His Blind Mate

Chapter 08 f**k Off Alpha

~ Luan ~

Whoosh!

The arrow flew to its target. Reva huffed in satisfaction. Stretching the string with another arrow while keeping my back straight, I took a deep breath, then released.

Tak!

It hit again. I smirked. Reva slowed down.

“You did well,” she said in the mind-link.

“Thanks, Reir,” I replied. “Let’s do it again.”

“Some other time, Lue,” she said. “We’re on fishing duty today.”

I leaned forward, wrapping my arms around her thick neck. Her soft, thick fur brushed past my fingers and palms, making me smile. Reva sped up, then I heard the rapid rush of water hitting against the rocks. “We’re here,” said Reire as she lowered herself.

I dismounted off her back, my boots digging into the dirt. “I feel like taking a bath,” she said, now shifted back into her human form.

I wolf-whistled. “Lovely …”

She chuckled as she kicked off her boots.

“Ooohhh … stripping in front of me? How bold,” I teased.

“No one’s around to see,” she replied. “And just in case…”

She threw a dagger my way and I dodged. It hit a nearby tree. “… it’ll be the last they see.”

“I’m sure they’ll die happy,” I replied. “You have to stop randomly throwing those things at me. What if I’m not paying attention? You’ll have to find another partner who can put up with you.”

Her arm wrapped around my waist as she pulled me close to her. “What’s that supposed to mean?” she hissed in my ear. “Am I being a pain in the ass?”

I laughed at how serious she sounded. “What do you think?”

She let me go; her clothes ruffled. “Looks like it’ll be in pain for years,” she laughs.

Her light footsteps told me she headed to the river. I followed behind her. I’d take a dip, too, but it was broad daylight and I felt more comfortable doing it at night. The water was colder, but it was still relaxing.

“So how do we do this?” I asked.

Splash!

“That’s cold!” I yelled, pulling at my now wet shirt. “I don’t have a change of clothes, Reir!”

Splash!

The next one wet my jeans, right on my thighs. “Reir!” I shrieked. “Stop it!”

Great, now I had to strip while the sun cooks my clothes.

Reire laughed loudly as she splashed around in the water. “Join me!” she yelled.

I took off the quiver and placed it on the ground along with my bow. Grudgingly, I removed my boots and socks. Now barefoot, I slipped off my jeans then my shirt came off next. I heard her wolf-whistle. Following the sound, I stopped just short of the water, dipped a toe in to test the temperature. It wasn’t that bad.

“Here,” she said, holding my hands as she guided me deeper into the river. If I really focused, I could feel where the currents break. This allowed me to figure out where the deep and shallow areas were and which areas to avoid unless I wanted to bump my head in rocks. Even so, I was never brave enough to swim far from the bank just in case something went wrong. It’d be difficult for me to save myself and I prefer to swim alone at night.

“See. A real pain in the ass,” I mumbled.

Now chest-deep into the water, I dunk my head under. I gasped for air as I emerged back up.  After a sweaty training session, the water felt refreshing.

“You’re welcome, bats,” she said, laughing.

Bats – a nickname she gave me when I was having difficulty sleeping for nights on end. After two years of staying with the Red Circle, Reire and I had grown close to the point that we were almost inseparable. She was a little carefree around me but was still uptight when we were around our sisters. I’d come to learn that she was indeed a kind person. We were partners now, sisters even. My big sister. And like siblings, we looked out for each other.

I found a new purpose in these couple of years. Ironically, their betrayal was the best thing that had ever happened to me! I found myself a new family – a real family. The Goddess watched over me and led me to a better path.

After splashing around in the water, we caught fishes and placed them on a basket. I’d grown accustomed to living without my eyes, trusting my other senses in everything. It had its downsides, and the images I once knew were now a blur in my mind. Sometimes, I missed seeing. There were things I missed gazing upon – the full moon and the stars when night came; the sun rising and setting in the horizon, its rays disappearing behind the tree tops; the calming surface of the river; and a lot more.

