The Beta and the Lost

Chapter 2

Michael

When I finally reached the edge of the forest, I found a petite woman laying at the base of a tree with a gash on her head. If it weren’t for the blood dripping down her face, I would have thought she was sleeping. She looked peaceful, with beautiful brown hair that was falling over her face. He skin was tan, if not a little pale, and she appeared athletic. I tried to wake her up by gently shaking her shoulder, but when she didn’t respond, I decided that I needed to take her to see Doc,

I gently picked her up and carried her to the center of the compound where our hospital was located. I received more than a few looks from other members of the pack along the way. After all, it wasn’t every day that a stranger was brought into the compound. When I finally found Doc, he directed me to place on the bed nearby. While I was explaining what happened, he examined her cut and deduced that she would be okay before stepping out the room to get the necessary supplies to treat her wound.

Shortly after he left the room, she started to wake up. I guess she sat up too quickly because she started to fall over again. I grabbed her shoulders to help steady her. As soon as I touched her, I felt electricity go through my fingers. I had felt something similar when I picked her up, but I just brushed it off, being more focused on getting her the help she needed.

After asking how she was feeling, she started to look around. The look in her eyes was apprehensive. It was understandable since she didn’t know me. She started asking me questions, the nervous look in her never leaving her eyes, I couldn’t see them before, but now I had a better view. Her eyes were a beautiful hazel, mostly green with flecks of gold around the edges of the iris. I had never seen such beautiful eyes. Our kind have mostly blue eyes with the occasional green mixed in, so seeing someone with both green and gold wasn’t something I was used to. I told her what had happened, and she touched her head. Seeing the blood on her fingers, she seemed to accept what I had told her was true. I told her she was safe, and as soon as I did, she passed out again. I was worried at first, but Doc assured me that she would be okay and that she just needed to rest. He stitched up her head and gave her what I assumed were pain killers, but not before giving me a stern look. I didn’t know what the look was supposed to mean, and I didn’t ask, I returned my attention to Lexi.

It wasn’t long before I heard footsteps behind me. I turned to see Chris standing in the doorway, looking less than pleased. I guessed it had something to do with the fact that I had brought a stranger into our territory, though technically, she brought herself. Chris had quite an imposing presence. Part of which came from being the Alpha, but it also came from his stature. He was over six feet tall with broad, muscular shoulders and brown hair.

“Mike, what were you thinking,” he growled. He is the only person who calls me Mike, I guess it comes from being friends for so long. “What were you thinking, bringing a stranger here”

“I couldn’t just leave her there. She’s hurt,” I replied. “What did Doc say?”

“He said that she would be fine and that she just needs some rest.”

“As soon as she is well enough, get her out of here,” he demanded. “Yes, Alpha,” I replied. He seemed surprised that I used his title since I don’t say it often. He continued to look at me as if he was trying to read my expression, then turned on his heel and left. I thought about telling him about the feeling I got when I touched her, the feeling that I got when sitting next to her, but I thought better of it. After all, she’s human. There is no way she could be my mate.

Lexi

I don’t how long I was out, but when I woke up again, I was sure to take things slowly, My head still ached where the cut was and when I reached up to see if was still bleeding, I felt as bandage instead. Thankfully, the sharp pain I felt previously had subsided. I looked around the room and saw that I was alone. The sun was shining through the window on the opposite side of the room, and for the first time, I was able to get a good look at my surroundings. After I surveyed the room, Michael walked in with a plate of food, and my stomach gurgled at the site. He smiled, and it sent a warm feeling through my body. I don’t understand why I react this way to someone I have just met.

“I brought your something to eat, I thought you might be hungry,” he said, his voice gentle. “Thank you,” I replied as I took the fork he handed me. Eggs, bacon, waffles, and berries filled the plate in front of me. He also placed a glass of orange juice on the table, and I immediately took a long gulp. Feeling the cold, sweet juice go down my throat, I could almost feel my body start to rehydrate. I glanced up and saw that Michael had been watching me eat, and I felt my face flush.

Suddenly, he said, “do you want to tell me how you ended up passed out this far into the mountains?” I took a steady breath and started to tell my story about hiking the Forest Wind Trail and everything that I remembered.

He seemed to be listening carefully to what I was saying and after a minute or two, he asked, “why would you go hiking alone in an unfamiliar place? And what made you venture from the marked path?” Both seemed like valid questions, so I answered honestly, “I saw a large animal as I was walking, and I wanted to get a closer look, but it ran off. And I don’t usually hike alone, I missed the group that I was going to hike with because I was late to the meeting spot.”

Michael

I was listening to her explain how she ended up here, how she likes to hike new places, and it explained her athletic build. My ears perked up when she mentioned seeing a large animal, “do you know what kind of animal it was,” I asked.

“Not sure exactly. It looked like a wolf, but I have always heard that wolves travel in packs, and I only saw one,” she answered. This raised a flag in my mind, and I knew that I needed to talk to Chris.