Chapter 5: Competition.

**DELANEY**

Well that was a little crazy. I always knew I was different. I didn't think it was going to be as crazy as that. 

I am a supernatural creature. But that just kind of proved that I was pathetic. I wasn't even good at being a baby werewolf, so my parents discarded me. The way Orion talks and looks at me I am assuming my wolf will be coming soon.

I am both pretty excited and scared honestly. I didn't think werewolves existed. But when Orion told me that what he was telling me wasn't a joke, I knew he wasn't lying. Why lie to me? I am no one. There is no reason to try and scare me. Or to impress me. So I believe him. Plus I can usually always tell when someone is lying. It's like another sense to me. Like I can almost hear someone's heart speeding up.

I'll ask Orion more later when we finish our questions. I still am wondering how all those flowers bloomed and the plants just grew like that. It was a beautiful sight though. 

I saw Orion look at it, but only briefly. Then he was staring at me. Which made the warmth in my chest build up even more than him shaking my hand and us not letting go because of the plants. I tried to get my hand back from him not wanting to overstay my welcome with a handshake but he tightened his grip. Not possessively. No more like longing.

I've never been shown the slightest bit of good attention in my life. And him just not wanting to let go of my hand made me want to burst into tears. But I can't and won't cry in front of him or anyone. I have been terrified all day, but I'm not going to show it. This is a part of my self love and confidence training. Hahahaha.

"Ahem?" Orion is staring at me with his eyebrow cocked. Oh shit, I must have giggled out loud. "Yes?" I reply with a grin.

 "What's so funny? I like laughing too!" He says almost pouting. Awwwww.

"Just thinking about how a week ago I was an orphaned nobody, trying not to get eaten by bears. But that was probably creepy Chris in wolf form now that I think about it." I pause. 

"Anyways, and now I'm surrounded by werewolves. I'm friends with their future Alpha, who by the way was an as.shole. I've seen someone die. I found out I am a werewolf myself and now I'm going to learn how to kick ass and I have a nice little job being my Alpha friends assistant.” I laughed again. “I giggled because I went from a young girl with no one who cared for her. To this. It was just a little funny how quickly things turned around for me."

Realizing I made it sound like he or the pack cared for me I corrected myself. 

"I am not saying that you or your pack care about me or anything. I have just been shown more hospitality and warmth from you in the last two days, than I have in my whole life."

I haven't looked at him the whole time I said that. When I finally peaked under my eyelashes, he had stopped walking and was staring at me in awe. Like he didn't know what to say. "I'm sorry, I probably shouldn't have thrown all that at you. I'll keep the conversation to a minimum."

And I started walking again since we are heading to the training grounds. But I'm pulled back by my hand into a hug. This feels wayyy better than having creepy Chris snatch me up. I'd like to be snatched up like this all the time, but only by him. I think anyway.

When he finally let me go I couldn't look at him. I thought maybe he just felt bad for me.  That was probably some pity hug from a friend.  He called my name. 

"Delaney." He paused. 

"I don't know everything you went through before you ran into me in the woods but I'd like to know. Just from what you've told me already. 12 years without love from a family, friends, and no one to talk to. That sucks. Most people, especially humans, off themselves for less. But you just pushed through it. And you aren't bitter about it. And you don't blame anyone, but yourself which is stupid because you were a child. And you definitely don't take any shit, not even from the Future Alpha himself. But you are no longer alone, okay?  As your "Alpha Friend"."

He even did the air quotes. That made me giggle. 

"You have me, my family and friends, and the whole pack. My people treat everyone like family. It is in our nature to love one another and look out for each other. So even if you make the decision to leave eventually, you'll always have a home here."

Oh dear God, that almost did it for me. I have so many unshed tears and that almost broke my dam loose. 

A home?

Is this why I was longing to go to the woods? Was this the reason my body kept pushing me to walk and keep going? Because this is where I'm meant to be? Home..

 "Thank you Orion. " I said with a smile. I have genuinely smiled more in the last 2 days than I have my whole life.

 "Of course, Delaney." He said huskily. I will never get tired of hearing him say my name.

