Five.

(Landon’s POV)

I had been doing a lot of things around our small village in an attempt to stop me from thinking about Celina. I found it impressive that despite all the risks of coming face to face with a werewolf, she didn’t hesitate when she ‘attempted’ to kill me.

A smile crept up to my face just thinking about her.

“You seem to be doing a lot around here.” Connor, my father’s right hand man, commented as he walked up to me, “and while smiling. That’s unusual.”

“For you maybe.” I replied, “never seen you smile.”

“What do you mean? I’m smiling right now.” He stated.

I looked up only to see him with his usual frown on his face. I chuckled as I shook my head.

“Let me guess, you met a girl?” He asked.

I paused as I looked at him.

“I’d rather not talk about it.” I stated as I continued with my work. I knew that the pack wouldn’t take it kindly to the alpha being in love with a human. If that’s what I feel for Celina.

He put his hand on my shoulder, “I know that I’m not your father and neither will I ever be, but I want you to know that I’m here to help and listen if you need to talk to anyone.”

I looked at him, “I know.”

He gave me a nod.

“Why haven’t you found your mate?” I asked curiously.

He hung his head, “I thought I did.”

“What happened?” I asked.

“She turned out to be a traitor and I chopped her head off.” He replied nonchalantly with a shrug.

“You could have chosen to be with her.” I stated equating his situation to mine in my mind.

“That would mean having to let everyone you see around here die.” He stated, “love has been the downfall of great men. I just hope you will be strong enough to understand what choices and sacrifices you have to make for the sake of the greater good.” He turned around and walked away.

I didn’t want to show Celina just how much I was into her so I decided to not see her for a few days. But I had been seeing her almost every day after she got off from work, mostly because of her good cooking, that I didn’t know what to do with my evenings so I decided to go out on a stroll.

I was in the middle of the forest and I was remembering the day I met her when I heard her call out my name. Not in a scream but more in a frightened whisper.

“Stop this Landon, you are imagining it.” I told myself as I turned around to go back to my house, but then I heard it again.

“Landon, if you can hear me please help me.” I heard her say, now clearly. Pleading as if for her life.

My nails sharpened and my senses heightened as I started to follow her voice throughout the forest.

“Please don’t hurt me. Please.” I heard her beg and I ran even faster.

I saw from a distance that a man had pinned her down on the ground. She was trying to get out from under him but with how she barely moved, I knew it was a werewolf.

I moved closer and jumped as I tackled the man to the ground as I growled.

“You shouldn’t be hurting any humans.” I barked at the man.

He smirked, “I have never understood why you get to be the leader of the pack, a young thing like you.” The man stated.

“I don’t care what you think, but I’m the alpha of the pack and you should leave now!” I barked.

He looked around, “we aren’t in the village, no one is around to protect you. I could kill you then the human, I could go back to the village and say that I killed you after I found out you killed the human.” He laughed, “people would think I’m a hero, and then   maybe just maybe, I could be the new alpha of the pack.”

I sighed, “why must there be idiots like you?” I wondered out loud.

“Let’s see if you’ll be thinking that when I’m holding your head in my hands.” He said as he pounced on me.

I tackled him with ease as I pinned him down. I took out a knife my father gave me while we were hunting, I grabbed the man by his hair as I leaned in and whispered, “this is why I’m the alpha,” as I stabbed him on the side of his neck as I dragged the knife across and decapitated him.

I grabbed him by his head as I looked into eyes, “fucking moron.” I said as I threw him back to the ground.

I got off him and went to help Celina.

“Maybe I should be picking you up from work.” I stated.

Celina looked from the man who laid dead and them back to me who was stained in blood. She just jumped and hugged me taking me by surprise.

“Thank you for saving me. I didn’t think you would hear me.” She said and I could feel her heart beating, fast.

“You are just lucky that I was walking close by. If I was back at the village, I doubt I would have heard you.” I replied.

She sighed as she smiled at me, that smile that melted my heart and made my stomach fill with butterflies like a school boy with a crush.

“How about you walk me home?” She asked.

I looked down at my blood soaked clothes.

She giggled, “you could clean up at the house and you do have extra clothes there. Maybe I could even make you a something to eat as a thank you for saving my life.”

