Chapter 12

I kept my footsteps light and quiet as I moved around the side of the bus. I didn’t want to startle him or make him feel as though he was being followed, even though that was exactly what we were doing. As I rounded the back of the bus, the young man came into view. He was standing alone on the field with his back to us. His head was slightly tilted upward, and he seemed completely motionless as he stared at the forest line ahead.

Colt and I paused briefly, exchanging a quick glance before continuing forward with long strides, trying to figure out what was going on. His shoulders drooped slightly, and anyone looking at him could tell he was dejected and needed help with something, even without him saying a word. He looked small standing there by himself, and something deep inside me tightened at the sight.

I placed a hand on his left shoulder while Colt rested his on the right. We had only intended to get his attention and ask if he needed any help, but we weren't prepared for his unsettling reaction. I stared with wide eyes as the person Colt and I were already desperate to protect began letting out weak, helpless yelps. His breathing came in rapid gasps, each one sounding more strained than the last, and the sound immediately sent a jolt of alarm through me.

His small frame dropped into a crouch, knees pulled tightly to his chest. He buried his face against them and covered his head with his hands. The movement was so sudden and instinctive that for a moment, I couldn’t even process what I was seeing.

A protective stance.

A stance I never wanted to see anyone take because of me.

What the fuck just happened?

My hand hung awkwardly in the air, and my mouth moved, but no words came out. For a moment, I completely froze. I couldn't understand how a simple touch had caused such a reaction, and the confusion quickly gave way to a growing sense of alarm. I quickly stole a glance at Colt. We both looked utterly baffled, neither of us seeming to have any idea what had just happened or how we were supposed to respond without making things worse.

[What the fuck is this? What the hell is happening? I didn't grab him roughly… Did I? No. I was careful because he's so tiny. So can you tell me what the fuck is going on?] Colt's voice sounded confused and nervous.

[I’m just as fucking lost as you are! I was gentle too! I didn't use any strength at all. Fuck! Let's figure this out later and get the poor guy breathing properly again. He looks like he might pass out if this keeps up. His face is turning extremely pale.] I redirected my attention to the young man and finally managed to find my voice through the shock.

“Are you okay?” I asked. “ We saw you walking over here looking a little lost, so Colt and I followed you. We’re sorry for startling you. We should have made a noise before touching you.” I paused, careful not to move any closer.

"What's your name? Is there anything we can do to help?" I spoke in the gentlest voice I could manage, treating him with the same caution one might use around a frightened animal.

He cleared his throat and slowly stood up, but he kept his eyes lowered to the ground, refusing to let me see their beauty.

Damn. I really wanted him to look at me again.

I could get lost in those beautiful, seductive eyes forever.

As I drifted off into my own thoughts, his soft, angelic voice pulled me back to reality.

"Sorry about that, Alpha Draegan… Alpha Colt. I wasn't expecting anyone to follow me. My name is Raymond Shade. I'm an Alpha from Nightshade. I was looking for my bag and couldn't find it with the others, so I came around here while searching… and, well…” He paused briefly, eyes darting around before continuing with a slightly more strained voice. “As you can see, it’s up there.”

I repeated his name several times in my head, savoring the sound of it.

Raymond. What a nice name. Goddess, I want him. I need him.

I watched as Raymond lifted a hand and pointed toward the tree ahead. Hanging from one of the lower branches was a black duffel bag.

His duffel bag.

What the fuck? How did his bag end up in a tree? No. More importantly, what kind of stupid asshole threw my adorable cutie's bag into a tree?

Anger flared hot in my chest and I clenched my fists, tightened my jaw, trying to keep the growing rage under control.

I walked over to the tree, pulled the bag from the branch, and made my way back to Raymond.

As soon as I handed it to him, he thanked me once again for something he didn't need to thank me for.

“Thank you both very much for helping me retrieve my bag,” he said, smiling and gave a slight bow. His shoulders shook slightly. 

I wished he wasn't so formal, but hopefully, with time, he would start to loosen up and feel comfortable around us. I just needed to be patient.

“There’s no need for formalities or anything of the sort for something as minor as this,” Colt said.

He voiced what both of us were thinking. I appreciated that we were usually on the same page. It made things much simpler.

I followed suit and tried to take some of the tension out of the air, but I was failing miserably to keep the frustration out of my voice.  “That’s right. I just finished informing these pathetic fools of the rules for the pack, and they actually had the balls to jump over my head a few minutes after. Fucking infuriating!” 

I was still pissed that someone had the nerve to bully another trainee not long after I'd gone over the pack rules and explicitly stated that bullying wouldn't be tolerated. I was going to have to repeat those rules once we got back to the others. I fucking hate repeating myself, but it looked like I would have to keep doing it until those dense shits got it through their thick skulls.

Fucking fantastic.

I glanced back at Raymond and noticed a faint blush dusting his cheeks.

Shit. How can someone be this fucking adorable?

I couldn't help but smirk at the sight of him. At the same time, the urge to bring him back to our room and hide him away from everyone else only continued to grow.

I let out a light cough to bring the little guy’s attention back to me, dropping my voice to a gentler tone. “Let’s head back to the group and over to the barracks so you can clean up and get some rest. I’m sure you could use it. You look tired and ready to call it a night.” 

I walked back to the group and saw Raymond standing at the back beside a tall male Beta. They appeared to be close, and I could feel a hint of jealousy creeping into my chest. There didn't seem to be anything romantic between them, which was a plus, but I still wished more of his attention was focused on Colt and me. Call me selfish if you want, but at least I'm honest about my feelings.

As I watched him, Raymond looked up and met my gaze. A beautiful blush immediately spread across his face once again. He looked slightly panicked and quickly lowered his gaze, shifting his bag to the front of his jeans.

Shit.

I couldn't help but feel a little cocky knowing I'd caused such a reaction.

I glanced over at Colt, and our eyes locked. Matching smirks played across our lips.

[Well, it doesn't seem like a lost cause. It looks like he's interested in us too.]

I winked at Colt, and his playful voice entered my mind.

[I agree. I could tell from the way he kept stealing glances at us on our way back over here. His gaze was so intense that I was thankful we were walking in front of him. Otherwise, he might have noticed my half hard cock.]

He let out a light chuckle, and I raised my brows slightly.

I refocused my attention on the trainees after the brief exchange. More than anything, I wanted to get back to the barracks, take a shower, and finally get some sleep.