Ezra POV
It's been 3 days since the incident. The day my mate was found laying helpless in the woods, beaten to a bloody pulp and left to rot.
3 days since our argument among the trees. I still remember the sweet scent of her on the air as she stood yards away from me, her back stiff as a board, her posture firm in her pride.
Spotting her around the pack grounds has been tough, every time my eyes touched her face I felt a ripple of energy pass through me, shaking my serene countenance and causing a burning to linger in my chest. I would dodge her any change I got.
Every night I sneak away, if only for a few short hours, running through the wilderness as my other half. My lycan.
The beast inside me longed to claim my mate, to love her and protect her. It's all I think about most days.
The more logical, self aware side is still adamant that I keep a safe, honorable distance between us. To do anything necessary to ensure it.
It's way better this way, I know it was. I'll be promoted, favored, respected.
And Klepto will be safe. Safe from the rage inside me, safe from my heart that has no clue how to be soft and gentle.
As I woke up this morning, brushing aside the wonderful haze of sleep, I was reminded of her. Her black hair, the intensity of her eyes. And yet I had to face her and claim indifference again and again.
It gets harder every day.
I stumbled out of bed and resumed a day of torture. Smelling her every now and then without seeing her is almost too much to even bear, and somehow I manage to keep going.
My team and I spend the day training the pack members, and overseeing the pack borders. Despite running for hours the night before, I'm filled to the brim with excess energy.
Klepto. Klepto. Klepto.
I'm acting like a man starved without her, and I can't believe I've lasted as long as I have, or how I could possibly continue to. How can I ignore someone who's meant for me?
"Wait up!" Someone calls behind me, and I have no mind to check and see who it is because I already know.
As I keep plundering through the fallen autumn leaves, Ace races to be at my side. The usual sideways smirk plastered to his face.
I give him a half hearted smile, inviting him to say whatever it is he's planning.
"There's a bonfire tonight for the pack. Can you believe that? Popping smores in their mouths when Ryk could be hiding around the corner." He pauses, looking at me with his goofy expression, "Isn't it great?"
Stepping over a large log, I narrow my eyes at him. I shake my head.
"I fail to see how werewolves distracting themselves from reality is so great."
Ace chuckles, patting me on the shoulder cheerily. His complexion flushes with childlike joy.
"At least they know how to have fun, right? And it's always nice to take a break every now and then." I nod my head mutley, not daring to reply out of fear that I'll snap at him.
I realize I'll be dragged to this so called 'fun' bonfire whether I want to go or not, and by being there I'll more than likely see her there. The idea of it calls to me, but also terrifies me.
How am I going to keep this up any longer if I have to see her so often?
Eventually, we have lunch. It goes as usual, uneventful and boring. Ever since I'd been shipped here the animalistic side of my personality dreamed of tearing into something. I'm on edge all the time. I'm in a constant battle to stay in control.
Depriving myself of a good fight is utter torture. Training with the wolves here, we always have to hold ourselves back from using our strength.
We can kill a werewolf without any thought or difficulty, snapping a neck is as easy as snapping a finger.
My senses are just as whacked out by the lack of violence, seeing as how the almost constant presence of my mate distracts.
I chew my bland sandwich in silence, observing the crowded dining hall with little interest.
My life will continue to string out this way, living like an empty person relying on the thrills of combat to entertain myself. It's the only way.
Much to my dismay, the bonfire sneaks up on us quickly. It hangs over me with a vengeance, putting me in an awful mood.
Watching from the sidelines, I observe the wolves as they build up a fire in a large, circular pit.
They haul dead wood to the center, stacking it high before lighting it up. The orange flames flicker brightly in the dim light of sunset.
As the temperature in the air drops, the heat emanating off the sizzling fire grows.
The pack members gather, some taking their places on picnic tables while others carry lawn chairs out onto the grass.
Useless chatter and hollers echo up around me and my teammates, Ace and Hyrum interact fine with the members of the Green Pack, the warriors we work with every day appear to be friendly enough.
