The Alpha

The lake glistened, displaying the beautiful blanket of stars above. Ripples occasionally danced on the surface, disturbing the stillness as the soft breeze whistled silently.

Various trees of every kind stood around, protecting the quiet place before the crunching of angry footsteps burst forth from one side of the forest.

With heavy, ragged breaths, Jordane came to a halt. She let her head hang for a minute before bending over, her hands on her knees.

She ran as fast as she could, hoping to distance herself as far away as possible. 

Recovering from the uncalled-for escape, Jordane dragged herself to the edge of the lake. The image of a girl with startling golden eyes stared back at her. 

Her hair was a mess, and against the moonlight, she rather looked pale.

"Dammit," Jordane muttered. 

Now that the adrenaline had left her, she felt the sting from the minor cuts on her legs. They were itching and numbing like ant bites. 

Sitting by the bank, Jordane broke her reflection as she scooped an amount of water using her cupped hands and brushed them on the scratches she had acquired. 

Delicately tracing the minor cuts, Jordane washed them clean. She kept scooping water until she made quite a pool by her feet.

"Dammit," she repeated, catching sight of the cake of mud that gathered at the tip of her dress. She stood up all too suddenly and let out a yelp when she fell on her butt.

"Great," Jordane muttered, clearly annoyed about how her night turned out.

While Livvy had probably found her mate or not and having the night of her life, Jordane was out somewhere, perhaps dangerously close to the border separating them from the Western pack. 

The thought startled Jordane. She immediately pushed herself to get up, scratching her palm with the careless action.

Wincing at the stinging pain, Jordane managed to find her balance and quickly assessed her surroundings.

She and Livvy had been scouting the forest since they were eleven. They escaped several indoor parties to swim in the lake or do something daring as a means to have fun. 

Jordane knew their part of the forest by heart. 

Realizing she couldn't identify any familiar features in the surroundings, her insides churned. There was an indescribable sensation overwhelming her logic at the moment.

"Oh, goddess!" Jordane scrambled to get out of plain sight. But a twig snapped from nearby. 

The sound rattled her to alertness, leaving only one way of escape. 

Without thinking twice, Jordane dove into the lake.

She made quite a splash; the ripple on the surface marked her submergence in the cold water, breaking the image of the starry sky. 

Once under, Jordane held her breath, the bubbles escaping from her lips.

Following her trail, an unannounced crunching of dried leaves echoed as footsteps abruptly emerged at the opposite side where Jordane had passed through. 

A man of excellent stature approached the bank. His thick brows were knitted together in a deep frown while the two beautiful sapphire eyes scanned the surface of the lake. 

He didn't fail to notice the disturbance that left the water rippling against the direction of the wind.

He was shirtless, boasting the six-pack abs that most men envy and what many women lust for. Sporting only a black denim that hung onto his waist and a pair of boots, the man clicked his tongue.

His hair was a mess and sweaty under the cowboy hat he fancied to adorn on top of his head. 

Licking his lips, the man squinted and double-checked the perimeter.

"I was sure I heard something," he murmured. 

With a scoff, he turned to leave. But then, at the last minute, he paused.

Jordane emerged on the lake's surface, gasping for air, coughing up a mouthful of water. 

Oblivious to the man observing her with immense curiosity, Jordane pushed her hair back from the top of her head using both hands. Her white dress barely covered her body now that she was drenched from head to foot.

Treading carefully, Jordane swam toward the edge where she had jumped, sloshing water under her bare feet upon finding some solid ground.

The mysterious woman looked so beautiful against the quarter moon shining brightly above the lake and with the shimmering stars. Water glistened on her skin, making her appear like a mirage.

Her white dress was soaked and hugged the luscious curves of her body. It unexpectedly aroused him, a long-forgotten desire that he thought was impossible to feel after that tragic night.

Finally sensing someone was watching her, Jordane sharply turned around and gasped. She lost her balance and fell back into the lake with a splash.

The man set aside his hat and dove after Jordane. He secured her by the waist, their skins touching with the proximity. 

Jordane tried to wriggle free, but the stranger had a firm grip. Her struggle was rewarded with bubbles coming from her mouth. 

The lady gasped loudly as soon as they broke through the surface.

Her captor immediately dragged Jordane to the bank. She gave the man a good look when she was back on dry ground. 

He turned around, shaking off droplets of water from his hair. 

Jordane noticed the superior aura emanating from the mysterious stranger. 

She had a wild guess of who he might be, but her heart raced rapidly as she and the mysterious man caught each other's gazes.

He had the most eccentric set of deep blue eyes she'd ever seen, captivating and luring her never to tear her gaze away.

Without warning, a sudden jolt inside her chest caused her stomach to twist and her spine to shiver in delight. Her eyes hungrily roamed the stranger's chiseled chest, surprising herself with the sudden desire to touch him.

Momentarily forgetting where she was, Jordane was about to succumb to the lustful thoughts that invaded her mind. 

"Awoo!" a howl tore through the once-silent forest, breaking the spell that left Jordane hypnotized by the sexiest and most gorgeous male specie she had ever laid her eyes on.

The man broke eye contact with Jordane, his head turning to the direction where the sound came from. He was confident that the howl was from Lucas, a member of his pack.

A moment later, "Alpha!" Lucas called out, shifting back to his human form and emerging from the forest. 

The said Alpha briefly turned to the beautiful woman, hoping to get her to ride along with the excuse he was to tell his right hand.

The leaves of the low-lying trees that covered a path adjacent to where Lucas had appeared showed a fresh disturbance; their gentle sway told him that the woman had stealthily stormed past them.

'Interesting,' the Alpha thought to himself.