The Alpha’s Mate

Chapter 7- A New Furry Friend

I spent the rest of the day consumed by thoughts of Dante. He seemed perfect in every way, yet the harsh reality loomed—he was Jasmine's brother. The fear of jeopardizing my friendship with her and the unspoken bond between siblings kept us apart. It felt as though avoiding each other was the only solution, but that seemed impossible. I longed for more than just friendship; I wanted to be everything to him.

As midnight approached, there was still no sign of my dad. A simple text about his late return was the only communication. Worries gnawed at me, hoping he was safe. What kind of mechanic shop stayed open this late anyway?

I was exhausted, but I refused to go to bed until I knew he was home safe. Restlessness consumed me, and in an attempt to distract myself, I succumbed to the alluring call of the wooded area behind our house. It might have been a reckless idea, but the mysterious woods had beckoned to me since the day we moved here. Surely, it couldn't be that dangerous. With houses surrounding the area, the presence of large, wild animals seemed unlikely.

It was a pretty warm summer night, so I dressed in a pair of sweatpants and a thin long-sleeve shirt, hoping to minimize my exposure to mosquitoes. A quick rummage in my dad's toolbox yielded a flashlight for unforeseen encounters. With cautious steps, I ventured into the dense woods, my senses on high alert for any sign of danger. Deep breaths filled my lungs with the refreshing scents of rich earth and pine. I anticipated that it would be hard to see, but somehow my eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness.

The trail, narrow and overgrown, led me deeper into the woods. Tree branches scraped against my arms, and dead leaves crunched beneath my every step. Soon, the path opened into a clearing. In awe, I gazed at the sight before me. The moonlight spilled onto the forest floor, and a multitude of stars adorned the night sky like diamonds. The beauty was beyond words, and I stood there, entranced by the tranquility that surrounded me.

Suddenly, a twig snapped behind me, jolting me out of the serenity of the clearing. I whipped around, my breath catching in my throat. Before me stood a formidable gray wolf, its eyes gleaming in the moonlight. Its size suggested a male, a creature of the wild, untamed and powerful.

Frozen in place, I dared not make any sudden movements. The forest seemed to hold its breath as I locked eyes with the wolf. Every fiber of my being trembled with an instinctual fear, and the rapid thud of my heartbeat filled my ears. I didn't move a muscle; I knew that any abrupt action could trigger a response, and the delicate balance between predator and prey hung in the air.

"Nice Wolfy, please don't eat me," I pleaded, my arms hanging at my sides as if any movement might trigger a reaction. The wolf regarded me with large, soulful brown eyes, and for a moment, the world seemed to freeze. Neither of us dared to make a move.

In the midst of my fear, questions swirled in my mind. Why the hell were there wolves out here? More importantly, how did such a massive creature even exist? Terror clawed at me, but curiosity nipped at its heels. The wolf, strangely friendly, made no move to bare its teeth or attack. It defied every instinct screaming in my head. Shouldn't it have devoured me by now?

The wolf lowered itself onto all fours, its head dipping down toward me. There was an odd gentleness in its posture that made it almost resemble a giant, wild puppy. The urge to reach out and pet it surged within me.

"I know this is a dumb ass idea, and I might lose an arm, but can I pet you?" I whispered, half to myself and half to the majestic creature before me.

The wolf whimpered, its tail wagging as if in agreement. Tentatively, I approached, my hand shaking as I reached out to touch the creature. Our eyes locked, and I gently placed my hand on the top of its head. "Good boy," I purred, a mixture of disbelief and amusement in my voice. The wolf's fur felt incredibly soft and silky against my hand.

Holy s**t, was I really petting a dangerous, wild beast? Was I secretly an animal whisperer or something? Maybe I should start my own show on Animal Planet.

"Wow, this is pretty f*****g amazing," I breathed, slowly stroking his fur. "It's crazy how silky and clean your coat is." I leaned down to get a whiff of it. "Mmm, you smell like fresh pine."

I sat down right beside the wolf, and he immediately laid his huge, heavy head in my lap. "I really must be dreaming now. This cannot be real.," I murmured. He chirped in response.

I didn't know why, but a sense of safety and comfort enveloped me in the presence of the wolf. There was an unspoken understanding between us, a connection I couldn't quite fathom. More than anything, I needed to vent, to share my thoughts with somebody, anybody. Talking to my dad was f*****g pointless and bringing it up randomly with Jasmine would be awkward. As for Dante... well, that was just out of the question. The wolf, however, seemed like the perfect listener.

