The Alpha and The Vigilante novel Chapter 24

He walked us through his pack land in silence, leaving me to my thoughts. Occasionally, one of his pack members would walk by, and I would burry my face in his chest to avoid eye contact. Alpha Cain chuckled the first time I hid, and the second time he told me once his pack member was out of sight, "You can't be bashful forever. Once I mark you we will have a traditional Lunar ceremony where you officially become the Luna and connected to the pack, and you will meet everyone." I sighed heavily, pretending that that would be a future problem I would have to deal with, knowing I would be gone before then.

"I will admit though," Alpha Cain murmured in my ear, sending chills down my spine, "My wolf really likes seeing you so shy and submissive, pup." My throat constricted. The mate bond had grown so much stronger with every day I spent with him, and I knew I had to leave, fast. I wondered if there was something magic about the pelt, as I could feel the mate bond almost double in strength as soon as he wrapped the fur around me.

"I can hear your heart beating quickly in your chest, pup," he stared into my eyes so intensely I felt as though he could see right through me. I found I couldn't move my eyes from his. As if reading my mind and answering earlier thoughts, he said, "The Blood Lake pack is the oldest pack. We are also the most in tune with nature, and our wolves, and I am more connected with my wolf than anyone. All past Blood Alphas are almost more wolf than human. I don't wear shoes so I can be more connected to the Earth. We make most of our items out of wood, and keep fur everywhere to keep in touch with our roots. It is what makes our wolves so strong. It is why our wolves can feel the mate bond so quickly, and so intensely. Although I will admit, it seems like you are so out of touch with your wolf, it is almost like you don't have one." He frowned as he said that.

I looked away from his harsh gaze and ignored him. I suppress and alienate my wolf as much as I possibly can. It is one of the many benefits of ingesting wolfsbane. Luckily, I could conjure the poison, since it was technically a weapon. Even though the wolfsbane suppressed my wolf subconsciously, I could still shift if I wanted to, but my wolf was just weakened.

Alpha Cain continued to walk through his pack land, and deeper into the surrounding forest. I wondered if he had a specific location in mind, or if he was just waiting to find a good spot to sit. He didn't try talking to me again, and I appreciated the silence. When I got bored of looking at trees, I turned my head and looked at his chest. Instinctively, I took my hand out from under the pelt and traced the tribal tattoos that wrapped all over his chest and back. They did not seem to resemble a specific object, nor did I recognize the pattern, but I was sure he chose them for a reason. Using my pointer finger, I continued to trace over the swirls, ignoring the faint tingling in my finger. I continued to touch the tattoos, completely entranced, as if a spell were cast on me.

Abruptly, Alpha Cain stopped walking. I looked away from his chest, and at my surroundings. I gasped, utterly awestruck. Though a thick, lush forest was behind us, ahead of us lay a perfectly green grassed clearing that stopped at a cliff that was overlooking a brilliantly blue lake. Thanks to my werewolf vision, I could see that there were fish in the lake, and even birds were swimming on the surface of the lake, sometimes pecking at the fish in the water. The scene was the epitome of purity and peace. I was expecting us to just plop down randomly on the dirt somewhere in the forest for the picnic, not this.

"Do you like it?" He asked, his voice the only sound that could be heard in the silent clearing besides the water rushing beneath us. I nodded, smiling at him genuinely for the first time since I was kidnapped and taken to his godforsaken pack. I have never really been much of a nature person, but even I could appreciate this scenery.