Destined for the Alpha

Chapter 9

CHAPTER NINE

The afternoon sun filters through the dense canopy as I weave between the towering trees, my heart a symphony of uneven beats. With Lucas and the rest of the pack occupied by their relentless training, I take the opportunity to escape the suffocating air of expectations that constantly press down on me.

I've always been the outlier—the she-wolf who can't shift, who's small in stature with black hair that seems to absorb the light around me, and brown eyes that are too ordinary to be considered remarkable. Lucas is the only one who doesn't treat me like I'm made of glass, his kind words a balm to the insecurities that otherwise ravage my confidence. But even he can't fully understand the yearning that thrums through my veins, the desire to prove that I am more than what my limitations define me to be.

As I delve deeper into the woods, the sounds of the pack fade away, replaced by the symphony of nature's own making—the rustling leaves whispering secrets, the distant call of a hawk claiming dominion over the sky. It's a rare moment of peace, a fleeting respite from the internal struggle that so often plagues me.

Then, like a scene conjured from a dream, the dense foliage gives way to a clearing where a waterfall cascades down a rocky face, its mist dancing in the golden sunlight. And there, at the edge of the pool it feeds, stands Jackson—the Alpha of our rival pack—in all his unadorned glory.

My breath catches in my throat as I drink in the sight of him, my pulse quickening for reasons I refuse to acknowledge. Jackson is everything an Alpha should be: strong, commanding, a natural leader. His skin glistens with droplets of water that catch the sun's kiss, a stark contrast to the dark intensity of his features. Even from this distance, I can see the power coiled within him, a silent promise of the strength that lies beneath the surface.

I should turn back, should retreat into the shadows before I'm noticed, before this moment shatters like glass under the weight of reality. But I'm rooted to the spot, caught in the gravity of Jackson's presence. My gaze lingers on the ripple of muscles along his back, the way the water sluices down his torso, following the contours of his body in a path that leaves heat blooming across my cheeks.

"Grace," I chastise myself under my breath, "you have no business spying on the Alpha of a rival pack." Yet the words hold little conviction. For in this secluded haven, away from judging eyes and whispered doubts, I allow myself the luxury of admiring him, if only for a moment. In the solitude of the forest, with the waterfall singing a chorus of wild freedom, I let my heart indulge in a fantasy where I am not the weak link, but someone worthy of standing beside an Alpha—even if it's one who could never be mine.

A twig snaps under my hesitant step, the sharp sound slicing through the hush of the forest like an accusation. Panic flutters in my chest, a wild bird trapped between ribs that constrict with fear. I freeze, my heart thundering in my ears, and for a breathless moment, I think I've gone unnoticed.

But then he turns.

Jackson's movement is fluid, a testament to his predatory grace, as he pivots to face me, water droplets flung from his skin, catching the light like tiny prisms. His eyes find mine across the distance, and in them, I see the flash of surprise, the flicker of something unreadable before it's carefully masked behind the stoic façade of an Alpha.

"Grace?" His voice rolls over the space between us, deep and resonant. It's a tether, pulling at me, urging me closer despite every instinct screaming at me to turn and run.

"Jackson," I breathe out, my name on his lips sounding like a secret he's chosen to share only with me. My resolve wavers, feet planted firmly on the ground now as if roots have sprung forth and anchored me to the spot.

"Didn't expect to see you here," he says, his tone light, betraying none of the gravity that this encounter holds.

"Nor I, you," I manage, my voice barely above a whisper. He tilts his head, regarding me with a mix of curiosity and something warmer, something that nudges at the cold sense of inadequacy that often clings to me like frost.

"Are you lost?" he asks, and there's a gentle teasing in his question that coaxes a reluctant smile to my face.

"Maybe," I admit. "Or maybe I found exactly what I wasn't looking for."

"Is that so?" Jackson steps closer, the water cascading down behind him a backdrop to the intensity that radiates from his frame. I can't help but let my gaze travel up his bare chest, over the ridges and valleys shaped by strength and moonlight. He’s still in the river up to his waist, only the water providing him with any modesty. He catches the direction of my stare, and a knowing smirk plays on his lips.

"Careful, Grace. You're in wolf territory," he says, his voice dropping to a murmur that sends shivers down my spine.

"Should I be afraid?" The words slip out, a challenge wrapped in vulnerability, a testament to the confusing tangle of emotions he stirs within me.

"Never," he answers, and there's an edge to his voice, a protective promise that wraps around me like a cloak. "Not when you're with me."

My pulse quickens, and I wonder if he can hear it, if he knows the effect he has on me. I'm the orphaned girl who's never quite fit in, the she-wolf who can't shift, forever on the fringes of my own pack. And yet, here with Jackson, I feel seen, not as a weakness to be pitied but as a person worth noticing.

"Lucas thinks I'm strong," I say suddenly, the name of my crush tumbling out before I can stop it, a feeble attempt to remind myself of where my loyalties should lie. But Jackson doesn't flinch at the mention of his rival; instead, his gaze softens.

"Lucas sounds wise," he concedes, and I detect a hint of respect in his tone. "But does he make your heart race like this? Does he make you feel alive?"

"Jackson—" I start, but the words catch in my throat, a lump formed of longing and confusion.

"Shh," he soothes. "You don't need to say anything, Grace. Just be here with me, now."

And in that moment, with the sun warming my skin and Jackson's presence enveloping me in an electric buzz, I allow myself to forget the world beyond the woods. Here, I am not the outcast or the weakling. Here, I am simply Grace, and for now, that's enough.