A/N: Notice the chapter starts out with a part in the PAST and then goes to the PRESENT.
[1] Subdued
The first time Mia met Samuel it was an accident on her part.
Her parents had recently bought a cabin by the woods, a suppose 'gift' to their grandmother, but in reality it was a chance to spend money on it without feeling guilty. Credit card debt was awaiting their payment after all, but her outdoorsy parents could not give up the chance to purchase the rinky dink space. It was small, old, and covered in numerous layers of dust.
Even the front door didn't have a proper lock, any intruder could enter without a knock. (A lock is easy to fix, honeybun. Watch your Papa work.) So far, the main intruders to the house seemed to be bugs and a small variety of squirrels. Talk about a whole roof-to-floor remodeling. The place needed all the help it could get, and Mia would gladly take no part of it. Which is why her sophomore-year-self ventured into the surrounding wood area while her parents were hard at work.
She had some rope in her hand, a net, and a variety of other supplies in her bookbag. Most important of all her camera. Being in girl's scouts made her appreciate the outdoors, today she would make good use of it by exploring this part of the forest and catching a rabbit.
Mia took great care as she set up the trap. Since their cabin was located near the main streets she had to travel considerate time to reach a denser area. Her sharp eyes could decipher tale-tell signs of animal life here, if she was lucky it wouldn't take long before she caught her prey.
She placed an apple in the center of the trap, spraying some apple cider vinegar around the area to further accentuate the apple smell while clearing it of the human scent. After setting it up, she walked off to explore the plants on the opposite side.
It was broad daylight, she had nothing to fear as she ventured even deeper. She caught sight of a beautiful white trillium. It was a lone one but the further she went the more clusters she saw of the white flowers. Mia took her camera out to snap photos. The angle of the light as it filtered through the trees made them look gloriously majestic.
Help!
Mia paused, looking around her. Did she just hear someone asking for help? The area around her remained deathly quiet. How odd.
Please help me!
She stood straight, placing her camera in her bag. That was definitely not her imagination. It sounded strange, almost as though it weren't coming from the outside. Trusting her gut instinct, she fled to where she felt she heard the voice coming. Oddly enough, it was leading her back to the place she made a trap.
Her jaw dropped as she saw—not a rabbit hanging from the tree, but a small wolf in her net.
"Oh my gosh!" she cried, eyes growing wide. She had never seen a wolf in person before, only in pictures. Judging by the size of it, it had to be a young one.
Please help me get down here.
Mia's jaw dropped. Did that—? Did that wolf just talk to her? "Are you talking?!"
Yes, I saw an apple and ended up here. They told me not to go into these parts of the woods, I just wanted to explore. He said sadly, a wolfish whine escaping his lips. This one she could hear with her own ears. So then how did she hear him talk otherwise?
Something was wrong with her.
Throwing all precautions away, Mia threw her bag down and searched for her knife. The tree was massive and very large, not to mention it lacked branches that would help her climb. She would have to cut the rope in order to release him. "I'll have you down in a few minutes," she promised, searching for the part of the trap she could cut to let him down gently.
Just as she stood to start, a large figure darted into her periphery. She watched in frozen shock as he climbed the tree using his bare hands and feet until the very top. After grabbing the wolf, he ripped the rope into pieces. Mia could only gaze in wonder. A rope like that took time to break apart, even with a knife. That this boy could do it with his bare hands astounded her.
He climbed back down with ease despite having one less hand. When he reached the bottom, his black eyes assaulted her with rage. "What do you think you're doing, you're trespassing private property." He hissed, coming onto her.
Mia took a step back, instantly recognizing him. It was Samuel Pierce, one of her school's most wanted boys. At sixteen years old he was as tall and developed as the average senior. No one messed with him, not even the rambunctious football players. Everyone assumed it was because he was strong, but Mia knew the true reason.
He was downright scary.
He rarely smiled to the student population. Always so focused on his studies and only interacting with his selective group of friends. Mia had always watched them from afar, their group always interested her yet she wisely stayed away. While his friends were friendly, they never made deep friendships with those outside of them. They were so exclusive it made everyone want to know more about them.
At the moment his eyes were doing strange things, all she wanted to do right now was run away.
"I-I'm s-sorry I didn't mean to trespass I was just—"
"Trying to kill a wolf?" He interrupted, looking at her knife with disgust. He snatched it from her hand and threw it behind him without looking back. Her eyes widened as the blade landed dead in the center of the tree.
"No! I was going to release him. I only meant to catch a rabbit I promise! I only like to catch things, I don't kill them." She said hurriedly, taking another step back.
