Alpha's Chosen

25

Cole's POV

"Meredith" I again call, concern growing as she stands frozen before me.

"Yes" she replies softly, shallow breathes leaving her as her heart continues to race.

"Yes" she repeats opening her ocean blue eyes up to me once more, "I.... I guess its... its better that way" she finishes, another breath leaving her as if even words take effort right now.

"Are you okay?" I ask, my eyes trailing her body as I seek to find whats wrong, what is happening to make her breathless, to make her heart race.

"Yes... yes I'm fine" she again answers unconvincingly, her attention on my lips rather than my eyes.

I stand, closing the distance between us and moving my hand to her cheek, her skin soft against my roughness and her skin... her skin feeling hot against mine....

Is she unwell....

Does she have a tempurature.... a .... cold... is that what the humans call it?

Can she get colds?

I know wolves can't but ... but she doesn't have a wolf. Doesn't hold the protection of one.

"Are you okay?" I repeat, the question losing all meaning as my mind continues to race.

She is here... under my care... what if bringing her here... what if it was too much for her. The late nights, the early mornings, the workload Hugo has reminded me over and over again that only I can maintain....

What if I've done this to her....

"You feel hot... Are you unwell?" I voice my worries aloud, silently praying to the goddess I'm wrong.

Can having a cold kill?

Could this be the begining of something that will grow to slowly take the light from her eyes, the warmth from her skin?

She moves away from me then, my unccertainity sky rocketing as she forces a smile and whispers more lies.

"I'm... I'm fine".

"Are you sure?" I ask, hoping for the truth instead.

"Yes... a little stuffy in here.... thats all" she says and with that my worry finally has an outlet.

I turn, unlocking and releasing the window to allow some airflow to travel through the small space.

"You don't..." she begins.

"Its okay" I interupt, "I'll hear them" I add hoping for voice of reassurance rather than the fear... the uncertainities currently rattling through my mind.

I turn, having to search the small space to find her in the corner... far from the window.

My lips open, the question again on my tongue as her eyes glide up to find mine, a anger, a harshness there that gives me pause.

Is.... is she angry with me?

But what for?

I think back... back not too far to find reason why she would be.

"I'm sorry" I begin, thinking I've said those words to this woman more than I have most... especially for how little time I've known her.

Anger diminishes as confusion takes it place.

"I'm sorry for the way I spoke to you.... I just... I didn't ... I thought someone would overhear..." I start, Meredith cutting me off with a slow shake of her head, a soft laugh from her lips.

"Someone would overhear you talking to me politiely? No... I'm sorry Cole but... no" she says, taking me back a little as she does, as a small strange smile continues to grow on her lips.

"You weren't afraid someone would overhear, you were angry with me, still are, that I didn't just bow down and say the words 'Oh my goddess, you're so right Cole. I've just been waiting for the right person! Thats it!'".

"I'm not..." I start only to be cut off again as Meredith rounds on me now.

Moving closer with each step, her voice rising with each word she rebuts, "Okay. If we are going to work together I think we should make a little deal, one I'm sure you will have trouble sticking to. Don't. lie. to. me" she finishes, ennuciating each word as she does.

"I haven't..." but she isn't hearing any of it.

"I'm surrounded by enough appeasing, sympathetic and downright as*-kissing wolves. I don't need you to be one too.

I know my strengths, I know I have many of them.

But I'm also not blind to my weakness, my vunerabilities.

For you to stand there and try to raise my hopes, even slightly in the hope that someone out there might be able to train me?! Thats the number one thing I don't need, almost verging on fu*king cruelty.

I know who I am, my place in this world.

I also know the grass in greener elsewhere, but don't fu*king point at it.

I know its there I don't need any fu*king reminders. Got it?" she asks, her finger pointing into my chest as she leans in, her soft scent surrounding me even with her vicious words.

Enough.

I've had enough and its time for her to listen to me.

Acting quickly I move my hand to wrap around hers, my other hand moving to the small of her back as I spin her, closing her in against the wall so the woman will finally hopefully hear me as I speak.

"I'm not lying to you and I'm certainly not fu*king teasing you".

I begin, my hand moving from hers to her mouth as she again attempts to interupt.

"My turn" I insist, raising my eyebrows in question, in request as I wait for her body to settle before me.

With a roll of her eyes, a huff of her breath she eventually does, her arms folding over her chest in a silent 'well go fu*king on then'.

"I don't make promises, speak words endless I intend to keep them.

I offered for Petra to train you because I know her. And I think I know you.

And because.... because I think it could actually work.

I'm also not going to lie to you.

Training, even training well won't replace what you have lost.

You will never have a wolf, be able to stand before one.

But you may be able to defend yourself, last a little longer to give help time to arrive or to avoid an alteraction all together".

I remove my hand from her mouth, the small burrow of her brow letting me know she's finally listening, finally hearing me now.

"You really.... you think she would?".

I raise my brow causing her to scoff, "I don't want her to train with me because you told her to".

"There's little Petra would do because I told her to" I smile, thinking of the stubborness, the fight of my gamma... even against me.

Meredith takes me by surprise then, a smile slowly forming on her lips before she asks "When do we start?"