The festivities had all died down by the end of the next day. I prided myself on being scarce at the event to avoid any more contact with both Hazel and Alpha Sage.
Wearing a sports bra and spandex tights, I shrugged on a pair of trainers, wrapped my hair into a messy bun, and headed for a jog in the woods.
Running for miles into the woods down the path that led out of the pack lands into the next neighboring clan, I stopped to catch my breath, my gaze still lingering on the open road when I contemplated a thought.
"Thinkin' of running away?"
A fruity voice echoed from nearby, sending a panic jolt through me. Turning instantly on my feet, a silhouette moved from behind one of the trees, and I stood face to face with the guy the alpha had called Zade.
"Are you stalking me?"
"Oh, please." He rolled his eyes, fiddling with a strand of leaf. He adjusted the brown leather jacket he had on, his black pants highlighting his skinny thighs.
"I'm just checkin' on you to make sure you're safe. Wouldn't want another little mistake like last night to happen now that you're the alpha's."
I frowned as he spoke like I was some property or asset. "I'm no one's. And definitely not your alpha's."
He chuckled cynically, stalking in my direction, and I'd surmised he wasn't going to leave me alone anytime soon. Slowly but steadily, he approached me with feline grace. The way he walked was a clear hint that he wasn't any kind of shifter I've met, and definitely was no wolf.
"Look, you don't need to go around trying to protect me like I'm some damsel in distress."
"No? I also don't have the time to prioritize your safety over my peace and quiet, but you're family. I have no choice." He scrutinized me for a few seconds. "I hear you have no animal. That's unusual."
I sighed, already used to people's comments on my lack of wolf, reeling on my feet. I took fast strides toward the direction that led to the lake where I'd almost been murdered. My attempts to evade him seemed pretty impossible because he kept catching up with me.
"I'm Zade, by the way. What's your name?"
"Isla."
"Sounds like my grandma."
I laughed momentarily before making a snide remark, "Does your grandma also tell you that you're very infuriating?"
"I get that, a lot. I'm the Alpha's beta, in case you're wondering. I'm not his son, he's never had a wife, mate or mistress." I could hear the amusement in his voice. He was enjoying taunting me.
His words fed my curiosity. Not that I had any interest in finding out about any other personal information about the alpha, but I couldn't help the slight relief I felt when I heard he'd never been mated. Not that I cared if Zade was his son or not.
"Didn't ask."
He laughed like I'd said the most comical thing in the world. Stepping right in front of me, I could see the bright colors of his eyes, grey with flecks of gold. Instantly they shifted to emerald, holding a feral slit.
"I don't care what you do, but if you put the alpha in any kind of danger, I'll hunt and kill you myself."
His voice had shifted from playful to cold, almost like his voice had mingled with that of whatever animal he was, and he chilled me to the bones.
"It's your alpha who's a danger to me. I don't want any attention to myself, so would you please leave me alone? I want nothing to do with any of you, so let me be."
His eyes changed back to their usual color, and his lips curled back in a smug grin. Regarding me with one last look, he walked away, disappearing into the woods.
★★★
Changing into a small dress, I smiled at the lady of the kitchen as she gave me my own servings of the roasted lamb rack and porridge. I slid into one of the empty seats in the hall, ready to eat, when the alpha suddenly emerged from behind me.
"Hello, little wolf," he purred.
"What do you want?"
Settling himself into the seat right in front of me, he grabbed a hold of my hand, placing a soft kiss on it.
"What puts you in a foul mood?"
I snatched my hand back to myself when his fingers began to trail circles on them. I didn't want his touch to linger any more than necessary when a lot of eyes suddenly glanced in our direction. I could tell they were curious to know why the alpha's younger brother had chosen to sit with me or hold my hands.
"Did he not pass you my message?"
"Who?"
He arched a brow, confusion clearly plastered on his gorgeous face. I noticed he was nearly shaved, his muscles strained against the plaid shirt that looked way smaller on his body as they clung to him like a second skin.
"Zade." I shrugged.
"Believe me, whatever he said or did was of his own accord."
What games was the moon goddess playing at? Pitching me against a powerful man as the rogue alpha. I tried to tell myself he was being sincere, that for once I should just ignore that sense of judgment that probed at my conscience to tell me I was in for a shit ton of pain if I let myself get carried away.
"I don't want the likes of you paying me any attention. I am grateful you had to be dragged into my public humiliation, but you really didn't have to. I'm pretty sure you wouldn't have if you didn't have this sudden perception that I was your mate."
His countenance shifted, hints of anger visible in them. I knew I'd hit the wrong button.
"You know, you could just say thank you. And I would still have done it even if you weren't my mate. I don't care what you think about me or my perception, but you know next to nothing about me. You think I spent the better parts of my years going around to deceive women with the ruse of a mate bond? Don't make this harder than it already is."