Not your normal wolf

Breathe

~Cathy POV~

I’m sat staring at Jackson like my world is about to implode. Not eating the food would give me away but eating it… well it would also give me away but it a much more obvious way. I pause trying to figure out how to get out of this when Alaric abruptly pushes through the door. I look at him like he’s my absolute savior and he seems to know it as well.

‘Ah excellent breakfast is prepared. Anna rarely eats it but it’s my favorite meal of the day. Thanks buddy’ Alaric slaps Jackson on the shoulder in a less than friendly way and I witness as Jackson barely bites back a snarl.

‘Anna didn’t tell me she didn’t care for breakfast- figured she’d be starving’ Jackson seems for a loss that his plan was being foiled. I’d need to be more alert around him now.

‘We mostly eat meat so anything sweet is a rare treat- thanks for that.’ Alaric muses as he pulls my plate over to himself and gives me a ‘you so owe me’ look. Alaric hates sweets.

‘I should probably get ready to go out and train with the boys. They’re getting stronger. Soon we won’t be needed anymore.’ I try to sound nonchalant but my nerves are getting the better of me and I feel a bead of sweat drip down my back.

‘Probably will still need you for some time before the rogues stop attacking. We can’t exactly figure out what they’re searching for.’ Jackson stops to scratch his chin but chooses to wave me off.

‘I’m not sure either but I’ll catch up with you guys later and we can talk strategy’ I lie so easily now it’s so simple. The truth is I do know what they’re looking for. The truth is also that I have no plans to talk to Jackson after training. The further I can be from him the better. If that’s true however why does my heart pang at the thought?

I discreetly go to exit the house and choose to take the long way to the arena. I already know Alaric will want to discuss what just happened and it’s better to get it over with sooner rather than later. Lost in my thoughts I don’t even hear him come up til he’s gripping my shoulder.

‘You’re loosing your touch, Anna. I could’ve been a big bad wolf ready to eat you’ Alaric chuckles however it’s more of a throaty laugh that promises things I don’t desire to have with him. ‘Are you going to tell me what the h*** just happened at breakfast or am I gonna have to t*****e it out of you.’ I don’t miss the glimmer in his eye when he mentions t*****e.

‘He wants something from me and I don’t trust him to not poison my food with some sort of truth or mind bending potion’ I whisper as I eye the other passerby’s for possible spies.

‘Do you think he has a witch on his side? We both know it’s a cardinal sin basically to trick a hunter’ Alaric says with slightly more alarm in his tone but also a fierce protectiveness that I don’t want right now.

‘I’m not sure yet I just need more time. And I need to be able to avoid him at all costs’ Alaric nods at this and leaves both of us to our own personal thoughts.

Right before we reach the arena Alaric turns me to face him.

‘I’m going to protect you, Anna. Regardless of if you think you need it or not. I still remember the girl who showed up looking for help years ago and I swore to protect you that day just as I plan to for the rest of my life.’ Alaric swears. If I didn’t know him so well I would think it was a sincere oath of protection. It’s actually just him reminding me of place and that he will always be with me.

‘Alaric at some point you do have to realize that I can take care of myself and I don’t need a protector. However I appreciate the sentiment. Now let’s get in there and train so we can leave sooner rather than later’ I say as I gesture to the building we’ve been standing outside of and blocking people from entering for the last 2 minutes.

Alaric drops his arms from my shoulders with a frown but says nothing. He follow behind me as we enter into the arena.

It’s a mostly normal training day. Alaric felt the need to ‘punish’ one of the recruits whom he deemed to be getting too close to me. Besides this I feel like we made very good progress.

After the sun starts to set we send the boys back to their homes and start to clean up the arena. We work meticulously and in silence for the most part until I turn to see Alaric standing right behind me.

‘Anna I just need to say this- please just let me say this’ the pleading in his eyes is gut wrenching but if I let him say anything it will ruin everything. However when I catch Jackson staring at us from the entrance I know what I have to do to end this.

I rush forward and press my lips to Alaric. I hate to admit that it does feel pretty nice. Kissing anyways- not necessarily Alaric. Since leaving the only thing I’ve done even remotely s****l is touch myself.

Alaric takes control of this situation fast- slamming me against the wall in a crushing bear hug. However when I feel his hand start to head south I feel a rush of pain in my head. Like something is scratching hard in my conscious.

‘Stop.’ I hear from behind us. I don’t need to look to identify the voice but the second Alaric drops me the pain also lessens. Albeit it’s still there.

‘Who are you to tell me what to do. Anna and I can do whatever we please in private’ I can hear the smirk in Alarics voice and already know this will come around to bite me.

I sneak a side long glance at Jackson and his expression nearly floors me. I expected hate or anger but instead he just looks heartbroken.

‘You were hurting her. Perhaps you should focus less on your own pleasure and more on hers’ Jackson nods at me- his expression now wiped of all emotion. He starts to say something else but then we all hear it- a scream and then the alarm bells indicating an intruder.

D*** it.