Yearning.

Thorne’s POV

Carlos, my Beta, had been the one to see me out of my room the following morning. Garron met us on our way out and pulled me aside for our discussion from yesterday, which turned out to be about a certain clan in the Coast that he suspected was working alongside rogue wolves to terrorize territories. Of course that had piqued my interest but we both still needed to make our findings about it. We decided to revisit the topic during my next visit to the North or his to the South.

The discussion led to breakfast with the rest of his family, all his daughters included and to say it was hard to keep myself from burning holes into the little moon with my eyes from where I sat would be the understatement of the century.

Within the short time I spent here, I noticed a few things that stood out to me. The first was that she was nothing like her sisters. They all had their own separate personalities but if there was any hidden behind the shadows, it was her and for some reason that made me even more curious about her. The second was that I couldn’t for the life of me, take my eyes off of her.

Breakfast went by in a blur, one of her sisters telling tales of her weird encounters while surfing the Coast and getting everyone laughing. Garron also joined in, asking me a few questions while he spoke. She ate her food in silence, head bowed and eyes glued to the chunk of meat she tossed around in her plate. The only time she looked up was when her mother whispered something to her, in which she shook her head and continued eating. When I had began to say my goodbyes, she raised her head again but her eyes were straight ahead, never looking in my direction.

Something had changed from yesterday but I couldn’t quite place my finger on it. And in as much as I would love to stick around and find out, I have to leave as soon as possible. Another subtle but sickening reminder that I came here for a totally different reason than exploring any physical interest in the Silvermane Daughters.

Garron saw us out, his daughters following slowly behind as we talked on our way. I tried to use my eyes to search for the little white wolf but she was nowhere to be found. She had disappeared immediately after breakfast.

“You didn’t find any of them admirable?” Carlos asked me as we walked deeper into the woods, having left the Silvermane Keep a while ago. I didn’t have to ask to know he was referring to the Silvermane sisters.

“They all were”. I told him simply and meant it. Even though not by my standards, they were the great Garron’s daughters, all beautiful, fierce and strong. They were going to get mated anyway.

“You didn’t feel the pull with anyone…”. He continued, uncertainty dripping in his voice. His statements were more like observations than questions and it was obvious that even he had entertained a little hope that a Luna would be picked from among them. I did too, only I didn’t let it influence my decisions.

“Not entirely”. I kept my responses vague, but knowing my Beta he would surely read into it. The silence after was an indication that he knew the meaning behind my words.

I did feel a pull but I was yet to explore it. It was a short time. And in as much as I didn’t want to leave my important decisions for later, I also didn’t want to rush into anything. Especially a choice as sensitive as picking my Luna.

We were deep into the woods in the outskirts of the Keep when I felt it. The slight shift in the air. A quick survey around me revealed that I was the only one among my men to feel it. It was familiar. And I knew the exact reason behind it. Or rather, the Person. The scent followed right after, wafting through my nose with such intensity, it was as though it were mine, subtle but still managing to fill my head and wreck my mind.

My eyes instinctively flitted across the woods, in search of a glint of silvery white. If she was here and I could smell her this easily then she was definitely in her wolf. Looking around, the trees were still and quiet. There was no unusual movement anywhere that suggested her presence. But I already knew from our last encounter that she was keen with the idea of hiding in trees.

Carlos had started on another conversation about God knows what, but I only heard a few slurs as I was too busy ransacking the trees with my eyes in search of a certain white furry moon.

We were right under a huge oak tree when my feet came to a halt, my wolf growling inside me.

She was here.

“Carry on without me”. I told Carlos and the guards. I could see the slight furrow in his brows and the inquisitive look he gave me. But he didn’t question it. He ushered the guards away and they walked on, leaving me behind.

