How To Date A Recluse Alpha

Episode 7 - Weak Moments

I made sure I avoided Sheriff Brandon throughout that day and the next. I would shut my door, not answer his knocks or pick his call. I didn't show up at my part-time job either. I think he noticed because he stopped coming by.

Tonight was the party night at CradleBird's. I have never heard of the pack. Figures though. I was far from Crestmoon.

The judges were picking me up. I decided to look my best. I bought a gorgeous red short gown with fluffy bottoms. I had on a dazzling beaded necklace to complete it. I let down my dark hair in waves. I smiled at myself in the mirror.

It had been a long time since I had dressed up like this. My mind subconsciously flickered to someone that delighted in taking off my clothes.

The sound of a car horn brought me out of my reverie.

I picked up my purse from my dressing table and ran out.

The girls were dressed perfectly as well. Chloe drove.

“You look beautiful,” she cheered at the sight of me.

I smiled, happy.

“Want some?” Mina asked as she handed over a beer.

I shook my head. I needed to be sober.

“Sheriff Brandon is driving behind us,” Mina pointed out as she looked back. I didn't.

“I told him to come so that Karina could keep her end of the bargain by rejecting him, of course he doesn't know that part” Chloe sang.

I ignored the undertone with which she said it. I didn't care about Brandon.

“Are you sure he is going to come to you though? Sheriff Brandon rarely even says a word to you. I bet he came cause Karina was going too. He can't seem to get enough of her,” Tania teased, she was clearly drunk.

Chloe, annoyed, sped up not answering.

I swept my hair backwards with my hand. I knew why Brandon was obsessed with me. It was my body. I had caught him staring several times. I was aware of my body curves, but that didn't make me a strumpet.

Although, I wouldn't lie I shivered at the thought of that beautiful man called Raine undressing me. I hoped just this one time that I would be awake while he did it next. I planned on having a next time.

The car soon screeched to a halt in front of a very large field. I smiled, ignoring my hosts. The party was huge and wild. Several couples were busy making out right from the entrance.

Mira grabbed my hand. “You will love it” She cried as she led me inside while Chloe looked for a place to pack.

My eyes scanned the place. It was not bad, and it was totally a young bird's nest. The type of event I had loved when I was younger, the place I had fallen in love with Kale. I closed my eyes.

I opened them as a hand came around my waist. I turned around sharply and came face to face with Brandon.

I nearly hissed.

“Why are you not pleased to see me? Do you know that you are the only female that rejects me? Everyone loves me and wants me to choose them as my mate,” he said proudly.

I tried to leave his presence, but he dragged me back forcefully. His hand on my wrist burned due to how tight it was. I was only strong mentally, physically I was very fragile like a delicate porcelain. What most males saw was my curves and beautiful face.

“Let go” I snapped, eyes widening. My wolf’s irritation grew at the abuse.

He pulled me closer and tried to kiss me forcefully.

“I am mated,” I let out without thinking.

He stopped, his head snapped up, his mesmerizing eyes stared up at me.

“You are mated? Who is your mate?” He asked, but I was already regretting the unwise decision of telling him that. I was no longer Luna. I was just Karina now.

I jerked my hand from his and ran away from me.

I ran, pulling into bodies, going in and out of the maze of wolves dancing on the floor.

I ran out the other side. I began walking fast along the streets. It was dark and the moon shone brightly. I didn't want to be annoyed at myself for letting it slip that I was mated.

Although I wasn't anymore. Alpha Kale had rejected the bond when he brought in Lilith. He couldn't have mated with Lilith without rejecting me first.

That had hurt like hell both physically and mentally. Yet he wouldn't know that pain.

I didn't know how I would return home. Even if I switched to my wolf form. The run would kill me

I walked on endlessly until I got to a woodworking workshop. I don't know what stopped me, but I did. I began to get drawn to them.

What was fascinating about wood? I thought.

My mind flashed back suddenly to the image of the wooden crafts I saw in the cave.

They looked similar or were they the same? I blinked and walked into the shop.

It was filled to the brim with similar designs. There were some customers within. I ignored the salesperson that walked up to me and walked up to the manager standing nearby.

“How do you guys get your furniture?” I asked

He bowed to me, his face filled with annoyance. “I am sorry, but we cannot disclose that to you”

I nodded and left. I took enough pictures of the furniture and went out. I felt movement behind me as I walked. I turned immediately but saw no one.

