Wolf Bound

Chapter 9: Bittersweet

Branches snapped under my sneakers as Vincent and I stopped in an open clearing in between the trees. I tilted my head back, squinting at the partial light beaming over us. It poked through the clouds that hadn't yet allowed the sun to finish rising. There wasn't much wind blowing this morning but it still felt cold.

My black leather jacket and my thick black pull-over hoodie were keeping me warm for the time being. I didn't know how long that'd last. But I hoped it'd have been for however long he planned on keeping us busy outside. The cool air was going to get to me soon. I could already feel it prickling through the hairs on my skin.

"Are we going to have to keep sneaking around like this every morning to avoid all the other pack members?" I yawned and looked over at him.

"This is only temporary," answered Vincent.

"Right." I nodded.

If it hadn't been for what I saw at the crowning ceremony, and what Vincent had told me himself, I would have questioned why we had to sneak around in the first place. Trust was a fragile thing that not all of Vincent's people seemed to have in him. If anyone caught us training together, it'd only have soured Vincent's reputation further. Their alpha training someone who'd been introduced as a threat didn't exactly leave a good impression.

I hadn't been aware of the underground tunnels within the mountains. They were dark and narrow, resembling catacombs. He referred to them as emergency escape routes. There was an entire map (he wouldn't show me) that could direct people down the correct paths. One of those paths started directly from and to the alpha's home.

Only a few members of the pack knew of the tunnels—the members who had high rankings above everyone else. If there were to be a threat, an attack, or if someone uninvited were to cross their grounds, one of those members would guide everyone through the tunnels to safety.

I assumed the knowledge was limited from the whole pack to keep people from roaming the tunnels whenever they pleased. It was also an easier way for someone to commit treason and murder the alpha. Both valid and logical reasons not to inform every member of the tunnels for now. I guess they never had a reason to use them yet. Otherwise, people would have known about them already.

"So, why'd you bring me here?" Another yawn left my mouth as I turned to face Vincent.

It wasn't fair. There wasn't a trace of sleep on his face. Meanwhile, I had been woken up at the ass crack of dawn—six in the morning, to be exact—and dragged out to the middle of the woods. The heavy bags weighing down the skin under my eyes felt like bruises.

"To clear your head," he said.

"Come again?" My nose scrunched up.

Vincent walked forward at a steady pace with his arms crossed. He towered over me, his intense stare digging into my soul. "Chin up, eyes closed."

"Okay. . ." I did as he told me. He used his hands to straighten my arms at my sides. I tensed under his grip. His hands were smoother than usual. I was used to the rough layer of skin along his bulky hands.

"You need to be able to better connect with your wolf. The outdoors is one of the best ways to do that. We are not only one with the moon but one with nature. First, you'll learn discipline and control. Don't let your wolf control you. You control it. Second, you need to be able to adjust to your surroundings."

All I could feel was his breath raising the hairs on my skin. I assumed he leaned in closer because his body heat was morphing into mine. While I'd always liked to think I had a sense of control and discipline, I knew in some ways I lacked it at times.