The Hunter's Alpha

25 Consequence

Amber

"Fine. I'll do it."

He was shaking with the exertion of holding back the wolf inside him. He looked as exhausted as I felt, and everything in me cried to make it better, to soothe his pain.

"No, don't!" I didn't know what I wanted, but it wasn't this! Some deep part of me was desperate at the idea he might reject me.

"What choice is there? Sarah's right."

"No."

"You don't care, and I can't be the one who traps you again."

"I—"

"I, Alpha Devon Wilson, of—"

I panicked and rushed forward towards him and grabbed his arm. My fingers burned where I touched him. He looked down at me and misery and confusion were clear in his eyes. I tried to find the right words. "I don't want you to reject me. Don't do it. I do care, okay?"

"You..."

"I was lying." Maybe to myself as much as to him.

He closed his eyes as he inhaled a ragged breath. "This is your last chance to run. I'm not sure I'll be able to make myself let you if you don't go now."

I released his arm and stepped back. "I still need to leave. I left things unfinished. But...I'll come back, if you want."

He swallowed and raked his hand through his hair again. "Can I at least send guards?"

I nodded. I was done fighting this thing. "Or...you could come? If you have time."

He opened his eyes again. They were still swirling, a mix of gold and grey. He was tense. "Are you sure?"

I definitely wasn't sure, but I'd chosen my direction when I stopped him from the rejection, and the unacknowledged part of me that had been longing to go back to him since the moment I left was satisfied. "Yes. But I need time."

"I can...try. My wolf is unstable."

I nodded. "Will he...hurt me?"

He shook his head. "I won't let him mark you against your will and he'd never be tempted to harm you in any other way."

"I'll trust you."

"Can I...?"

I didn't know what he was asking exactly, but I nodded anyway. He moved closer and his arms were around me, and he buried his face in my neck. He was so warm, it felt good, and familiar even though we had never been that close. "I thought I'd lost you again," he whispered.

"Well, you never actually had me to begin with," I whispered back. His shoulders shook with grim humour. Tears formed at the corners of my eyes and I wasn't even sure why. "Are you going to come with me?"

"I'll make it work," he promised. "Will you at least stay until you were originally planning to leave?"

I looked to my friends to figure out what they thought of the idea, only to find that the two of us were completely alone. Even Dan had cleared out. "Probably."

"Thank you."

"You don't have to thank me."

"I do have to," he argued, pulling away from me at last. I instantly missed the heat of him. "Sarah isn't speaking to me, but Oliver says that she says they'll stay for the time they planned. Do you want your old room, or would that be bad memories, or would you...?"

"Would I what?"

He paused, as if deciding whether to answer. "I shouldn't even ask after... Would you stay next to me?"