Riff’s POV
I couldn’t stop dashing ahead, even when I had crossed the pack’s border. My wolf was in pain, and not the pain that one would usually feel when things went bad. The pain I felt was from losing a father, a friend, and a guardian. It was so unbearable, and I wanted to be very far from the pack and the pack members that resided in it.
I let out a loud growl of warning when I was tackled to the ground by a she-wolf with brutal force. I was about to get up when I was pinned down by the she-wolf’s weight. She was strong, which was something I was certain of.
When instantly tingles went throughout my body and an amazing scent I loved so much filled my nose, I knew right then who it was.
I glanced at the wolf on top of me and let out a soft purr. It was Sophie in her wolf form.
I was so distracted and angry that I didn’t even notice her close by or following me.
Her wolf was amazing and unlike anything I had ever seen. She was huge, and her coat was brown with black on top. Seeing a werewolf with two different colors on her coat was rare and appealing. She wasn’t only beautiful but magnificent.
I shifted back to my human form and smiled softly. She wasn’t bigger than my wolf, yet I liked that about her.
“Will you pin me down for long, or will you do more than that?” I teased playfully.
If only we were mated, we could have understood each other through our private mind link.
When she shifted to her human form on top of me, I quickly moved her to the side and sat upright. My heart was beating rapidly as my mate’s naked skin brushed against mine. It was very arousing, and it was hard; that’s why I had to react quickly.
“I’m sorry,” I whispered softly.
“Why are you apologizing?” she asked when she looked at me seriously.
I moved my hands to cover my growing erection.
“I acted on what I thought was best,” I answered in a low tone as tears filled my eyes.
“I just found out how my father was an evil man and a betrayer to the pack. All those years, he was so kind to me and my sister….,” I said as I trailed off.
“Fine, he was distant to me and mostly my sister, but he was not evil to us. So imagine how I felt to see his dead body on the ground, surrounded by a pool of his blood,” I said in a cracked voice.
“I don’t know how to react, what to say, or what to do! Because what I feel towards my Alpha is anger and hurt,” I yelled at the top of my voice as tears rolled down my cheeks.
“My father could have been banished, yet he chose death. Why, when my father was so good to him?” I yelled at the top of my voice, then flinched when she moved closer and wrapped her arms around my shoulders.
“I loved him; he was my father,” I sobbed as she rested her head against my shoulders.
“I know,” she whispered sadly.
I held her close as I bitterly cried over the pain and memories that went through my mind. I hated what he did, but he was really the one I looked up to.
After crying for what felt like forever, I felt much better. I pulled back and wiped away my tears.
“Riff,” she called as she moved her hands to my cheeks, gently caressing them with a sad expression on her face.
“Please answer this honestly. If you found out how Alpha Clyde had cast a spell on your mother to make her love him and that he was planning on killing your father, what would you have done?” she asked seriously as I remained quiet for a few minutes.
It was so obvious that I could have been furious and would have personally tried to find a way to kill him if he was that determined.
“I understand that you are mourning and angry right now, but think,” she said as she leaned in.
“If you were in Alpha Sky’s situation, wouldn’t you have done the same?” she asked softly.
I looked into her eyes seriously and then swallowed hard.
“I would have done the same, but that doesn’t mean I don’t feel terrible,” I answered in a cracked voice.
“Look, sweetie, your father was ready to even give up his own life to split chosen mates by the Moon Goddess. As much as I sympathize with you, I hate the thought of him harming Alpha Glen or his parents in his own need for selfish gain,” she said as I pushed her hands away and stood up.
“You are my mate!” I growled furiously.
“And that shouldn’t make me a liar,” she answered loudly.
“I hate seeing you like this, and lying to you is something I don’t want to do. But that man was obsessed with Luna Berta; he would have killed Alpha Clyde if Alpha Sky hadn’t stepped in. Would that have made you happy?” she asked loudly.
No, of course not. Alpha Clyde was family and like a father to me. His being dead was something I wouldn’t have wanted.
“Are you going to continue running away, or will you return to the pack?” she asked loudly.
I wanted to be alone for a few days rather than go back to the pack.
“I don’t want to return to the pack,” I answered seriously as she gasped.
“For now,” I said as she sighed in relief.
“Then how about we go to a place where you can feel free and happy?” she asked.
Happy and free? That wasn’t going to happen because there was no place like that, not after losing my father. But there was a place I wanted to go with my mate.
“Fine, but we will have to shift into our wolf forms. The place isn’t far from the pack, and it’s still in our territory,” I answered.
“Okay, lead the way,” she said as she shifted into her wolf form.
I immediately shifted into my wolf form as well and trotted ahead, making sure she was close by.
Even when I picked up my pace, I had to make sure she was right behind me because I wanted her to be close by, and she meant the world to me.