The wolf who chased me!

5: survive

There was a gasp from the entire room, then whispers and disgusted looks, that’s when Riley’s mother stepped forward.

“She killed my mate, I am owed her life.” But even as she said it, I could feel her losing hope but why? Even if this very large very powerful man did feel protective over me, surely he wouldn’t choose to save me over getting justice for one of his own.

No one seemed to want to say anything, everyone was just frozen, waiting for something, taking a look around the room I noticed what they were waiting for or rather who.

The powerful man. The man who felt something entirely unexplainable for me. And he spoke, not to Riley’s mother or to the people in the room but to me. He lowered his voice a little, not so everyone else didn’t hear him but so he wouldn’t scare me I think.

“My names Carden, did you really kill their alpha?”

There was no judgment, it sounded like he genuinely wanted to know, and for some reason I felt like I couldn’t lie, as if I had to tell him.

“Yes.” Was all I said.

Carden sighed, “well” he started then grabbed my hand and started pulling me from the room. “Come on then.” He said to me before turning and continuing, “before your fate is decided I want to know everything.”

And just like that I was being dragged back down the corridor, all the way to the first room they bought me to. The room with the long table, and one by one, Riley his mother, drake and Jamie piled in taking seats along with two guards by the door and two men who seemed to be with Carden.

Who was he exactly?

There was this air of authority around him, all it took was his word and everyone seemed to follow.

He sat down at the end of the table still holding my wrist and pulling me until I was very reluctantly sitting on his lap facing everyone else.

I must have been as red as a tomato, and it didn’t help that almost everyone in the room seemed to dislike me even more now.

I averted my gaze, solely looking at my hands playing with the hem of my jumper.

“Riley!” Carden started, his voice was husky but not scary, in fact he seemed to be the happiest person in the room and the most relaxed. “You are going to be alpha soon I assume, why don’t you tell me what happened?”

Riley looked taken aback, then cleared his throat, “a rogue was spotted in the area so my father took some patrols out with him, and my uncle and Jamie. Maybe you would be better asking them, since they were there.”

Without hesitation drake stood up, Carden looked to him and said “no!” Just that one word and drake sat back down in his seat looking like he was chewing glass. I don’t think people said no to him often.

The air was thick with tension, I didn’t need empathic abilities to feel it, no one was speaking and everyone had something to say, and I just couldn’t take it any more.

I stood up, even with Carden’s hand gripping my waist, I turned to look at him and was again hit with his beauty.

I didn’t mean to speak so quietly, it came out like I was scared, “he came out of no where and I just reacted I didn’t mean..”

Before I could finish Riley’s mother was coming at me, screaming, “you don’t get to speak about my mate, you murderous little b..”

her hands were reaching for me and Carden stood pulling me behind him and she stopped just inches from him.

Almost frozen in her place, looking up into his eyes she gulped, she composed herself and turned back to her seat.

Carden spun to me, he lifted his hand to my cheek and gently ran his thumb down before he leaned into my ear and whispered, “tell me everything.”

His breath sent shivers down me, it seemed to linger and calm me, I could almost still feel his hand on my cheek even though he was already moving away, leaving a strange cold feeling inside me.

I felt lost in a haze and without thinking I blurted out, “can I show you?”

I didn’t miss all the stares, all eyes in the room on me, I wasn’t sure I could but I had accidentally shared one of my memories with someone before, and if I could do it again well it would make things easier.

Carden looked confused but not worried, slowly he nodded his head with a small smile playing on his lips.

I walked over to him, hesitantly placing my hand on his face, it was a little scratchy from the light stubble, before I whispered, “this might hurt a little.”

Closing my eyes, I could feel him watching me, I ran the memory over and over in my mind pushing towards Carden. Then I felt it, the connection, I didn’t expect it to come so easily but it did.

I saw the memory again as if I was standing there watching it play out but Carden was there with me, as he watched it too.

I was walking through the little dirt path in the woods, it was only a 15 minute walk home, when I heard a growl not far.

Expecting to see a dog in the tree’s I looked over my shoulder, but nothing was there. I continued on the path when I caught a glimpse of something on the ground in the distance so I decided to go and have a look. Maybe it was an injured bird or a fox but as I got closer I realised it was too big to be either of those things.

I stopped short when I felt the pain, I didn’t know then that it was the pain of changing from man to wolf.

Suddenly a large light brown wolf rose from the leafy ground, he sniff the air while I was frozen and then his eyes caught me and he moved forward, he was fast and I stumbled back falling. I had lost sight of him when I then felt breath on my neck and it happened, fear kicked in along with my abilities.

The wolf fell to the ground in agonising pain, I told myself to stop but I couldn’t, he carried on crying and whimpering until he wasn’t any more.

I was about to go to the wolf when he changed, when he became a naked man on the dirty woods floor and I ran.

I opened my eyes and moved away from Carden, but not before I caught the look in his eyes, utter shock and confusion.

The room was silent, every breath could be heard and I wanted to run and hide but I knew I couldn’t. That’s when I felt it, something inside me, it was like little electric shocks moving all through me. When I looked up Carden was staring at me, he didn’t look angry or scared or confused like everyone else just curious as if he wanted to learn more.

Without a word he turned to the door and left, with everyone following, Riley waited for me to do the same, and just like that we were all back on our way to the big grand hall.

While Carden went to stand on the little stage, I hung back as far from everyone else as possible, Carden turned to the crowd who had been waiting.

“Everyone of the morrow moon pack, I give you my apologies, there will be no trial today.”

There was cry’s of disappointment around the room, some were angry some just wanted the entertainment but Riley’s mother turned to me with the most horrific look of anger on her face. Honestly I couldn’t blame her, but Carden continued.

“However, there is food and music and your amazing hosts so why not enjoy the evening.” People started to move around making conversation mostly about me I assumed from all the stares I was getting.

Then a shiver ran down me as I felt someone very close behind me, “little liar!” Was all drake said as he passed me.

I saw Carden coming my way, however a group of people stopped him in his path to chat, I could tell he didn’t want to but still he smiled and talked and listened.

“You ok?” I heard Riley and turned to him, his mother has disappeared but Jamie was now talking to a very pretty blonde women.

I nodded my head with a weak smile, Riley for the most part seemed like a decent person.

Who knows maybe he would have even been able to keep his word and save me, but he didn’t make me feel relaxed or out of danger like Carden did.

Was that something to do with this mate thingy?

I could feel Riley’s unease at the situation but I couldn’t figure out why, maybe it was all a game and he really did want me dead.

I watched Carden easily chat with many people, when Riley said, “he’s the king, everyone will take the opportunity to talk to him.”

King? Like of werewolves? Everything just got to much and my head began to spin, I turned to leave but ended up falling, it felt like I was sailing downwards, then nothing. I didn’t hit the ground, I just sort of melted into something before blackness enveloped me.

With only one word left in my head, screaming at me.

Mate!