Choosing You, My Perilous Alpha

Chapter4

"Feeling better?" he inquired simply. She yipped in response, settling back on her hind legs, relief washing over her as the pain dissipated entirely. It was a significant improvement. Rather than enduring a lingering ache, it had genuinely felt like swiftly removing a bandage. A notably large, stubborn bandage at that.

In time, Charity became sufficiently adept to engage in sparring with Arthur, even if he restrained his efforts. In truth, it was more akin to him playfully teasing than actual sparring. Evading her attacks at the last moment, he exhibited a level of calculated precision that surpassed her movements.

Nonetheless, Charity valued the experience as she recognized the marked progress she had made in just a few weeks under his tutelage. During their subsequent training session, Arthur instructed her to unleash her full force. Already in her wolf form, Charity c****d her head in confusion.

"I want you to approach me as if your life depended on it," he stressed, removing his T-shirt to transition alongside her. Initially hesitant, she was concerned about causing harm or risking embarrassment. "Come on," he urged, gradually shifting. "Trust me."

She did. Charity realized she placed her trust in Arthur, not solely because of his earlier defense against the bullies. Sensing something beyond mere admiration or a crush beginning to stir within her, she felt a blend of uncertainty and intrigue in her gut. Dipping her head in assent, she awaited his completion of the shift before launching herself at him.

True to her expectations, he swiftly evaded her, anticipating her every move with uncanny accuracy. Dancing just beyond her reach, he deftly eluded both her claws and fangs. While she had been subconsciously holding back, her wolf reluctance to unleash the full extent of her power as Arthur desired became apparent.

In a sudden charge towards her, she crouched low, anticipating his trajectory. As anticipated, his massive paws landed inches from her left side, prompting her to roll away swiftly, narrowly evading his potential bite.

Expressing approval with a deep rumble, he readied himself for another round. Despite managing to dodge several more of his advances, a stroke of misfortune required him to hold back to prevent inadvertently causing harm. Swiftly reverting to his human form and donning his attire, he bid her farewell, promising to reconvene the following day, before vanishing into the encompassing forest.

Curious about his whereabouts after each training session, she pondered Arthur's destinations. As predictably as the two-hour training sessions concluded, he would depart, returning only after nightfall.

Nonchalantly dismissing her thoughts, she shifted to facilitate a quick shower before settling back with her book. Content with her progress, she found satisfaction in her advancements.

Moreover, if she were to be candid, she embraced the ease and contentment characterizing their relationship.

......

Charity noticed a steady growth in her strength.

While the progress wasn't dramatic, she could discern the difference in her swiftness and the lightness she felt on her feet. She also felt a heightened assurance in her movements, a quality that Arthur had commended her for, much to her pleasure.

Yet, to her chagrin, the absence of a mating bond between them was glaringly apparent.

She had harbored hopes that their months together, with Arthur dedicating two hours a day to train her, would transition her feelings from a mere crush into something more profound. While her physical prowess had gradually developed, their relationship remained hesitant and poised.

Arthur had progressed from minimal acknowledgment and brief responses to fleeting smiles, prompting a sense of accomplishment within Charity each time.

"Is there anything you do aside from reading when you're not training?" Arthur teased one day, catching Charity off guard as she promptly shut the book she had perched on her lap. Unaware of his approach, she anticipated he would jest about it later during their training session.

"There isn't much else to occupy my time here," she responded softly, feeling her cheeks flush. With his increased eye contact, a habit she found disconcerting, she struggled to acclimate.

"You seem to spend all your time at the packhouse," he noted, glancing back at the imposing building nestled deep within the thicket of trees in their territory.

"My father prefers me to stay close," she explained, averting her gaze to avoid the intensity of his stare. Frustrated with her continued soft-spoken nature, she wished she could alter this trait. "He's concerned about me being caught in another pack's territory without adequate defense."

Acknowledging her response with a nod, Arthur stretched his shoulders as a prelude to their training.

Their interactions typically unfolded in this manner. Sparse conversation, as Arthur was not particularly loquacious, while Charity remained reserved. Nonetheless, they progressed in small increments together. Arthur grew more at ease teasing her, even though it took Charity a couple of weeks to grasp his jests and a similar period to quell her reflexive stuttering when responding.

She shut her book, placing it on the ground at the base of the tree where she had been seated.

In the span of months since summoning the courage to request training from Arthur, the seasons had transitioned. Arthur's favored T-shirt now fit him more snugly. Despite making progress under his guidance, she acknowledged that she was still far from mastering the required skills, especially as the Delta's daughter.

Upon realizing her preference for the company of fictional realms over socializing with her packmates, her father had offered limited attention. Understanding his perspective, she appreciated his decision not to compel her to engage more actively and instead permitted her solace in the house library, where she could lose herself in imaginary worlds that existed solely in her mind.

"What aspect of training are we focusing on today?" she inquired courageously, fiddling with the end of her sleeves. Arthur let out a protracted, deliberate exhale.

"I thought we could concentrate on your endurance," he proposed, removing his T-shirt in preparation to shift. "It's essential to build stamina for long-distance runs during perimeter checks or tracking other packs. Besides, maintaining endurance during winter months aids in temperature regulation."

