A God Amongst Wolves

25

Word Count: 1754

~Alvera

I stare at his hand, unmoving.

For some reason, my body commands me to keep my arm pinned to my side rather than reaching out to shake his hand. He quickly notices my pause, sliding his hand back into his pocket.

"It's nice to meet you, Able. I should probably go." I stand, scrambling to shove my laptop and charger into my bag.

"What's the rush?"

"Where I have to go requires a very long walk to get to," I mutter, shaking head.

I really need to ask Venn to reconsider building his manor closer to civilisation. The walk through the forest is going to kill me one of these days.

"You're Alvera, the Chosen," he says abruptly.

I stall, my hands hovering over my bag. I lower them slowly, surveying Able in an entirely new light.

He knows about me...of course he does. He's a werewolf and to some degree they all talk and know each other's business. I've been connected to their Alpha and that means something to them.

"The what?"

"Alpha Venn's Chosen," he reiterates, kicking his legs up to rest his feet on the table. "Or more appropriately, the Moon Goddess's Chosen."

Sinking down into my seat again, I let out a hopeless sigh. He clearly knows more about this than I do, clearly.

"I guess that's what I am." I shrug.

His mischievous smile makes my stomach tighten. "Aren't you lucky?"
 
"Doesn't feel that way right now." I sweep both hands through my hair, trying to dig my frustration out with my fingertips. "What do you know about all this?"

"All this?"

"The Moon Goddess, the Chosen...Venn."

It dawns on me for the briefest moment that I shouldn't be conversing with one of Venn's pack members late at night, entirely alone in this old library. But this is the first person I can speak about this to who knows a lot and has no reason to keep things from me.

"Well, there is no question of the Moon Goddess's existence," he states matter-of-factly. "Her purpose for us, however, is largely debated."

I pick restlessly at my nails. "What is your opinion on her?"

"She's a selfish, merciless bitch who subjects those she rules over to unbelievable horrors." His smile is cruel, something dark and unspoken swirling in his hazel eyes.

"Seriously?"

I angle my head. I get the feeling he has experience with the apparent horrors the Moon Goddess has inflicted on him. The urge to ask him surges up within me, but I quickly dampen it down.

"But that's just me." He sighs wistfully. "My Alpha thinks otherwise."

"Do you know him well?" I ask tentatively.

"I'm not so sure anymore." His smile leaks from his face, along with that teasing amusement. "I know that he would do anything for his pack, and in doing so, destroy himself in the process."

I shudder, and not just from the bitter draft wafting in from the broken window to my left.

"He's done a lot for them already. This entire process of reclaiming the land has gone smoothly," I bring up.

His brows knit together. "There is much more to be done."

I've been so wrapped up in Eldon and getting used to this union I've been wrapped up in that I haven't thought about Venn's plan's post treaty expiration.

I drum my fingers against the table. "Maybe. He hasn't told me much."

"You're human. There's only so much you could understand," he says blandly.

"Ouch." I'm not sure why that hurts so much to hear, especially in such a caviller manner.

"I'm sure he will trust you with all of this soon enough," he muses, glancing down at the book he slid toward me.

I look down, reading the title again. Why would he bring me this book out of a myriad in this place? Was he really reading it, or was he trying to hint something?

As far as I'm aware, mate bonds only exist between werewolves. It seems unreasonable to assume that has anything to do with me.

"Why are you here, Able? Why speak to me?" I question, pinning him with a stare that dares him to continue evading the point. There is no way he is here without a motivation.

His shoulders relax a touch. "Maybe I just think you're pretty."

My eyes roll. That's not the most creative deflection I've ever heard.

"Maybe you want to know something. Something about me," I excuse, tracing any alteration in his expression in hopes of digging up his intentions.

He came in here knowing who I am, and I could be valuable to him. I don't know how or why, but being connected to his Alpha might make me important to him.

"I think you and I could be friends," he muses.

"I don't know you."

"Everyone who has ever loved each other were strangers once before," he brings up, his crooked smile starting to grate on my nerves.

"I'm never going to love you, sorry dude." I yank my water bottle from my bag, taking a long drink. "I have a boyfriend."

His brows raise, something sparking in his eyes. "Venn?"