I placed a hand on my chest to calm my beating heart. I felt him before I saw him, the intense green eyes penetrating deep in the black hoodie he wore. He stood on the other side of the road. He was standing with food products in a carton in his hands.

He raised his head and our eyes met.

A van zoomed past and I didn't see him anymore.

What just happened? Where did he go?

I hurriedly crossed the street and began searching for him

The buzzing sound of my phone snapped me back to reality. It was like I was chasing a ghost.

I couldn't even ask people for his whereabouts or name. He just moved around society like a nameless person.

My heart ached.

It was Chloe on the line. She sounded wasted.

“We left with Sheriff Brandon, you should take a ride with Randle. He is waiting for you at the party” she hung up immediately.

Not wanting to miss my ride. I began running back to the party venue. A battle of strength was currently ongoing but I located Randle via his scent quickly and hurried him out of the place.

He had been in the process of mating with a lady but I swooped in and dragged him out.

He grumbled all the way to Wolves Creek but I didn't care. Raine Carl was a mystery I planned on solving.

******

An alpha without a pack would only live the rest of his life like a vagabond. I have seen many while working as a judge in CrestMoon. Fallen Alphas, they either go rogue or get attacked by other rogues and they die off.

Raine Carl has been able to completely avoid being spotted. He has perfected the act of invisibility over time.

And I understood him perfectly, he had to. His pack had lynched his family and I wanted to know by what miracle he had escaped. He even moves around in tiger fur to avoid his wolf being spotted.

I wonder how dangerous that was for him. He might be killed on sight in Wolves Creek.

He wasn't a killer. Just as I wasn't a killer. Alpha Kale made me shoot that gun. By proving Raine's innocence I was proving mine.

We were just two people trying to survive. This was what I told myself as I entered my office the next day. As usual, there were few cases to attend to. I was rounding up with the review of the last case with my team in my office when a knock came on the door.

Chloe opened and peeped in her judge's uniform.

“Do you want to go for lunch?”

I smiled and followed her, dropping what I was doing. I needed answers and I needed it fast.

“I thought you were interested in Sheriff Brandon. But I was wrong. I would like to apologize to you,” Chloe started.

I raised an eyebrow but offered zero comment.

“He danced with me all night. I even spent the night at his house. He is really hot, you know. I was the envy of all the girls last night” she blushed pink.

Irritation crept up my skin. I didn't care about her love life. I hadn't been trying to help her. I sincerely abhorred the sight of Sheriff Brandon. Why fill me in on such wasteful information?

“So I have decided to keep my end of the bargain. I will tell you what the investigation results are. You won't be able to find any of the documents. It is a classified file and only accessible by the Brandon family. But my dad works for them so I happened to read it.”

I leaned forward. “So what is it?”

“The bones that were found after the building burnt down could not be tested. There was no way to know if it was them or not. Although all the bones and parts were complete.

The actions of the wolves that night were completely faulted by surrounding packs especially CradleBird. They cut contact with Wolves Creek for a long time. They just allowed us back into their town not too long ago.

The report recorded Alpha Carl's loud words that he screamed out as the fire devoured him...”

She paused.

Chill ran through me as she picked up a pen and scribbled some words on the paper.

“Ask Beta Campbell. I am innocent. He knows this. I am innocent.”

“How come no one has bothered to investigate this?” I asked perplexed

“Who?” Chloe scoffed. “Brandon's family are really influential. Not just in here but outside of it as well. In fact they only live here. The majority of their assets and wealth is in CradleBird. No wolf can go against them. And I want you to take this as a warning. Stop asking around about this issue. You are beginning to sound like a long-lost family member of Alpha Carl” she looked at me quizzically.

I turned my face away. I owe it to my conscience.

“What about the site of the murder?”

“Their house had been pulled down but its ruins are still there. No one has agreed to buy the place”

“Would you?” I retorted.” What other things do you think you can tell me?

Chloe shook her head. “Alpha Carl and Beta Campbell were friends closer than life.

Also, another similar killing of people in such a manner, however, appeared some years later. But I guessed it was quelled. We have seen a few corpses but they were never residents, so we don't really take it up, and we cover it up. We don't want the people becoming alarmed again. I am only telling you this so you satisfy your curiosity and back off. ”

I ignored her.

Something was definitely fishy. And I planned to hear it all. Now all that remained was to hear from the wolf’s mouth. Even if I had to seduce the information out of him.