**ORION**

Hearing her say just a tid bit of what she's had to deal with to being grateful to just be here blew my mind. She's 17, never had a loving family, no friends to confide in and no one to turn to. And she is just handling it like it is just another thing not to dwell on. Whether she's my mate, a girl I just want to bone, or whatever. No one deserves that kind of loneliness.

I had to hug her. And holy hell. When I did, I could have cum right then and there.

I probably shouldn't be thinking that at the moment. But Goddess, the way she fit in my arms. Feeling her body pressed against mine. Breathing in her scent was like, woah. She seemed to accept the hug after a minute or two, which made me feel great. One step closer to accepting me and letting me in.

'That is what you are thinking of right now seriously?'  Zeus growls at me. 

'Z, buddy. I am a guy. An Alpha at that. I happen to be extremely attracted to this girl. Like from the moment I saw her. How she held herself, didn't cower down, and didn't put up with anything.  She keeps on getting uncontrollably more attractive. So yes, Z. That's what I am thinking of right now. Along with other deeper things, okay?'

I don't even care to admit it at this point. I am still going to go through with my plan. But seriously I am starting to warm up to her. Maybe her being my assistant will let the new shine rub off and I'll be annoyed with her after spending some time with her everyday. 

'Orion, I am only going to tell you one more time. This is your final warning. If you hurt her, I will make everyday of your life hell. I will not heal you. I will not give you the Alpha strengths you need. And even if it kills me, I won't shift for you.' He roars in my head. 

I'm a little taken back. Zeus has never threatened me like that. ESPECIALLY, not over a female.

'Okay, Z. Let's compromise. We continue to woo her. Spend time with her as the Future Alpha's Assistant.  See what happens after she gets her wolf.  If she's our mate,  I'll give the whole mate thing a try.. I still won't mark her, but I'll cut the side pieces off and give it a chance. If she's not our mate I still get to bed her, and possibly take her as a chosen mate. Okay?' 

'I think she's a virgin, Orion. What if she is?' 

'That would be even better. And will kind of make me want her to be my mate even more.’

I can't believe I'll admit that to my wolf. All the other girls I have been around throw themselves at me, they annoy the hell out of me and the release is okay but they always want something more from me. 

A title, the Luna lifestyle. Another reason why fated and chosen mates haven't ever appealed to me. He wagged his tail and barked in agreement to the idea of Laney as our Mate. But even if I verbally agree to her being my mate, what happens if I don’t want her to have that hold on me…

I can’t help how I am starting to feel, but I also can’t help what I have continuously told myself. No one will have such a deafening hold on me..

I finally let her go. I couldn't help but tell her this pack, all of us, is her home if she wants it. She seemed pretty happy about that.

We finally make it to the training grounds, I want to show her around. I already had Terrin mindlink the warriors and tell them not to be eyeballing her. She is new, and is not to be bothered.

 I see one of our best warriors, Kylo. 

He walks over, and of course he doesn’t care about the mindlinked warning, he is eyeing Delaney up and down. 

He bows. “Hello Orion.” I scoff as he straightens back up. He is just as tall as me. And is pretty built. He sticks his hand out to Delaney and she grabs it. This immediately enrages me. I blast my aura, Kylo lets go of her hand.

“My name is Kylo. And who might this gorgeous creature be?” He says, crossing his arms across his chest.

I was going to introduce her, and then mindlink him to not push it. But Delaney stepped in front of me.

“My name is Delaney Jacobs. It is nice to meet you Kylo.” She says smiling at him. Wait, does she like him?

“The pleasure is definitely all mine, Miss Delaney. Dang, Orion. You really do get all the pretty ones, huh?” He snarks. It has never been a secret that Kylo has been slightly jealous of me. I think it is the fact I slept with one of his exes. Like c’mon man. Just because we live in the same pack, doesn’t mean that single women aren’t free game. I don’t do cheaters, so if she was in a relationship with him, I didn’t know about it.

Delaney eyes me a little cautiously and moves out from in front of me.

“Let me explain something to the both of you. I do not belong to Orion. He might ‘get all the pretty ones’. But no one has gotten me. Capeesh?” She said looking between the two of us. I am slightly upset by that statement. Kylo just chuckles and throws his hands up in surrender.

“Very well, Miss Delaney. Well, if you ever get tired of hanging with this meat head, let me know. I am quite the intellectual.” He says chuckling before grabbing her hand and kissing her knuckles. I roll my eyes. I look over and she is slightly blushing and then it disappears and then she rolls her eyes. 

