Alpha Running Rogue

7. Close

Arabella's POV

I hear the pattering of water kill off before waiting a few minutes for Matthew to get dressed. I must have been too eager to hit the showers because the moment I entered, he had just zipped up a pair of jeans. 

"Arabella, you can wash up in the bathroom first, I'll find something for you to wear." He looked up and noticed that I was staring at his half-naked form.

"I know you like what you see but could you shift and take a shower? You're shedding on my carpet."

Too embarrassed to say anything, I rushed into the shower and scrubbed down. Wrapping myself in a fluffy white towel, I step outside, hoping that he had found some clothes that would fit me relatively well. I was tall for a female, but fell a good head shorter than Matthew. He held out a white dress shirt as he's eyes traveled down my body and back up again.

I grab the shirt and quickly slip my arms through the sleeves that reached my fingertips, buttoning up as fast as I could to avoid the way he looked at me and tugged the towel off from underneath. It was large, so the shirt covered me like a dress and reached mid-thigh.  

"Like what you see?" I tease, throwing his words back at him, when he was still raking his eyes down me. In an instant he averted his gaze and the lights turned off at lightning speed. I turn to find him kicking the door shut and advancing on me. 

Rapidly taking a few steps back, my knees buckle when they hit the edge of the bed and I fall onto the soft bed. He placed his hands on either side of me, trapping me. His eyes darkened as he leaned closer but didn't touch me. I wanted to reach out and bring him closer, instead I wrap my legs around his waist and skilfully manoeuvre his body so that he was the one beneath me and I was straddling him with my damp dark hair falling in waves over my right shoulder. His expression turned to shock as I teasingly bit his earlobe, but responded quickly as he pulled me down on top of him with one hand, running the other up my back and into the thickness of my hair. 

I should stop. I thought. Leaving would be harder, I couldn't trust anyone, but my wolf whined at the thought of leaving our mate. I would have enough self control to pull away and leave early tomorrow morning. 

I stop. He freezes. His hand was still tangled in my hair and I liked how good it felt to be pressed up against him. I knew better than to try anything else though, so I push myself off of him.

"Where am I sleeping for the night?"

"With me." He threw open the covers and settled himself on the mattress, gesturing me to follow.

"No." I didn't want to leave him. I don't want to be alone, but I couldn't trust anyone. They would hurt me in the end like the pack that threw me out like trash and the brother that betrayed his own family for power.

"Please. Stay." He says in a voice lined with exhaustion as he began to fight his eyelids open. Without a word, I crawl in and pull up the blankets over us and turn away from him. I was too close. It's only been two days. Don't fight him I hear from the back of my mind before I feel him pull me against him. My back pressed into the warmth of his body as I begin to drift off.

I fall asleep to a whisper holding a promise that doesn't let me leave.

"Stay."

Light warmed the room as I began to stir but my movements were restricted as I felt something warm under my palm and a weight over my waist. Becoming aware of the presence that held me in place, I open my eyes to a sleeping figure. His heartbeat was strong under my hands and his legs were entangled with mine. The sharp scent of citrus made my mouth water as I snuggled closer to the sleeping Matthew to inhale his intoxicating smell. After a while of sniffing, I touched my lips to his collarbone and pulled away to meet a pair of lustful eyes looking down at me. I bury my face into his chest out of embarrassment for being caught and his arms tightened around my waist.

"Good morning Arabella." his voice husky. 

"Good morning Matt." I say shyly, snuggling into him further.

"You can call me Matt, I don't mind, but don't hide your face I want to see you." I pull back a little and straighten up so that we lay face-to-face.  Flecks of gold played amongst the brown in the warm light. They no longer held the exhaustion from the day before and I marveled at the beauty. 

My mouth parted as he reached up to trail his thumb along the line of my lips.

"You need clothes." he said after a while. That's when I realised that the only material separating us was the shirt he lent me and the jeans he had on.

"I have some back home. I'll go get them."

"I'll buy some for you."

"No, let me get them." I countered. He let out a  soft growl and said.

"You're not going out dressed like that."

"No one will see me."

"Shift."

"Matt-"

"Shift and we'll go get them from your house."

"You don't have to go with me, I know your busy and-"

"I'm taking the day off so shift and let's go." I sigh in defeat and roll off the bed to walk onto his balcony.

My bones began cracking as I called up Leila, ripping the shirt to shreds. I look up to see that Matthew had changed too, into the mesmerising red wolf with golden eyes. Streaks of gold ran through his fur, intriguing me. 

'Lead the way.'

I leap into the forest where the morning dew sprinkles my fur and run as fast as I can to see how quickly he could catch up to me. Not a minute later, he was sprinting beside me with ease, I pushed faster, he followed.

'Is there a problem rogue?'

I don't reply.

I needed to lose him so I ran an arch around my cottage. Bad move. I'm lost and he was still running in sync with me.

I almost miss the clearing ahead between the tangle of thorns, but I take a sharp turn and leap straight through a gap in the brambles I knew Matthew wouldn't go through.

Small cuts released droplets of blood as I stumble through to a small meadow. The sight of green grass but wilting flowers. The lake on the far side was as crystal clear as ever, throwing sparkles of light that seemed like magic. This was the same meadow from my childhood. The house to my left was as big as before, but peeling paint had left marks of imperfection. 

I had found my home.