04

CHAPTERS 04

« Lily, stop ! » my Dad yells running out of the house, a large crowd along with him.

I am the first one to attack. I lunge at him full force, trying to bite his arm, but he manages to evade my attack at the last moment.

He shakes his wolf head, as if amused, and slowly circles around me, trying to test my combat style.

Well, you big black wolf, I wasn’t born yesterday.

I fake movements, leading him to think I have slow left reflexes, manipulating him to attack my strongest side. Then I move my legs backwards every now and then, trying to make him mistake me for a defender, instead of an offender type.

My plan works brilliantly.

Darius’ wolf attacks my left side in super-fast speed and I miss his teeth by only half an inch. I manage to do it, though, and while he is still surprised by the outcome, I lunge at him straight ahead, not giving him time to rebound, and he ends up knocked down on the ground.

We start wrestling there.

His wolf is so strong, which doesn’t surprise me. His human form is massive.

« Lily ! » I hear my father’s authoritative voice, « I command you to stop immediately ! »

But I don’t listen. I was never good at obeying commands anyhow.

The crowd that gathered to watch us looks shocked – they must’ve thought I’d suck in combat, given I left my pack at 18.

Darius manages to overpower me for a second, and it gives him just enough time to leave a bite mark on my lower arm. Nothing serious, though. I bet it won’t even leave a scar.

But it enrages me, nonetheless. So I mislead him again in an opposite direction and manage to come back on top of him. There, I bite his shoulder. Gently as well, but this might actually scar him for good. I am not that good at self-control when upset.

The crowd starts yelling now and both our wolves are back on our feet, heads low, snarling viciously.

I distinguish some comments from the spectators and conclude that people are overly shocked with my performance in my humble opinion. Is it just because I’m a woman, or is everybody else so inherently bad that the little Alpha hasn’t found his match up until now ?

We both prepare an attack now, and I know misleading won’t work anymore, so I do what he doesn’t expect. Show him my real intention, approaching too fast too soon, knowing he will think I am only playing him. And when he backs the next time, it won’t be enough.

My plan seems to work, and as he moves his legs back for a bit, I don’t back this time. Instead, I full force jump on him, trapping his neck between my front legs, and I go on to push him on the ground.

« Lily… Lily, please don’t do this… » a painfully familiar voice says. A voice that always calms me down.

I break contact with Darius for just a moment, to look at Ian, but that is all it takes for him to knock me down and trap into a lever. As his wolf is stronger than mine, and his position is now privileged, I know there is no way to win this fight.

Damn you, Ian.

Damned our love. Why did I have to look at you ? You’ve no idea what you caused now…

Knowing I’ve lost and therefore have to submit, I force myself to professionally bow my head. Out of respect for my father.

With that motion, I announce everyone that he won.

The crowd is relieved.

I see my father let out a sigh. His eyes are glowing with pure pride, though. Nothing else but love and pride. He hasn’t seen me in wolf form for a very long time. He must have feared I forgot everything he and Mother taught me. But I haven’t. I never will. And in this moment, I realize, I never want to, either.

Darius’ wolf lets go off me and he leads me into the woods nearby.

I decide to follow. It’ll be best to talk with him in private and explain why this mate thing isn’t for me.

When we are gone from other people’s view, he shifts into his human form and commands me to do the same.

I unwillingly obey. What the hell ?

Oh my God, I challenged an Alpha and lost, is he now my Alpha ? Am I a part of his pack ?

He glances at his wounded shoulder and smirks in amusement. « Lila, » he says slowly, as if testing the sound of it.

To me, this name from his mouth suddenly sounds like my favorite melody.

« Is that your name, little wolf ? » he takes a few steps toward me to close the big gap between us.

I take rugged breaths, trying to cover my naked body parts with my wounded hands.

He grabs both of them. « Don’t hide yourself from me, » he demands. « I am your mate. »

I swallow hard and quickly shift back into my wolf, as being naked in human form with him was too much too take. It took me every ounce of my energy and self-control not to get too excited and lunge passionately onto my mate. I wish I could control my thoughts, because I suspect he hears them, as common pack members share thoughts. It’s their way of communication.

You are right, he answers, now in his wolf form as well.

And my thoughts are confirmed. Shit ! I am a part of his pack now.

You’re more than a part. You are Luna, he says proudly. And may I say, your spot is rightfully deserved. He licks the blood off his wound.

Stop it ! I shout at him, shifting quickly into my human form again. I don’t even mind nudity anymore, because I am as angry as I’ve ever been. « Get out of my head ! »

He shifts back as well, this time being less arrogant. He innocently lifts his arms in defense. « I wasn’t doing it on purpose. You know how it works as well as I do. »

I turn and walk back to where we came from to pick my clothes from the place we had shifted first. He walks behind me in silence. However, as I am about to leave the woods, I see an entire crowd standing at that same spot.