4 - Hungry

~Dakota’s Point of View~

“Why don't you have any tattoos,” I whisper, still not believing that I’m cuddled up to my mate. 

At Alpha camp.

“Haven’t earned them yet. I’m not putting some freebie shit on my body. Some mark that tells everyone what my family line is, what was handed to me at birth. I’ll be a fourth generation Alpha, because I earned it,” he says, as he tightens his arm around me, pulling my back against his chest. I pull my knees up to my chest and get comfortable.

I instinctively touch my birthmark. Literally the first thing anyone sees when they look at me. I was never self conscious about it until I started filling out and looking at boys. People stare at it all the time, I imagine it's hard not to. My grandmother has a similar one but I guess it skipped a generation. My mom can’t even remotely understand that while it does make me feel a bit special, it also makes people constantly look away from me. 

If a wolf is marked, it’s usually a bad omen… So people say.

“I hate needles and the idea of getting stabbed on purpose. I don’t want any … ever… I don’t think I could do it,” I admit. The very idea gives me the creeps. And what if they sneeze or something while they’re working and mess it up? 

“Pain is temporary. Tolerance is learned. You can train your body to do anything you need it to do,” he says, and I feel him nuzzling into my hair. It’s relaxing in a way I’ve never felt. Laney has already passed out cold, snoozing away in my mind and content with our mate. 

The security of his body makes me feel things I’ve never imagined, the safety he offers, combined with his warmth…. 

But he’s still potentially someone I may have to fight. It’s all so impossible. I’m just not used to this; males have typically avoided me at all costs. In the romantic sense anyhow. But that’s because of my overbearing father and three brothers. So I want to believe. Cause I’m perfect!

I feel the need to say something back but I have little energy, I simply huff like I’m put out.

“You sound like my dad,” I whisper, letting the heaviness of my eyes carry me off into a world where I don’t have to think so hard for a while.

…

“I bet she tastes real sweet. Not like we won’t find out,” I hear, as I lick my dry lips. 

Huh?

My eyes quickly pop open as my entire body goes on alert, my heart suddenly thumps in my ears since Laney senses a threat. Naturally, she wants to shift. It’s all I can do to hold her back until I assess things.

I spring to my feet just in time to see Dex fighting two males, neither of whom I recognize. My body reacts and I begin to run toward them. Just a step away I force my feet into the damp earth and lunge onto a hard back. My fingers land right on his face and begin to gouge out his eyes. He screams and tries to toss his weight around, attempting to buck me off.

But I don’t make it easy. I make myself dead weight and wrap my legs around him.

While I absolutely respect human life, while as a child I never imagined I’d find myself on a mountain faced with having to kill those who stand on two legs in order to survive, it’s where I’m at. It’s what the royals expect to weed out the weak.

Right now it’s him or me and I know that if he gets a chance, he won’t hesitate. Female or not. 

Because my anatomy is different, because I’m outnumbered here, I have to get those odds down. If they all gang up on me, it’ll be hell. They will take their time with me, torture me. I already know it as a fact. What a prize I’d be too. Alpha Braden’s first born and only daughter.

My eyes grow hazy with Laney pushing to take over, my hands spring claws. Adrenaline rushes through me, all my training takes over. My body knows what to do.

Without hesitating, she growls through me and I’m clawing at his throat until we’re covered in blood. Before I know it, my body hits the earth with a hard fall, and a second later, the male falls next to me with a sickening thud. 

His bloody face is frozen in shock as he gasps for air. I close my eyes and look away, then push myself up and to my knees. But you have to confirm the kill. You can’t take anything for granted. I get ready to approach him but hesitate.

The next time I spare him a glance, his eyes are closed and Laney tells me his heart has stopped.

*How sweet are we now? Asshole,* Laney spits. 

This is what we expected. Everyone to underestimate me. Think I’m an easy target that won’t actually hurt anyone. That I won’t fight back. 

I wasn’t totally sure how I would feel about this. About killing my peers. He’s probably four years older than me. 

I’m numb, completely numb.

My eyes find Dex after a beat, and he’s standing over a body of his own. I nearly wonder if it’s his first human kill, but I know better. 

I know, because it isn’t my first. There isn’t a soul on this mountain that doesn’t have blood on their hands. We aren’t sweet and innocent teenagers. We’re all highly trained killing machines.

But having a fated mate … does that change everything? Knowing that even if we don’t get the chance to fully mate, if something happens to me he’ll be a sitting duck. He’ll suffer, he’ll go mad. 

And vice versa.

I try to flick some of the blood off me, but it’s pointless. Only a swim in Blood Creek will help. 

