Without a Wolf

2

I didn't stop to absorb the shock of the word. I couldn't afford to.

That man was an Alpha, a powerful one. It was as obvious to me as the sky was blue; there were no doubts, or questions. Perhaps, if he was just a random Alpha, he might have let me go. But, if I was indeed his mate, it could only mean one thing. He wouldn't let me go.

An Alpha weakens without their mate. The longer they go without finding their true love, the less powerful they become. It's the reason why Alphas are usually desperate to find their other half, visiting other packs and combing the remote woods where rogue wolves usually hide out. While usually any female wolf would be thrilled to be the mate of an Alpha, there's been situations throughout our history when the female has rejected the Alpha.

A rare occurrence, but it's happened. The Alpha's strength and powers were always affected by the absence of his mate, slowly at first, but as time went on, the greater the decrease.

I knew the Alpha wouldn't risk making a scene in broad daylight in the middle of a human town, so I knew that I had to get the hell out of here as quickly as I could if I had any chance of escaping this town undetected.

As I rushed to make my departure as quick as possible, I hurriedly tore my work apron off my body, folding it as best I could in my haste and throwing in the hamper on the side of the room. I opened my locker, grabbing the contents and stuffing as much as I could in my purse. I took a notepad and pen off the small table in the center of the room and scribbled a note as quickly as I could.

'I quit, I'm so sorry.

-Gem'

I couldn't explain the reason why I was leaving, even if I wanted to. I couldn't tell them why they'd never see me again, or why they'd never hear from me again. I needed to leave, and I needed to leave now. This was a matter of freedom. It would be taken away from me.

My chest was tight with anxiety as I opened the back door, only enough to peak my head through. I looked around, looking for any signs of the SUV, the Alpha, or anything werewolf related. I tried to smell the air, looking for any hint of smell that wasn't a normal occurrence, but it was no use. I didn't have any power left in my senses, not after all this time.

Thankfully, the coast was clear. I threw the door open and darted into the small alley, sprinting as fast as I was able to, whipping my head around as I continued to look for any sign of threat.

I rented a small apartment on the same street as the cafe, so I didn't need to run long before I pulled open the door to my building. I ran up the stairs, my breath beginning to catch in my chest as I pulled the oxygen into my body. I took two steps at a time until I reached the poorly painted door that was the entrance to my home.

I fumbled my keys, moving as quickly as possible as I inserted the correct one into the lock, turning the knob and practically collapsing into the small studio apartment. I locked the door behind me, sliding the deadbolt across, even though I knew if he found me here, no locks would hold him back.

I sank to the floor, my back against the door as I brought my knees to my chest. The pumping adrenaline pushing through my body was fading just slightly. I knew that in my own apartment, I was momentarily safe.

Not for long, I knew that. Just for long enough to catch my breath. This was not what I was expecting my day to be like when I woke up this morning.

After the incident, I lived the first year of my new life in constant fear that werewolves would come to my town. Frankly, I never wanted to see another wolf in my life. I didn't want to be in that world anymore. That world had betrayed me.