✓ | Alpha's Tribute

☽︎ 𝐓𝐄𝐍 ☾︎

𝑶𝒏𝒆 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒑 𝑭𝒐𝒓𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒅, 𝑻𝒘𝒐 𝑺𝒕𝒆𝒑𝒔 𝑩𝒂𝒄𝒌

❝𝐘ou did good today.” Elowen looked up at the sound of Darius's voice. She was once again sitting at the counter - her notepads in front of her while she went over them. He was leaning against the door frame, arms crossed over his chest. “Dad was impressed.”

Elowen blushed and looked back down at the papers - nibbling on her lip. She could hear the wolf move closer to her and chose to ignore him, copying down her notes on a larger piece of paper - in much neater writing as well.

“Why didn’t you tell me you were such a quick writer? That you knew so much?” He was sitting in front of her now. She merely shrugged. If he wasn’t going to pursue her, then she didn’t need to get attached. 

Why form a bond if it was only going to be at arm’s length? 

“You probably wouldn't have believed me. Wolves expect us to be stupid, to not know much.” Elowen answered, stacking some papers together.  Her lips pursed in thought as she reread one of the papers. “You might want to go over your treaty with the Pack south of you, it seems that they don’t understand what you meant by only 130 acres.”

“Elowen.” She looked down, knowing he was getting tired of her avoiding his gaze. “I don’t think your stupid, your incredible.” The brunette let out a shaky breath.

“It’s not that.” The woman muttered and let her fingers weave through her hair that she had pulled out of her previous hairstyle. 

“Then what is it?” He pushed, and leaned forward, catching her hand with his. Elowen looked down at his hand, her brain going faster than her heart as it hammered in her chest. “I can’t help you if you don't tell me.” 

“That’s just it, well sort of.” She mumbled and shrugged. “I don't want to have to rely on someone all my life. At my old pack I was a big help yeah, but the only reason they listened to me was because of my dad. After College I decided to stay home and help with Papa, no one would hire me and I would be in danger on my own.” The human sighed and rubbed the back of her neck in a nervous habit. “And today, they only listened to me -” 

“Elowen, they listened to you because you stood your ground.” Darius interrupted her, and she tracked his every move as he picked up one of her notepads. “You listened and wrote down everything we said. No one has ever done that, but you were thorough and you showed just how smart you are. I am an Alpha and I never knew anything about the Gypsies. That shows just how intelligent you are.” 

He then sighed and grabbed her chin, his azure eyes now locked with hers. “I’ve been a jerk.”

“You have.” She agreed.

“And an idiot.”

“I would rather use the word, Moron.” 

Darius shot her a deadpan look. “I am trying to have a heart to heart with you.”

Elowen only giggled softly and he returned the sound with a deep chuckle of his own. 

The brunette loved the way his nose crinkled as he smiled, the way his dimples would appear as the beaming grin took over his face. She wanted to be the one who made him smile and laugh, the one he could confide in when he had a hard day. Elowen wanted to be the first face he saw when he woke up, and the last face he saw before he went to bed.

She knew why he was so smitten with her; it was common in wolves to move rather quickly when they met a suitable candidate for their mate. Elowen had witnessed many couples who had only known each other for a day before becoming a mated pair. 

So it didn’t make her uncomfortable with how fast her “relationship” with Darius was going, because it was nothing strange to her or to him. 

“Elowen, I want to court you.” She almost fainted right then and there.

Elowen couldn’t explain the happiness she felt, because for once someone wanted her for her. Not because she was the Beta's daughter (boys could be such assholes to an eighteen year old.). But, she decided she needed to test the Alpha in front of her. 

Sure she cared about him, but she had been played before and she wanted to know if he was serious or not. 

So she leaned forward and patted Darius's cheek with a wide grin. “Did you really think it would be that easy?” Elowen almost felt bad for giggling at the stunned look on the Alpha’s face. “I am not an easy girl, Darius - you have to earn me.”

Oh she wished Maria was here to this, the older brunette would have been so proud. 

“You’re playing with fire, Elowen.” Darius’s voice was a deep rumbled bass now. “You sure you want it to be like this, Little Bambi?”

“Oh Darius, I was the only human in my pack.” She leaned back and stood from her chair. The brunette could feel the Alpha’s eyes on her but she didn’t let it sway her. “May the odds be in your favor, Alpha.” And with a wink thrown over her shoulder she disappeared into the hallway - heading towards her room.

‘Game on, Elowen.’  Darius thought as he leaned back in his chair, head shaking and a carnal grin passing over his features. ‘Game on.’