I’d forgotten what my parents looked like, what people from the old pack looked like, and I’d forgotten what I looked like. Everything appeared hazy, as if I was in a dream. I didn’t mind it, but sometimes I wish I could remember my parents’ faces. The only reminder I had of them were their voices, which I think I hear in my dreams.

“What are you thinking of?” asked Reire. We were in our underwear, drying ourselves off on a huge rock so we could go back. “If I’m to guess, you’re thinking about your old pack again. You always have this distant look on your face when you think about them.”

“You’re creepy,” I snapped, and she laughed.

“Are you missing someone?”

I placed an arm behind my head and the other to shield my eyes. “Just my parents,” I replied. “I’ve been thinking of them a lot lately.”

“They’re with the Goddess, and so are mine,” she replied. “Bats, do you ever think of leaving the Circle?”

“Not really. I don’t know where else I’ll go,” I said honestly. I sat up and turned to her. “Are you leaving, Reir?”

Her hands cupped my cheeks and pushed them together that my lips pouted. “Reir …” I whined, her name leaving my mouth in incomprehensible sounds.

“If I leave, who’ll keep up with you?” she said coyly. “We both know I’m the only one who can handle a pain in the ass like you.”

I fake gasped.

“Just kidding,” she said then she kissed my forehead. I smiled at her, and in my mind, I pictured that she was smiling back at me.

“So, I’ve been talking to Helia about your request,” she said slowly, sending my heart racing, “and she said you can come with us on the next mission.”

My jaw dropped. “Really?” I squealed as I wrapped my arms around her tightly. “Thank you, thank you, thank you, Reir!”

She laughed and pulled away. “But you’ll have to stick with me, alright?”

I nodded, smiling from ear to ear. Going to a mission meant I was acknowledged to be strong enough to fight alongside them. My training would finally pay off!

“When’s the next mission?”

“Well -,” she started, but I raised a hand to interrupt her. Something was coming. Heavy. Paws. Training was over and my sisters only shifted during trainings and runs. Reire let go of my hands. She had noticed it too.

“How many are there?” she asked as she left my side.

I counted the steps. Urgent. Fast.

“One,” I replied. This rogue was too stupid to enter the territory despite the warning signs. Still, how’d it get past the traps and patrollers to this deep into the territory?

“Lue!” she called. “Catch!”

I raised a hand and caught my weapons. A bow and arrows, the traditional kind. I preferred this over compound bows during training. I jumped from the rock and landed on the ground. Walking over to her, I aimed an arrow at where the wolf would appear.

“What was that you said about the ‘last thing they’ll see’?” I teased.

“Trust me,” she said firmly, “I meant that.”

The wolf’s thuds grew louder, then with a growl, it appeared from the woods and stood within twenty meters from us. This wasn’t a rogue – it didn’t stink! It smelled like spearmint, lemon, and basil, and there was only one person who could summon butterflies in my stomach. What’s he doing here?

Sparkles sensed him too. She growled in my mind.

“What’s he doing here?” she snapped, annoyed that his presence still had this effect on us.

“Alpha Kyhan,” said Reire in a voice that had a tone of hostility. “We weren’t notified of your arrival.”

They know each other?

“I apologize for the intrusion, ladies,” he said smoothly, then he chuckled. My cheeks heated up – he’d just seen me in my underwear. His voice brought back memories – painful memories.

How dare he show himself…

“Why are you here?” she asked, shoving my clothes to my chest. I dropped my weapons and quickly put them back on.

“Luan.” The way my name rolled off his tongue had Sparkles wagging her tail. Seriously? I reprimanded her via a mind-link. “He wanted us dead, you dumb wolf. Get your head out of the clouds.”

“You look … great.”

Picking up my weapons, I aimed an arrow at him.

“You know him?” asked Reire, sounding concerned.

“You’re not going to shoot me, are you?”

In my mind, he was smirking, underestimating what I could do. As a warning, I shot an arrow right past his cheek, hopefully. He growled. I smirked and readied another.

“You were saying?”

Sparkles whimpered in my head. Dumb wolf. She was supposed to be on my side!