"No. Eldon." I shift uncomfortably in my seat. It feels weird bringing his name up in front of werewolves, especially when they know I've been connected to Venn by this strange union.

He laughs roughly under his breath. "How interesting."

I rub the heels of my palms into my eyes until I see sprawling colours amongst the darkness. I keep forgetting that I might have to retire calling Eldon my boyfriend if he doesn't return my calls.

"Well...at least I think he's still my boyfriend." I shake my head hopelessly. "It doesn't matter."

"See, you trust me enough to impart some information about me." Able taps his foot against the ground over and over, making the table shudder slightly. "Maybe we can be friends."

I pause, contemplating the notion. I don't trust this guy...but I don't really trust anyone anymore. My boyfriend has gone, my sister hates me and Venn is a powerful Alpha who is guided by forces I'll never understand.


I don't really have anyone.

"Maybe. I could do with some friends," I mumble, dejected.
 
His smile spreads across his face like an infectious disease. "Excellent."

"I'm thinking I might stay here, in this library," I say, more to myself than to him. "Being near Venn all the time...it doesn't feel like a good idea."

"Why?"

"It's complicated. And very hard to explain."

And even if Able does actually want to be my friend with no ulterior motive, I don't feel like explaining what happened to me only hours earlier.

"Do you want to be with him?" He asks softly.

"I...I want to be with my boyfriend," I tell him firmly, although even I can hear my voice wavering. "Venn is a werewolf, he's an Alpha. We can't possibly be destined to be together."

Able's gaze feels heavy on my skin. "Destined is such an excellent word, isn't it?"

His eyes drop down to the book on the table, but I ignore it.

"The point is, Venn and I would never work, even if I...it doesn't matter." I wave off the matter dismissively, not wanting to put too much thought into it at risk of reconsidering my entire position.

"Are you attracted to him?"

I open my mouth to explain it to him, then promptly close it.

Am I? I suppose my reaction to him last night proved I was, but what does it matter? He's easily the most attractive person I've seen in my life, so my opinion isn't exactly unique.

But me being attracted to him is very different to anyone else in this world...

"Yeah," I concede with a groan.

"Maybe you should give in."

Even Able's voice makes it seem so tempting, so divine. Perhaps he has stock in me falling in love with his Alpha — perhaps our union will strengthen this pack or something...

"It doesn't matter, I'm not talking to a complete stranger about this," I grumble. "If I lived here I could work, maybe get the library back up and running. It would be good."

I could stay downstairs in the rare book section. Most of those books will have been looted by now, and it's a private space.

I just don't know what the consequences would be of distancing myself from Venn.

"It would upset him," Able states flatly, his mouth tightening.

"What makes you say that?" I ask warily.
 
"The Alpha and his Chosen shouldn't be kept a part for long." His voice drops to a whisper. "The Moon Goddess won't like that."

I lean back, a chill spreading across my skin. After what overcame me the day Venn took me as his Chosen, I truly believe she has a connecting to this world that is more than theoretical. The thought is disturbing, especially when there is no guarantee her morality aligns with ours.

"Well, she doesn't have a relationship to maintain." I rub my arms, trying to banish the prickling skin.

"She wants you and Venn to have a relationship, to be close." His brows rise. "Maybe even to reproduce."

I flinch, mortification flushing my skin red. "Oh God, please don't say that."

So soon after last night, hearing anything like that only makes me feel worse. Had Venn not been in so much control, I may have let him have his way with me, and I would have loved every second of it.

Next month, I'm going to need to have a better handle on myself.

"I know it seems uncomfortable, but it might be the truth," he reminds me, as if he's scolding a small child who doesn't understand the world around them.

"Whatever, it doesn't matter." I stand abruptly, shoving my bottle back into my bag. "I need to go."

He waits until I walk past him to reach out and grab my wrist, his touch sending ripples of unease over my skin.

"Alvera..."

"What?" I ask breathlessly.

He cocks his head to the side, his grin returning. "See you around?"
 
"Maybe." I swallow thickly, slipping from his grasp. "Bye, Able."

🤍••🤍

If you want to read ahead at any point, you can read this story 15 chapters ahead on INKITT and 10 chapters ahead on RADISH.

Inkitt:

Radish:

If you're interested, check out my latest story out on Wattpad now!

The Night I Met The Alpha

~Midika 💜🐼