The alpha’s promise

She that wished to be loved

He watched her as she made her way to door, scrunching up against the winter cold. Her thin jacket was flimsy and

Andreas wondered why she wasnt better prepared. The grandeur with which the girl held herself seemed to fade as

she exited from her space behind the bar. She was alone, against it all, something Andreas realized as she smiled at

him while she opened the door.

She was brave, Andreas would give her that. Most humans had some sort inkling of his prowess, be it from his hulking

stature or from the little senses inside them that alerted them of the Wolf inside. The Wolf that is vigilant, the Wolf

that is ruthless and will do anything to protect the pack. The pack was all he had..until now.

"Do you have something in mind, or should I just go home?" Andreas realized that he had been staring at her again. He

just couldnt see anything more than the porcelain of her skin, and the way her lips pinkened like cherry blossoms in

the winter air. She smelied of roses, of love.

Damn it. This was unlike him to be so unfocused.

"Yes, I was thinking that we could walk to the waterfront."

"Ah yes, a secluded place away from prying eyes..you're not dangerous to my health are you?" the girl said.

He could be.

"No, I am not. But you are the one that must take my word for it."

"You're Iucky, I am a risk taker in these kinds of things.

Andreas c****d an eyebrow. "You're a risk taker when it comes to your health? I hope not"

She laughed. Soft and gentle, the sound of flower petal rustling in the wind. What was with all of this flower imagery?

"Life's a little more fun with the added variable of uncertainty

Andreas hoped that she was joking, because it would make convincing her that she was to be protected that much harder. He wasn’t sure why he even felt the need. She was a stranger, a human stranger. This effect must be from the lack of companionship in his recent years. The wolf inside him was stirring awake, and it was casting its eyes on this girl.

“Well then. Let me be your uncertainty for tonight.”

They walked slowly down the waterfront. The city was on the edge of a very large lake, one that looked like it could

be the ocean. He had insisted that she wear his coat, saying that he had more than enough warmth for himself. The

lakefront was jessa’s favorite spot in the whole city. It was where the din of the quited out to be a mere echo, and

one was left to be alone with a vast expanse of water. During the summer, it lapped gently upon the man made

barricades that seemed to hold it in. Now, it was eerily silent. Frozen.

"What's your name, stranger Jessa finally asked. They had been talking about trivial things, the weather, the bar.

"Andreas. You?"

"Jessamine . But I go by Jessa ' she said.

"Jessamine , Jessa " The way that the m's came from deep in his throat, a soothing hum. Jessamine . Jessa had

never preferred her given name, but from him it sounded almost poetic.

"Do you live near here, Andreas?"

"Near enough. I am lucky enough to be carted privately everywhere so nowhere is too far for me" Andreas looked

down at Jessa , a mischievous twinkle in his eye. Nowhere is too far for me to find you, he seemed to say. Jessa

shivered, despite the large jacket around her shoulders.

"Well. I walk or bus, if I can. Luckily the bar is only a thirty minute walk for me." Life hadn't been easy for Jessa since

falling out with her mother. Jessa had fled home, and went as far as she could. Jessa was doing the best she could

with her resources, and the years since she had been saving up start her own business. Frugal living had afforded her

quite a savings. Well, that, and working non-stop. She had really downplayed how much she had wanted to go home.

"If you allow, I could give you a ride home. It would be the least I could do. I noticed you giving me a couple free

drinks"

Jessa blushed, so she hadnit been able to do it under the table. She should have charged and refunded him. She felt

bad that he had to wait for her for so long. Jessa leaned over the railing, staring up at the moon. It was a clear night, and the full moon was a couple nights away.

"Hey, it was nothing. Don't feel obligated. It's not usual for a polite stranger to wait, just to have my company on a

midnight stroll. Like, swoon." Jessa cringed internally. Like swoon? Seriously? Who said that?

"Well, I dont feel obligated. I feel grateful" Andreas gently put an arm around her waist. Jessa hoped he didn't notice

her shiver from excitement. It was had been a long while since she had allowed this sort of attention on her. And

now, it was here, and it was so nice. She fit so perfectly, she just wanted to melt into his warmth. They had only spent

six hours together and Jessa felt like she was ready to trust him. It was silly, but it was so nice.

Jessa had been romanticizing her loneliness, the spunky bartender who needed no one but her job and her dreams.

But this man, this man, from simply his presence- he was gently peeling back the edges of her story. Lovely

loneliness, lovely in its sadness. The dream of young maiden lost to the forest.

"Yeah, actually, I would love a ride home. Work really does start too soon.

"Long hours, I see" Andreas said, resting his chin upon the top of her head. He seemed to know what she needed,

and for that Jessa was grateful. These moments of companionship were few and far between. She wasnt going to

to cry. She wasnit going to cry.

She didn't thínk that he would stay.

"The moon will be full soon. A time for starting over, and beginning things anew. A time for transformation." This was

something jessa’s father used to say to her. Andreas held her even tighter.

"Dornt I know it. The moon means a lot to me!"

Jessa laughed. “You some kind of witch or something" she said, teasingly.

"No. But I might as well be one in mny line of business! Andreas said.

"Ahh, so a socially accepted kind of witch, I see you, I see you' Jessa nudged him playfully.

Mate! The wolf inside andreas came alive with a terrifying ferocity. She’s mine! I must have her! Take her home, take her home. I swear to GAIA if you screw this up Andreas, you will regret it.

Andreas stood there dumbfounded with the girl in his arms. It wasn’t safe for her to be around him. He had never felt the wolf inside him react in such a way. He tried consoling it, but it wouldn’t be consoled. It made circles around his brain snarling vague threats at him. It knew he couldn’t he couldn’t transform in front of her now.

Mate, Andreas. We’ve found her. We’ve found her. At last we’ve found her.