The Alpha's Daydream ✔️

Chapter 5

"But seriously," Gabby lowers her voice. "That doesn't explain the picture. You saw him, didn't you?" Her finger is resting on the wolf with the horns, vicious snarl, and black wings.

"Well, yes," I twist my fingers together, knowing I could never keep the truth from them for very long. "He's just a regular wolf who chased me off his territory—"

"You crossed the border!?" Luci gasps.

"Shhh! It was by accident, okay? I would never normally—"

"What was really going on? Did you feel like something was leading you?" Gabby asks gently. They are the only ones who take me and my strange stories kind of seriously.

"In a way. I dreamt about it, I think. But then this wolf shows up..."

"This demon," Luci corrects, saying what I guessed they must be thinking.

"And you believe in demons?" Gabby raises an eyebrow.

"Let's not have that discussion again. I say we go exploring and see if we don't bump into your friend again, hmm Ari? You up for adventure?" The sly smile growing on Luci's face is infectious, and I feel my heart flutter with excitement. And a small bit of apprehension.

"He nearly killed me last time."

"No problem. This time it will be three against one."

"And if he's got backup?"

"Then the worst that could happen is we get dragged before their Alpha. I heard he's really hot—"

"No. No, no, and more no. Not happening. I am not going back into that forest just to test the rumours," I say even as Luci is grabbing my coat and shoes and Gabby looks again at my picture thoughtfully.

"You owe it to yourself to see what happened, Ariella. If what you felt was really some intuition or instinct, it may be important and you can't ignore it." Gabby is the voice of reason in our sometimes crazy trio.

"Okay," I eventually sigh and give in, following them both out the window and down the tree. Neither of us risk the squeaky back door this time.

The moon is brighter tonight, throwing more light on the path ahead of us as we walk silently towards the boundary line. I won't cross it, but just traverse the edge and see if there's anything to learn from a distance. The shadows seem to be silent tonight, my heart steady as my wolf rests in the background. Nothing to cause a commotion or raise suspicion.

"I wonder how bad he is."

"Who?" Gabby asks.

"The new Alpha, who else would I be taking about?" Luci snaps, pushing back a branch and thoughtlessly letting it fling back into Gabby.

My sweeter friend holds it for me while Luci plows ahead, the sound of her footsteps disturbing the otherwise silent forest. Not even the crickets are chirping, and perhaps this alone should be a concern but I don't worry about it.
Gabby and Luci's chatter more than makes up for the quiet and allows me to keep my thoughts to myself.

A cold breeze blows access my shoulder, making my skin prickle. I listen carefully, hearing nothing but picking up a strange scent. It grows stronger as we near the border, and finally my friends stop talking as they too sense the change in the air currents.

Suddenly, up ahead on a bluff, the moonlight shifts from behind a cloud and illuminates a solitary figure.

We each stop in our tracks as we stare across the border. A wave of fear and apprehension engulfs me as I can tell it is a different wolf from the other night,
yet there is something decidedly more sinister about this man's posture. Maybe it has something to do with the black haze that seems to exude from him, or maybe it is just my imagination, as Luci certainly doesn't notice it.

"Let's go say hello."

"Are you insane?" Gabby exclaims in a whisper at the same time I dig my nails into Luci's arm.

Successfully stopped, she huffs angrily but stays in place. After staring for a full three minutes, I decide I've had enough of the cold and dread that snakes down my spine, and turn on my heel.

Whoever it is, I don't think he knew we were watching him, but I know better than to risk a shift in the wind that might give away our presence.

Hurrying back up the path, Luci and Gabby follow more slowly but I'm eager to get home. Luci's loud whispers annoy me, as she speculates who the man might have been, what the connection is to the wolf the other night—if any— and when next we can go exploring.

"Will you just be quiet?" I growl lowly as I see my house come into view up ahead. My heart is racing, my palms are hot and clammy, and I can't seem to explain away this uneasy feeling from being out here in the night. The cover of darkness is definitely hiding something, yet I don't really share Luci's enthusiasm for finding out what.
Maybe if I was brave, but I'm scared. Shivers run up and down my spine and I want nothing more than to be tucked in bed under the covers with my eyes squeezed shut.

But my eyes are definitely open when I see a light glowing from my bedroom window, splashing onto the tree outside. My stomach drops and my feet have turned to lead, as I stand still just inside the tree line.

"Welp! Looks like someone's busted," Luci sounds like she couldn't care less.

"I just knew we shouldn't have gone out tonight," Gabby presses a fist to her mouth and grimaces.

"Hey, you pushed me to do it!" I don't think I will ever understand these girls.

"Sure, and you had fun, right? Good luck with your folks," and Luci takes off in the opposite direction with a cheery wave.

Gabby rubs my arms reassuringly before disappearing into the night as well, leaving me alone.

I'm in such big trouble. I quickly climb the tree, each branch feeling harder and harder to pull myself up to, and as I crouch before my window, I conclude that this is the hardest thing I've had to face in my short life so far.
And that I'm the biggest idiot and wimp in existence.

Taking the leap between tree branch and window ledge, I ease myself in then tumble to the floor.
I hastily stand, my cheeks growing redder by the minute, and face my parents, who are both watching me with arms crossed and giving me the look.

I am so dead.

Yikes!
Just who did she see in the forest with her friends?
And what do you think of Luci and Gabby? ☺️☺️

Thanks for reading ♥️
Kiana Rose