Despondency

Chapter 5

If her mate wouldn't acknowledge her, then she could force him to. She would play the old jealous card.
"No biggie," she fluttered her lashes "I was out sightseeing the forest and must've turned my self the wrong way."
He smiled.
"The names Caleb Carmichael," he grinned.
"Aiyanna Bell" she stuck out her hand and he took it. But instead of shaking it, he did the cliche prince charming move, and kissed it. Ai glanced at her mate to see he had busied himself with packing up his overnight gear. He didn't care.
"Bone head." She mumbled to herself.
"What?" Caleb asked.
"You can call me Ai." She smiled sickly sweet.
"I think I will, Ai." Ai whipped her head back to Caleb. The way he said her name was all too familiar.
"Oh my gosh. I'm so stupid. Your Alice's older brother!" She blurted out.
"When did you meet Alice?" A tan wolf eyed her. She shrugged and glanced at her mate.
He still ignored her presence. She had the eyes of all other male wolves, but she felt invisible.
"We hiked together on the way here. Then I decided to look around. I've never seen so many trees." Ai didn't mention the waterfall, it was like it was her spot.
"Oh." Another slightly tanner wolf spoke out of surprise.
"Woah,"
"Damn."
"What am I missing here?" She turned to Caleb. Her eyes glanced back at her mate once again like a boomerang. Her mate stilled his busy movements and seemed to be listening.
The male wolves took a greater interest in her for three reasons. First, if she was with Alice that meant she was the one with the ancient Luna howl. She would be Luna, and whoever was her mate would be an alpha. Two, she had killer instincts. The moment Caleb had poked her she had a knife against him. She would have healthy pups. Lastly, three, she didn't seem to like any of them. Male wolves loved a chase.
Her mate softly snorted once he heard the whispers passed around about his mate.
"You're just super interesting, that's all," Caleb commented. Something was missing though. Didn't Alice say something about the male wolves talking about her howl? Was she a freak now?
"You best be heading 50 yards that way unless you want the alpha to give you a lecture." Her mate was behind her. His voice sent spiraling patterns of drowsiness down her back. One sentence and she was half drunk off his presence.
"I'm a good listener." She smiled and gave him her full attention.
"So am I, but I don't take yelling and spit flying on me too good. Head back." What was his problem?
"Fine."
Caleb glared at her mate.
"Why you gotta do that Vit? Huh?" Caleb crossed his arms. She perked her ears toward their conversation as she walked away. His name was Vit. Short, and wonderful. She sighed as she reached the group of girls and sat down.
"Looks like someone met Caleb!" A quiet voice whispered in her ear.
"Yes, Alice I met him. Not much to him, huh?" Her jaw slackened.
"My brother is in line to be Alpha of my pack! He's special!" She defended. Ai almost retorted 'yeah, special Ed,' but stopped herself.
"It doesn't matter. I also met some of the others."
"So?" She all but spat.
"I think I like Vit." Alice seemed repulsed.
"Why? Doesn't he seem a bit.... out of it? Or weak?" Ai shrugged.
"It's easy to get stronger, it's harder to have self control and self worth."
"Doesn't Caleb have those things?" Alice looked toward the men and was holding a silent conversation.
"Yeah, but he's more of a people pleaser. Vit just didn't care that I was on the wrong side. I don't like that he doesn't care. Although, at the same time his persona is admirable." Alice scoffed.
"You mean he's physically handsome." Ai followed Alice's glances to where Caleb silently watched. Creepy.
"His physique doesn't escape me, but there's more." Ai decided she didn't want to tell Alice that he was her mate. There was enough to not trust her. It was like Ai wasn't talking to Alice, but to Caleb. The more she said she liked Vit the more Caleb seemed to darken.
"So what was it like being the first one back?" Ai switched the subject onto Alice.
"Oh well, the boys thought I was either gifted or cheating. I must look like an idol to some of them." She sent a dreamy sigh out her lips. Ai wasn't impressed.
"You should have seen the look on Caleb's face! Priceless. I haven't found my mate yet but I have a suspicion who it might be..." Alice melted as she watched a pale man with brown hair, warm amber eyes and scruff around his jaw walk tall and strong.
"Peacock boy?" Ai asked.
"Uh! He is not a peacock! He's just very pretty. He was walking the whole way with Caleb, which means he's a respectable man. Mind you." Ai bit her tongue. The only thing walking with Caleb means is that your in line to be an Alpha or Beta. Ai couldn't care less for status. She just hoped that her mate would care for her. Being a provider and caring man was all that mattered.
"Alright, he's got a face. I'll give him that." Ai sighed and stood to walk away. One would think that was reason enough to understand Ai had dismissed the conversation. Alice obviously didn't pick up on social cues very well.
"Did I say something?"
"No, I just usually keep to myself," Ai lied. She liked it when her brothers lead her around like a lost dog. She craved to be coddled. Her mate, on the other hand, made that impossible. Ai wasn't a leader or a loner. She was a follower, one that specifically liked others to take charge.
"You walk like a Luna."
"Say what?"
"Ai, you walk shoulders back, face up and your steps are perfectly even." Ai hadn't noticed the way she walked before.
"I'm used to embracing the sun." Alice fired more questions and received no response each time. She must've eventually understood and walked away. Ai could imagine her land. Goodness, she was home sick. She could close her eyes and invision the flowing sea of flaming gold grain. The rich upturn of fertilizer and dirt soft on her tired feet.
Unfortunately, her aching soles of her feet landed on flat gray rock every step. The sun was only shining in patches through looming trees that seemed to grow and shift before her very eyes. Instead of wide open space and clean air there were tall trunks everywhere around her and wolves, their different scents mixing in humid air giving Ai the perfect headache. Ai frowned.
She found that she didn't like the annual challenge of the mates at all. Then again, neither did her brothers.

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Hello!!! I hope you are enjoying my book!!! Got some steam and twist in the chapters ahead!!! Thank you!!!!
Wink wink, scream scream
Elena