"You're not tagging along and that's final," Alex told Mia sternly, not giving room for arguments.
"You don't get to decide that," Mia retorted stubbornly. They'd been on this for almost five minutes and Alex was quickly getting tired of this bicker.
"Yes, I do," Alex responded with his eyebrows fused int a deep frown. "Now, be a good girl and return to your chambers."
He instructed, getting up from the dinning and making his way to his study. Mia sprang up and followed him.
"I just want to help and as Luna of this Pack, I should be allowed to-er, encourage." Mia wasn't backing down. She wanted to help catch the Red Moon killer and that was exactly what she was going to do.
"What the fuck do you want from me?!" Alex stopped abruptly in his tracks, turning to glare at her.
"Now we're talking," Mia said sweetly, putting on her charms.
"What I want is quite simple. Let me go with you into the woods so we can catch this bloody killer together and I promise not to get in your way." She negotiated.
"No! The last time you went with me, you almost got yourself killed and he you made me-" he bit his tongue and paused, he was going to say worry but quickly caught himself. "-You know what, this isn't up for negotiation," He said with a finality that Mia knew not to argue with him. He stalked away from her to his study.
"We'd see about that," Mia muttered silently. It was a good thing she was a pro at sneaking out.
She smirked slightly, to herself.
•••••••••••
Alex moved carefully in the woods, searching carefully for any useful trail. He was alone and loved it that way as he wasn't in anyway distracted. So far, he had not been as lucky as to detect anything and he feared he'd have to return home with no leads.
He tried to listen carefully to his surrounding and that was when he heard the crunching of leaves.
Alex turned briskly, ready to strike the intruder.
He fisted his palms and narrowed his eyes at the bushes. The person behind the bushes jumped out and his face was ridden of all its colors when he locked gazes with her.
"Surprise!" She squealed and Alex sighed heavily in annoyance.
"What part of 'I don't want you here' did you not understand?"
Alex asked, taking in her appearance.
She had on a jump suit, which accentuated her curves, making him stare a little longer at her hips. Her hair was packed in a tight ponytail. Her eyes were bright and sharp like that of a predictor, and she had strapped to her waist, a hunting knife, a well crafted bow in her hand, and a bunch of hunting arrows over her shoulders.
"All of it," She replied, grinning like the Cheshire cat and noticing the way he stared at her.
Alex snapped out of his trance and groaned, saying, "you need to go back."
"But you need me. I can feel your frustration." Mia tried to negotiate again.
"How long have you been following me?" Alex asked, resuming his furtile search.
"I wasn't." Mia was quick to join him in his search. Her eyes scanning the ground, ready to detect anything suspicious. "Just got here."
"Hmm." Alex hummed dismissively.
After that, the conversation died and Mia wracked her head for something to say. She was always uncomfortable in silence but Alex was most comfortable in them.
"So, what have you found?" She inquired but Alex ignored her obvious efforts.
"You found nothing? What a shame," Mia said dramatically. "I thought you were a pro in things like this."
Alex remained quiet, choosing rather to listen to his surrounding.
"Alex, look," Mia said in exasperation. Alex was gonna ignore again, but the edge in her voice caused him to follow her finger with his eyes.
His forehead puckered into a frown as surprise hit him when he saw a high platform clothed in what looked like... blood?
Blood!
Alex ran toward the platform quickly and was surprised to see blood, fresh blood coating a broken tree.
"The rituals took place here and not outside the Pack." Mia who had followed him quickly, pointed out.
"The Red Moon killer, is one of our own people," Alex said, feeling his blood boil.
They remained silent for a few more seconds still staring at the platform. It had once been used by his kindred as a worship center for the moon goddess during the Red Moon, but he had stopped that trend years ago because of the rituals attached to it.
But who, who dared begin a darn ritual under his watch?
Mia noticed that there wasn't any signs of a struggle and she pointed out that fact to Alex who thinned his lips in anger.
"Do you think they were unconscious while they were being killed?" She asked in hopes that they hadn't suffered much.
"I don't know," Alex replied as he descended the platform and started back into the woods, from where they came.
"Where are you going?!"
Mia jumped down after him and she whined from the sharp pain that passed through her legs. The platform was higher than it seemed when he had jumped down, he didn't even flinch and here she was, limping after him.
"Can you slow down? I'm hurt." Mia whined, limping after him.
Alex ignored her and continued walking, which got Mia upset.
"What's your problem, Al?! "
Al?
Alex released his forehead and his eyebrows went up... That name was new and he like it.
"I'm telling you to slow the hell down and tell me where we're off to!" She snarled, tailing behind him.
"We?" Alex wrinkled his nose in distaste. "There's no 'we' in this Mia. Hell, there's no 'we' in any damn thing," He retorted angrily looking back at her in annoyance.
Mai flinched slightly at the harshness in his tone, but didn't stop.
"That's where you're wrong, Mister! We are married. 'We." She emphasized the word 'we' and added, "Get used to it!"
"And besides, I'm hurt." She threw her hands up in frustration, feeling her eyes water.
"Shh!" Alex suddenly instructed, stopping in his tracks and staring into thin air.
"Don't shush me! I said I was hurt!" She stomped the same feet she claimed was hurting on the floor with a crimson face.
Alex ignored her and just when she was about to throw another tantrum, Alex dashed towards her and she hadn't even seen him move as he grabbed her out of the way of an approaching arrow headed toward her.
She screamed in shock from both the arrow and the speed at which Alex had used to save her from it with a pounding heart.
Still in his arms she stared up at him, feeling shock waves flow through her body. Shivers ran down her spine and she locked gazes with him, getting hypnotized by his beautiful blue eyes.
Her chest heaved and her chest constricted around her erratic heart. She felt tingles around her waist where he was holding and her eyes dropped to his lips.
Alex's heart picked its pace, he had felt all the emotions Mia felt but he pushed her away from his body and rubbed the back of his neck.
What the hell was that?