Chapter 12 When It Gets Too Much
Calhoun's POV
I am stunned in my seat when the whistleblower handles the whistle, because Kristen does a quick backflip and takes over the race immediately, earning screams from the crowd.
People are running beside and in front of her but the determination on her face gives out that she isn't even afraid. A few men are having a hard time running in their human form, because their wolves are threatening to surface, making it difficult for them to keep on the right track. It's a run, after all, wolves love running.
It's hard to pay attention to my wife when my mate is out there, running like her life depends on it. Before I know what's happening, my feet are moving and carrying me forward so I can take a proper view of the pack run.
They're fourteen contestants in number, eleven men and three females. The pack run has different stages and obstacles to face.
The whole world narrows and all I can recognize is my mate on the run. Kristen is the smallest and fastest. She looks so fierce and valorous as she runs, completely different from the girl that I met two nights ago. It seems as though she's enjoying this and there's this emotion surging through me, making me want to know more about her, with sex aside.
Two burly men reach the food table and Kristen is the third person. They're to sit and eat the bowls of fruits and beef on the table, including liquor, which would of course slow down a few contestants.
Natalie is a fan of pack run, she always cheers whoever she deems fit as her favorite, but now she's silent. Hasn't even made any sound.
Is it because her daughter is among the contestants? She doesn't like her running or she's sensed something happened between the two of us?
Turning my attention back to my mate, I can see her devouring her meat like a glutton. She's eating with all of her cheeks full. Seeing her like this reminds me that I am to reject her right after the pack run. And it just feels too wrong, even though I've hardened my heart to do it.
We are mated to each other.
She's mine.
I can't just let her slip off my fingers like that. There's a reason she's here.
To everyone's astonishment, Kristen finishes first and continues the race. How she was able to dawn all of that liquor reminds me of the first night we met. She had drunk several glasses of tequila and approached me to sleep with her. Something which I am skeptical she would do if she's with her clear eyes.
Kristen reaches the swimming stage and dives into the pool and swims like a fish. She's more of a good swimmer than everyone else. She gets to the end of the pool and resurfaces the water through an audible gasp, before ignoring the servants when they tried to give her towels to use in drying her body. Her fellow contestants are leaving the pool too, so she doesn't want to skip any chances.
Right now, she's still dripping with water as she runs but she doesn't seem to care. She casts a shoulder glance to see the others right behind her.
The Greyhound pack run is different from that of every other pack. Contestants don't just shift and run, there are several other activities to partake in, before the exact shifting and running. We're more advanced now, so there's a peal of excitement from the crowd when Kristen hops on the first motorcycle and starts it.
Her small shoulders are shaking along with her as drives the motorcycle, another girl is trying to overtake Kristen, jamming the side of her motorbike to Kristen's, so Kristen will fall out of line.
My fingers are curling into tight hard fists as my heart pounds heavily in my chest.
It's just so wrong to have someone do this to her, yet it cannot be stopped because they're already in the middle of the race. Shit!
No one has the right to treat my mate like that.
I can feel my body already invigorating for war, both my wolf and I are upset.
Because of what the other contestant is doing to Kristen, several other contestants pass them.
"Fuck!" I curse out loud and Natalie's head quickly swings in my direction, upon hearing this.
How come she's right here and she hasn't even cheered for her own daughter? It's not something a mother should do when her daughter is participating in a pack run. The other contestants even have their people applauding them.
When Nathalie looks away, it dawns on me that I am in no position to blame her or even feel she's in the wrong. She's not comfortable with the way I am unsteady because of the race.
Kristen on the other hand is now ahead of the other girl, she's even passed other contestants, nearing the two in front. Instead of Natalie being glad that Kristen is in front, it's the crowd. Now, I don't want to think that mother is jealous of her daughter when she had wanted Kristen to be here so badly, only just yesterday. Something doesn't seem right.
With my fist against my mouth, I tear my eyes away from the unusually quiet mother and return them to the daughter. Kristen is amazing, she overtakes the beefy men and stops in front of the huge barrier that would be passed for a mountain. The men climb ahead of Kristen because they're more powerful than she is, and then they take the form of their wolves to continue the run. This is the last stage.
Kristen's wolf is having difficulties in running Because there are thorns, wrapping around wolves and pulling them into captivity.
But Kristen's wolf is as brave as her.
Several emotions are wounding up in my chest from the sight in front of me. She's the only she-wolf in their midst since the remaining two have been captured by the thorns.
Five big wolves are ahead of Kristen right now and she's the smallest but she isn't fragile, she's running as fast as her fours can carry her.
My heart is doing dangerous backflips in my chest right now, and it's just hard to breathe properly when my mate is so close to winning this pack run.
I've never been so interested in a pack run before, but today is different.
My mate is involved and her wolf is running like it has been doing marathons all its life.
When they pass through the barrier and shift into their human form, Kristen is beginning to slack and I can tell that she's getting exhausted and requires rest.
Natalie doesn't make any move to encourage her, in fact, she hasn't spoken a word or two since she saw Kristen with the other contestants.
"Run, Kristen! Run! Don't relent when you've come this far!"
The whole place quiets down and everyone immediately turns in my direction.
Yes, it's me who just yelled.
I could not control it any longer upon seeing she's close to winning.
It's just a harmless encouragement, right? None of it gives out that we've fcked twice. Or did it? Because my shouts surpassed that of everyone.
Even Kristen is a bit taken aback, she swallows hard and glances at me.
"You can win, Kristen," my fists are clenched tightly because I am too overwhelmed by my emotions right now, I cannot even look to meet Natalie's confused and questioning gaze.
Kristen deserves to win more than everyone. She just proved that she and her wolf are better runners than anyone.
"You can do this, Kristen! You've got this!"
When my mate gets a grip on herself and continues, I hold my breath for a few seconds.
Relief finally cascades through me when she increases her pace by running better than ever before, stepping right ahead of the two men in front.
She gets to the red rope before anyone else can and the crowd burst out in cheers and jubilations.
My mate won the pack race.
She came first before everyone else.
But she's weak right now, panting and puffing out heavy breaths until she falls.
The medical team from my pack hospital is running to help Kristen, but they're still too far from her.
Jealousy embeds and flows within me when I see a few young men around her age, already on her side and trying to help her up.
None of them has the right to touch her. She's mine.
And because I cannot stand right here and let them keep holding her, I leave my position.
Silence relapses when everyone sees me running to take my mate into my arms. But I don't even care.
Nor do I pay attention to the whispers flowing around, pointing out that I abandoned my wife and went to her daughter's without permission.
"Hand her over," I bark this order to the young men but they're reluctant.
"Now!"
My authoritative command compels them to oblige without haste
I carry her in a bridal style and brush a strand of hair away from her face. Right now, I am too afraid that she's hurt herself somehow. No one else matters but just her.
And before she's announced as the winner of the Greyhound pack run, she loses consciousness.