Marked on Christmas

Chapter two

ADRIAN'S POV

I have lived among the humans for almost three years now, running from the responsibilities of becoming lycan king. This was going to be the second Christmas celebration I'm witnessing, one of the major celebrations in this world. And in all these years, nothing this strange happened.

I had no connection with pack life, only called my best friend, Elim, who is a beta from time to time. Last night we spoke and he told me an alpha rejected his mate and took another bride, claiming the former she-wolf is a traitor. I wasn't surprised, I had rejected mine because I didn't want anything to hold me back from fleeing the pack.

I was looking into the accounts my secretary had dropped on my desk, the end of the year report. Yeah, I bought a company when I arrived here, it was boring staying at home, spending without earning. A strange scent filled the air in my office, a werewolf's scent. If I had company, better to terminate it before it gets to me.

The musky citric scent led me to the woods, as I went closer, I could feel it's fear. When I came face to face with her, I didn't have the time to ask her any questions, there were others chasing after her. I grabbed her, firm, lifting her from her feet.

"Let me go, let me go." She kept screaming and struggling for freedom. I hid her where I was, and came out, ready to fight off those who chased after her. They didn't show up, I made few steps towards where she came from, Still no one.

"Come on, let's get out of here." I held her hand, intending to drag her along, but she flicked it out. I didn't turn to look at her. "It's not safe out here." I told her then started moving.

"Who the f**k are you?" She asked following behind me.

I didn't know what to tell her, that I was also on the run, though not from enemies, or that I'm a lycan? I just kept quiet. I focused ahead, a part of me upset that I am about to take responsibility for an eloping wolf, the same s**t I'm running away from.

Her footsteps were far behind me, her face was flushed, the sac round her eyes showed she's been crying, or sleep deprived, the make up on her face was ruined, she had no shoes on. I waited till she was close to me.

"You'll probably run out of energy, there's still a lot to walk. Let me help you." I bent for her to climb my back. I thought she'd resist, until I felt a burden load on my back.

She was fast asleep on my back, I gently placed her in the car's front seat, buckled the seat belt, and adjusted the seat, so she can sleep peacefully. She looked like a baby while she slept.

I tried to decipher who decipher who she was, until it clicked, the wedding dress which was soiled, the bride that was rejected. I was filled with pity for her, but that didn't take my hate for this responsibility

When we reached the front porch of the mansion, she was still asleep, I tapped her out. "Hey. We are here." She yawned, stretched and came out, following behind me. I escorted her to one of the free rooms. She held my hand subtly when she was inside.

"Thank you very much, sir." Her voice was calm, still filled with sleep.

"Adrian. That's my name."

"Bibianca." Her face was flushed, the sacs round her eyes were heavy, like a cloud ready to release rain. Her olive green eyes unfixed from my face, and she went into the couch that was in the room. She has given up on lots of things, I could read from her face.

I drove back to the office, thinking what I'll do with her, where she'll live. If I let her live with me, my cover will only get blown sooner than expected. My heart ached at the thought of the burden of responsibility I just carried. I parked in the company's lot, but I couldn't move out of the car.

Why did I scent her that strong? Mate. No, she can't be my mate, the thought of it made my face clench. "Shit." I dropped a punch on the steering wheel.

"... We will be joining the holidays, from tomorrow precisely, to give us ample time to prepare for the Christmas. I want to use this opportunity to invite y'all to a Christmas party at my house, on the eve of Christmas. Merry Christmas." I finished the speech, and stood up from the end of the table of the conference room.

"Merry Christmas sir." They chorused and stood until I left the room.

My Secretary, Lisa asked if there's any last thing I would have her do before the holidays. Lisa had always wanted to be with me, she tried to be seductive when she was around me. I had drawn a thick line between business and personal affair, else we would have been down many times by now.

".... Then sir, the representatives from Layson wants to meet, when do we schedule?" She followed me into my office. I dragged the chair back and dumped my ass into it.

"Lisa, after the fuckin holiday." I was pissed at that question, or the thought of Bibianca in my house. "Then Lisa," she stopped at the door, and turned to face me. "Please I need new sets of cloths delivered to my house, female, your size. Anything you can lay your hands on."

Her eyes popped open, fixed on me. Her mouth almost agape. "Sir?" She finally spoke.

"Today, Lisa."

I went to the clubhouse, it was my safe spot and hiding place. Days when I was so confused, or having a business headache, I'd speak with Massimo, the owner of the club, he had many attractive characters, he was the human form of Elim.

I was sitting in the VVIP lounge, sipping vodka from the glass, and watching a stripper twerk in rhythm of the beat that woofed from the speaker, with thoughts of my next action running through my head, I caught glimpse of nothing, since I ran out of the pack, I've never been this confused.

"Man, never seen ya with such low spirits. Whats troubling you bro?" He shook my hand and sat beside me. My eyes were still firm on the dancer, who turned to show the cleavage of her breasts loaded in a small bra. He flinged his fingers, signaling the stripper to leave the room. "What's going on man?"

"Massimo, I don't know what to do." I raised my leg on the other.

"Tell me man, you know I got you."

I told Massimo the whole s**t, he has his goons who gives him information on anything he wanted to know, about anyone. It didn't take him time to know that I'm not a full human, and he helped me with the hunters. Even though he won't understand now, he'd give me any support.

"So you're not comfortable with her at your place?" He said with an accent, not regular around here. "I have an apartment I can let her move in to, and she can work here, I can protect her."

"That's the problem. Massimo, I feel a connection with her, like she's my mate, that's like someone destined to be my partner."

"But you had this before?" He adjusted on the seat, his eyes widened as he leaned in closer.

"Yes I left her."

"Man, that's a whole s**t. Just don't put your emotions out there yet. Keep her under your watch man. That's all I can tell man."

And that was enough, I drove back home, deciding on the rules we are gonna live by, she's not gonna interrupt my affairs and I won't be involved in hers. I don't want a mate, especially a damaged one.

Her scent was not strong in the house. I went to her room, I knocked, after few minutes of patience, I felt sweat bubbling out of my skin. I pushed the door open, she wasn't there. I searched the entire house, she wasn't there. The sweats were rolling on my back, I removed the jacket and threw it on the couch.

I phoned Lisa, and it jumped into voicemail. Her musky oud fragrance was lingering in the living room. I had an excellent tracking power, and I had to put it to use now.

I trailed the citrus scent outside the house, at the gate it was strong, like she was there for a long time. Then it got mixed with lots of other scents. Male sweaty scents, fuckin humans.

My face was already furrowed, my jaws clenched hard against each other. I had floored the gas pedal of the sports car, the scents mixed with the chilly evening breeze, and goshing in through the rolled down window of the car.

I couldn't scent it again. I came out of the car, it didn't change it. My heart was running faster than usual. Frustration built in my thoughts. I dialed Lisa again, still went to voicemail. I phoned Elim, he has a better tracking abilities than me, he could be of help now.

"Elim." My voice was husky. "I'm tracking a..." I didn''t find the word to describe, and I didn't want him to know what's happening, he'd run here immediately. "Prey." I finally said. "I lost the scent just abruptly."

"Then it's there, concentrate on it."

"I am, it's not there. It's not fuckin there Elim." I yelled, the frustration heightened, I got upset that he didn't believe me. He ended the call, he gets upset everytime I yelled at him.

I concentrated, focused all my scents, finding that citrus scent, he was right, after few minutes I found it, in the dark wind, she was close, I could feel her struggling, and fighting. She's in pain.