452- The Alpha's Orders
POV Thalyndra Moonclaw:
"That's not how it works, and you know that very well."
"Does that mean you're going to keep bringing me dead animals?" I asked in a shrill tone, my heart almost leaping out of my mouth.
He looked at me through his long lashes.
"That means I don't have much choice; if I feel in my core that I need to, I'll have to follow that urge."
I brought my hands to my lips.
"Heavens! Why are you, I mean, is he doing that?"
"I don't know."
"You don't know? I thought you were raised to yield to instincts."
He laughed in scorn.
"We're not raised for anything, Thalyndra. We learn to hunt as pups; we eat raw meat to appreciate the taste of fresh food, but nothing beyond that. We follow our instincts by our own will; there's not much to be taught or learned; it's part of who we are. You're the one who was oppressed by living with humans, that's why you can't contain your beast's urges when it reacts without you wanting it to."
"I wasn't... oppressed; I just didn't need to hunt or eat raw meat when I had so many supermarkets around the house," I considered. "Or fast food, which was even better, since it came ready-made."
He rolled his eyes.
"My wolf is reacting to your wolf, whether out of interest or protection, since I was put in charge of your safety. I can't say; I just know I can't control it."
I would leave that pack traumatized if I woke up every day with some dead and dismembered animal on my doorstep, but I understood Anton.
"Fine, I just hope it happens much less frequently."
He winked at me.
"There will come a time when you won't resist and you'll give in; you'll taste fresh meat and then regret not having done it sooner. It's in your nature; you can try to deny it all you want; it's useless."
I shot him a tired look, rolling my eyes in disdain.
"I hope that when that time comes, some very powerful and great hunter alpha is around to feed me." I let out an ironic laugh, provoking.
He let out a low growl, revealing his sharp teeth, and took a threatening step in my direction. His movements were animalistic, calculated, and silent. He looked like Anton, yet at the same time, he looked like an animal.
My heart raced in a frantic rhythm, and my breathing became ragged. He scared me, but he also... excited me. It was hard to understand amid the confusion of feelings that assailed me.
"No one will ever hunt for you besides me. Never dare to raise such a possibility again, understand?"
I nodded, agreeing.
"Fine, no problem at all."
I wasn't expecting to eat anything that wasn't cooked, anyway. If his wolf felt more comfortable thinking he would be the only one to hunt for me, then so be it.
His fingers around the rabbit's feet were whitened by the force he wielded. He had gotten truly angry, as if the mere possibility offended him.
It was easier to deal with humans than with wolves.
He blinked, seeming to come back to himself, and walked toward the front door, moving away from me.
"I'm going to clean the rabbit for dinner; are you going to stay here?"
I agreed, holding the book close to my body.
"The weather is pleasant."
"Right." He shot me one last look before disappearing inside the house.
That had been, at the very least, unsettling and... absurdly sexy.
I just couldn't understand why I liked it so much.
Maybe Anton was right; I didn't know how to understand what my instincts screamed, and I would need to learn to deal with the two wills that inhabited me.
...
I wandered through the forest, hoping I was heading in the right direction. The cell service wasn't very good in the area, and I was far too deep in the woods to connect to any Wi-Fi.
My sense of direction wasn't one of my strongest qualities, but I knew how to take care of myself, so I was counting on that.
I stopped walking and placed my hands on my hips. Looking from side to side, I found nothing but trees and more trees.
I knew there was a town nearby. It was the same place where they went to buy supplies they couldn't obtain within the pack. And it was exactly where I needed to go.
Anton had given me an excellent idea a few days ago without even realizing it.
Books.
That's what I needed.
Not Lunara's romance novels, either.
If I could devote my time in Eldoria to studying, I wouldn't feel as though I were merely existing and waiting for the days to pass. As my father always said, the more knowledge I acquired, the better I would become.
Besides books, I needed new clothes.
I hadn't packed my suitcase expecting to be trapped in the same place for the rest of my life. I had assumed I would have access to stores. I'd only brought the essentials to last a few days.
Nothing more.
I rolled my eyes and huffed.
Being kidnapped had never been part of my plans.
I considered it.
I could have asked someone for help or directions, but since I considered myself self-sufficient and wasn't sure what answer I would receive, I decided to go on my own.
I closed my eyes and flared my nostrils, scenting the air.
I could smell the animals that had wandered nearby. The citrus scent of eucalyptus prickled my nose. The earth was still slightly damp from the previous day's rain.
And nothing else.
I let out a heavy sigh.
There was no sign of the distinctive scent of humans or of industrialized food—unhealthy, but ridiculously delicious.
I hadn't walked that far yet. I was probably still a long way from the town.
I only wanted to get my bearings and find the right direction.
I didn't even want to think about wandering into one of the neighboring packs.
I knew there were two others in the region, led by Edric's older brothers.
So I decided to keep walking in a straight line.
I moved at a brisk pace, crushing the dry branches that littered the forest floor beneath my feet.
A branch snapped behind me.
I jumped aside and spun around instantly, preparing to confront whoever it was.
A man emerged from behind one of the tree trunks, unarmed and completely unconcerned as he walked toward me.