The Scarlet Hunter

Chapter 9

Alec took them on a scenic route back. What should have been a ten-minute trip was a quiet forty-five-minute drive. She would be stuck on the territory for who knows how long before she gets to see this again. Alec was at ease in the privacy they had while he drove. He didn't want to talk. He just wanted to be with her, without anyone watching them. It was tempting to take her somewhere and just sit, maybe shift, and go for a run. It would be noticed if he brought her back late.

Instead, he took the opportunity to appreciate being alone with her, feeling confidant and comfortable with her under his protection. She had taken interest in a few things they passed. Maybe left over from when she lived here. He hoped she would speak up and share something with him, but the silence persisted.

Alec drove through the checkpoint and headed towards Isla's house. Alex and Peter were stationed there. Truthfully, he wanted to be the one to watch over her. No one would ever understand the amount of willpower it took to let others, even her own family, protect her instead of him.

He had thought about just taking her to the packhouse to continue her punishment for leaving the territory. That's why she needed to be there, right? Not because of some bouncer, or blue eyed blonde that he caught stalking her.

The conversation with his beta rang through his head. What if she wasn't the future luna? How would Isla handle another jealous luna? Would she find another reason to leave? He sighed at himself for considering Isla but not his future mate, if it's not Isla.

The sigh was audible and caught the attention of his passenger. No words had been exchanged the whole ride home. You would think that there would be so much to talk about. Like, for example, why the hell she thinks it's OK to go to a damn bar right now. Maybe they could cover what she planned on doing with that bouncer that her friend seemed to think she'd catch.

No. Maybe they didn't need to cover that. Maybe he didn't need to think about her like that.

They both were striving to keep a little distance between them. And besides, what would they say? It was obvious that she was sexually attracted to him, but she consistently kept her distance. But wait, no she didn't. He wasn't imagining her kissing him back just as heavy as he was kissing her. She was the one grinding on his fist until he thought she was going to cum right there on him.

No, she consistently pushed back when he was doing what he needed to do to keep her safe and in line.

"You are not to leave the territory at all without my permission. You are certainly not to leave without Peter and Alex." He pulled up in her driveway and turned to her. "You stick with them if you are out of your house after dark, even on pack territory. And you stay away from the outer boundaries."

He watched the fury rise to her eyes. She was losing her freedom, but what was he supposed to do?

He got out of the car, and when he opened her door, he found her stewing in anger. He held his hand out to help her up to her feet.

"Why are you training me if I'm not allowed to even go outside?" She asked after she was standing next to his car, with more attitude than he was accustomed to by his own pack. He's the alpha, he gets to make these decisions, and he doesn't have to explain himself.

But he wants to, to her. He wants her to know.

"When you are on patrol, when you are armed and on high alert, you are much harder to take down. You have back up everywhere, and you are working with your pack. When you are drinking at a club surrounded by loud music and other men," and with that, Isla seemed to realize what the real problem he had was. "With your two friends who didn't even notice that you disappeared." Anger rose up like bile in his throat. "Some wolf could have had you outside before they even noticed you missing!"