Page 15 of Rise of the Alpha

“No, we can’t be with him. Father would never allow it. If he caught wind of it, he’d have us on the first plane back to him, and we’d never be allowed to leave pack lands again.”

She lets out a low growl of defiance, but slowly complies, getting up onto all four legs and leaning back, so her front paws are extended out as she stretches. Finally, feeling loose, she takes off at a slow pace back to the tree that houses our clothing.

What must be about forty minutes later, we reach the tree.Fuck, I didn’t realize we’d run that far.Releasing her control, I call forth the shift. For me, the transition never hurt the way others described it. To me, it was an enjoyable change, almost euphoric, a special bond shared between me and my wolf.

I take my time walking back to my dorm. When I ran last night, I didn’t take the time to put shoes back on, so my feet are now riddled with tiny cuts as I step on the twigs and branches. They’re irritating as fuck, but once I shift, they’ll be healed. So the minor burning tingle they have right now is just that, an annoyance.

As I walk, I decide to turn my phone back on, and I’m shockingly surprised when it pings with notifications. There are over ten voicemails and twenty texts all from Wylla, worrying about me. Needing to know if I was okay. Apologizing if she was too forward.

Could this woman be any better? Fuck me for being born into the Exodus Pack.

I ran out of the room like a raving lunatic, and she was worried about me. Allowing my fingers to fly across the screen, I shoot a text out to her.

Me: I’m fine, shifted, ran, and fell asleep. Coming up to the dorms now.

I’ve barely sent the text when I see tiny little bubbles popping up by her name, letting me know she’s replying.

Wylla: Thank fuck! My ass has worried non-stop about you all night. We need to talk. I’m at the library right now looking into that matter we talked about. I’ll message when I’m done.

Wylla: I’m sorry too if I came on to hard for you and you’re not ready for it. If you have second thoughts, not interested, just know I’m here for you. I’d rather have you as a friend than not at all.

I move my fingers to type a message, then erase it, over and over, as I walk across the grounds between the woods and the building. I want to say so much, but the words aren’t right. My heart and my head are disputing what the other wants, or feels, is right.

I’m so lost in my own ramblings with my eyes on my phone I’m not aware of my surroundings and for the second time in less than twelve hours, I run into a brick wall.

One that smells of musky citrus. Looking up, I see him, the guy from the bathroom, the deliciously hot jerk.

“Oh… it’s you again. I’m so sorry for the second time, I’m not watching where I’m going.” A light giggle comes from me like a silly little schoolgirl.

He just looks at me, his chocolate eyes scanning the length of my body from top to bottom, stopping at my bare feet.

“Where are your shoes?” comes gruffly from him, but it’s mixed with what sounds like concern.

“Oh, I… well… ummm, I ran out of the building last night and forgot them, I guess,” I confess, not knowing why I feel this overwhelming need to tell him everything.

He reaches out, taking my hair and skimming it behind my ear before quickly pulling his hand away. “You should be careful; you could’ve cut them by stepping on something.”

I’m drawn back to those eyes, ones that look so familiar to me, more than just being on the man I’m lusting over.

“Umm… I’m okay, just a few scratches on the bottom. They’ll heal.” Why the hell am I so nervous around him? “About last night, I really am sorry for running into you like that.”

He looks at me, stunned, his dark hair falling over his eyes. Ones that I don’t want to be covered.

“I should apologize for acting like a dick. I… It’s not an excuse, but I have a lot on my mind. Shit I need to figure out.”

He tilts his head down, and I don’t know what comes over me, but I reach out, hesitantly pushing the hair out of his eyes. He pulls away, which causes me to jump. Fuck, he’s pissed. I shouldn’t have touched him.

“Sorry, it’s just you look so familiar like I know you, but I know I don’t. Your eyes…” I don’t even get to finish what I’m saying before he’s cutting me off.

“Sorry, I got to go,” he takes off in a sprint around the building.

My heart plummets because I feel like a piece of me has been ripped away. What is it about him that seems so familiar? Those eyes are all I can think about.

Looking up to make sure no one is in my path, I climb up the steps to the back door of the dorms, open it, and step inside. It’s only when I get upstairs, I fucking realize I don’t have my key yet again. I go to message Wylla but notice there is a message from her I haven't read.

Wylla: I know you didn’t take the key when you left last night, so I left the door unlocked.

She is truly an angel because I didn’t want to go back down those stairs, praying that by chance someone was at the front desk. Opening our door, I step inside, walk over to the desk by my bed and grab my shower caddy, towel, and robe. I stink and desperately need a shower. I stop only long enough to grab my key off my nightstand before heading down to the communal bathrooms.

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