Then there's Reid, who is still pissed at me. He hands out beside them, not speaking or making eye contact with anyone. He's the shy one of our group.
Reid may be crazy and childish around us, but he's more reserved when it comes to people he doesn't know. Especially females.
I feel uninterested in all of it. Deciding to wait it out seems like my best bet, so I fold myself into a large wooden lawn chair and watch the interactions silently.
I'm sulking like a pup, but I don't care.
A familiar smell hits my nostrils and I try to discreetly glance around to search out it's source.
That's when I see her. She isn't that far away from where I sit, she's kneeling in the grass in a mahogany colored sweater. Her injuries still infuriate me, and I desperately want to find who did that to her.
Two little children accompany her, and I can only guess they are some of her younger siblings.
I'd only found out recently that Klepto is 1 of 10 children in her family. I try to push down my jealousy.
I admit as I watch her that she's amazing with pups.
She chases them on her hands and knees, pretending to be a monster as they scream and giggle in delight. Every once and awhile her "scary" face evaporates to be replaced with an elated smile.
My eyes snap to the ground, not being able to stand looking at her for too long. I can't take it.
It's too adorable.
Too endearing.
"Well hey there, hunky." A sultry voice says, and I'm aware of someone's approach, but I hadn't expected this forwardness.
I turn my glance sideways to look at the she-wolf.
I've seen her before, I know she's one of Klepto's sisters. Tabitha, I believe her name is.
She works at the pack office along with Tressa, the other annoying blonde girl that is somehow related to my mate.
When she sees that she's caught my attention, she twirls a lock of platinum hair around her manicured finger, scooting closer to me on the end of her chair.
There are about a million things I'd rather be doing right now.
"I hear your name is Ezra. That's hot. Such a strong name." She crosses her exposed legs, trying to draw my eyes there. The minuscule mini dress isn't exactly practical for the October chill, but hey I'm no one to judge.
"Thanks." Is all I say, hoping and praying that she'll go away.
She doesn't.
"I'm Tabitha. You've probably seen me around here."
"Yeah, probably because you live here."
Her face scrunches up for a few seconds in distaste before continuing her pursuit.
"Do you enjoy the pack so far?" She asks, her gaze glinting in question as she grins exuberantly.
I find myself physically biting my tongue to keep from lashing out. My eyes drift subconsciously up towards my mate, as if she's a magnet.
I immediately make eye contact with her. Klepto's eyes are filled with dismay, she's been watching our exchange.
My mind takes off with an idea that will be painful. I cringe as the thought takes shape. It's a terrible plan really, crazy and stupid and yet necessary all the same.
Turning back to the blonde she-wolf, I jump right in.
"Yeah, especially now that I get to meet and talk to you." I manage to say with a flirtatious flare that makes Tabitha's eyes grow wide. I hate it.
Her shock is short however as excitement takes its place.
"So you have noticed me then, huh?"
I swallow a gag of revulsion and nod.
"Of course, how could I not? It would be impossible not to." The words coming out of my mouth make me ill. The urge to throw up rises in me.
The words aren't true, but she doesn't know that. I hate the sound of my own voice. It's disgusting.
It's not as if Tabitha is some kind of hideous beast, I'm sure she's pretty to everyone else, but after finding my mate I can't look at any woman in that kind of light.
"Hmmm, well, I can't say that your wrong. You seem very smart." She says, her voice almost nasally.
I grit my teeth against the bike rising in my throat.
"We should hang out, I would love to get to know you better." She chatters on, and I finally bite the bullet and go for it.
My body leans forward, my hand reaching out as I push a palm to Tabitha's thigh, my other hand going behind her neck to cup it. I look straight into her blue eyes.
"I'd love nothing more." I say, and she smiles before launching into a fake laugh. The skin on my fingertips begins to burn at the contact, and not in a good way.
I look to Klepto with no remorse in my eyes, searching her out without reluctance.
Her face has fallen, all the joy elicited by her brothers has disappeared all because of me. I sharply shift my focus back to Tabitha.
