it was already late. It wasn’t long before we found another hotel not far from where the car broke down. My heart went to the driver that was left behind to take care of the car-under the stringent winter cold.
Phew!
“What!” I exclaimed when Lance came to tell me where I was perched in a chaise lounge at the hotel lobby that I would be staying in the same room with the Alpha King. “You know that is not possible. He would…” I thought of what he might do to me, despite my mind couldn’t find anything. Dear, Gad.
“There is nothing I can do about it. I will be sleeping in one of these couches till tomorrow when someone is likely to lodge out. So you just have to manage with him. He doesn’t bite.” His arm shot out to tickle me and I trembled, quickly smacking off his hand.
“It’s not like that, Lance. I can’t bear sleeping in the same room with that man. He scares me,” I aired my worry, arrogantly pushing away a recalcitrant that fell on my face.
Lance chuckled. “Maybe you two need to get cozy around each other. He is your mate.”
“He hates me,” I said, my weary eyes finding his. “He would rather sleep out than allow me share a bed with him, try me.” I flopped back on the couch, my eyes finding the white decked roof. I exhaled loudly, cursing my life at this juncture.
“He actually ordered it.”
I flew up.
“He did?”
“Yea. He said you two can share since it would be wicked of him to tell you to sleep outside the cold… considering your condition.” He shrugged despairingly, joining me at the settee.
I batted my eyes cheekily at him. “Just say it. He wants me to sleep in the room with him since my weak self can’t bear the cold outside. Just say it. I’m used to hearing it,” I mumbled the last part.
“You said that, I didn’t. I don’t think you are weak anyway. I smell the power within you. Though I’m wondering why you don’t use it. Your pack mates said you haven’t hit a person before. With all that powers?” His face was scrunched.
Talking about my powers and why I don’t use them is the last thing I want to do right now-when I’m still thinking about how I was going to share a space with that arrogant clod of a mate.
“Maybe someday I will tell you why Lance. For now, I’m still overwhelmed by this new development.”
He stood, dragged me up and said, “If you want to get the attention of Alonso, you have to stop giving him the impression that you are everything he has heard about you. He is your mate. Own up to him and stop acting like some wimp!”
Me, wimp?
I wanted to snag back a resort but held back my rebellion. Alpha Alonso is the one that deserves my rebellion, and not Lance that has been on my side. If anything, what he said was right. But, it would take me ages to develop that courage to stand up to him.
Definitely not now. Not when he is considering selling me off.
I followed Lance silently to our new suite, and we stood at the door for a long time, as I strived to gather my bravery.
“Stop being dramatic, Muncho.” Lance nudged me forward.
I smiled. “Try being me.”
He chuckled aloud, my eyes widening at his unruly behavior. What if the Alpha heard him chuckling?
I turned and pushed him away, before working up the morale to rap three times. Just like Lance.
No response.
I did again. Nothing. Is this his way of telling me to kick rocks?
Maybe I should just join Lance downstairs on one of the couches.
Or, maybe not. I’m not good with cold.
I decided to try the handle. Instantly the door flung inside, ushering me into a posh spacious apartment. His scent hit me the moment I walked in.
My eyes followed the movement of the wall tapestries that stretched to the inner circle of the room, stopping at the topmost corner of the headwalls. I liked the white furnishings. Kinda showed class.
The door whipped defiantly open, and I snapped back to look at the intruder.
My dear mate.
He stood at the door surveying me intently, alas swinging the door shut and trudging contentiously to the wardrobe, to begin disrobing.
My jaws dropped, my mouth promptly going dry.
…