Page 25 of Alpha Hunt

“I’m good.” I turn to face the other way. The others may have rushed off after her, but I know better. I can sense her movements, her path doubling back in the opposite direction through the forest.

Allowing the others to race ahead, I turn and jog away at an easy pace, following the subtle trail she’s left behind.

Here…here…here…

I take in the air, picking up her scent as clearly as if I could see her. And then her thoughts start to come.

“Bunch of idiots…”she thinks. She’s smug. I can feel it. She’s paused near a body of water, convinced she’s lost them.

She’s wrong.

The damp soil cushions my footfalls as I weave between towering pines. Shafts of morning light spear through the canopy, dappling the ground around me.

My pulse races with anticipation, yet my breaths come steady and rhythmic. Running feels as natural as breathing. I was built for this – born to move swiftly and silently through rugged terrain. The crisp morning air fills my lungs as I close in on my quarry’s path.

In…out…I breathe as I pull closer, picking up stray thoughts as I read her mind. Casey is convinced that she’s woven enough of a complicated path that none of us will find her. The arrogance rolls off her in waves, and I can’t help but smirk to myself. She’s in for a surprise.

I move through the trees and undergrowth, the earth muffling my footsteps. The forest surrounds me – the heady scent of pine needles, the gentle rustling of leaves in the breeze, the warmth of sunlight filtering through them. It’s as if Nature herself is holding her breath, waiting for the next move.

As I run, the tingling sensation I’d first felt grows stronger. Like something in the air is prickling over my nerve endings. It suddenly occurs to me that I don’t actually need to read her mind to feel her closeness. Somehow, I can sense her anyway.

I picture her again. She’s stepped into a stream. She’s using it to throw them off the trail. It’s not a particularly inventive move. Anyone on her track will be expecting it. Except the others are off on the other side of the woods.

Where are you, Casey Stone…?

I feel her again. It’s a strange, intangible awareness that seems to reach beyond the physical realm. I can’t explain it, but I know without a doubt that she’s near. The knowledge settles in my gut like a weight, solid and undeniable.

Suddenly, I catch sight of Casey through the trees ahead. Her auburn ponytail swings as she moves, the sunlight playing across her toned shoulders. I track her silently, keeping a safe distance between us as she navigates the forest floor.

“This was a mistake…”Her thoughts filter into my mind once more. Boredom colors them, tinged with disappointment.”They’re never going to find me. What was I thinking?”

My head tilts as her mind races. She’s starting to regret calling for this hunt.

“Why didn’t any of them think to look the other way?”She thinks that none of the males pursuing her have what it takes to claim her; she’s certain of it now. An image of her future stretches out before her – endless patrols, training sessions, an existence void of a true partner to share it with.

I feel her…loneliness. The fear of remaining alone settles heavily in her chest.

I’m struck by the sudden vulnerability in her thoughts, a side of her I’ve never noticed before. Beneath the bravado and sharp edges, there’s a yearning for something more. A connection. Belonging.

For a moment, I falter, empathy welling up inside me. I know that ache all too well. How many years had I wandered, rootless and isolated, searching for my place in the world?

I shake off the memories, refocusing on the present. I can’t let sticky sentiments cloud what I’m here for.

Man up, Alpen!

Casey’s a challenge I’ve set myself, and I won’t be diverted from my goal.

I ghost through the underbrush, branches, and foliage brushing past me as I close the gap between us. The scent of her – wildflowers and spice – grows stronger with each step. My senses sharpen, attuned to her every movement. She’s growing bleak as she considers her plight. She wants…a family.

Suddenly, a twig snaps beneath my boot.

Dammit!

I wouldn’t normally make such a rookie mistake; I’d allowed myself to get lost in the sensation of her for a moment. But the crack sounds like a gunshot in the stillness of the woods. Casey whirls around, a tiny scream escaping her lips as her eyes widen in shock.

“You!” She clamps a hand over her mouth. “No!” Her palm muffles the word.

“Yes,” I say. “Me.”

---