*Danika*
Adverse to what I thought, Alfred was civilized throughout the trip. He hardly said a word to me while we drove home. The only thing was that from time to time I noticed him throwing side glances at me which I must say was highly disconcerting.
But I didn’t think much of it. At least he wasn’t saying things that were out of line or hitting on me, that would have made me very nervous and apprehensive around him like I was before.
Then when we neared home, I was beginning to count, my anxiety rising.
That was when he spoke up. “How was your first day at work?” His acceleration also slowed down.
I shrugged. “Normal.”
“Normal? A day with howling pups was normal?” he asked in a tone that showed he found that hard to believe.
“What do you want me to say? That it was mind-wrecking?” I asked him, wondering where the boldness came from.
He smiled, making him look too much like Alonso. Too bad for my senses. “That was exactly what I anticipated. I swear I can’t bear their presence!”
The way he said it got me, that I found myself settling and smiling.
“You look more beautiful when you do that,” his voice toned down an ounce.
“What?”
“When you smile.”
“Oh, thanks,” I said, my cheeks spotting red.
“Maybe I can help you speak to my brother if you want,” he went on, the car becoming slower.
“About what?”
“About working in the infirmary. I had thought Lance would dissuade him from letting you do the work of an Omega. I was shocked when he didn’t.”
“No, I’m fine. I can handle it,” I said, gently placing a recalcitrant hair behind my ear.
He exhaled, and added to the acceleration, “Have you found your wolf?”
“No,” I rushed out, before recovering at once and snapping around to look at him. Why did he ask me that? What would he think of me now? He would surely despise me like the rest.
“What? Why are you looking at me like that? It’s not like it’s bad to meet your wolf late,” he intoned as we pulled into the compound.
“You are not surprised?” I asked him in disbelief.
“Why should I be?” he cocked his brow. “I found my wolf at 21.”
“What!”
“Yea.” He grinned, and immediately, I knew I liked him-that we were going to be fast friends.
“Wow.”
“Don’t worry, maybe you won’t have to stay that long to meet yours,” he told me.
“I just hope so,” I forged as his car stopped in front of Lance’s quarters, its doors sliding open.
“It’s nice talking to you, Danika,” he conveyed cheekily.
“Me too,” I mumbled with a hint of a smile, making my way out.
That was when I saw them-Lance and Alonso. They were both standing on the patio all the time and I didn’t see them. I opened my mouth and it fell close.
Alfred honked his horn at them and reversed to the direction of their house, driving off and leaving me to face the hounds.
“So you now go about trying to seduce every male, huh?” Alonso grounded out, one step falling over the next.
My dismayed eyes rose to meet with his accusing ones.
“You can’t stay a minute without any male attention. And it has to be my brother?”
“I didn’t… I didn’t do anything wrong,” I muttered loud enough for him to hear.
“Alonso-”
“Allow me speak to my mate,” he rounded on Lance, abruptly cutting him off.
“Anyone could hear you!” Lance grated through tight lips looking around frantically.
Alonso realizing the implications of his attitude, stopped, his eyes twitching as his jaws clenched and unclenched. Finally, he fixed them on me and came closer. My body responded quickly wanting nothing but to feel those hands on me.
My chest began heaving, my breathing becoming erratic. Unsteadily, I met his gaze and to an extent nearly rejoiced when I saw the look in his eyes-clouded with so much lust.
Now I know he feels it too.
Then he staggered back, shaking his head whence jamming them back on me. “You are nothing short of a slut! If you dare allow any man touch you, then you will suffer the consequence direly.”
I wanted to retort. I balled my hands into a fist holding myself back from lashing at him. So he could whore around while I’m not allowed to?
My body was wracked with mixed emotions so much until he eventually growled out like an angry cat and stormed off to his house.
I didn’t know how long I stood there trying to regain my breath and composure until I felt Lance’s hand on my shoulder and jolted back.
