Chase

I was standing on my balcony outside of my room a couple of weeks ago, having been woken from my sleep by the most intoxicating smell of winter snow, orange blossoms and pine coming through my open window. I Love that smell! It reminds me of winters and cider with my grandmother as a child.

I had the undeniable urge to follow it to its source, so I got dressed and went for a run through the forest looking for it. I crossed into the River Moon territory, but had no worries. As a Lycan, and a Royal, no one was likely to challenge my being there.

I followed the scent that the breeze brought to me to a lake where it faded as the wind did, leaving me disappointed and longing for more of it.

That was the night that my search began. My lycan, Havoc, was obsessed with the need to find the source of this intoxicating aroma that made our mouth water, and in all actuality, so was I.

So I returned at different times that first week, until I picked it up again a few days ago and followed it with my heightened senses through the forest to the high school, of all places.

Curiosity got the best of me, so I watched. And waited. 

It paid off yesterday. I was lounging in the forest, hidden high in a tree, when I picked up that delectable scent again. Stronger this time, and driving Havoc crazy with the need to get out. 

I pushed him back. “Patience, Havoc. Let’s see what’s been driving our senses insane, shall we?”

My lycan wasn’t in full agreement with me, but retreated because my will for it was stronger at the moment. Though we were halves of the same whole, me, my lycan tended to have a personality of his own. I was an alpha, therefore he was an alpha. As such, the lycan part of me was instinctual and very ‘take charge’. I was lycan after all.

A few moments later, I saw her. She glanced around the tree line as though she was making sure no one was following her and stepped through, her auburn hair gently blowing in the breeze, her eyes looking down, looking as though she was deep in thought as she walked, shoulders slumped, pulling her bottom lip in between her teeth as she went through the forest. Interesting.

I followed her and her delicious scent until she came through to the clearing, walking to the rock under the willow.

Havoc was going crazy. He wanted her. I wanted her. He had never come forward so quickly, if at all, with any female before. And given that I had been around awhile, there had been females in and out of my life. None even comparing with this one.

 I watched her for a little longer, tension seeming to leave her body as she looked out over the mirrored expanse of water, a small smile coming to her lips as her eyes closed and she took in a deep breath. She was beautiful. Even more beautiful than I could have hoped for. 

She abruptly sat up, sniffing the air, looking around, a confused and curious look on her face, as though she could sense my presence.

“Ours”, said Havoc.

“Soon”, I told him.

I went home, thoughts of her in my mind, my wolf pacing restlessly not wanting to leave without her. As the Lycan Prince Dylan Andrew Wyndmoor, I had plenty of resources at my disposal. It was time to put them to use now to do a little inquiring about the girl who had me distracted. And captivated. It was time to plan. I had to have her. Havoc had to have her.

Jace McIntyre was taking his father’s place as Alpha of River Moon Pack soon. Her pack. The palace usually sent a representative to witness the exchange of power. My father was in charge of appointing the delegate who would attend. So he was going himself. With me as his “plus one”. He was close with Jace’s dad, Collin, having fought together against a rogue pack years ago. They had become great friends through that ordeal and had maintained their friendship, getting together whenever they could find the time. My dad, King Arvand, was getting ready to “retire” and pass down to me soon as well. 

Jace and I, well, we were…civil. We played well together when we were younger, but as we got older, became more distant with one another. Jealousy played a part as well. Being older, and a lycan alpha, girls liked me, and well, I liked them. Sometimes they liked me more than my younger friend.

My research had yielded some information, but not as much as I would have liked. I wanted to know everything I could about her. Her name was Annalyse Astrid Mitchell. She was a Senior in high school and just a month shy of her eighteenth birthday. Her mom was Carolina and was mated to her second chance mate, Merrick after the death of Annalyse’s father. I could find very little about him, almost like someone had something to hide and just made it all disappear. No matter, I have excellent resources and an iron will.

The following day, I went to the clearing early. I decided to sit on the rock and wait for her.

I was rewarded a short time later, with her scent on the wind. I knew her routine well enough to time it out right. I’m not stalking her exactly, more like, curiosity and need. It was a pull that I was helpless to resist. And I don’t do helpless. So instead, I was opting for satisfying my curiosity.

I saw her walk through the trees at the edge of the water and stop, looking at me, well more like glaring at me, with the most stunning caribbean blue eyes that I have ever seen. I was frozen where I sat, then a slow, knowing smile came to my lips as I turned and looked at her.