Neoma's Journey

Chapter 3: Changes

"Neoma." Joseph whispers. "A beautiful name." He smiles.

My heart clenches. A lie is what it is...my name is nothing but a lie.

Nevertheless I whisper, "Thank you."

"I'm assuming that you may be hungry. Would you mind coming back to my place to get you something to eat?" He asks gently... or tries to. It sounds as if every sentence he utters is a demand. Just like the typical Alpha. Now I'm questioning if that is an ability that just comes upon them with the title. Yet, it seems as if he's making an attempt to speak to me gently. Almost as if he assumes raising his voice any higher would make me startled.

"Yes actually, I would." I gulp and take a nervous step backwards. Not knowing much about the nice, hazy feeling that Joseph gives me, doesn't sit well with my nerves. I just got some control over my life and I feel as if I'm losing it once again.

"Please... stay."His voice nearly raises into a shout when I move to take another step back, but he catches himself before he does. Joseph clears his throat before speaking again. "You're my mate. Doesn't that mean anything to you?" He asks almost lost in his own words of confusion.  He looks as if he'a trying to figure something out.

I just stare at him in response. My vision begins to get hazy once again, but I don't have the same fluttery feeling I had before.

"What pack are you from?" Joseph's voice is stern and full of authority. Showing off his more than likely inherited status.

It appears as if he's figured something out...

I don't back down. Instead, I turn on my heel and begin to walk off. The two steps I take feel as if my feet are weighed down. Suddenly the forest starts tilting.

"Woah!" I faintly hear Josephs voice, and it takes me a moment to realize that I'm leaning into his arms. "Okay, you're in no shape to go God knows where alone." He states. My mate holds up two fingers in front of my face. "How many fingers am I holding up?" He asks.

It's hard to tell. What is seen as two fingers suddenly becomes three then fades into four before becoming two again. Instead of answering him, I lean myself upright once again and gently push him to the side. "I'm fine." The fact that this man may be my mate does not mean he has gained my trust. He has not earned that. It just means that he will gain an advantage in being able to alter my decisions. I don't like that.

With that said I begin to trudge in the direction I was originally running in. Yet, each step I take is with more effort than I'd like to admit. My heart pounds within my ears and I feel as if I am hyper aware of the blood rushing through my veins, to the sweat that runs down my forehead.

"You are not fine." He grinds out the last word.

I ignore him. Just keep going.

He respects my decision enough to let me continue my walk. At least that's the reason I decide to believe he lets me go. Definitely not the nagging little voice saying he is relieved that he doesn't have to go through with the trouble of dealing with someone like me. Dealing with all the misfortune that comes with me.
*****

I must have walked a mile or so away from my mate. All I know is that when I turn to look in the direction I retreated from, he is no longer in sight. My footsteps are printed in the shallow layer of snow on the forest floor, and only mine alone.

There must be some shelter nearby.

My stomach growls. I should have gotten some food. I think regretfully.

I look ahead to see nothing other than many pine trees. Luckily there are two that have their branches entwined in a form of a rounded canopy. My heart aches with each slow step I make towards it.
*****
I wake up to darkness blocking my vision.