CHAPTER 5- The Alpha's Shadow
962 Words
CHAPTER 5- The Alpha's Shadow
First golden rays of sun streaked between the leaves that burned blood moon red, slanting over the Bloodmoon Pack grounds. But the morning sun had not shaken the dreamlike stupor that had enveloped Elena since the Claim. Ever since Kaelen’s touch bonded her to him, a sharp and distinct line was evident between her and the pack.
“Some showed her open and utter disgust simply for her presence, while others went with silence, an all too thick, almost oppressive, shroud over their heads as their eyes - a thousand question marks glinting with an unspoken accusation, a smoldering resentment - seemed to follow Elena everywhere.”
“Kaelen, ever since the first rays of light hit the grounds, had been supposedly trapped within his tower; in a mountain of reports on pack territories and hours-long council meetings. It was enough to suffocate anyone in this thick, close air in the pack house. A prison, no matter how luxurious, and it was here that the refreshing, pine-scented, and clean air of the woods beckoned Elena, its blast of coolness a desperately needed awakening for her weary senses. She didn’t venture too far from the pack house.”
“It was only when she reached the tree line that edged the training fields that the distinct, percussive thud of boots striking against earth filled the air.”
“Elena drew in a sharp breath. At the dead center of the training fields stood Kaelen.” “He had tossed his shirt onto a wooden bench; revealing the scarred, lean terrain of his back that flexed and rippled as his effortlessly lethal parries deflected and guided the sword of an elite guard.”
“Even without his alpha wolf at his side, Kaelen moved with a predatory grace and fluid economy that promised nothing but a victor that knew no losses. Kaelen stopped, mid-motion as the curved edge of his blade hung suspended in air, his head tilting slowly, almost languidly, toward the woods.” “He hadn’t so much as turned his head in her direction, yet somehow, he knew.”
“Come here, little wolf,” he growled, the low tones resonating effortlessly through the vast grounds.
Elena emerged from the shadows, the unique, panicky rhythm in her chest-the one that had begun the moment Kaelen claimed her-drumming fiercely. The elite guard standing at the perimeter stepped aside with a low, reverent bow as she walked toward them, leaving her and Kaelen alone in the vast, dusty arena. He ran a hand over his sweat-slicked brow, his amber eyes locking with hers, holding her captive in their golden depths. “I thought you had a meeting,” she stammered, the words tumbling out softer than she’d intended.
He crossed the space between them in two powerful, ground-eating strides, his scent of sweat, cedar, and something inherently him washing over her in waves.
With a gentle, rougly-fingered hand, he tuckeda stray wisp of her hair behind her ear, sending a surprisingly pleasant shiver down her spine at the unfamiliar softness. “Meetings are boring,” he murmured, his gaze dipping to the fragile pulse point in the curve of her throat. “And I found myself... Distracted.
My wolf does not tolerate being away from you for long. Mere hours and he begins to fret.” “I’m not going anywhere,” Elena replied, though a catch in her breath tightened as he stepped closer, his chest bumping lightly against hers.
Kaelen’s expression darkened, a primal, ancient possessiveness flaring in his amber eyes.
“The pack... Is agitated, Elena. There are whispers. They consider your lack of a wolf a weakness in my leadership. They see a human where I see you.”
He drew back slightly, his hand sliding down her arm to cup her wrist, his thumb tracing languidly the network of blue veins that spiderwebbed just beneath the surface of her skin.
“And understand this, Elena. When I lead, I do not seek permission. They dare to question your place in this territory, they are questioning me.
And I have never been particularly forgiving when it comes to those who threaten my peace.” A chill, not of fear but of stark, cold understanding, snaked its way down Elena’s body. Kaelen was no ordinary leader; he was a force, an elemental power, and she...
She was his appointed anchor.
“I don’t need their validation, Kaelen. I only need…” She choked the words back, the audacity of her own thought a blush warming her cheeks. “You need what is yours,” he finished for her, his voice dipping to a deep, commanding growl. He pulled her against him, his hand pressing possessively to the small of her back.
“Tonight the pack will be assembled for a formal council dinner.
I want you at my side. I want them to see, firsthand, who truly possesses the Alpha’s heart.” He lowered his head, his lips brushing the sensitive shell of her ear, and a spark of pure electricity shot through her body.
“Are you brave enough to face a room of hungry wolves, Elena?” She met his piercing gaze, the gold reflected in her own eyes beginning to spark with a new, nascent steel. The meek, doormat of a servant girl who carried laundry baskets was gone.
She was the Alpha’s Luna.
“I have been overlooked for my entire life,” Elena whispered, the words infused with a newfound, ringing strength. “Perhaps it is time I demanded they finally see me.” A slow, dangerous, and terrifyingly familiar smile spread across Kaelen’s lips. “Good.
Because in my territory, little wolf, you will never be invisible again.”
- Writer