Nodding, she avoided his broad chest with her gaze. Clad in running shorts and a sports bra, she had learned that training sessions with Arthur necessitated less clothing. Even with winter nearing, their lupine physiology generated more heat than humans.

Shifting swiftly, his luxurious fur gleaming in the dappled sunlight, Charity focused on allowing the discomfort to pass swiftly, likening it to swift bandage removal. She had improved in shifting without enduring excruciating pain, although she still couldn't outpace Arthur. However, she had become more efficient in relinquishing control to her wolf.

Without any indication, Arthur plunged ahead into the dense thicket of trees, prompting a surge of determination within Charity. Her heart beating in sync with her paws pounding the earth, she felt an irresistible pull forward, striving to match his pace. With each steady exhale, her breath formed a mist in front of her. Tracking Arthur, she could see the faint glint of his tail under the weak sunlight filtering through the leaves above.

Embracing the enveloping scents of damp earth and decomposing leaves, her senses razor-sharp, Charity and her wolf raced alongside one another. Their singular objective: catching up with the Alpha's son ahead.

In the crisp, cool air, she marveled at her ability to sustain a sprint without needing respite. Arthur slowed his pace to allow her to run alongside him, akin to how the Delta would guard an Alpha—making her feel where she belonged.

Her wolf exulted, reveling in the sense of kinship with her human counterpart. Together, they galloped forward, attuned to any hint of looming peril.

They must have sprinted along the perimeter of the pack's border before Arthur slowed his pace, coming to a halt near one of the babbling streams that skirted the western boundary. Not a hint of strain showed on him.

Charity, on the other hand, didn't share the same ease.

Having pushed beyond her limits, her lungs clenched, craving air that she struggled to inhale swiftly enough. Lingering back, she attempted to steady her breathing before Arthur took notice.

However, Arthur had already detected her struggle, reverting back with a faint, teasing smile.

"You're making progress," he commended, prompting her wolf to lift its head with satisfaction despite her breathlessness. "You'll soon be prepared for perimeter patrols."

Caught in the midst of a shift, she couldn't conceal her disdainful expression. His hearty chuckle elicited a mix of emotions within her, yearning to hear it echo once more and again.

"What a duo we are, engaged in such training," he remarked pensively. Setting herself down on the plush grass, her legs crossed and her long, unruly locks no doubt in disarray.

"What do you mean?" she inquired tentatively. He exhaled and settled beside her, mimicking her posture.

"The Delta's daughter who lacks enthusiasm for patrol duty, and the Alpha's son uninterested in challenging his father," he revealed, evading her probing gaze. "I'll be away for a while, Charity. My father wishes for me to train, preparing to assume his mantle in the future."

"That's a significant honor," Charity remarked. Within their pack, any wolf would vie for such an opportunity, albeit unintentionally punny. However, Arthur appeared distant. "Do you... not desire the role of Alpha?"

With a solitary shake of his head, Arthur reclined on his palms and disclosed, "I expressed my disinterest, but you understand his mindset."

Charity did understand. Observing her father deftly navigate the pack's dynamics to align with the Alpha's demands had provided her with insight. While not prone to overt displays of temper, he bordered on being temperamentally inclined.

"What path would you choose?" she probed tentatively, gauging the boundaries of their nascent friendship. Mindful not to overstep, she sought to navigate sensibly. "If the position of Alpha were not incumbent upon you?"

His gaze drifted past her, fixated out of her line of sight, somewhere distant over her left shoulder.

"I have a desire to explore," he said simply. "To venture into new territories, to engage with unfamiliar faces. I don't wish to spend my days training for a role I have no interest in."

His sentiments stung, yet Charity comprehended all too well the inevitability that pack responsibilities always took precedence. The pack stood as their paramount obligation.

"For how long will you be away?"

Arthur shrugged, plucking at the grass with his weathered fingers.

"A couple of years," he muttered, discarding the torn foliage. "You should persist with your training. Your progress signifies that you possess the skills to continue on your own."

Charity nodded absent-mindedly.

A few years, he stated. Arthur would embark on an extended absence to train for the challenge against his father for the title of Alpha. The sudden reality dawned upon Charity that they would be separated for an extended duration, while she harbored an unreciprocated crush.

Promptly rising to his feet, Arthur disrupted Charity's ponderings, compelling her to refocus.

"I will be departing shortly," he announced, flexing his neck. Prepared to transition and leave, it would be years before Charity would lay eyes on him again.

"Wait," she blurted out unconsciously. Unveiling her emotions, even in the absence of a binding mating bond.

However, she halted. How would it feel to spend the upcoming years wrestling with uncertainties about his feelings? She gazed at him, speechless, her silent question hanging between them. He awaited her response.

Gingerly, she altered her course.

"Best of luck," she conveyed, offering a smile. His surprised blink indicated he hadn't anticipated her well wishes, but he acknowledged them with a nod of gratitude. Without further ado, he shifted and departed, fading into the dense, twisted foliage until his towering form was no longer visible.

Charity clung to the fleeting smile he shared with her as a cherished keepsake, tucked securely within her heart akin to a treasured photograph in a concealed locket.