Aether's Claim | Editing

Chapter 6

The forest was my sanctuary again as I walked away, feet padding quickly beneath me as my mind raced with what had just occurred. I fought away my conflicting feelings and filled my lungs with air that I hoped would suffocate the mate pull that was willing me to turn back to Ares and meet him again.

I wanted to run, back to him or back to my home I didn't know. I was a rock between a wall and a hard place, like a wolf torn between its prey and its pack. The mate pull would not let me go, what contact Ares and I had had ignited something inside of me; a want, a need for my mate. I could feel my wolf getting more feral, she was now sharing the anger that I felt, and she wanted blood, an explanation, and her mate back. It was hard to ignore, what little feelings I couldn't control that I had for Ares seemed to completely overtake my anger and I wasn't allowed to feel how I felt anymore; the mate pull truly was a curse.

I could still smell Ares's scent on me, no doubt once I met another wolf, they'd smell it too. They'd ask questions, eyes alight and wolves present, they'd assume things. They'd run and tell another wolf and eventually it would get back to the Alpha. I knew Ares would be hesitant to rub my scent from his; I would be surprised if his wolf would even allow it, but I needed to make the decision to do it, for the good of my wolf and I, so I could be at peace. Ares thrived off attention, as an Alpha's son it was his birth right, but I didn't, I didn't want my pack's prying eyes and hushed whispers, even if as my mother said they'd be on my side.

I slowed down to a walk, eyes scanning the area to see if anyone was with me. Whoever had been near Ares and I was nowhere to be found. No scent was present in the air, but one could never be too sure as the wind was blowing against me. I crouched down to the blanketed floor beneath me covered in hues of dark brown and green, and grabbed a fistful of the foliage; softened, verdant and freshly aromatic. I pulled it up to my nose and inhaled, my wolf emerging as the scent of her true home engulfed both our senses.

I felt her want to emerge fully, shed skin for fur and plant her nose onto the ground and inhale. I felt her need to scratch at the foliage and bring up dirt between her paws, and chase whatever game was around and kill. I longed for her, but it was too dangerous with our heightened emotions. I knew without a doubt she'd go bounding back to Ares without a second thought, and I'd be left to try and reign her in.

Of course, it would be easier to rid myself of Ares' scent in fur form. The scent of nature would penetrate deeper into fur than skin and clothes, and it'd replace his scent in seconds. I let some leaves fall from my grasp and watched it flitter in the wind, hoping my attraction to Ares would do the same in due time.

Ares would know I did this, but it was for me, to protect me. I began rubbing the leaves and grass into my clothes, slowly stripping away Ares' scent and leaving me a neutral hub. My wolf postured but I ignored her, she was slightly irked by my decision, but she would not get a say about skin form matters.

After I had rid myself of his scent, and I was satisfied, I continued to make my way back home, opting to take the longer route as I had quite enjoyed my walk before I was interrupted by Ares. My mind replayed everything he said to me, every touch we shared and when his eyes were on me; I gritted my teeth in anger at myself; I should've been stronger and left him there once I'd seen him, but the deed was done and there were only regrets.

My mind continued to wander to him, but I forced myself to think about other things; like the pack dinner the Alpha was hosting for the remaining Alpha's that would be leaving today. Alpha Aether would be there, someone I hadn't thought about since the mating ceremony, and I remembered Alpha Warren telling me he'd taken a liking to me.

My heart swelled and my wolf growled, offended by my thoughts. But to have not one but two Alpha's interested in me; even she could see why I was feeling the way I felt. I knew nothing would come of it, though, Alpha Aether no doubt had taken an interest in lots of females over the years, yet no word of his true mate ever circulated through the packs. How lucky he was to not have found his mate yet, to not be tied down by a rope you never cast and bonded to a wolf you never chose. I envied him and his free will, his choice to partake in whatever he so pleased.