Chapter 7: Caught

Chapter 7: Caught

Jieun

Damn it, damn it, damn it. Why is he so fast? No matter which way I dart, he is still close behind or finds a way to get to me. I never wanted to go back there, but I don’t feel I have a choice. Maybe he will leave if I cross into pack lands. Why didn’t me shifting into my fox form scare him off?

I’m fighting Kwan the whole time I’m running. She keeps fighting me for control, wanting to shift from fox to wolf, but I know I’ll never get away if that happens. I don’t want to be locked up like my mother. I want to experience the world firsthand and not just through the knowledge from the fox marble. He saw me shift. He knows I’m not a normal wolf. Yong-rae even called me a monster.

I’m at the border. That disgusting scent of pack land makes me gage. The smell of the coming rain is mixed in the humid air enhancing the dirt dog smell. The incoming rain clouds chock out the little light the night sky was giving. The pitch-black night heightens my desperation to save myself. I don’t have a choice; I don’t want to die. That’s one thing I know my father will prevent is my death since he will die too. I can hear the border portal coming this way. Just a little more, and I will be in the clear. These two wolves will stop, and Yong-rae can deal with it.

I can’t look back; I have to keep going. There they are, the patrol. They are shifting… wait, what’s happing? What’s this feeling like tiny jolts of electricity? My paws are off the ground. Am I in someone’s arms? Who would dare to pick me up like I’m some house pet?

I shift into my human form and see who has me; I am wrapped up with one arm while he’s fighting off the patrol. It’s him. It’s that man James, my wolf mate. What’s going on? Is he protecting me? Between the jolts of electricity, I start to feel drops of water. Everywhere our naked bodies are touching is sending intoxicating jolts throughout my body. The rain makes our skin slick, but James’ hold on me doesn’t falter. I feel Kwan push forward stronger than ever before. No, I have to get away. I can’t let her have control. I try to break free but even fighting off the two patrol guards; his grip is too strong.

“Hey, don’t worry, I won’t let anyone touch you.” He smiles as he kicks one of the guards in the stomach. It’s not them I ‘m worried about. The sharp angles of his face glisten wet with rain. He’s too dangerous; I have to get away.

I understand English, but I’ve never spoken it. I don’t know how many languages I know; 5,000 years of knowledge doesn’t come with a table of content. I try to form the words I want to say “Le…let mammee goo.” I think that’s right, but it felt weird coming out. James just looks at me like I have a third eye.

“James Ashwood, please stop.” Yong-rae stands between us and the patrol. His hot breath steamed in the cool night rain. The red-haired man comes and stands next to James. “This is my pack, and that is my sister.”

“Sister, you called her a monster!” James tightens his grip around me. This whole time I hadn’t felt the cold of the rain while James held me close to his chest. “I don’t give a damn if this is your pack. She’s my mate, and I’m leaving with her.” James growls, and the patrol unit bows their heads. How is he making them do that?

“You can’t take her.” Yong-rae takes a step closer. James and the red-haired man both growl, and Yong-rae and the patrol take a few steps back. “Please, James. This has to be a mistake. She can’t be your mate.”

“She is, and I’m taking her.” James wraps both arms around me. My feet are dangling off the ground. I don’t even know what to do right now. I feel like a toy two children are fighting over.

“Yong-rae, what is going on?” Oh, this is going to get worse. It’s father’s mate, Gim Minji. She looks around and glares at me once she notices me. The rain and the darkness seem to accentuate her frown lines. “What is that thing doing out of her cage?” She’s always hated me, but the feeling is mutual.

“Mom, I can handle this,” Yon-rae yells back, but I can tell Gim Minji is not listening. The rain starts to fall harder, and there is a roll of thunder in the distance.

“You put that thing down right now.” Gim Minji yells at James in Korea. She was shaking her figure. Yeah, this is not going to go well.

“Yong-rae, what is she saying?” The red-haired man asks. He drags his hand through his soaking hair reviling his dark, ominous eyes. Dark eyes are ubiquitous in Kora, but something about his sends a chill down my spine.

“Don’t worry about it. I think it would be best to leave.” Yong-rae turns to his mother. “Mother, I can handle this. You are going to make things worse.” He sounds like a whiny child when he talks to his mother. Gim Minji crosses her arms and clicks her tongue.

Gim Minji is a very prideful Luna. She steps forward right in front of James and tries to grab my arm, but James pulls me away before she can touch me. Then I feel an Alpha aura so strong that it’s almost hard to breathe.

“Do not touch her. Where is your Alpha?” James stands at his full height. My feet are even further from the ground. That intimidating aura is coming from him. How strong is he? My heart starts pounding even harder. I swear there’s a slight glow coming from him. Is that possible, or is the aura just so strong I can see it?

Kwan pushes forward; I can’t stop her. “Mate.” That is all that comes out of my mouth. It’s a whisper, but I know he hears it because he looks down at me with a smirk. His sky-blue eyes are sparkling, his eyelashes wet from the rain. There is a flash of lightning, and my heart skips.

“No!” Gim Minji screams. She tries to lung at me, but Yong-rae grabs her.

“Mother, stop.” Yong-rae holds his mother back and looks at me with pleading eyes. He wants me to help? Why would I? I finally have the upper hand. I have been a caged bird my whole life with no one on my side, and now I have the strongest key to the cage. A smile takes over my lips. I reach up and wrap my arms around James’ neck. A low pleasing growl rumbles from his chest.

“Take me to your packhouse. I need to get my mate out of the rain.” James pushes out more of his aura, and everyone drops to their knees except the red-haired man, but even his knees are quivering. To see Gim Minji kneeling in front of me is mesmerizing. Who is this man? I suppress the giggle that is building in my throat.

“James, listen, please. Many think my sister is their mate, but she’s not. The sweet smell of Cherry blossoms is something else. Just let her go, and we can forget this happened.” Yong-rae is still trying to negotiate. He tries to stand but stumbles on the wet ground.

“Cherry blossoms? She smells like cardamom and cloves.” My eyes go wide as I look up at James. To him, I don’t smell like cherry blossoms. How is that possible. “She’s my mate. There is no way around it. Take me to your packhouse, now. Call your father? I’m sure mine will be coming along as well.”