CHAPTER 2
1304 Words
Astonishment
Mia's POV
With Lucas's jacket hanging on my shoulders and the pine aroma still clinging to it, I stagger across the woodland. I ignore the pain in my heart and concentrate on the crunch of leaves beneath my boots. Through the trees, I can see the lights of the town, which leads me back to Silverwood. Even if his kiss had been magical, I wouldn't cry for a complete stranger. I'm Mia, the happy-making baker, and I'll be alright. When I arrive at my tiny flat above the bakery, the moon silently and icily stares at me.
I put the jacket on a chair inside and go to the loo. I splatter water on my cheeks, wiping the night away with trembling hands. With flour still smeared on my cheek and exhausted green eyes, I gaze into the mirror. I remind myself that it was only a single night and a brief moment. However, I have an odd feeling in my stomach, like butterflies that never stop fluttering. I try to fall asleep by crawling into bed and pulling the blanket tight, but my mind keeps replaying Lucas's face.
After a few weeks, I will dedicate myself to baking. Customers keep me busy, and the bakery has a sweet, cinnamony smell. But there's a problem. Food makes me nauseous, and I'm constantly exhausted. I get sick again one morning and dash to the toilet. Lila, my best friend, finds me there with her spectacles slipping down her nose and her red hair dishevelled. With concern in her voice, she asks, "Mia, are you okay?" I'm afraid to say it aloud, so I shake my head.
With trembling hands, I pay for a pregnancy test at the pharmacy. I shut the restroom door when I get home and look at the stick. There are two lines, as distinct as day. My heart stops. I'm expecting a child. The father is Lucas, the stranger who walked away silently. I collapse to the ground, clutching my knees. Alone at 25, and now this. But I know I can succeed because I picture my mother raising me alone. No matter what, I will always love this baby.
I keep the secret to myself, and the days pass by in a blur. I make pies and greet customers with a smile, but my thoughts are racing. Lucas was who? For what reason did he depart? I experience anger, sadness, and anger again. I have a dream one night about a wolf howling, its voice low yet powerful. My heart is pounding as I wake up, and I feel weird, like if I can hear the wind more clearly and smell the bread downstairs more strongly. It's strange, but I ignore it. I'm simply anxious, am I right?
Lila observes that I'm silent. She leans against the bakery counter and says, "Mia, spill it." Her eyes are piercing behind her glasses, and her freckles are glowing in the morning light. The words stick, even though I want to tell her. I give her a muffin instead, shrugging. She accepts it but continues to stare as if she's aware that I'm keeping something from her. She starts chatting about old Silverwood stories when I question her about her library books. With my hand on my stomach, I half-listen, wondering what will happen next.
Lucas's pov
I am distracted from my thoughts of Mia by Ethan's warning about rogues. We are in the pack's lair, a secret cavern inside the forest that is well-lit by torches. He sniffs the air once more, his sandy blond hair falling in his eyes. He says, "They're close, Lucas," without his typical smile. My inner wolf is pacing, upset that I abandoned Mia. I take my knife from the table, nod, and push it down.
We move quickly and stealthily into the woods. There are still shadows on the ground from the brilliant moon. Rogues, or werewolves without a pack, are a problem, and my pack relies on me to protect them. They have been acting too boldly lately and don't respect the regulations. As we follow the fragrance, my feet dig into the ground; it's sour and bitter, not at all like Mia's pleasant aroma. I shake my head; Lucas, pay attention.
Near the cabin where I left Mia, we discover tracks. I feel sick to my stomach. Were they able to smell her? Am I putting her in danger? Ethan touches a tree's claw markings while crouching. "New," he murmurs. "They're hunting." I want to run back to Mia, but I can't stop my wolf from growling. I am the alpha. First, I have to keep the pack safe.
We reach a clearing by following the trail. There are two outlaws, their eyes gleaming yellow in the shadows. Despite their thinness and matted fur, they have a vicious appearance. One snarls, "Blackwood," recognising me. "Hiding behind your load, you're weak." Instead of responding, I just shift, extending my body into my powerful, large, black wolf form. Ethan's brown fur prickles as he moves too. The combat is swift, and we lunge, jaws snapping. The other rogue limps away, bleeding, as the first one flees. Ethan smiles as he pants. "Excellent workout, supervisor."
I can't sit still back in the den. I can't get Mia's grin and warmth off my face. I name her my mate, and my wolf howls. She is human, though. The pack would question me if they knew. I'm too soft, some people have already whispered. Ethan wipes blood from his arm and collapses on a chair. "Lucas, what's eating you?" he says. I stare at the fire without responding. Although he doesn't push, he appears to be watching from his eyes.
I need air, so I sneak out in the morning. Even if the forest is silent, I can still smell Mia. I persuaded myself that leaving her was the correct decision. Without me and my world of danger and wolves, she is safer. However, my wolf, who is scratching at my chest, disagrees. I try to outrun the sensation as I run, my boots banging on the ground. It is ineffective.
Weeks pass, and I continue to be active by leading, training, and patrolling. Although the rogues are silent, I don't believe them. Ethan is correct when he admits, "I'm distracted." I dream about Mia every night, her emerald eyes ached and irate. I'm curious about her whereabouts and activities. Does she despise me? She ought to. Like a coward, I abandoned her in that hut by herself.
Keeping my distance from people, I'm inspecting the perimeter of the town one morning. Through the bakery window, I catch a glimpse of Mia with her locks loose and her apron knotted tight. Her eyes appear fatigued, but she is laughing with a customer. I want to get to her, therefore my wolf whimpers. I turn aside, clenching my fists. She is no longer my property. That was my decision.
Later, Ethan finds me, grinning back. He nuzzles me and murmurs, "Heard the bakery has new pies." "Perhaps we ought to get some." He chuckles when I growl, but I can see he's trying to test me. He feels that something is wrong. With a sorrowful heart, I mutter about patrol and turn to leave.
I returned to the forest that evening to look for rogue signs. The air is too still and feels off. I hear a woman's shriek, shrill and terrified, and my wolf's ears perk up. It originates close to the bakery in the town. I feel chilled. Mia. Fear grabbing me, I run towards the sound, my wolf growling. A renegade wolf with its jaws bared is cornering her as I emerge from the trees. Her eyes are
wide with fear as she grips a broom.
- Writer
