Chapter 5: Stupid decision number 2

October 10th

The second I was across, I took a short deep breath.

As a rogue, I'd just stepped into yet another Alpha's territory. Was I asking for a premature death tonight?

But after a few agonising moments, the forest remained still and I let my anticipation crumble. After a deep sigh of relief, I almost laughed at how easily I had let fear grip me and stepped further into the unknown territory.

I pushed a low branch with a brittle network of twigs out my path and kicked up a mass of leaves with every step. There was no beaten track, wolves must not often cross this territory.

Maybe it was abandoned.

Although, the small matter of that incredible scent still hung, now stronger than ever amongst the trees. But everything was just so quiet and still. Something wasn't adding up.

Just as the idea of escaping the gloom to go back to my lovely warm bed was becoming very appealing, a voice sounded.

"Hello."

A jolt of shock seized me.

"Shit," I cursed, spinning around.

The figure of a man before me.

How did he creep up on me so discreetly?

I looked up slowly. His sheer height made him immense, regardless of the breadth of his shoulders and the strength of his build. It was enough to intimidate me and I took pride in being particularly hard to frighten.

The hood of his black sweater covered his eyes but what I could see of his face was menacing enough. With defined cheekbones casting shadows on his chin and outlining his sharp jawline and his lips sitting perfectly straight and still, I took a step back.

He was exceedingly beautiful but his expression chilled me to the core.

"What do we have here?" He said, his words dripping with amusement.

I stayed silent and stumbled back a few more steps.

"You appear to be on my territory, little wolf."

He had a slight accent elongating his words, only intensifying the enchanting fluidity of his voice.

"I-I was just leaving. I'm sorry.”

He let out a short laugh, "Leaving already? You haven't even told me your name... or more importantly, why you dared cross my border without permission?"

"It was a mistake," I said. "I'll go now."

He looked me up and down as I staggered back further.

"No..." he said, "... You can stay."

It was more of a command than an invitation.

"What kind of man would leave a pretty girl like you alone in the woods?" he said. "It's late and cold. Let me take you somewhere warm."

"I'll be fine on my own," I said, "Thank you though."

By this point, he had stepped close enough to reach forward and run a long finger along my cheek.

He paused at my chin, just below my lips.

I froze.

His touch was so soft, yet it triggered something powerful inside me. But I refused to look at him. Even with his stare burning into me, I kept my eyes fixated on a tree ahead, completely still and quiet.

"There's something intriguing about you," he said eventually.

I said nothing.

"You're different," he continued.

I forced a smile, "I've really got to go."

He let out a short laugh and only brought his fingers to my hair and then down to my neck again.

"That's not how this is gonna work, sweetheart," he said. "Now would you please look at me?"

He then reached for his hood and pulled it down, revealing his entire face. From the corner of my eye, I caught sight of some tousled dark blonde hair and a well-sculpted broad forehead appendaged with dark, thick eyebrows and a perfectly shaped nose. But I couldn't bring myself to look into his eyes.

"Look me in the eye," he demanded.

"No," I said, keeping my eyes on the tree. "I can't."

"So you're a defiant one? All the more fun for me.”

He then grabbed my face in one of his huge hands and forced me to face him.

I scrunched my eyes shut.

"Open your eyes. Do not make me say it twice," He ordered in a firm authoritative tone.

I don't know if it was my curiosity or the power he conveyed but he didn't have to raise the volume of his voice before I obeyed him, only to meet the most beautiful eyes in existence. They were a brilliant shade of blue with a dark outer rim and gold flecks streaked through them like intricately woven threads. Nothing like what I expected at all. But underneath the comforting mask of colour was an underlying evil. Something that sparked a churning sensation deep inside.

My wolf was screaming something in my ear. Just a four-letter word. And that was what I feared, not the eyes. The concept that this man, tall and dangerous in front of me is my...

mate.

A grin twitched at my lip as I looked up to him.

The more I looked into those beautiful eyes, the more I was sure. His touch, his voice, his scent. It all added up.

This man is my mate.

He now smiled and held out his hand out to me.

Oh, the smile. He was the most handsome man I'd ever had the pleasure of looking on. The way his face creased, indenting dimples in his cheeks, made his eyes glint even brighter. I completely forgot how terrifying he had previously seemed.

"Who are you?" I asked as I shook his hand.

"Your mate I suppose," he said, trailing his hand up to hold my face.

I stood there in complete stillness utterly hypnotised by the deep, mellow tone of his voice. 

"Pleased to meet you."

I slowly brought my hand to his cheek, passing his impeccable jawline and lips. He placed his hand on top of mine and a few moments later, our fingers entwined.

"I knew there was something about you," he said.

I smiled and let him kiss my hand.

I caught his scent again. It was so rich and authoritative and his eyes so blue and mesmerising and his build so powerful and strong. He was just like they described him.

Just how my father used to describe the man every wolf feared.

"Alpha Leonardo Loren," I whispered.

His eyebrow raised.

"I mean... urgh... you remind me of him.”

"I do?" he replied, an amusement creeping onto his lips.

I nodded.

"Why, thank you. I hear he's very handsome."

"But you can’t be or I wouldn’t be standing here alive."

"And why is that?" he asked.

"Because of the stories. The evil, the suffering, the death that he brings to everyone in his path. They used to terrify me.”

"Then we should get out of this dark forest," he said, taking my hand. "We wouldn't want to come across anybody like that tonight."

"Wait, my home is this way," I said, resisting his gentle pull in the opposite direction. "I live in Kellington."

"Kellington? What are you doing so far from home this late at night?" he asked.

"Oh..." I said, "I was just on a run."

