Already Mine

Bella's Pov

“This is scary…” she said, out of breath.

As her hands slowly reached out to take Arnold's. She felt a light sensation on her palm as her fingers touched his. And she stood up with suprising ease as he raised her up with one hand.

“I know…” he replied, smiling. His body slowly turning back into human form.

“It's amazing, and not everyone knows about it…” he said, moving his eyes to the lake.

And Bella stared at it too, craning her head to get a better view. But then frowning as a thought came to mind…

“But…” Bella wondered curious. “But why did you show it to me?”

And Arnold turned back to her now. His hair falling across his face and his smile becoming gentle and soft. “It was something I just felt you should know…” he said. “Because the lake only helps pure souls, and your energy is unique…”

Bella was immediately flustered. Her cheeks going red in embarrassment. As Arnold suddenly held her closer with their noses almost touching.

“Very unique…” he said again, as his calm smile suddenly grew eerie. His hands now sliding down her back and to her waist.

Bella was uncomfortable as Arnold's pupils dilated, and he strangely puckered his lips. Her mind immediately ran back to the previous possibilities it held towards him. As her eyes widened in terror realising they might be true. And she shoved herself away from him. Her hands pushing against his rock hard chest as she moved backwards.

“Yeah…thanks…” Bella said, feeling weird now. “Thanks for letting me know. No one's ever told me that before…”

“Well, I'll tell you more often…” Arnold replied instantly, moving forward and raising a suggestive brow, with his weird smile growing wider. He was closing the gap between Bella and himself. And Bella was not having it.

“I'll need to get back to the farm now…”

“We're already at the farm…” he said, spreading his arms, gesturing. “Everywhere around you for miles is the Alpha's vegetable garden…” he chuckled.

But Bella didn't smile at the passing joke. Her stomach only queased as she was starting to get scared. In her head wondering why she had followed him without anyone knowing she did?

“I know…” she said, scratching an itch that didn't exist. “I just want to get back to the others…” her voice cradled out, now shaky.

“Well you can stay here with me…” Arnold pressured, taking another step forward.

And Bella now had already gone past the gates of uneasy and was on her way down the hallway of worried panic. Her heart slowed to a single beat trying to process the actual reason this Arnold had brought her here?...

“I'm hungry…” she said suddenly, rubbing her belly in an excuse, yet telling the truth simultaneously.

But Arnold only smiled and reached into a pouch she hadn't noticed he was carrying. Then shockingly brought out a slab of venison?…

He whipped out a knife, spun it in his hands and expertly sliced a piece, then returned the main course to the bag; handing the cut out slender to her with a smile still plastered across his face.

“Here…” he said, reaching a hand.

And Bella was dumbfounded as she stared at the meat. She held it in her hands and was surprised at its warmth. It seemed freshly cooked, and she looked from it to his face. Now confused wondering if he had brought her here prepared?

She was truly hungry and the smell that rose from the medium rare muscled morsel was hard to pass on. As she ate the whole thing in a hurried splurge. Belching as it went all the way down her throat.

“Sorry…” she apologised, embarrassed and wiping sauce from her lips.

“Oh, it's nothing…” Arnold encouraged, his smile now strangely dissipating. “We all just get super hungry sometimes…’’ he said, shrugging.

And for the first time he actually turned his back on her and his face completely away from her. His head going to the ground almost in a slump. As he released a sigh.

“I've been hungry too…” he confessed sharply. Taking Bella off guard.

“And for almost a week…” he continued. Biting his lip now, in a tsk as he took a short glance at the sky.

Bella now frowned confused. Her brows furrowed as she stared at him standing still, his broad shoulders still raised but drooping slightly. He faced the ground like he had lost a coin in the sand and was now searching for it. At the back of his mind knowing it was already gone.

“That venison is actually from the King's table…” he explained, head down. “The leftovers actually…” he added, solemn.

“Out here we're only given some potatoes and gravy… not much nutrients, and not much in the plate either…”

“So you steal?...” Bella asked, deducing.

“No…” he replied sharp. His head turning sideways but his body still facing forward.

Yet he didn't answer the question. He only took a side glance at Bella and then turned back again towards the lake. His left hand rolling over to the pouch and holding it like a sacred artifact. As his head raised up to the sky that was now a golden hue.

He remembered how the weather was in this pack. And how it could be strange… How in the west it could be night time and in the east it would still be early afternoon…

And he loved yet hated the sky because of this…

A conflict that had always been there since he was a child. But stuck with him when he got scolded by his mother; for running all the way from their home to the other side of the pack area, just to see the great divide. Where on one side the sun stood shining, and on the other, the moon floated beaming…

His mind wandered now to how it was already evening in the west. Where the Alpha's chambers stood. And if he would go scavenging again tonight?...

But he paused his thoughts as he now decided to fully answer Bella:

“I don't steal…” he said, with his jaw suddenly clenching into stone.

“I only take what's already mine…”