Valentin?^^^
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Chapter 6: Finding Him (part 2)
"We need to talk. Nik, can you give us a minute?"
AnnaLee felt panic rise up in her belly. Maksim intimidated her. He has already had one display of violence. AnnaLee didn't care to see another.
"Actually, I would be more comfortable if Nik stayed."
Maksim looked at the girl with puzzled eyes. Why was she so adamant on the beta staying?
"Care to elaborate on why his presence is needed?" Maksim asked as he raised an eyebrow.
"Not really." Anna mumbled.
Nik sat in the corner watching the show before him with a big smirk on his face. He could already tell that the young human would be giving his alpha a run for his money.
Maksim gave Anna a pointed look.
"If you must know, I just witnessed you kill a man. Forgive me if I found that concerning." AnnaLee countered.
Maksim's face fell. An abundance of questions raced through his mind.
She trusted Nik?
The girl thought he would cause her harm?
Would he?
Surely, he wouldn't intentionally cause her harm. He was adamant he wouldn't hurt her physically.
But what about emotionally? Yes. Maksim had been known to cause damage in that department.
He refused to hurt her and Maksim didn't see a way to be with her without having some type of pain on her part.
His enemies would see her as a weakness of his. They would cause her physical pain.
He certainly couldn't confide in her. The demons he delt with would certainly cause her mental anguish.
Maksim wouldn't subject her to that.
He could see how innocent and naive she was. Being with him would strip her of that.
No, she certainly wasn't fit for him. The girl wouldn't be able to withstand his life. She wouldn't be able to withstand him.
Maksim would not be the girl's undoing.
Coming to this realization, Maksim replied, "Fine. Stay, Nik."
The Beta gave Maksim a questioning look. Nik expected him to protest with great strength.
Maksim ignored his beta by turning back to the girl.
"Tell us how you got here."
AnnaLee filled them in on her grandpa's passing and her break down. She spared most of the details, knowing she would get emotional. AnnaLee could tell this was not a place to show weakness.
When she completed her testimony, Nik was looking at her with compassion. Maksim's look, however, was quite passive.
The alpha was cold yet again.
Upon realizing that the two wolves weren't going to continue with their interview, AnnaLee decided to ask a few questions of her own.
"You bunch are werwolves, correct?"
Nik snorted, "Shifters, darling. We are shifters."
Maksim, however, was troubled by her question. How did she come to that conclusion so quickly? Any reasonable person would have came up with a more rational explanation of what they saw. They would not be able to cope with the truth. To humans, shifters didn't exist.
Maksim listened to her intently.
"Shifters. Right. " AnnaLee muttered to herself. "Where is the rest of your pack?" She asked Maksim.
"How do you know it's my pack?"
"Well, because you're the alpha. Aren't you, Maks?" AnnaLee's brows furrowed as she looked up at him in question.
Internally, his heart skipped a beat, but he soon recovered.
"Maks?" He bit out to her.
Maksim instantly saw her cheeks redden with embarrassment, having been caught giving him a nickname, but AnnaLee covered it up quickly.
"Yes, Maks." She said simply.
The alpha grew quiet, so his beta decided to take his place.
"So, Anna, how many languages do you speak?"
"Three fluently. German, Russian, and French. I'm working on Italian. Oh, and English of course." AnnaLee smiled brightly. Her first sincere smile since she received news of her grandfather's passing.
AnnaLee was very passionate about languages. There are so many and they are all so beautiful.
"That's quite impressive."Nik turns to Maksim.
"Those skills should come in handy. She will have to talk to other packs as a Lun- Ow! Ser'yezno? (Seriously- Russian) did you just kick me under the table?"
"Shut your mouth, Nik." Maksim replied in warning.
"Ok, Alpha 'Maks'." Nik smirked.
Maksim was about to release a deadly growl, when he heard it, stopping him altogether.
A cute little giggle arose from AnnaLee's mouth. She couldn't help herself. The way they were bickering made it obvious that the two shifters cared for each other.
She truly did enjoy the company the two men offered, even if she was forced to come here against her- oh no!
"What time is it?" Anna rushed.
"Ten fifteen." Maksim replied automatically.
"At night?!"
Maksim nodded.
AnnaLee started to panic. She had been gone for quite some time and her parents have no clue where she is.
"What is it?" Nik asked, seeing her eyes widen in panic. He hated seeing his Luna upset in any form. His instinct was to protect and help her in any way he could.
"My mother doesn't know where I am. I know she must be drowning herself in worry over this... I have to leave... Wait, you are letting me leave, aren't you?"AnnaLee inquired looking up at the two men before her.
"Yes."
Nik snapped his head around to his Alpha. How could he let his mate and the Luna of his pack simply walk out the door?
"Get your stuff together and I will get someone to drive you home." Maksim continued.
AnnaLee didn't question him. She knew she would see Maksim again. After all, they were mates, which they still needed to speak about.
AnnaLee read about mates in her grandfather's research. They were made to love you in the deepest of ways.
Perhaps that research was wrong. Maksim didn't seem to care for her at all. In fact, AnnaLee felt as though she irritated the handsome wolf.
She would question him in their next conversation.
Maksim didn't have any intentions of seeing the girl again. He would be killing two birds with one stone by keeping her away.
Maksim wouldn't have deal with her or worry about her, and AnnaLee would be safe from harm... and him.
Maksim could already tell he would miss the pretty little thing, even if he had just met her.
"Alpha!" Came a voice. "Alpha Lukin!"
Valentin burst through the door, his chest pounding heavily.
"Not now, Valentin. I need you to take AnnaLee home."
"I can't do that, Alpha."
Maksim narrowed his eyes. "And why not?"
"Drevesiny volki (the timber wolves- Russian) were spotted wandering the outskirts of our territory. They spotted the human girl being carried in. Let's just say, she gained their attention. Alpha, they have been looking for a way to hurt this pack for weeks. I don't think it's safe for her to leave."
AnnaLee gasped, her head reeling. So much had happened in such a short amount of time. How is she to cope? She has barely had time to grieve her grandfather. AnnaLee heard Maks' frustrated sigh.
Maksim knew he would eventually put her in danger and he hated it.
"What am I going to do?" AnnaLee asked to no one in particular.
Nik took it upon himself to reply,
"You, my dear, are going to sleep with the wolves tonight."