He moved faster than an average human as he ran, stopping right in front of me. I could release it now and he’d be dead in an instant. That was a satisfying thought. Ky breathed deeply like he was taking in my scent, and it sent shivers down my spine.

“You make me want to f**k you senseless right now,” he stated, emphasizing on the verb.

Thanks to my training, I could pick up on his racing heartbeats and heavy breathes. His scent clouded my mind, and I felt my knees getting weak. My wolf missed him, and I hated how this part of me wanted a taste of his offer. But all I had to do was remember - he wanted me dead.

I sank the tip of the arrow on his flesh, letting him know that I was serious about killing him. Alpha or not, mate or not, he toyed with me, betrayed me, and ordered my death.

I could protect myself now. I was no longer the weak Luan who could only pray to the Goddess for safety. I wasn’t alone anymore – I had Reire and my sisters with me. I was strong, and with them, I was stronger.

“Back off, Alpha,” said Reire. “You’re in the Red Circle now. You should know that we don’t take kindly to wolves like … you.”

We all came from hell and found refuge here. We understood each other’s pain all too well. The Red Circle would gladly take down anyone who hurt a sister, no matter who he or she or they were – it was an implied code.

Kyhan growled.

“Back off!” Reire threatened. If I could see, I’d guess she already had a knife near his throat by now. That’d burn and heal slowly when the skin was cut – her blades were silver and coated with wolfsbane.

“f**k, cupcake,” he said teasingly. “I’ve waited eight hundred and ninety-four days. What’s one day more.”

He walked away from us, disappearing into the woods before paws hit the ground. A distance away, he howled. I released a breath I didn’t know I was holding. Something about him counting the days made me want to call his name and demand an explanation why he did what he did.

“He didn’t lie,” said Sparkles.

“Shut up, you dumb wolf!” I shouted, my fists shaking in anger and the pain that radiated from my chest. “How could you forget what he did to us?”

She whimpered. We were not having this argument again. I’d had enough of her defending that liar. “We misunderstood him,” she said softly. “Mate didn’t lie.”

I put up my wall to block her. I didn’t want to hear whatever excuses she came up with this time from the lies that liar of an Alpha told her. The sooner she accepted that we had no mate, the better this would be for the both of us.

“Are you alright?” asked Reire.

I nodded, lowering my bow.

“What was that about?”

Secrets didn’t last forever, after all. In one way or another, sooner or later, the truth would find its way to the light. “I came from his pack, Reir,” I said, sighing. “I -“

She cut me off by pulling me into a hug. “Ssshhh … you don’t have to explain yourself, Lue. I’ll talk to Helia about this, but I can’t promise you anything. The Moon Stone Pack is a long-time ally of the Red Claw Pack.”

I nodded and pulled away. “Thank you, Reir.”

The Red Circle was a sister pack to the Red Claw pack, the biggest and strongest pack in the continent. Helia was a member of the Red Claw, and one of its three remaining elders. She was granted the freedom to form the Red Circle for girls like us to have a place to go to, and in the rescue missions of the Red Claw or to any of its allies, we were to lend assistance.

I joined their links within the Red Circle, after my initiation into the Red Claw Pack just recently. We were treated fairly. It was quite agreed upon that Alpha Liam was a benevolent Alpha – no other Alpha would go to such length to save and shelter those like us. We were technically, rogues.

“He won’t hurt you again,” said Reire, interrupting my thoughts. We were heading back to the quarters, with her carrying our catch. Tonight, it was bonfire and scary stories. “I promise.”

I smiled at her. “I won’t let him,” I said. “If I did, all my training would be wasted.”

She took my hand and placed something on my palm. “Take it. Just in case he tries something. It’s silver and poisoned.”

I felt it between my hands. It was a small blade in a wooden sheath.

“It’s small so you can hide it in your clothes. Surely you can handle something like that?” she teased, and I chuckled, knowing what she was pertaining to. This was a side of her only I knew.

“Thanks, Reir.”

As we neared the quarters, Lyra must’ve spotted us for she yelled that we were coming. After that, I could hear the girls running over to us, already asking how many we caught. We bragged about the catch, each pair did – it was our thing.

This was my family now.

XXX