VALERIE'S POV
'Run! Run as fast as you can. If they catch you again, no one is going to save you, b*tch!' I growled at myself as my legs hit the ground with an indescribable speed.
'Won't it be better if you just take your bicycle and ride it? Stop acting like you are some heroine getting chased by goons,' My wolf, Adele, sighed.
"I am trying to train myself to become stronger, and here you are speaking nonsense and bursting my imaginary bubble," I rolled my eyes.
"What training? Training to run faster from your problems?" Adele scoffed, and I swear if she wasn't my wolf, I would've pulled her out and talked to her with my fists.
She has been annoying me for some time now. Walking back to the tree where I had parked the bicycle, I started riding it, taking a deep breath as I enjoyed the fresh gust of wind.
Yes. That’s what I want right now.
Increasing the speed, swaying the bicycle around the trees, I grinned when I felt Adele's uneasiness again.
"Slow down, Valerie. Your senses might be strong, but we are not riding on a road. This is a forest. What if the cycle stumbles on some rock, and you lose control? We are enjoying ourselves, not racing for life," Adele reminded me, and I raised my legs from the paddles.
"Stop cursing me, you coward wolf! Wooohoooooo! Yaayyyyy!" I shouted, feeling happy and carefree after such a long time.
I have to use my freedom to the fullest. My bicycle and bike would be among the first few things that would be confiscated by Logan as soon as he returns to check up on me. Who knows when I would get to ride them again?
"Do you want to go to the lake?" I asked my wolf.
So what if she doesn't change into her wolf form? I can help her enjoy nature, no? Her presence is more than enough for me to be grateful to her. She has been with me through thick and thin and prevented me from my negative mindset for as long as I can remember. I don’t give her enough credit, but she is one of the reasons I am still living.
"Well, I was hoping to eat something, but if you insist, let's go to the lake," Adele pouted, and I rolled my eyes.
Seriously? You can just say what you want. Why are you twisting words like a pick-me girl?
Paddling the bicycle towards the lake, I looked to my side abruptly when I felt something in my peripheral vision.
Was that a wolf? I squinted my brows.
"Valerie!" Adele shouted hastily, and I looked in front, almost hitting the tree.
"Sh*t, sh*t, sh*t," I groaned as the cycle lost balance.
Damn! It was moving just fine. I groaned, moving the handle the best to gain control. Why the hell are these brakes not working? I am sure this is my wolf's doing. If she hadn't cursed earlier, nothing would've happened.
"I told you this was a bad idea. Now what?" Adele stood from her place, and I was about to hit the tree when I saw the lake at some distance.
“Just hold onto me tight, okay?” I shouted before remembering my wolf was inside me. I seriously become dumb sometimes and treat her like a different entity.
‘I can throw us in the lake. Just handle it till then,’ I nodded at myself before widening my eyes when I saw the back of a man standing there with his back to us.
"Woah! Woah! Hey. Get out of the way! This bicycle is not in control! You!" I shouted, but the speed was too fast for him to react.
Closing my eyes, expecting the worst, I opened my right eye slowly when I felt something stopping the bicycle with a jerk.
‘Nothing happened?’ I wondered before blinking furiously to make sure I wasn’t dreaming.
"Phew! That was a close call. Thank you for -" I turned to look at the person, raising my brows when my gaze met with the familiar gray eyes.
Stumbling back and falling to the ground, I looked at the person before gulping, my fast heartbeat increasing even more.
"Is this destiny?" I asked.
"Even if this is destiny, I think it's a very dirty one," The man said, and I thinned my lips.
His clothes were dirty from the mud the bicycle splashed on him. And it was all thanks to me.
"I am sorry?" It appeared more of a question than an apology, and he tilted his head.
"Do you know who I am?" He took a deep breath, probably to control his anger, and I shook my head before nodding.
"Do you or do you not?" His jaws clenched. I could see I was getting on his nerves.
"You are an Alpha," I said.
"Alpha of the Deimos Pack," He completed.
"Okay," I nodded.
"Okay? Leave it. What were you doing here?" He crossed his arms around his chest, and I honestly wasn't liking the tone he was using on me.
So what if I was a rogue? It's not like I am breaking rules or invading his pack boundaries.
"I can ask the same thing from you. As far as I remember, this is not the Deimos Pack or whatever it is. We, rogues, can roam here freely. I just moved here a couple of weeks ago, and I haven't heard of any rules, which I am breaking right now. Is it wrong to come out and have fresh air?" I narrowed my eyes.
