CHAPTER 13

HAZEL

A term rolls around in my head as I study Thaddeus's profile, his long eyelashes fluttering as he blinks. Thaddeus looked big, he seemed to take up a lot of space. His muscles rippled beneath his shirt, and every step he took screamed of ‘power’ But his dark eyes were sharp and intelligent as ever. 

Thea, Thaddeus, and…

What was the last Alphas name? They haven't actually confirmed their names or even really introduced themselves to me. But I have gathered their names through their conversation with each other. 

‘Kiera,’ I thought, my mind wandering back to the distant memory of the night at the mating ball. We hadn't spoken since the mating ball.

Kiera, my lifelong friend, is the only one I trust in my pack right now. We've been through a lot together, including a time when I helped her out after her family was unjustly banished, but I never told her that her father was still killed.

Her mother was the sole survivor.

I had to retreat fast to contact her; I needed her help immediately.

The low rumble of my wolf echoed in the quiet cabin, jolting me back to the present. Thaddeus, with his rough hands, was attempting to calm her with a series of awkward pats. It was a futile effort, as my wolf's hackles rose in defiance. She was no mere animal to be pacified by such clumsy gestures. Her spirit, wild and untamed, chafed against his intrusion.

He let out a heavy sigh, tossing the towel aside. “So, you'd rather take the reins, would you?” he questioned, his voice laced with a hint of frustration as he stood up.

She glanced up at him, her eyes wide and innocent. A damp towel lay forgotten on the floor, an invitation too tempting to resist. My wolf, with a mischievous glint in her eye, dove onto it, transforming the ordinary cloth into a fluffy playground. She rolled and tumbled, her happy little snores filling the air.

Thaddeus chuckled, a low rumble echoing through the room. "You're impossible," he murmured, his voice filled with both amusement and affection. His gaze softened as he watched my wolf, her fluffy form a contrast to his own imposing figure.

A soft smile played on his lips as he leaned down, gently stroking the wolf’s soft fur. "You're always finding ways to entertain yourself, aren't you?" he asked, his voice barely above a whisper.

"You know, for someone so out of touch with their animal side, you're surprisingly adorable."

A low growl rumbles in my wolf's throat.

“Alright_ I think you are Very Adorable,” He says with a chuckle while rubbing my fur. “So, are you going to let me complete what I have started, durlin?”

My heart skipped a beat, caught off guard by his words.

Or perhaps that's just the impression it gives.

The way he said that ignited a fiery passion within me, making every fibre of my being tingle with desire. 

My wolfs-wolfish ears perked up, her head tilting to one side in a gesture of playful curiosity. It was as if she was saying, 'Oh, really? Tell me more!'

Water droplets glisten on his skin as he leans back against the cool tile. His hand, damp and purposeful, reaches out, fingers grazing my neck. My wolf, ever vigilant, watches his every move, but I'm lost in the sensation. His touch, gentle yet firm, sends shivers down my spine as he runs his fingers through my fur. A low growl rumbles in my throat, a mix of pleasure and warning. I yearn to surrender, to let him have his way.

He was regarding me with a cool indifference that I pretended didn't make my hair stand on end. The story I had heard about him had tormented me for years, just something about the situation spelled ‘danger’ but I wasn't sure because the feeling right now was beyond ___Amazing. 

My wolf's sigh mirrors my own, a heavy weight settling over us both. He leans in, a knowing glint in his eyes. "You need love, Durlin," he purrs, the low rumble of his voice sending shivers down my spine. "Perhaps then, your human side will rise to the surface."

My wolf is too captivated by his touch to notice him speaking.

But I hear and listen to him. 

And I understand him just fine. 

He went to encourage my wolf to retreat, to allow me to shift back to my human form because he clearly knows that she is in charge. 

‘Why? I wonder. Why are you helping me? And how do you know?’ I wanted to ask.

Was this normal? 

A dozen worries gnawed at me: my forced exile to the enemy territory, the oddly kind demeanour of the beastly Alpha towards me, and the disturbing realisation that my wolf seemed at ease with him.

“Thaddeus, what the hell is going on here? You never let me in this room, you said you loved your safe space! And who is the animal?” The woman’s voice, sharp and accusatory, cut through the silence. 

"We honestly tried to stop her from coming here, but she's unstoppable." A voice, deep and laced with a hint of frustration, rumbled from behind me. I whirled around, my heart pounding in my chest. There, framed by the dim, flickering light, stood a woman. Not just any woman, but a breathtakingly beautiful one, her fiery red hair a sombre to the surroundings. Her eyes, usually pools of silver, were now storm clouds, dark and menacing. It was clear she was far from pleased.

The air crackled with tension as the woman's gaze fell upon me, her eyes narrowed into slits. I could feel my wolf's hackles rising, a low growl rumbling in her throat. Thaddeus, sensing the brewing storm, quickly intervened.

"Kara," he said, his voice calm but firm, "this is Hazel. She's..." he paused, searching for the right words, "She's a friend."

Kara's eyes narrowed, suspicion etched across her face. "A friend? Really, Thaddeus? We both know how this works. New wolves in our pack, especially ones pushed on us? This reeks of their tactics.”

“They're probably trying to spy on us. I hope you know what you're doing. Because I've got a bad feeling about this. This could be a dangerous game, Thaddeus. A very dangerous game."

My wolf snarled, a low growl rumbling in her chest. Undeterred, she stood her ground.

My wolf, and I, at that moment instinctively disliked her.