We didn't need to get into my wreck of a life and how I'd just run miles from all my problems just yet.

He looked at me through narrowed eyes before letting out a low hum and tugging my hand again, "Well, you must be exhausted. Come, come."

"So I need to go home.”

He smiled again with a brief twinge of frustration.

"You're coming home with me," he replied, pulling me with a little more force further away from the border.

"Oh, I'm sorry. I can't," I said. "My brother will worry about me and I have to be at work at 7 am-."

He let out a short breath, "Your brother will be informed. Don't worry about your job. Now come with me."

I furrowed my eyebrows and opened my mouth to speak but closed it shortly after.

"Come," he repeated when I did not move.

He looked and spoke as if he was fighting hard not to lose his patience. Did he not hear me?

"What?" was all I could say.

"Do I have a halfwit as a mate? I don't know what simpler way to put it," he said, his face straightening. "You are coming with me," he added slowly and clearly.

"Why?" I questioned.

"Because you..." he said, pulling me closer to his chest, "Are mine now."

I stood for a moment inhaling his alluring scent, pulling me into his trance.

He then took my hand firmly and continued walking.

"I don't even know your name and I'm supposed to go home with you? And whose pack is this?" I asked, "And who gave you the right to decide what I do?"

He didn't answer but his grip on my hand tightened.

"Wait," I ordered, stopping again. "I demand that you answer my questions and stop dragging me like some kind of animal!"

"For fuck's sake," he growled before spinning me around and grabbing my arms, pulling me into his chest. "I tried to be gentle with you but now I have lost my patience."

I tried to shove him off me but he was impossibly strong. So as I wriggled and squirmed, I felt his eyes on me. He glanced down at my neck, uncovered by my hair before looking back at my face.

"Don't even bother trying to fight me. You won't win," he said, still with a low growl.

I paused in his arms, trying to catch my breath. After taking a deep breath, he brushed the dishevelled hair from my face.

"Now... what is your name?" He asked.

"Get the fuck off me," I answered before trying to struggle out of his grip again.

And yes, I have an awful mouth, little kids can learn a lot from drunk dads.

"Beautiful name," he remarked.

I broke a hand free and slapped him across the face. A notion of anger swept over his features, turning the amused expression into one of indescribable rage. The gentle being that was once in front of me had disappeared. In his place: a murderous monster.

He pulled me back into him, this time, pinning my back against his chest and wrapping a tight arm around my throat.

I stopped fighting him and instead brought my hands to his arm, ensuring he didn't start strangling me. For the first time in my memory, I was helpless. This man could do anything/

"This whole stubborn empowerment thing is hot, but save it for the bedroom, sweetheart," he growled. "Now, did I mention how I don't enjoy repeating myself? What is your name?"

"You have not told me yours," I gasped. "Yet you are the one dragging me through a forest in the opposite direction to my home."

His grip tightened around my throat and I whimpered.

He laughed as I clasped at his shirt with my fingers, "Please let me go."

"I love it when they beg," He said. "It always comes with desperation."

"Please," I whispered.

He finally loosened his grip on my throat.

I breathed heavily. At no point did he block my windpipe but the panic had taken siege of my lungs and I gasped for air.

"Your name?" he asked again, his lips right by my ear.

"Ella," I mumbled.

He let go of me before twirling me around to face him.

He smiled and took my hands.

"Let me get a few things straight, Ella," he began, "You are going to come with me and you are going to be my mate, as the Moon Goddess wants. You will submit and obey. You won't raise any questions and you won't disrespect me or there will be punishments. Okay?" He said, before kissing the side of my head, "Take what just happened as a warning."

I clenched my jaw. With oxygen back in my lungs, I was angry. How dare he use his strength against me like that? How dare he assume authority?

So I lifted my leg and kicked his shins. He barely even winced but his distraction was enough for me to slip out his arms and run. He didn't seem to be following me at any great speed but I still sprinted through the forest as fast as I could.

"I happen to love hide and seek my dear," I heard his voice say.

It was as if he had allowed me to get away just so that he could hunt me down.

Evil. Totally evil.

I scurried over to a thick-trunked tree and lay my back flat on it, frantically searching for a branch to use as some kind of leverage.

He was big and I was small but the branches on this tree weren't strong enough to hold even me.

"These games never last that long though," My mate's voice continued.

With so much fear and adrenaline pumping through my body, my breathing was uncontrollably loud. So I took a deep breath and held it as I scanned the darkness for a tree more suitable to climb.

I couldn't shift or he would too and the thought of facing the wolf of such a man filled me with pure dread.

Besides, my wolf was weak. I knew she'd give in to him.

I finally spotted a perfect tree no more than ten metres away.

I spun around and headed straight for it only to crash into something incredibly hard. Either I had misjudged how far away the tree was or I had lost this little game of hide and seek. A pair of hands wrapped around my waist confirmed that it was the latter.

"God taming you is going to be riveting," He said quietly under his breath, before he pinned me tightly to a tree, standing so close his breath fanned over my face.

I took a short breath in and froze.

"I should perhaps bring to your attention who I am," he said before pausing.

His scent reeked of power. I knew he had to be a higher rank wolf but as a rogue that meant little in the way of deserving respect to me.

"But something tells me deep down you already know," he said, brushing a displaced strand of hair out of my eyes.

I looked into his blue eyes once again. They were so cold and piercing and the little thought that had been toying at my consciousness since I first looked at them came spinning back.

"Say it," he added, his voice commanding and sharp.

He matched the description perfectly.

"Alpha Leonardo Loren."

His lips curled into a smile, confirming what I had hoped wouldn't be true.

"That's right," he confirmed. "Alpha Leonardo Loren of the Stella pack."