A Wolf's Claim

CHAPTER 10

*Jace*

We returned home late in the evening, and Stella was clearly upset. I couldn't tell whether it was because of her fight with Tex, or because she had to say goodbye in the first place. She hobbled up the stairs, toward our bedroom, though she didn't know it belonged to me. She's been there ever since I brought her home, but I've only ever slept in bed with her once.

Though she's my mate, she is human, and I know I'll have to take things slower with her than I would with She-wolf. That's not something I mind. What I do mind is watching another man bring tears to her eyes. Does she have feelings for Tex? She says she doesn't, but I'm half inclined not to believe her, which hurts my heart. It's not a great sign that I don't trust my mate, but it is just the beginning.

Adam and Ford entered the house after me, leaving to wherever they were headed. I know Adam was very attached to his mate, Sienna, they have been since children. Ford doesn't have a mate yet, but most of the others do. I found Stella later than expected, especially because I'm Alpha of the Shadow pack. Normally, we find our mate after our first shift, when we first become werewolves, but I had other responsibilities to tend to at that age.

My father, Gerard, died when I was young. He was protecting the pack from wolf hunters, a gang that was called The Silbermen. Even as a child, I vowed to seek vengeance on his behalf, once I got my hands on the leader of the gang. There isn't any information about them on the internet either. They are an extremely lucrative group. However, I know I'll stumble across them one day. I am what they're hunting, after all.

Even though Stella and I haven't completed the mating ritual, I can still feel brief moments of her emotions. Right now she's sad, and I have to know why. I started walking up the stairs, when I heard her talking to Sienna. I didn't move, remained stationary where I was standing, and listened to them.

"I don't understand why Tex would have been so mad at me..." Stella mumbled through tears, and I felt my muscles stiffen.

"Probably because it looked like you just ran off with some other guy, leaving him in the dust." Sienna responded.

"I never meant to hurt him... I didn't want to hurt anyone..." Stella's voice was broken, something that made my blood boil.

"You can't help it, but if he's going to be that upset about it, then maybe he isn't the best friend to have?" Sienna said, and I wanted to cheer for her response.

"I thought the same thing..." Stella murmured.

"Unless... oh my gosh... Tex has feelings for you too!" Sienna exclaimed, and I couldn't prevent what happened next.

I shoved through the bedroom door, my breath labored, heat radiating off of my skin. I stood in the doorway, both girls stared at me with shocked expressions. I felt the urge erupting through my body and I couldn't stop it. Instead, I turned back around and ran down the hall, as I could feel my bones snapping from my neck to my toes.

"No-- Stella, don't!" Sienna roared, and I heard little footsteps sprint into the hall after me.

My heavy steps over power her small ones, as I turn and release a low growl. I looked into her eyes, her wide terrified eyes. Stella stared back dumbfounded, her mouth ajar and her eyes bulging from her head. She's staring into the eyes of an Alpha wolf and doesn't even blink. Sienna came out after her, sparing a glance at me, before tending to Stella.

I shuffled down the hall, the stairs, and out the front door. Running through the yard and into the forest. I had to get away, far enough to where I couldn't smell her anymore. I needed to clear my head, and in order to do that, I couldn't smell her or feel her fear anymore. I wanted to rage at Tex, and everyone else who has ever hurt her.

I heard Adam calling for me, but I didn't stop, nor did I turn around. I just kept running.

Soon I was surrounded by dense forest, nothing but trees and foliage. I took a deep breath, calming myself down. I didn't bring a change of clothes, so I remained a wolf. I paced around the small opening, seething at the thought of another man having feelings for my mate! Especially when that person is a scrawny screw-ball like Tex. There's something about him, his scent, that I don't trust. It reminds me of someone, but I can't decipher who, which is odd for me.

"Hey, man! What happened?" Adam asked through mind-linking, approaching the clearing where I was still pacing the ground.

"Tex has feelings for Stella..." I growled, as my upper lip curled.

"Not only that... Stella saw you." Adam responded, also shifted into his wolf.

"I know, but I told her about it prior." I dismissed it, focusing on what got me here.

"Talk to her about it." Adam pushed.

"How? We barely know each other! I don't want to come off as possessive. She's human, it's different." I growled.

Both of us stopped arguing when Sienna sent out a mind link to both of us, pleading for us to return. I know it has something to do with Stella, and I feel stupid for leaving at a time like this. Solomon will be looking to retaliate, especially now that I took his secret weapon... my mate. I'm glad I got to Stella when I did...

Adam and I left to return home, both of us still running on four legs. It felt refreshing to run through the forest like this, going faster than most cars, the wind pushing through my fur and chilling the center of my body. It was riveting.

We returned, and I shifted without thinking, leaving myself buck naked. Adam burst into hysterics and ran into the house to retrieve some clothes for me, while I stood behind some shrubbery.

While waiting, wasting some time, I was admiring the plants that were blocking my nude body. That is, until something caught my attention. Stella was walking out of the house, straight towards me! Her eyes were studying my upper half, the only part of me that was exposed to her right now, as she walked over to me. s**t! I quickly mind-linked Adam, before this turns into a disaster. Telling him to hurry the f**k up!

"Hey..." She softly murmurs, "What happened back there?"

"Uhm..." I muttered, all I could think about was the fact that I was naked, and she was standing too close!

"Are you okay?" She asked, going to move from around the bush.

"NO!" I roared, and she stopped dead in her tracks with wide eyes. "I mean, yeah. I'm okay, but you should go back inside. I'll be right there."

"Okay?" She said, more like a question, before slowly walking away from me with a side eye.

Adam came scurrying out minutes later with clothes, about damn time! I wanted to rage at him, ask what took so long! Instead, I threw on the clothes and made a mad dash for Stella. She was sitting at the dining table with Sienna when I walked in. Sienna approached me first, pulling me to the side.

"She's fragile right now, Jace. Go easy on her." Sienna whispered, taking her seat next to Stella.

Seeing how distraught Stella was, it almost brought me to my knees. All she wanted was for me and Tex to get along. Maybe I was too possessive over her? Maybe I could make things right... but that means talking to Tex, and I don't like that idea. Then again, if it would clear up her frown and tears, maybe I would?