Chapter 57 Like he was touching me with just his eyes.

Chapter 57 Like he was touching me with just his eyes.


Arel

I heard something moving in the bushes. A small animal making muffled sounds.

By the smell alone, I knew it was a rabbit. Rogue started creeping forward nice and slow. Careful with every step. Then he jumped. Caught it. Sunk his fangs right into its neck.

Snapped it dead in one second.

Easy catch.

I let the rabbit hang from my teeth while I walked lazy toward the packhouse. Still in wolf form. It was almost noon. I had been running for the last two hours. Was not planning to hunt. But the sudden want to snap something just took over when the chance came.

Sleep would not come last night. Same as all the other nights since she almost rejected me.

That heavy feeling inside me would not go away. Even after all these days.

This morning, I let my wolf out. We needed air.

My Beta told me everything Leona said about me yesterday. She must really hate me now if she feels that way. I have no one else to blame. But do I even have a choice? She made it sound like I was enjoying this whole mess.

I miss her. But it hurt that she thinks I am playing with her. Maybe it looks like that from the outside. But that was never what I wanted.

Side chick? What the fuck?!

The moment she walked back into my life, I did not even think about having other women around. The only person she is competing with is me and this curse that keeps hunting me. But I know I need to fix things soon. This has gone on way too long already.

Then I looked at the dead animal in my mouth.

And I knew exactly what to do with it.

A smile pulled at my mouth as I shifted back to my human form. Grabbed the dead rabbit by the neck. Walked straight to the packhouse completely naked.

No one is usually around the packhouse at noon. And even if they were, I would not care.

I was lost in my own thoughts. Not paying attention to anything around me as I walked the path next to the house. Then I heard someone scream. Then some muffled laughing and people talking low.

My eyebrows pulled together at the noise. But before I could turn my head toward it, I caught her smell.

When I looked left, I saw Leona just standing there. Frozen in place. Colored paper lanterns were scattered all around her on the ground. She must have dropped them when she saw me naked.

A cocky grin spread across my face. My dick started waking up just from looking at her. I could not help but enjoy how innocent she looked right then.

My sweet innocent mate.

Her face was all red. But before I could say anything, she turned toward the women giggling a few feet behind her.

"Turn around!!" She yelled at them. Her voice had anger in it. And jealousy too.

Chloe and Glaiza turned their backs right away and went back to what they were doing. Still trying not to laugh.

Leona looked at me again. Her breathing was heavy and her face was still burning red.

I did not even try to hide my smirk as I walked toward her. But she stepped back. Put a lot of space between us.

She was bothered by me being naked.

She turned her head away and would not look at me. "You need to go. It is very indecent to walk around naked even if you are the Alpha here!" Her voice cracked while she swallowed hard.

"Everyone here walks naked sometimes. We are shifters. Do you really think it is indecent, or do you just not want them looking at me?"

She snapped her head back to face me. Tilted her chin up so she was only looking at my face. "Think whatever you want! Now go!" She pointed her finger toward the packhouse while glaring at me.

I shrugged like I did not care. Laid the dead rabbit at her feet. Then walked away.

"It is for you," I said without looking back.

"What? What am I supposed to do with this?" I heard her call after me. Then her footsteps running up behind me. "Take it away. It is bloody dead!"

She grabbed my hand and spun me around. Then she realized I was still naked. My dick pointing right at her.

"Oh my Goddess! Can you go now?! Go!!!" She walked away fast. But not before I saw her face turn that deep red again.

I laughed an easy laugh and ran inside the packhouse.

At least I saw her today. And I hope she figured out what I meant when I left that dead rabbit for her.



Leona

The day started early for me, Chloe, and Glaiza. We ran all over the place making sure we had everything for Dad's party tomorrow night.

At least I had something to keep my mind busy.

The only bad part? The place we were setting up was right outside the packhouse. And I knew I could see him at any moment. I was not sure if I was ready for that yet.

The girls and I were untangling the rope for the paper lanterns. We wanted to hang them from the tree branches around the area. After we got a few fixed up, I left them and took four lanterns with me so I could start hanging while they kept working on the rest.

I was walking toward the next tree when I heard movement in the bushes a few feet away. Leaves rustling. Footsteps getting closer. I just ignored it. Warriors had been coming and going all morning. I thought this was the same thing.

Only it was not.

With my head down, the first thing I saw was a barefoot man. A dead rabbit dangling by his side. And that smell. The one that makes my head spin.

I knew who he was before I even looked up.

I took a deep breath and tilted my head up to finally see my mate.

And I was shocked.

He was completely naked. Walking around like he did not even notice me. Heading toward the packhouse.

I did not even get a good look at his face. My eyes went straight down to his cock before I could stop myself. I jumped back without meaning to. Let out a surprised scream.

This was not the first time I saw it. I already knew it was big and kind of mesmerizing. But seeing it in broad daylight. In a very public place. That still shocked me.

My scream got Chloe and Glaiza's attention. They started whispering and laughing behind their hands. My face went red. But not from embarrassment. From jealousy.

How dare he walk around naked like that? And he seemed to love the attention.

In the end, he walked away after I told him to put some clothes on. But he left me with a dead rabbit. And I swear to the Goddess, I almost threw up just looking at it.

I know we are wolves. I know this might be normal for some people. But I lived with humans. I never had a dead rabbit just sitting in front of me before. It was bloody. And it smelled bad.

I have not even let Rain go out to hunt yet.

This was so disgusting. What was he playing at? Was he making fun of me?

I stood there staring at the dead rabbit. Trying to think of how to get rid of it. I know Dad would love to cook something from it. But there was no way I was carrying that thing home.

"Oh my Goddess! The Alpha gave you a dead animal!!" Chloe screamed behind me. Her hands grabbed my shoulders while she looked at the rabbit.

"What is so exciting about that? You can have it if you want." I rolled my eyes and picked up the lanterns I dropped on the ground.

"It is how wolves used to court the women they liked. An old way of doing things. People do not really do it anymore. Maybe because everyone just hooks up now. Or because of mates." She explained. Her eyes went from me to the dead rabbit.

"What do you mean? I do not get it." My nose scrunched up. I was so confused.

"Hunting was sacred for wolves. It shows we are above other wild animals. The animals we kill are like trophies." She kept explaining while helping me hang the lanterns. "The fact that they gave it to the woman they liked means they put that woman higher than any trophy. It is an honor to receive one. Especially from an Alpha." Her eyes lit up as she looked at me. "I need to ask Silas to hunt one for me!" She added with a happy little squeal.

"Oh my Goddess! The Alpha wants you, Leona! Do you like him? I can not believe you are going to be our Luna!" Glaiza ran over and attacked me with a hug. Jumping up and down like a little kid.

I was still confused. But I let her keep going while my mind tried to understand what they were saying.

Did he mean it that way? Or did he just want to get rid of the dead rabbit?

I bit my lower lip and looked up toward his bedroom window. Not sure what I would find there.

But he was there. Watching me.

Staring like he could see right through me. And goosebumps ran all over my skin. Tingles too. Like he was touching me with just his eyes.