"No. It isn't," The alpha looked at me observantly, and I was about to sigh when his next words made me pause.
"But this area has been reported for having multiple wolf attacks, and as the alpha of the nearing region, it's my duty to see the issue. Half of this forest comes into my territory. So unless you want to be one of the suspects, I hope you answer properly and stop giving me this attitude. Fresh air? You can have it all," his stare was hard, and I honestly didn't know how to refute his words.
I am sure if I added anything and annoyed this alpha more, he would not spare a chance to throw me in his dungeons.
"Haha, I was just joking. Why are you getting all serious? I am sorry for interrupting your work. I will take my leave -"
"You haven't changed into your wolf," he stated more than asked, and I nodded before standing and taking the handle of my bike.
"I haven't. I hope that gives you enough evidence why I am not into any illegal thing," I was about to start walking when he held my hand, making my heart skip a beat. Not in a good way.
"Are you going to leave me like this after dirtying everything?" He quirked his brow at me.
"What else do you want me to do? I will come to your borders and pay the compensation for the damage done by evening or tomorrow. How much is the amount?" I asked, and he stared at me for a few seconds, making me fidgety.
I don't know about this Deimos Pack.
My general knowledge was zero. I can live in a city all my life without knowing where the nearest cafe is. But even though I don't know the pack, I am sure he is one hell of a respected alpha from the aura he carries with him.
I won't call him arrogant or egotistic, but he was dangerous and not someone I would like to interact with if I wanted to have an easy life.
He is handsome and probably every girl's dream, but it's the fact that he makes my heart beat and nervous that I want to stay away from him even more.
"I don't want you to pay for anything. I am not pitiful to take money from a rogue, who is working hard to make ends meet. However, I can't go back looking like this either. I have a meeting in half an hour. Since you are on a bicycle, I think you live nearby. Can I at least wash up at your place?" He asked me.
I know what he was doing. He was deliberately asking me this to investigate me. He is suspicious of me, and though I don't blame him because I am a rogue, it still irks me.
"Fine," I said before we walked to my apartment building. It’s not like I have something to hide.
After fifteen minutes, I looked at my guest room. Should I go and check up on him? It's been 10 minutes since he left. What if he needs something? I nodded at myself before placing the juice on the table and walking to the room.
However, before I could enter, I bumped into his strong chest, stumbling back.
"Easy there," he held my arm, pulling me close, and I placed my hand on his chest to keep myself from bumping into him again.
I was a strong girl, I swear I was, but he was handling me like I was some doll. Was I so weak in front of him?
"You have a nice place," He said, making me gaze into his gray eyes, which had a whirlpool of emotions swirling in them.
"Thanks. It’s all -" My eyes went as wide as saucers when my gaze traveled down his body, shirtless with only a towel wrapped around his torso. I turned around quickly to save myself some face.
I was openly checking him out. Why does he have to be so freaking handsome? I gulped as I started feeling aroused, the image of his perfect abs and body roaming in my head.
Calm down, freaking hormones! He will smell us!
Gosh, this is so embarrassing!
"Where is your son?" The alpha asked after clearing his throat, and I took deep breaths to calm my breathing and fast-beating heart.
"He has gone to his friend's house to play," I turned to him, placing my hand over my eyes to not see him.
"You..uh... If you want spare clothes, you can use the ones in the cupboard in the room. A friend of mine had visited a week ago, and he left some clothes," I said and suddenly felt the tension in the room rising.
Is he angry? Does he think I am conspiring with another rogue friend of mine? Should I tell him that it's not the case?
"Well, that friend -" I turned around before pausing when I didn't see him.
After fifteen minutes, he returned with a black shirt and pants that fit him.
"These are quite a fit. Your friend has a good build," The alpha said, and I smiled.
"Of course, he has. Sadly he is not my mate, or I would've banged him by now. It's a pity -" I stopped my shameless blabbering when I realized I wasn't talking to my friend but to an Alpha who could snap my neck any moment for any false crime.
"Juice?" I looked at him awkwardly, and he glared at me before walking out of the apartment, closing the door with a bang.
I don't know what his problem was, but I know if I want to stay alive, I have to stay clear of him. I sighed before walking to the guest room where his washed clothes were.
He was a gentleman by not letting me wash them. I will dry them and hand the pack borders on the clothes while on the run. I sighed.