He glared at her. Mia felt as though her legs would collapse beneath her. It was clear he didn't believe a word she said. "If I find you in these parts again, I won't hesitate to contact the authorities. Get out." He seethed, causing her skin to burn.
Without a moment's hesitation, she grabbed her opened bag and ran.
PRESENT
Mia scribbled on the sheet of paper, her neat hand writing filling the page as she answered the assignment before her. Committing to college online this semester was one of the best things she could have done for herself emotionally. Mentally, it was a different ballgame altogether. More readings. More assignments. More due dates. Yet...the additional workload was worth it.
It meant she would avoid seeing him.
Like fish who swim back to familiar waters, her mind dove to past memories of them together. What hurt most was how her heart so foolishly always sought the good ones. The ones they would laugh, and smile, and dance together. Why was it so reluctant to remember the pain he inflicted a mere two months ago?
Shaking herself out of her reverie, Mia refocused back to the work at hand. This particular homework was not due until tomorrow but she had worked hard to finally be ahead. She couldn't allow herself to fall behind again. With renewed vigor, she poured herself into the task.
Her fake bravado could only last four sentences, for after that she could write no more and her head hurt.
Placing her pen down she sighed. Her eyes wandered around the small library. Eventually, they fell onto him. Another him. She escaped one man only to be close to another. Unlike the other one, this one was a monster.
He himself was busily typing on the computer screen. He was always so productive and hardworking. It bothered her how it was so easy for him to delve into his work no matter what chaos went on in his life.
The mahogany desk he utilized was rather large and sturdy, but with his brawny stature it looked like a frail cardboard imitation.
Perhaps the desk wasn't much the problem as much as he was the problem. He was too dark, too scary, too... ominous.
"Did anyone ever teach you manners? It's not polite to stare."
His deep voice spoke quietly but it still made her jump. She looked away in embarrassment, purposely fixing her gaze on the window that happened to be in the opposite side. Far, far away from him. She would have probably said something snarky, but today she felt subdued.
Weremen were so unpredictable. He probably knew she had been staring at him for a while now but his unmoving eyes on the computer screen would never let you know he had noticed.
That was another thing that bothered her about Samuel Pierce. Or as his pack so fondly called him 'Saurus'. Not only was he unkind and rude, but he had an excellent talent for making people feel unwanted. At least when it came to her, and she had no idea why.
Well—maybe she did.
There was the reason he claimed. And then there was the new additional reason. The other one they both knew but he would never admit and she would never bring up to him because, well, it was a sensitive topic to bring up to a scary dude.
The outside weather was not calm. By the way the trees swung to one side and the leaves whirled in frenzied movement she knew it was precariously windy.
Perhaps... she could take a break from her homework and just sit outside. The hazardous wind attracted her. The earthly chaos would be a welcome distraction from the inner turmoil she housed inside.
Why can't I just get over him.
Her grandmother was wise in suggesting she go back to her hometown. Dark Falls varied greatly from city life. Even so, she did have to admit that coming back home certainly soothed the ache in her heart. Being housed by the weremen pack was a deviation from her original plan. She had intended to stay at her grandmother's cabin in the woods.
Nonetheless, the moment Samantha heard she was back home the werewoman did not cease to knock on her doorway for three days straight, insisting she spend the entire semester at her home because, well, she missed her, and Mia couldn't lie that she missed Samantha too. Not to mention, the woods weren't safe now. They had caught over three Corcorus wolves in the last two months and that was high for these areas. It wasn't safe to be alone, especially a human like her who housed matura.
"You're their ideal prey." She would bait her. "I really don't want to see my high school best friend die."
It was a joke of course, but the truth contained in it could not be ignored. It just sucked that her Alpha was rather moody since the moment she got here. They never had a friendly past when they were in high school and it seemed to have transferred to adulthood. It was back to the usual: variations from ignoring her like an insignificant object, to glaring at her in inconspicuous times. They still argued like they did before. Maybe a lot of times it was her fault, maybe it wasn't. Either way, clearly the man had no manners.
Coming to her decision, Mia stood up from her seat to exit. It would only be for fifteen minutes. That's all she needed to clear her head and then she would come back.
Leaving her things on the table, she made her way to the door.
"You didn't finish."
Mia paused midway. This time when he spoke he wasn't looking at the screen. His black eyes were so dark she never knew what hid behind their depths. Whenever he feasted them on her it always felt like he was seeing through her.
"I'm just taking a break. I'll be back to complete my work." Why did he even care? It's not like her finishing school assignments affected him in any way.
Samuel's facial expression remained carefully blank. He had changed much since high school. Already he had been quite the reluctant heartthrob of the school and it seemed his good looks never left him but instead heightened.