I nodded as we walked to the cottage that was now her home.

“Why was that werewolf after you? I made an explicit rule that no werewolf should kill a human!” I yelled as I got out of the shower.

“It’s a long story that started at the diner. I don’t want to talk about it.” She yelled back.

I stepped out of the bathroom, “do you mind if I begin picking you up from work from tomorrow?” I asked.

“You don’t mind people seeing us together?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.

I shrugged.

“I’m the leader. I doubt anyone will question me.”

She smiled and blushed, “then I would very much like that.”

She served the meal and it was delicious as usual. As she was clearing the table she asked, “what happened today is another reason why I should become a werewolf.”

“I already told you that it’s a dangerous transition.” I stated.

“I know that. And I accepted to take the risk. I don’t want to always have to depend on someone to come rescue me all the time.” She insisted, making a small smile appear on my face.

She is so head strong and I loved that about her. How independent she wanted to be.

“How about we do this?” I asked as I carried the glass of water to the small kitchen, “I know a good witch named Paige. She will come here and spend time with you, teaching you a few things here and there, she will be the third party that makes a decision on whether you’re strong enough for the transition, then we can plan from there, okay?”

“Really?” She asked excitedly. “I have always wanted to meet a witch. Okay. Deal.” She agreed immediately.

She turned to continue doing the dishes as she kept talking but I could barely hear what she was saying. Her voice like melody to my ears. I had no idea why I was so enchanted by this woman.

I wanted to touch her, feel her skin on mine. I wanted to taste her lips, feel how soft they are on mine. And her voice. I could listen to her talk all day and all night. Before I realized what I was doing, I was slowly stretching out my hand to touch her but I quickly dropped it.

“I have to go. It’s getting late.” I stated and walked out before she even said goodbye.

As cliché as I could get, I dreamt about her. Everything in my mind seemed to revolve around her.

I woke up the next morning, did my duties around the village. Did other duties that weren’t mine to buy time so that I could go and hang out in the town as I watched her from a distance till it was closing time.

It was around an hour before they were set to close when a man walked into the diner. My eyes were on him when Celina approached his table.

“Before I order, could I just say that you are beautiful.” The man said to Celina.

I was using my good hearing to eavesdrop.

She smiled. “Thank you, what can I get you?” She asked the man.

“Just a cup of coffee. Black.” He said.

“I’ll get that for you.” Celina said as she walked to the kitchen in the back.

I took the moment to assess the man. Black wavy hair, strong jawline, he was muscular. Something inside me felt threatened by this unknown man, like he was trying to take something I wanted.

“Here is your cup of coffee, anything else?” Celina asked.

“Thank you…Celina.” The man said after looking at her nametag, “maybe you could keep me company? I am new to town and I don’t know anyone. I’m Austin by the way.”

Celina sat in front of him and I took that as my chance to interrupt whatever it was that was happening.

The bell dinged overhead as I walked into the diner. Celina smiled at me, as she excused herself and walked up to me.

“Hey, you’re here an hour early.” She said.

“I just thought that I’ll hang around and wait for you to get out of work.” I stated as I glared at Austin.

He turned to look at me, paid for his coffee, which he didn’t even drink and walked out with his eyes on me briefly.

“You’re scaring my customers already.” Celina joked. She looked at the watch, “maybe I should start closing.”

“Don’t mind me. You keep working.” I stated as I kept an eye of Austin out of my peripheral vision.

As soon as Celina disappeared to the kitchen I walked out to follow Austin. I grabbed him and dragged him to behind the diner.

“What do you want from Celina?” I asked in a low growl.

“I have no idea what you are talking about. I just came to get a cup of coffee.” He said, but normal humans when cornered by a werewolf, their hearts start racing and they almost immediately start begging for their lives but not this guy.

“You are a werewolf?” I asked as I dropped him.

He smirked, as his eyes turned grey.

“Never seen a gamma werewolf before.” I stated.

“And I have never seen an alpha who is in love with a human. What does your pack think about that?” Austin asked with a smirk.

“Stay away from her.” I barked as I walked back to the diner.

“Whose heart is beating fast now?” Austin asked but when I went to tell him off he had disappeared into the night. Who was that? I wondered with a frown.