The Lost Wolf

Chapter 16

AVA’S POV

            Sitting in my chair at the family table with Cordelia, I feel a sense of what it means to be a part of a family.  It is not expectations or trying to be someone you’re not, but it is about a comfort, caring, worrying, and protecting.  This feeling in which they wash over me here, makes me feel at home and peaceful.  Enjoying this moment with Cordelia, I feel like I have a big sister who is looking out for me.

            “I still can’t believe you just stood there like that just watching the wolves.  Most humans would try to get away from the danger, but you did the opposite and just stood there as if you were intrigues by what was happening before you.  There was no fear.”

            “Humans?” I ask.  How strange to use the word human in place of people.  Typically, the natural response is to say people.

            “You know what I mean...” she begins to stammer out.  “People, I meant to say.”

            “Well, anyway, what’s going on between you and Liam?

            Of course, she would be curious about that, especially after walking into my bedroom this morning and seeing what she saw.

            I look down shyly at my coffee sitting in front of me, what am I supposed to say?  I hardly know him, but I have this uncontrollable need for him.  My body is fixated on just him and I feel this electricity intensifying through me, and I just have this need and want to be close to him and touching him.  Yeah, I probably should no phrase it like that or share anything close to that.

            “He seems great, and I enjoy spending time with him.” I decide to go with.

            “That’s great to hear.  He may be a pain in the a** sometimes, but I love him.  If he ever gives you any grief though, you let me know and I will set him straight.  Sometimes he just needs a smack on the back of his head.  He doesn’t always seem to think before he reacts.”

            All I could hear when she spoke was her saying she loves him.  My body at those words reacted with anger as I hear ‘mine’ loud and clear in my head.  Calm down, seriously, she is his sister.  She doesn’t love him like that I have to remind myself.  I feel completely silly and ridiculous overreacting like this.  Good thing she can hear what is going on in my head.

            Suddenly, as we continue to talk, my mind begins to get distracted from everything in front of me.  My heartbeat begins to jump, and I feel butterflies fluttering inside of me.  Without turning around, I know he is in the room with us.

            I turn around knowing he is in the room with us.  It is strange that my body reacts and knows when he is close to me though.  I can’t make sense of why, but it gives me a peace of calmness knowing that he is close.

            Before I know it, his arms are pulling me into a standing position and pulling my body in close to his for a hug.

            “I was worried about you,” he snaps angrily at me.  Why were you out in the garden?”

            I feel confused, he seems worried about me, but at the same time, he is radiating off of him anger as if I had done something wrong.

            “I…uh….” I begin to stammer out.

            “You were supposed to wait for me so we could go for a walk together.  There is no reason why you should have been out in the garden alone.”

            “I’m sorry.  I just thought I would go for a walk while you were busy.  I saw the garden on my way in to the castle yesterday, and I thought that it would be a good idea to wait for you there.” The more I speak, I begin to feel myself beginning to get angry over his reaction.

            “Besides…” I continue.  “it’s not like I’m a prisoner here for you to only take out when you are good and ready to go out.  You cannot keep me contained in these walls.”  I begin to feel my cheeks getting flushed with anger as I respond to him.  I understand him being worried, but he has no right to be angry at me.

            I turn to leave to head back to my room, but before I make it a couple steps in front of me, I see him move to block my path.

            “I am so sorry,” he stammers out.

            His hands gently move towards me as he wraps his arms around me. “You are right, I completely overreacted.  I was just so worried about you and the thought of something happening to you scared me.”

            My body presses against his as he hugs me tighter.  There is an ache for him running through my body.  I pull him in closer to me, not wanting him to let go.

            “And that is my cue to leave,” I hear from the table.  I completely forgot Cordelia was in the room.  My mind was completely focused on Liam, that everything else became nonexistent to me.

            “Cordy, I didn’t realize you were in the room with us,” he states as he pulls us apart.

            My body feels frustrated that he moved away from me.  All I can think about is getting away and having some alone time with no interruptions.

LIAM’S POV

            As I saw Ava sitting there at the table, a relief swelled over me.  I never felt such fear before.  All I wanted to do was to kill and mutilate that wolf for coming near my beautiful mate. 

            Nothing about today has gone as it should, I almost had an intimate moment with her this morning, the rogue wolf, and now the interruption from my sister when I have my mate close in my arms.

            “Alpha,” I hear from James from the doorway.  Good, hopefully they caught that wolf so I can find out why he was on our territory.

            “Can you give me one moment,” I say turning to Ava.  “I promise, it won’t be more than a couple minutes.  Don’t go wandering…please.”

            “Okay, okay.  I’ll stay right here,” she says as she plants her cute little butt on the chair.  My mind starts to stray towards her as I have to refocus my attention to James.

            “Let’s step out here,” I say motioning towards the foyer.  “Did you catch the wolf?”

            “He was long gone, and he was able to move all scents for us to be able to track him.  I’m sorry Alpha.  We’ll keep looking if you wish, but I don’t think there is much we will be able to do.”

            “D*****,” I respond to him angrily.  “It’s not your fault.  I want us to up the security and do frequent check in the woods till we find out what is going on.  Hopefully, it was just a rogue wolf who didn’t realize this was our territory, but I want us to be cautious that there is nothing more to his reasoning for being on our territory.  Go inform the men now and start perimeter checks.”

            “Yes Alpha,” he states before heading towards the back terrace.

            F***, I think to myself.  What else could go wrong today?! 

            I turn back towards to Ava and escape my thoughts toward her beauty.  I will protect her, no matter what, I think to myself.  Nothing will happen to her.