"I know what you're thinking... I should be home right now, and you're right, but my dad hasn't come back yet. I'm pretty sure I have abandonment issues because I can't sleep unless I know he's in the house. I guess it's because my mom left when I was around four...I hardly remember her face anymore. My dad's always making these irresponsible, immature decisions and I just want him to be safe, you know?" My voice caught in my throat. "He's all I have now. My own mother walked out on me. I feel like that pretty much shows how worthless I am. If something happens to him, I'll be all alone. It's like he doesn't even consider that in his decision making, but that's all I can think about...that's my biggest fear." Tears began to stream down my face. I buried my face into the wolf's soft fur as its snout nuzzled against my chest. After crying out all the sadness and frustration I had been holding in for a long time, I found myself laying against the wolf's warm body, my breath slowing into a steady rhythm. The weight of the emotional release settled around me like a blanket. In the quiet aftermath, a sense of peace washed over, and for the first time in a while, I felt a gentle ease. Surrounded by the night's stillness, I let myself drift off to sleep.

I awoke surrounded by a sea of gray fur, and a massive, wet tongue began licking my cheeks. "What the f**k-" I shrieked, leaping to my feet. My eyes met the wolf's, and there was something oddly familiar about them, though I couldn't quite place it.

"Oh hey, Wolfy, sorry I didn't expect you to still exist when I woke up," I quietly admitted, reaching down to stroke his head. "I know you probably didn't understand anything I said, but I'm sorry for unloading all that s**t on you and having a mental meltdown. That was embarrassing."

I checked my phone and saw that it was 2 am, and my battery was on 1%. Panic surged through me. I was really in trouble now! The darkness of the woods surrounded me, and I wasn't sure if I knew how to get back to the house. Great, I was lost in the woods, and my phone was useless.

I sat on the ground, my mind racing in a desperate search for an idea. But I had nothing. If I started wandering around the woods looking for the house, I would get lost and be in danger. However, if I just stayed here, who knew what else was hiding in the trees. I felt safe with the wolf, but the realization dawned on me—if he existed, there could be bigger predators out here that weren't as gentle as he was.

"Wolfy, I'm scared. I don't know how to get back home," I admitted, my fingers gently stroking his huge ears. He whimpered, licking my cheeks, as if trying to comfort me.

Suddenly, he pulled away and started walking into the woods, looking back at me with sad eyes. "It's okay, you can go. I know you probably have a family or something," I said in a low voice. He seemed to nod, and with a final glance, he disappeared into the darkness.

Alone once again, a wave of terror washed over me. I wasn't sure why I expected the wolf to stay with me, he was still a wild animal after all. I curled up in a ball, sitting still and silent on the ground. Hyperventilating, I wondered how I would survive the night out here all alone.

"Angel...Angel, where are you?" a familiar voice shouted within the trees.

"Dad?!" I screamed, frantically looking in all directions for him. Instead of running in the direction of his voice, I stayed in the clearing so he could easily find me.

Suddenly, Dad emerged through the trees. "Thank goodness, there you are!" he exclaimed, his voice filled with relief, pulling me into his arms.

Dad, I was so scared. I'm sorry you had to come find me," I cried against his chest. His arms tightened around me, offering comfort. I noticed the scent of fresh pine clinging to him, a familiar aroma that briefly reminded me of Wolfy. I wondered if he had returned to his family.

I took Dad's hand like a frightened little girl and walked with him through the thick brush. He didn't seem to need a flashlight to find his way. I thought back to what Mrs. Greene had said... and I started to believe it. If he didn't grow up here, how else would he be able to navigate through the darkness like this?

When he finally reached the edge of the woods, where our house was, he gave me another tight squeeze. "Seriously, don't ever scare me again, and from now on, please keep your phone charged," he ordered.

I nodded but then eyed him suspiciously. "Wait, how did you know my phone was dead?" I asked.

"Angel, I'm sure you would've called if it wasn't," he answered quickly.

"Oh yeah," I mumbled. "Well, thanks for finding me, Dad."

Something about his behavior was still suspicious, but I was too exhausted to think about it.

"Of course, honey. Remember, I'll always be here for you."

I followed him into the house through the back door. I hugged him once again before I headed upstairs to go to bed. "Goodnight, Dad, love you," I mumbled sleepily.

He smiled. "Love you too, Kiddo."

I went into my room and closed the door behind me. Too tired to take off my clothes, I just flopped on my bed and succumbed to the darkness.