Chapter 3

Aria's POV...

Sweat danced on my forehead as I slowly raised both of my hands in surrender. “Please, I mean no harm at all. I didn’t know that I’d trespassed.”

“You didn’t know? Can your wolf senses not detect when you leave your source?”

I was about to shake my head negatively until I remembered the weapon placed very close to my neck. I made sure not to forget to keep answering with words.

“I... I don’t have a wolf for now.”

“Are you trying to play games with me? What do you mean you don’t have a wolf?”

“My wolf was….” I was about to tell the truth until I reminded myself I didn’t know who this person was. I didn’t know if I could trust him that way.

“Your wolf was what?” He asked after I stopped.

“My wolf was undergoing some phases. She can’t come out now.” I didn’t know if there was such a thing because I never had the full experience of a creature inside me. Noel had always been suppressed because of my parent’s decision. I just prayed he would understand in some way.

I felt his grip on me slightly release, and then the sound of him sheathing his weapon. He’d released me, so I shouldn’t have done the next thing I did, right? But I don’t know why I panicked. The next moment, I saw myself kicking him sharply against the foot from behind. 

I heard him yell out in pain. I had wounded him because my kick distorted him, sending his face to collide with the nearby tree. I knew I could get in trouble for that; he hadn’t done anything to me, and yet here I’d just attacked him, but like I told myself before, I didn’t know if I could trust him at all. He could have still killed me anyways. 

Next, I saw myself running twice as fast as I did before. I looked back for a moment to see if he was pursuing me. He didn’t, but that didn’t stop me from running until I would be certain I was back to safety. I didn’t know where I was running to, but I didn’t care. I’m not even sure if I’m in the right state of mind at this point. I just need to get out of here!

As I ran, I felt that pleasant sensation leaving me. It felt like I was pulling away from a great energy source. I couldn’t explain it; it just continued until I entered a state of pain, and then I couldn’t run anymore. 

“AAARRRRRGGGGHHHH!!!!!” 

I screeched, dropping to the floor and holding onto my chest as if my heartbeat was about to stop. Why am I feeling such great pain? 

I didn’t have time to answer that question before being surrounded by a group of strange men in uniform. They were pack soldiers but from a different territory. Which one? 

I then heard one of them speak. 

“The alpha says a young girl must have come this way. You think this must be her?” 

Another one answered, “yes. I think it’s the intruder the alpha spoke of. We must not lay a hand on her then.” 

The first guard looked at me strangely, “why are you lying on the floor like that? Are you hurt?” 

I didn’t have a suitable reply to give. Apart from the small wound on my face, which would have dried up by now, and my aching legs from running so long, I didn’t feel any pain as great as the one I felt in my chest, the one I couldn’t explain. 

I simply shook my head. 

The guard scanned my body. My hair was a mess, and my feet were dirty and muddy, but asides from that, I seemed fine. 

“Okay, then. I think our search is done. Tie her up and put her in the truck. Alpha Kyle says to bring her to the court unharmed immediately after we find her,” the first guard informed the rest of them. He then watched as the men bundled my hands and legs in rope. Next, I was blindfolded, but I could feel myself being lifted and carried into a vehicle trunk. 

I heard the sound of the truck starting till it began moving, taking me to a strange place where I didn’t know what to expect next. Throughout the journey, I wondered how the alpha of this territory knew I had trespassed and why he said to bring me unharmed into his presence. Before the guards, I had only bumped into a strange wolf whom I felt was responsible for the quickening sensation in me. I hadn’t even seen his face, nor did I know who he was. Could he have gone to report me to the alpha for what I did? How so in such a short while? 

The ride ended, and although I couldn’t still see, I heard the sound of the trunk opening, and then I felt a pair of strong hands lifting me and taking me somewhere. I didn’t know what this strange place looked like. The only thing I could tell was that we were now in a building where only the sound of footsteps could be heard. 

The men that carried me walked for about a few minutes before dropping me to the ground, and then thankfully, at that moment, they removed my blindfold. 

My heart nearly escaped when I looked around to see that I was kneeling before a packhouse court, not the night walkers’ pack, but similar to it. It had the same council of elders, the same hierarchy of wolves, the same arrangement, only that I had never seen this set of people in my life. I was certain then that I was far from home. 

The guards that brought me in here bowed before speaking, “we have brought her to you unharmed, alpha Kyle, just as you’d ordered.” 

The alpha stood near his seat, with his back turned against everyone. I hadn’t seen his face, and I still didn’t know what he looked like, but I froze in terror when I realized who he was from his backside. 

The alpha of this pack was the same strange wolf I had just bumped into a few hours ago. The same man I had kicked against a tree! I knew I was done for. 

Growing up, I had heard that all the other packs were very stringent in executing trespassers. But now I had committed two offences, not just trespassing, but also attacking their alpha. Only the goddess knows what this alpha has in mind for me. 

I shook in fear as he slowly turned to face me, and then I saw his face. My fear subsided at that moment, and the pleasant feeling overrode me again. My heart suddenly became energetic, feeling many different surges of emotions, all at the same time. I couldn’t understand this indescribable feeling or why I was feeling it in the presence of someone I had just met. Still, I knew it warmed my heart so much, making it feel like a million butterflies were running through my stomach. 

I should be more concerned about my life, right? After all, I didn’t know what punishment awaited me for what I did, but this sensation took away any form of fear, pain or worry I felt at that point. 

What is this thing I’m feeling? And why is it so strange? 

To my greatest astonishment, the next thing that came out of both our lips explained everything that was going on in one word. 

“Mate!”