The Alpha's Fight

Chapter 18 - Never Enough

Taylor had been on my mind all day. I awoke not long before dawn, feeling as though I needed to sleep for another three days. But I had to go for rounds of patrols, gruelling training under Nicholas and another patrol. I would have to function for over 30 hours before I could collapse. It wasn't anything new. As my father put it, I needed to learn to perform as an Alpha through anything.

My feet felt sluggish, finishing up my final patrol with Scott. However, soon, I'd be reunited with my dewdrop, my sweet blond mate, and I found a renewed energy surging, enough to get me to his door at least.

"You're going to Taylor, again?" Scott quietly exclaimed. Where else did he think I would want to go?

"I need him," I returned his incredulous gaze. "Besides, I'm being careful."

I was using my scent cover. I never flat-out approached Taylor's home, hanging back to make sure no one lurked. And my mate was waiting for me too. He mumbled as much when I had to tear myself from his skin this morning... yesterday morning? I wasn't sure on the passage of time anymore.

"Are you?" He almost sounded accusatory. "Three days in a row? Hunter, he is gonna notice something."

"Nicholas won't notice shit. I could have caught fire and I doubt he'd raise an eyebrow," my voice rose defensively.

"I wouldn't be so sure," Scott muttered under his breath, snatching the branch from my hand that I had held back.

"I'm not about to endanger him! You don't get it, you don't have a ma-" I cut myself off, too late, realising I was about to throw it in his face that he didn't have his other half.

In the last year or so, Scott had gone off sleeping around with she-wolves, completely, feeling emptier and wanting his mate.

"Thanks for the reminder..." he replied bitterly, stalking off without another word.

'You really went for it with both feet there,' Hawk sighed.

'I didn't mean it like that,' I watched Scott's figure disappear into the forest.

'Talk to him later when you've both cooled down,' my wolf tried to soothe my guilt. 'For now, get to our pretty dewdrop. I want my Talon.'

I looked around before approaching anywhere near Taylor's home, making sure I wasn't followed, and that no one was lurking around to catch me. Scott didn't know what he was talking about. I wasn't being reckless. I covered my scent and neither did I go running to his door without thinking, always hanging back for at least ten or fifteen minutes to be certain.

Once I knew it was safe, because I was being careful, I tried to slap my face to wake up and look somewhat alive to face my mate. He didn't need to worry about me any more than he already was after last night... or was it two nights ago now? Fuck, I needed sleep.

I knocked lightly on the back door, not entirely confident enough yet to just walk on in.

"Hunter!..." Taylor's bright enchanting smile greeted me, twisting into a concerned frown in the same second. "You look exhausted."

"Well, it's nice to see you too," I half-heartedly tried to return his smile, feeling my eyelids droop.

He pulled me inside and cupped my cheek. I leant into his touch as though it was my lifeline, my only way of staying conscious. Our tiny moment was ruined when my stomach rattled. I had barely eaten anything all day having been dragged from pillar to post. My only moment of rest had been between training and my final patrol and all I had time for was a sandwich.

"Come on, I was about to make some breakfast," he pulled me over to the table and pushed me down into the solid wood chair.

He made a quick check of the entire downstairs, to make sure the blinds and curtains were all closed so we couldn't be seen.