He was taller. Broader. With facial hair that only added to his already withdrawn persona. But he was only withdrawn with her. With his pack, she'd seen him be the perfect leader. Fair. Loyal. No respecter of persons. Kind, even.
"I fail to see the novelty in stopping midway."
He was criticizing her again, she knew it. Mia sighed. Him and his stupid archaic language. "I'll be back. It won't be left unfinished."
Why did she always have to defend herself, justify all her actions? He must secretly enjoy prodding her. It was just his luck she was feeling non-confrontational today. It also didn't help that when Samuel suggested something—even imply it—she had a tendency to want to obey him.
Stupid Alpha weremen and their inherent power of influence. Even if he wasn't actively using it on her, it was a part of him that would affect anyone, part of his pack or not.
Samuel's attention shifted back to the computer. He was probably busy doing all the paperwork he couldn't fit in the morning. He was back to ignoring her as though she were inconsequential.
Just as she reached the door he spoke again. "Outside is dangerous. Don't stay out for long." His voice was void of concern. Mia knew he said this out of his predetermined characteristic of looking out for those under his roof.
Even so, she felt goosebumps rise in her arms. He knew she was going outside in this weather without her telling him. He always seemed to know what she was thinking. Alphas don't have mind reading powers. No one does. It meant he was paying more attention to her than she thought.
Samuel's wolf was just as scary as he was, and it had nothing to do with his appearance, though his massive form would send any little kid crying at the sight.
No. It had all to do with the way he stood. His hinds straight and head high as if he were the perfect warrior.
It bothered her that he wasn't black. Black like his partner's soul. No. Instead he had to be a warm, rich brown that looked warm and inviting. Everything Samuel wasn't. She'd always wanted to touch his wolf but was too afraid to dare.
He would bite me.
She was sure he would, no doubt about it. If its owner hated her he was sure to hold a semblance of hatred her too. Wolves were always a similar embodiment of their bonded weremen masters. While being a separate entity, they still managed to exude similar characteristics.
Rex was no different.
His name fit him so perfectly. He looked every bit the disastrous animal, only he contained it in an equally cold exterior that mirrored his partner.
The wolves always stayed outside. They had a natural affinity for the outdoors and could not be bothered to be encased in a closed home for long. Not like weremen could. If the weather was especially stormy or rainy, they may decide to stay under the roof covering that extended from the pack's massive home. Notwithstanding, it was not uncommon to see them still frequent the nearby caves and find shelter there.
Which is why Rex's presence here was odd.
The wind blasted across her face, whipping her hair in all directions. She was the only one outside at this time of night enduring the weather. The breeze was biting and dried her skin, but even so the loud sounds and powerful movements made her feel accepted.
Today was suppose to be their two-year anniversary.
Mia didn't consider herself a particularly disastrous person, so when her college ex-boyfriend left her two-months ago in the name of 'I want to explore more options' all she did was cry and feebly accept his rejection. She hadn't screamed. She hadn't thrown things around in her anger. Not like she wanted to.
It was crazy that she had these urges, because it wasn't as though Kevin deserved any of it. He hadn't cheated or done something questionable. He did the honorable thing by not leading her on. Unfortunately, her emotions were not on the same page. She had all this pent up frustration that wanted to be released.
Pathetic.
Somehow, the wild weather spoke for her in ways she hadn't been able to. It displaced everything that could be shaken, but whatever was firmly rooted stayed in place. Kevin hadn't been one of them.
Rex's eyes were not as dark as his partner's, they were more of a golden hue. He was meters away from her at the edge of the forest that surrounded the home.
Go back inside, human.
Mia huffed. The few times Rex spoke to her it was never mean or derogatory. Not like his companion. He was no less bossy though.
"I don't want to," she whispered. "I only planned to stay for fifteen minutes, not too long." She added, hoping to stall him.
I heard you've been out here for forty.
Mia frowned. Had that much time really passed? It really hadn't felt like it. She would have protested, or even ignored him, but similar to Samuel, Rex made you want to do what he asked. So she did.
When she returned to the study Samuel didn't once look up to acknowledge her, very much immersed in his work. She knew better than to think he was unaware of his surroundings though.
It amazed her to think he was so thorough as to contact his wolf to force her back inside. If he went through such lengths in ensuring the safety of a woman he disliked, how much more for someone he loved?
It piqued her curiosity. She wondered how he treated his previous near-mate. Did he hug her? Kiss her? It was impossible to picture him doing such things. Even when he was kind, he maintained respectful distance from females, women and werewomen alike.
She always wondered what Samuel Pierce was like before he was scorned.
A/N: OMG super excited for this new story! In this story the weremen and the wolf are SEPARATE. See them as two distinct entities. This wolf story will be different so just go with the flow.
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