“Well, I tried to go the clean route. Snapped his neck. This one is actually still dressed which means he’s arrogant enough to think he doesn’t need to shift,” Dex says, as he begins trying to take the clothes. 

“Or he has a really small dick,” I say, with a straight face. Normally, that would be a joke worth laughing at. But right now, I just can’t bring myself to do it. Dex doesn’t even react, he just goes about stealing the clothes.

Once I have on the black muscle shirt that’s long enough to cover my butt, I actually do feel a lot better. Being allowed some modesty actually makes me feel empowered in a weird way. 

Dex puts on the khaki shorts and flicks his head.

“Let’s get cleaned up and see if we can find something to eat,” he says, as a boom forces us both to look up in a panic.

Birds seem to come out of nowhere, as the forest shakes with the vibration.

BOOM

The second one only has me looking down. While I knew we were being watched carefully, it’s still unnerving to think about it. Did they see us holding hands? How we slept together?

I have no doubt the royals will exploit our relationship as a weakness. Whatever they can do for their sick entertainment. 

We both walk in silence, and I desperately wish I could mind-link with Dex. 

*Okay, so let’s mate then!! Sounds like a plan,* Laney says, her eyes wide with the idea.

I sigh and rub the back of my neck without thinking about it. Only to realize I just smeared blood all over. I absentmindedly follow Dex, glad for once that I don’t have to think. I don’t always want to be the one taking charge, its fucking exhausting.

When we reach the creek, it’s blessedly deserted. We’re both still silent as we clean up, though it’s obvious we have a lot to say.

*I’m starting to get a vibe from his wolf the more we’re together. He seems pretty angry from what I’m getting. Just not sure who exactly it is directed at,* Laney offers.

I decide to break the silence since I have a burning question.

“Do you think they can hear us too,” I whisper, when we make eye contact.

He sighs loudly, and nods.

“When our fathers did this, there wasn’t all this technology. So while I’m not totally sure, we’ll have to act like they can. Assume they can,” he replies.

I look around, irritated. As if this whole situation isn’t bad enough, we have to add that in. My dad told me they all had to reported to headquarters once a day, that’s how they kept track of who had died. I’d been wondering if we were going to get any real direction or be given any kind of rules. 

Apparently not. Figure it out yourself.

BOOM

My jaw falls open as I look to the sky, then to the side of the creek. I’m half expecting an ambush. We’re pretty much sitting ducks in the creek.

“Come on Dakota, let’s get something to eat. I saw some berries over there that should be safe,” he says, as he moves to get out. I follow, suddenly feeling too exposed even though I bathed with the shirt on.

My heart nearly stops as I watch him bend to pick up the shorts and put them on. He’s magnificent, he’s a god in the flesh. My eyes fall to his calves that flex, his arms that bulge with muscle as he moves. His light brown hair is buzzed up the sides with a couple inches at the top, hanging wet with a little curl on the ends. It looks thick and very… pullable.

*Hmm,* Laney coos. I shake her off and focus on getting food.

Of course, the berries don’t cut it. So we both shift and spend about two hours hunting. When we finally find a deer, we weren’t the only ones ready for a meal. But by now, it’s clear we’re both ravenous. 

Without mind-linking, I can’t talk to Dex at all and it blows. But nobody here is supposed to be from the same pack so nobody can. Hell half the guys here probably don’t speak English.

*They’re not gonna back down, and Dex is not going to expect us to. Which is stupid since a deer is enough for us all,* Laney says, baring her teeth and dropping the shirt from her mouth. 

She knows as well as I do it doesn’t matter if common sense dictates it's enough for us all. There can only be one winner. 

There isn’t time for debate, there isn’t time to question anything because my partner/mate is already lunging. 

Goddess! Did he learn nothing from the rabbit in the bush!! Stupid male!!

As he flies in the air, trying to get the deer, I haul ass toward a black wolf that looks hungry enough for ten. My dad told me to always go for the meanest looking son of a bitch and that seems like a solid plan. My eyes lock on his and he’s nearly stunned for the slightest second. 

*Yeah buddy, I’m a GIRL,* I scream, only making Laney more angry. 

Even though she’s been fussing at me since the creek about convincing Dex to leave with us, she hates being discounted. She hates being thought of as less than all because she’s got different body parts. And that, we very much have in common. 

The split second of shock the black wolf has is all I need. He starts to run straight at Laney, practically salivating. Yeah yeah, you all want to be the one to take out the girl, I get it.

But I want to be the one who takes out ALL the guys. 

And I will be.