Not wanting to hear a word of encouragement from Lance, I rapidly climbed the remaining stairs and went into the house. Reaching my room, I threw everything I had on the bed, went to the mirror and packed my hair into a tousled bun, and instantly left the room.
“Where are you going?” Lance asked, coming after me as I made my way to the exit.
“I need a run,” I told him, still walking.
“Okay, then let me-”
“Alone!” I snagged in a brittle voice.
“Okay…” he trailed off, his steps faltering. I know I wasn’t supposed to attend to him in such a rash tone but right now I was pissed. I needed to be anywhere but here. And the forest is the only place.
Thanks to the people that built this house for leaving the back part of the house to lead to the forest. I ran, not thinking. Just kept running.
My hair fell off the bun as I closed my eyes letting the wind have its course in my direction. I felt free, unbridled, and unburdened for the first time in a long while.
I smiled, taking in the scent of pines and woods around me. The crunching of the figged plants beneath my feet as I trampled on them sated my indignant spirit. The trees, the rivers, the gushing fountain somewhere-I could hear them distinctly. It was as though for the first time in my life I was accepting my identity.
Then I felt it.
It occurred like a plank was smashed at me causing me to come to a rapid stop. I staggered back and forth as this extreme pain erupted from deep within me.
What is happening to me?
I tried to hold on to something but nothing was close by. I dangled hastily forward, my now open eyes locating the nearest tree and clasping my two hands about it as it looked like an unforeseen force was trying to carry me away.
“What is happening to me?” I said out loud, my knees buckling and colliding with the muddy ground. I left the tree and cupped my ears- covering them at once from the pestilent noises that had become incredibly loud.
I could clearly hear the chirping of the birds, wind, trees, everything that was near as well as far from me as though I was a part of them.
Tears began gushing down my face in tides as I fought to maintain my balance.
Then I noticed hairs were becoming conspicuous on my body. Am I transforming? My eyes widened. I am transforming! It could only be it. Yes! I am transforming.
I allowed myself go, my pain instantly mixing with pleasure. A pleasure that only I knew of its extent. I was transforming for the first time in my life. What joy can be greater than this!?
My claws started protracting as the pain became prominent. I endured it, closing my eyes and accepting it. I have heard from my former pack members how the first day usually go, but it was nothing compared to what I was feeling right now. Maybe because of the intensity of my powers.
Accordingly, my face flew up, I could feel my eyes beginning to change its color, I could feel my human body fighting with my wolf for dominance and I couldn’t control either. Ultimately, my wolf won and took total control of my body.
She stood, and shook her furs vigorously-darting her sharp eyes about the forest, her ears perked up to pick sounds. After that, she commenced running, she ran so fast that its black furs caught lower branches as she jumped about in glee.
This day was surely the happiest day of my life and I was going live it to the fullest. I allowed her run, without any care in the world and did not pay attention to where we were going.
She soon reached a cliff and stood atop it, her piercing eyes looking into the depth below. Twilight was fast falling and the moon beginning to peek through the clouds. She looked up and did the one thing I had invariably spent most of my nights thinking about.
She howled.
She howled so much that I fear we would lose our voice. But I didn’t care. Then, when she was tired, she laid down there on the cliff, still staring down below as the fishes jumped about the water, the sight giving us great amusement.
Suddenly she jerked up, a scent hitting us. Someone is coming. Someone I can’t tell right now because this is my first experience as a wolf and I am yet to recognize scents. I preferred to run and hide away, not wanting anyone to know about this for now.
However, it seemed this person was very close. I scanned the area near me, no one. Yet, the scent lingers closer. I strutted away steadily from the cliff, finding my way to a dense part-meaning to flee.
Then at once, Lance jumped into my path, causing me to retrace from pouncing at him. Instead, I stood there looking at him, with him doing the same even though his eyes were the size of a saucer.
“You can transform?” he asked, his voice and facial expression accusatory.
…