My mate gets up from the grass, leaving promptly. Her curvy legs carrying her away.
I smell her agony as she passes, the scent making my senses go fuzzy with a protective swell, but my animal instincts do not take into account that I was the one that did that to her.
As soon as she's gone, I'm out of the chair.
Tabitha had been speaking to me the whole time, but she couldn't be heard with all the ringing going on in my ears.
I stumble to the fire's edge, breathing through my nose harshly.
Calm. Calm. It's over. Done with.
It's for the better, I reason. Now she might finally stay away from me. That's a good thing.
"Jeez, what's her problem?" I hear a female voice squawk, followed by boisterous laughter. I glance over to a group of young werewolves.
It's the Alpha's son and his friends. I have unfortunately become acquainted with the brat. I try to stray far away from him. Everything about him rubs me the wrong way. I only stay in place to hear what they say about my mate.
"Probably all those fantasies running a muck in her head." Nathan gushes like a dufus, "Did you guys hear? She tried to convince my dad that she saw a rogue in the woods the other day."
My body stiffens. A rogue? My mate? My mate saw a rogue?
Klepto had a run in with a rogue and I'm only just now finding out? The group continues to talk and ramble on endlessly, but I tune them out, paying them no heed.
I'm too busy imagining my hands around the Alpha's throat.
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"The fact of the matter is, Mr.Blackmore, Klepto McKay is a liar. Plain and simple." Alpha Green throws up his hands, one of which is holding a lit cigar.
He's huddled in his office chair like a whipped dog, staring up at me with beady, pleading eyes. I hate the pungent smell of his terror. I can see his fingers trembling.
I take a dangerous step towards him, letting the slowness of the movement strike more fear into him.
"I really don't care what you think she is. Whatever happened with a pack member in the past does not matter here, Green. What matters is the safety of your pack. Understand?"
My voice is low pitched and angry, I'm barely holding myself back.
"The bitch is a bottom feeding piece of scum. She makes up dirty lies to mess with me, she's never had an ounce of respect. I'm telling you, there's nothing to this whole rogue thing she's conjured up." He grumbles.
The blood in my veins in so scorching hot I feel like there's a fire underneath me, bubbling my whole body into a vicious rage.
I can't stand him talking about my mate like that. It's unbearable. A growl escapes me before I have the chance to try and stop it.
Alpha Green's face fills with terror as he tries to lean back further into his chair. This pathetic wolf is trusted to take care of a whole pack. It makes me sick.
"You sicken me." I spit, and I watch as he squirms like the worm he is.
"Well! How do you expect me to react when you're practically foaming at the mouth like some kind of rabid animal." He demands, wiping sweat from his forehead while his heart rate increases, thudding methodically in the stiff room.
"Oh, believe me, Green. When I get started, I'm a whole lot worse than a rabid animal." I draw closer, leaning over his desk, "I'm your worst nightmare."
"I know you're one for theatrics, Ezra, but this is far enough. You're going to make the little Alpha piss himself."
Hyrum. I should've known he'd follow me.
I spare him a glance over my shoulder.
"I wouldn't be surprised if he did already." The enormous lycan shakes with silent laughter at my comment, rolling his bright purple eyes.
"Can you calm him down, he's acting like a lunatic!" Alpha Green insists, and I turn to glare at him.
He's treading on dangerous territory.
"Wow, you really are brave." I say with mock surprise. I watch as he gulps, shaking his head in denial.
"Let me make this clear." I lean over so I'm face to face with the pathetic creature that is Alpha Green, "The next time you hear anything, and I mean anything, about a possible threat to this pack, you tell me first before you have any time to question it."
By the time I'm finished with my little speech, my hand is wrapped tightly around his throat. It's not exactly a death grip, but enough to get my point across.
"Ezra. Come on." Hyrum says, but I ignore him.
"Got it?" I ask, my eyes boring into Green.
After a moment of thick silence, he nods.
"Yes... yes I got it."
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