Chapter 5 - Something felt off about her scent... heat!

Blaze Westbrook, the future Alpha of the Blood Moon pack, sat with his back against the trunk of an old maple tree at the foot of the cross mountain.

It was not hard to see beneath the haunting of the full moon. The moon hung up high in the dark sky, bathing everything in a soft blue hue. The trees casted eerie shadows, looking ghostly but Blaze used his wolf’s eyesight to detect any movements through the dark forest. 

He leaned his head against the tree trunk as his mind wandered off to the conversation he had with his parents this morning. They have been constantly reminding him of attending the mating gathering tonight. Their wish was unwavering. Since he was the future Alpha, he had to attend the gathering to find his mate but it didn’t sound appealing to him.

It’s been five years ever since he turned eighteen and he hasn’t had any luck in finding his mate during the past mating seasons held every year. Either his mate hadn’t turned eighteen yet or his destined mate wasn’t even in the Blood Moon pack.

Yet, here he was, sitting in the dark forest to kill time and waiting till dawn to return home. As he waited, he could feel the air cooling down by the mountain area.

It was irrefutable to go against his parents’ decision.

The sudden scent of jasmine and vanilla hit his nose from somewhere close. That meant only one thing, his mate was close.

He immediately stood up, permanently on guard. His heart rate picked up as he caught another whiff of the aroma. His wolf, Bash, paced around in anticipation as he urged Blaze to run towards the enticing scent that consumed them whole.

The intoxicating fragrance stood out over the other scents surrounding the forest trees and the trails left behind by the other werewolves attending the mating gathering.

Using his wolf instincts, Blaze pushed forward as he tried to make out which way the scent was coming from. He breathed in the slight refreshing wind blowing from each direction before he glanced north, straight ahead of him.

A smirk tugged at his lips once the scent intensified ten folds, right before a woman slammed straight into him. His arm instinctively wrapped around her waist to steady her.

His wolf did not have to tell him. He already knew that this woman was his mate when sparks, lots of them flared up, shooting through him like a blazing hot wire.

His eyes flashed as his wolf irately fought to break free. Bewildered at his wolf’s sudden mood swing; Blaze’s eyebrows furrowed deep in confusion before his ears picked up on the approaching werewolves.

Blaze’s entire body stood deathly as his eyes shifted between his mate and the male werewolves who were apparently chasing after her. Totally appalled, his anger and confusion refused to let him analyze this scenario.

He trailed the length of her body, taking in the bruises covering her arms and legs. His glowing blue eyes darkened as anger surged up inside him.

His wolf’s aura, an electrifying blue current wrapped around him as a protective shield when he growled, dangerously low.

Blaze’s eyes trailed the males hovering around them waiting for a chance to jump on the woman before stopping on the man whose scent was still apparent on his mate’s body. Blaze recognized him. He was Eli, one of the pack scouts.

Eli stepped back cautiously when Blaze’s eyes narrowed down into slits.

He began taking slow steps towards Eli, the werewolf who had torn her clothes and hurt her. The new terrified look he held when Blaze neared him stayed put.

“How dare you?” Blaze’s voice was low and unsettlingly calm.

“A-Alpha -”

Blaze cut him off with a hand around his throat, holding him away before tightening his hold on him, his claws digging into the flesh there. Eli trembled, trying to break free as Blaze lifted him off the ground, his legs dangling mid-air.

Fighting every urge to snap his neck, Blaze released him when he heard his heartbeat about to halt. As the future Alpha, he wasn’t going to kill one of his own members. The man dropped to the ground like a heap.

“Go” Blaze ordained.

Eli nodded, coughing and sputtering as he tried to regain himself.

A small look of discomfort tugged at Blaze’s features as he fought with his wolf. This wasn’t just about him; he has to think about the pack as well.

Blaze knew that if his wolf was unleashed, he would do a lot more damage and he did not want blood spilling on the ground tonight. Driven by their lust for their mates, these wolves were all just dazed under the full moon. Blaze thought.

Yet, he wasn’t going to keep it low as his anger radiated off of him like massive waves. It resonated within the dark night, sending the wolves a death warning.

“You should learn to respect your future Alpha.” Blaze growled his eyes blazing as his wolf fought to be released.

Not wanting to defy their future alpha, they backed away fearfully.

“Smart move” His voice was no longer completely human, his wolf’s overlapping his as Bash forced Blaze to shift midway.

They rushed to get out of his sight, not wanting to cross their Alpha when he was in this form. Seeing their submission, a smirk crossed his lips as his wolf relished in their fear.

Astounded by the fact that the future alpha was her destined mate, Lilith barely noticed the fact that Blaze’s nails had sharpened to pointy claws, something that tends to happen to werewolves whose wolves were fighting to break free.

Not everyone could control their wolves at this point.

Only those with true alpha blood could shift halfway in their human forms while some features of their wolves’ sides would be starkly visible.  

Blaze’s eyes remained electrifying blue, indicating that his wolf was also below the surface, fighting for dominance yet, Blaze refused to submit to his furious wolf who wanted nothing but to break those bastards’ necks for touching his mate.

Nearing his destined mate, Blaze was completely enthralled by her as he recognized her. She was Lilith Venerelli, one of the fiercest warriors in the entire Blood Moon pack, of course after her parents though.

His wolf basked proudly at his mate’s capability.

He never paid any close attention to the women within the pack. He was always being tasked several duties by his father which required him to travel to other packs and to the Lycans’ council. Hence, he was barely able to stay within the pack.

The few days he got to stay within the pack always consisted of him getting trained by the Venerelli’s. The only time he would be left alone and free was during the mating season every year or unless he was sick which rarely happened.

Blaze had to admit that his mate was the most gorgeous woman he’s ever met. She had straight dark hair cascading to her lower back and framing her face as she regarded him. She had the most seductive full lips he has ever seen and her eyes… her eyes were the most beautiful shade of maroon he has ever seen, honey gold eyes.

Her slender body made her appear tiny and fragile, but Blaze knew that what she lacked in brute strength, she made up for it in agility and speed.

He breathed in her intoxicating scent, seemingly not having smelled enough of it when he frowned while Bash growled impatiently. Something felt off with her scent… heat!

Something was amiss here.