I could hear the steady but heavy breathing coming from above me and I looked up, catching the sway of the leaves as she moved further up in the tree. I looked around me, unsure of what to do or say. The fact that she was here doesn’t exactly mean she wanted to talk to me. I know that now because I’m sure she is aware already that I know she is up there, but instead of climbing down to talk she is going up to hide.

I cleared my throat. “Ruelle”

Silence. Nothing but the subtle whoosh of leaves and the calm rhythm of her breathing. It baffled and excited me at the same time how sensitive my wolf was to hers. Although it was only in wolf form, it was difficult to miss. I can literally feel her breathing from up there as though she is breathing down my neck. My wolf is in a frenzy, calling out to her as though she has something he needs.

I clench and unclench my fist, shutting my eyes and trying again. “Ruelle”

When I’m met with silence once more, I position myself directly under a thick branch, lifting my hands up and latching unto it. I leap into the branch above it in a feline motion, another thing I attribute to my wolf. I have my abilities in form and out of it. I can jump as high and as far as I want to, as long as there is a sturdy surface in sight for landing.

I hear a shuffle above me and look up, just in time to see her falling over the edge of the thick branch she had been perched on. She must have lost her balance from the shock of my sudden appearance. I reach out and latch unto the closest part of her body to me which happens to be her forearm.

The paleness of her skin in contrast to the green around us was what made me notice that she had shifted back to her human, which inevitably meant that she was naked. The sudden realization, made my eyes widen. I couldn’t see her because most of her body was covered by the thick branch, but she was so bright her skin color radiated onto the leaves, her legs hanging from the edge of the branch.

Once I managed to pull her up to a safe position, I withdrew my hand, bowing my head and looking away. She peeked out from behind the branch, her usual pale skin a light pink from embarrassment.

“What are you…”. I start in a low rumble but she cuts me off.

“I’m naked.” She says, her melodic voice ringing from above me and warming my ears.

Oh, I can see that. But I don’t say it out loud, my head still bowed. I feel a slight tingling in my wolf, a picture of him smirking coming into my mind. Mischief. He wants to look up.

I shake the thought from my head.

“What are you doing here?” I ask again, deliberately ignoring her comment.

“You weren’t supposed to see me.” She clips. Although I can’t see her, the chagrin drips from her tone. I must have ruined her mission to watch me quietly by being too sensitive.

“But I can. And I do. You know I do”. I say, showing no sign of remorse. I’m sure whatever this pull is, it isn’t one-sided. She feels it too and she knows I do.

Slowly, and carefully so she knows I don’t mean to any harm, I lift my head. I can only see her face that she is poking out from behind the tree and her legs that are hanging over the edge. The rest of her body is covered.

Gods, she is beautiful.

I have only ever acknowledged the pull towards her, and the calmness in her stride and eyes. But I haven’t really admitted the overall fact that she is the most beautiful woman I have ever seen.

In all her raw glory, her white hair all over the place in wild and unruly waves, her pale blue eyes that sparkle whenever she is surprised and her skin, soft, pale and luscious that fills my mind with so many vulgar images of my fingers digging into it, leaving marks that I will shamelessly kiss and lick until it was soothed.

I needed to keep my wolf at bay. Or myself because at this point I doubt those thoughts belonged to my wolf.

The moment I caught her gaze, she looked away, a slight frown resting between her brows. She was so close to me, too close. To the point that all I wanted to do was reach out and wrap my hand around her ankle and bring it to my lips. I wanted to sniff every curve on her frame. In her wolf she smelled like the earth, but in her human form she smelled like tulips. Probably from whatever she uses to wash her hair.

The sound of rushed footsteps beneath us grabs my attention, causing me to peel my eyes off her to look down.

Carlos was staring up into the tree from beneath us and from the look on his face, I could already tell something was wrong.

“What?” I clipped, half annoyed that he needed me so soon.

“We encountered a slight… problem ahead”. He dipped his chin as he said the word ‘problem’. It was a signal. I didn’t need to think twice to understand what it meant.

The Rogue wolves had finally made an appearance.