The Alpha (part 2)

The sun had barely peeked on the horizon, but Maverick was already out of breath. His chiseled chest was bathed with sweat.

A soft wind blew in his ears, influencing the smirk that crossed his lips while he narrowed his gaze at his opponent.

Wearing only their leather pants, Maverick and Lucas sparred near the forest close to their territory.

"Who's she?" Lucas squinted at his friend. He noticed something different about him last night and would like to assume he was keeping something from him.

Images of the mysterious woman popped into Maverick's mind. He got distracted, and Lucas didn't let that slip. He charged at him, pushing Maverick to the ground. 

Maverick fell on his back with a grunt. His chest rose and fell as he heaved in and out while Lucas loomed over him, a smirk on his lips.

"Are you going to talk, or do you want me to squeeze the details from you?"

Maverick snorted. 

He hauled himself to get back on his feet. Lucas offered him help. The former accepted it, dusting himself free of the dirt that gathered in his arms.

He would need a bath before reporting to work. Maverick already felt exhausted thinking about what awaited him at the office.

'Paperwork and endless paperwork,' he thought bitterly.

It was a family business, passed down from generation to generation. 

That made the pressure of finding his mate go over the top. 

Maverick needed to find her before the next full moon. He was to become the official Alpha of the Western werewolf pack. 

The title 'Alpha' would be handed to him even if he has yet to find her. But Lucas warned him how the other wolves would look down on him for forsaking the search for his Luna.

"Who's she?" Lucas repeated, reminding Maverick that he had yet to respond. 

Maverick planned to keep the intimate details of the night at the lake to himself. But he knew Lucas would eventually learn about it. There was no point in trying to avoid or change the topic.

"Someone out of my league."

Lucas pondered on Maverick's response.

"A human?"

Maverick wished it was the case. But he knew, when they gazed into each other's eyes, he had a distinct feeling that she was far from being a plain mortal. Her bewitching golden eyes told him she was just like him, a werewolf.

"No. And it doesn't matter. We only met by chance."

Lucas snickered, landing a playful punch on Maverick's shoulder. 

"Fine, whatever you say," Lucas snorted. "Come on then. Time to start the day," he whistled joyfully as he went ahead, leaving Maverick to catch up to him. 

The sun had come out, its rays shining from the places which the leaves of the trees couldn't cover.

"You're thinking about her."

Lucas taunted, breaking the silence that passed between them.

Maverick threw the shirt he had on earlier over his shoulder and joined his friend on the trail going back to civilization.

"Come on, Mav. You know you could trust me. Besides, how did you meet her? Where? What is she like? Your friend is really curious. The cold-hearted soon-to-be-Alpha being distracted by a woman? She must be something."

Maverick shook his head. A flash of her mesmerizing beauty and the water glistening on her skin presented itself in Maverick's mind.

"I don't know. There seemed to be nothing special about her."

"I doubt that. She wouldn't have caught your attention otherwise."

Maverick sighed. He looked at the now bright sky. 

He knew he had minimal options when it came to Lucas.

"Fine, but don't tell anyone about this," Maverick warned. Lucas turned to him, instantly noticing how serious he appeared.

"I swear on my wolf and yours. What I hear only stays between us."

With a heavy sigh, Maverick decided to let Lucas know a portion of what had happened. He would pester Maverick about it anyway.

"I was scouting by the border last night when I chanced upon her swimming in the lake."

Lucas gasped, turning to Maverick; his eyes gleamed. 

"What was she like?"

Maverick rubbed the back of his neck. Merely thinking about the mysterious she-wolf, his body began acting weirdly. His pulse quickened, and his heart pounded rhythmically against his chest.

"I can't tell," Maverick replied, uncertain of what words to use to describe her. It seemed that nothing fit. She was the embodiment of perfection.

 Lucas clicked his tongue, whistling at Maverick, who was utterly lost for words.

"So…" Lucas let his words trail off. He pocketed his hands, enjoying the fact that Maverick was feeling uncomfortable about sharing the details of his fortunate run-in with a woman.

It was Maverick's turn to click his tongue. 

He was back to debating whether to tell the whole story or to keep the fact that she had escaped before Lucas arrived.

Her identity remained a mystery, and Maverick would be lying if he claimed it didn't pique his curiosity.

It did.

"Is she drop-dead gorgeous? Hot? Super sexy or average? Come on, Alpha. I have no intentions of stealing this woman from your grasp."

Maverick chuckled, taking his friend's curiosity to new heights. Lucas pictured an image of a woman whom Maverick would like. 

He immediately regretted it upon visualizing the last person his friend would want to talk about. Clearing his throat, Lucas blew out a resigned sigh.

"I give up," Lucas admitted, disappointedly shaking his head while looking at Maverick. "If you don't want to tell me, at least make sure you are to find your mate before the next full moon."

It was Maverick's turn to shake his head vigorously. He scoffed, kicking a pebble with his boots.

"I hope it's that easy."

"It is if you were to put your mind to it. You are the next Alpha. Unlike me, you have more chances of swooning the ladies."

"You're no longer single, Lucas,"

"I am."

Maverick paused. Lucas noticed and followed, facing Maverick with a stoic expression.

"What?!" Maverick scratched the back of his head. "I thought you and Cassandra would take it to the next level?"

Lucas took a deep breath, sighed, and then shrugged, frowning right after.

"Don't shift the topic. Come on. I need to hear about your woman before we go into that."

Maverick scoffed as they resumed their walk.

"Are you alright, though?"

"Yeah. I am. Now quit stalling."

With a sigh, Maverick pocketed his hands, gazing at the bluish horizon. He wanted to probe Lucas' situation with Cassandra but thought better about it.

"There's nothing to tell. I didn't even get to ask for her name."

"Damn," Lucas whistled again. "No wonder you were in a foul mood last night."

Maverick hit Lucas on the stomach with the back of his hand.

"Shut up."

Lucas chuckled goodnaturedly.

"But you might be able to meet her again," Lucas added. "Fate can be too much sometimes, you know?"

"I don't know," Maverick snarked back, scoffing at Lucas' attempt to give him some advice. 

"Ey, it's high time for you to move on, Maverick. I'm sure Lily would understand that."

Suddenly, Maverick lost all thought about the mysterious woman. He felt a torrent of anger surge in his inner being.

"Don't drag Lily into this," Maverick growled while Lucas' eyes grew wide, and he held his hands up in surrender. 

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to."

Maverick clenched his hands, gripping his fingers tightly. He could feel his nails digging through his skin.

Before he could cut himself, Maverick hastened his pace, no longer interested in asking what happened between Lucas and Cassandra.