‘So, you are just gonna let that sh.it happen?’ Zeus chimes up. 

‘She’s right , Z. We don’t have a claim on her yet. And honestly, you know how I am about commitment.’ I say still staring holes into the back of Kylo’s head.

Delaney snaps her fingers in front of my face. 

“Hello, Mr Alpha. You were supposed to show me something.Are you talking to your wolf?” She said looking at me with a slight amazement. 

I nodded. But I can’t speak. I am kind of pissed off.

‘Terrin, I thought I told you to tell everyone to leave Delaney alone?’ I growled through the link while walking toward the training facility.

‘Oh god. It was Kylo wasn’t it?’ He chuckled. Why does he think this is funny?

‘Who else? Did you not tell him?’ I ask, feeling my rage boil inside of me. 

‘I did but his exact words were, ‘If the girl will speak to me, I will speak back. Alpha can’t have everything.’’ He is still laughing.

“So where are we going?” Delaney says looking around. 

“The training building. It’s like a huge gym. Lots of exercise equipment, fighting rings. And outside of it there are endurance obstacles.” I say, feeling slightly better. 

‘It’s her aura.’ Zeus speaks up.

When we get to the training grounds, I showed her all the equipment. The separated showers. I show her everything, and it looks like she doesn’t want to leave, but before we go back to the packhouse for lunch, I want to see how she got away from Chris.

“Delaney, before we go have lunch. I want you to show me how you got away from Chris. He was a trained warrior before his crimes were discovered. So I want to know what you did to be able to get away from a trained, and demented warrior.” She thinks about it and nods. “Are you sure about this though? He didn’t feel so good afterwards.” 

“I am sure I can handle it.” I said with my chest puffed out. I mean I am strong, and the Alpha. She rolled her eyes, she told me how Chris had grabbed her and I did the same. 

Wow, holding her like this is stirring Zeus, BAD. 

Shit, me too.

Right arm around her neck, face inches from her marking spot. Left arm around her waist in a tight grip. Oh Goddess, I think this will be added to the positions I take her in when the time comes. Her scent is drowning me. I breathe my hot breath onto her neck.

" Okay, now what did you do to get out of this? " I whisper into her neck. She shivers and I can smell her arousal pooling. Ohhh, so I do affect her. Thank God. I was starting to think I was under a spell.

"I don't think you want me to show you. " She breathes out.

"Oh Delaney, I really, really do." I growl into her neck and the smallest whimper and an okay escape her lips.

I was definitely not ready for her to lift her foot and connect with my junk so fast and hard like that... I let her go immediately and doubled over in pain on the ground. She dropped next to me.

"I am so sorry Orion, I didn't mean to do it that hard. I think that was even harder than I did to Chris. I had adrenaline pumping through me from thinking of getting away like I did last night. Yes, it was definitely from that. I am so sorry. What can I do to help?"

I felt good knowing her adrenaline was definitely not from the situation but my raging boner I had from holding her and smelling her was now dead and possibly broke. But I only wince a bit cause I am an Alpha and I need to be strong. But whewww. That girl has some force.

And then I start to think. That's the exact hold Chris had her in, I am pretty positive she felt the opposite in his arms but just the fact that he held her like that made me growl.

I look up and Delaney looks a little shocked or hurt that I growled at her.

"Shit, I'm sorry Delaney I didn't mean to growl. I was thinking about Chris holding you like that and it pissed me off. But not at you though. I am glad though that he felt some of this pain for touching you before he died."

We both laughed, her hands came to my shoulders checking on me to make sure I was okay. I looked into her eyes and she showed genuine remorse, and concern. No other woman had ever looked at me like that. Except my mom.

Fuck, I got to get it together. She stands up and offers me a hand to stand up.

"C'mon, we can go sit inside and ask more questions. You can train me some more another day." I nod my head to her, she slips herself easily under my shoulder and helps me walk it off. I won't even lie that I faked it the last few minutes till we reached the pack house.

I loved being near her. I bet she's my mate. 

But even if she is, I might have some competition from Kylo. Fu.cker. 

What am I even saying? I can’t have a mate…