Adrian;
“Anna, wait!” I called out, jogging after her, hoping she would slow down and listen to me, but she didn’t. Instead, she quickened her pace, her shoulders tense with anger and frustration.
This wasn’t the first time I found myself running after her, especially after she had a heated conversation with my mother, and I knew it wouldn’t be the last. For some unknown reason, she deeply loathed my mom, which made me uncomfortable since I cared about them both.
What made everything more frustrating was that neither my parents nor Anna ever explained the reason behind her anger. Whenever I asked, they would all change the subject, which I found slightly annoying.
Using my advanced werewolf speed, I quickly closed the distance between us, seeing the determination in her stride.
“Anna, please stop!” I called again, louder this time. She halted reluctantly when we reached the front of the house, aware that I would follow her even into her room, invading her privacy. She hated that.
She turned to face me, her beautiful blue eyes blazing with fury, making her look even more striking.
“What do you want, Adrian?” She snapped, pulling me out of my daydream. I cleared my throat, trying to push my thoughts aside.
“Stop pretending we’re friends.” She fumed, and I took a deep breath, choosing my words carefully to avoid misunderstandings.
“Anna, I’m not pretending. I care about you, and I hate seeing you like this.” I confessed, and her expression hardened, and she crossed her arms over her chest defensively.
“Care about me? You know nothing about what I’ve been through. And we aren’t friends, Adrian.”
I nodded, taking a step closer. “You’re right, I don’t know everything about your life, and we’re not just friends. You’re my sister.”
Her eyes narrowed, and she shook her head vehemently. “I’m not your sister. We have no blood relation.” I sighed, knowing she was right. I had a crush on her, and the fact that she wasn’t blood-related eased my guilt a little.
“Blood or not, you’re still family to me. You’ve been part of my life since I can remember. That’s what matters.”
Anna’s eyes filled with tears, but she quickly blinked them away.”You don’t get it. You’ll never get it; just go back to your mother and leave me alone.”
“Maybe I won’t fully understand,” I admitted. “But that doesn’t change how I feel. I care about you, Anna. We all do. And I’m here for you, whether you believe it or not. My mom is your mother too, and I hope you can give her a chance to show you her love. Don’t be too hard on her or yourself.”
She turned away, hugging herself tightly. “I don’t need your pity or her pity.”
“It’s not pity,” I said softly, placing a hand on her shoulder. She flinched slightly, but didn’t pull away. I gently turned her to face me with my back against the door, blocking her means of escape. “It’s love. And I’ll keep showing it, no matter how hard you push me away.”
“Love, huh?” Anna smirked and took a step closer to me. Instinctively, I took a step back, but she kept advancing, and I continued to retreat until my back hit the door. Her eyes glinted with a strange mix of amusement and something else I couldn’t quite identify.
“A-Anna, it’s not the kind of l-love you’re thinking of. The love I meant is p-purely p-platonic,” I stammered, feeling a rush of panic.
“I know you have a crush on me,” she said, her voice low and teasing. I stared at her, completely taken aback by her directness. How does she know?
“What? No, that’s not true, Anna,” I protested, feeling my face flush with embarrassment. Her smirk widened, and she leaned in closer, her breath warm against my skin.
“Don’t lie, Adrian. I’ve seen the way you look at me, and it’s not in the same way you look at Addison or Abigail.”
I shook my head, trying to clear my thoughts and regain my composure. “Anna, you’re my sister. We may not be related by blood, but you’re family.”
She laughed softly, a sound that sent a shiver down my spine. “Family, huh? Then why do you get so flustered around me?”
I swallowed hard, feeling trapped and confused. “Because you’re making things weird right now.”
Anna’s expression shifted slightly, a hint of genuine emotion breaking through her teasing facade. “Maybe I am. But maybe it’s because I want you to see me as more than just some angry girl who wants to be alpha.”
I bit my lip, struggling to contain my frustration. “Anna, I’ve always seen you as more than that. You’re strong and determined, and you deserve respect. But this… this isn’t the way to go about it.”
She stepped back, her smirk fading. “Maybe you’re right. But it’s hard not to push when you feel like you’re always being pushed aside.”
“Sorry about that,” I muttered, my back still pressed against the door, trying to gather my thoughts. Suddenly, the door swung open behind me, and I stumbled backward, losing my balance.
I closed my eyes, bracing for the embarrassment of falling, but soft, delicate hands caught me. I looked up to see a young omega with beautiful brown eyes- Hazel. I recognised her immediately; I made it a point to learn every pack member’s name and build a bond before becoming alpha of my father’s pack.
I hadn’t expected an omega to be so strikingly beautiful. Perhaps it was because I usually kept my distance, but seeing her up close, with her enchanting eyes, made me appreciate her in a way I hadn’t before and hate every other colour, including blue.
We stood there for what felt like an eternity, our eyes locked, caught in a moment that seemed to freeze time.
Am I interrupting something, or should I get you both a room?” Anna’s voice cut through the tension, breaking the spell.
I quickly regained my footing, stepping away from Hazal, my cheeks burning with embarrassment. Hazal blushed as well, her eyes darting to the ground.
“Alpha Adrian,” she greeted softly, bowing her head. She then turned to Anna, her voice trembling slightly.
“Miss Anna.” Anna’s glare could have melted steel.
“How dare you disrespect me by addressing me with no proper title?” She snapped, her voice sharp and unforgiving, and Hazal flinched, her eyes widening in fear.
“I-I’m sorry, Miss Anna. It won’t happen again.” I stepped forward, my protective instincts kicking in for some odd reason. Normally, I would defend Anna, but now I found myself defending Hazel, and I couldn’t quite comprehend why.
“Anna, it was a simple mistake. There’s no need to be so harsh.” Anna’s eyes flashed with anger, but she took a deep breath, reigning in her temper.
“Fine, she isn’t worth my time,” she said curtly. “Just make sure it doesn’t happen again.”
Hazal nodded quickly, her face still pale. “Yes, Miss Anna. I’m truly sorry.”
Anna shot one final glare before spinning on her heel, rudely brushing her shoulder against Hazel, who nearly stumbled, then stormed into the house, leaving Hazal and me standing by the door. I turned to Hazal, offering a reassuring smile.
“Don’t worry about it, Hazal. She’s just… going through a lot right now.” Hazal nodded, her expression softening a bit.
“Thank you, Alpha Adrian. I appreciate your kindness.” I nodded, feeling a strange sense of connection with her.
“Anytime, Hazel. You’re doing a great job. Keep your head up.” I winked, and she smiled shyly, bowing once more before hurrying off to continue her duties.
I watched her go, my thoughts still swirling from everything that had just happened, and the unexpected encounter with Hazal lingered in my mind.