Alpha Running Rogue

8. Home

Matthew's POV

I hastily follow the clear evergreen scent along a wall of spiky underbrush until I see the back of a familiar charcoal wolf in a large clearing. The faint smell of iron and rain fills my nostrils when I spot sprinkles of dark crimson splayed between a small gap in the thorns. Blood. Her blood. I wanted to go to her but the gap was too small, I would never fit through. It was a small chance even for Arabella. She was pacing around the clearing when I brought my gaze back to her,  leaning down to sniff a few times. Her features were hard and difficult to read. Sometimes her eyes would close and she sighed, darkened and stiff in others. She seemed conflicted, but familiar with her surroundings. This must be her home. What is she doing?

I saw the black wolf skim her nose over the surface of a small lake across the clearing, throw her head back and howl. A deep painful sound of agony and loneliness, of heartbreak and exhaust. The sort sound a wolf would make when it lost its mate. A one of loss and suffering. Something I haven't heard in a long time. Something I have never imagined feeling until it hit me like a bucket of ice water.

I let out an involuntary whimper when her pain hit me. She kept on howling into the silence and every second my chest wrenched. I felt a thousand knives pulling out and jabbing the valves of my heart. My mate's pain was all I could feel. I tried taking a step towards her but my muscles were locked in place. All I could do was watch her.

After eternity her calls faded and I could breathe again. She collapsed on the grass and began to shift. I turn away and the serious voice of my beta pushes into my head.

'We've caught a spy in the area, We've caught a spy, Alpha can you hear me? I repeat-'

'I hear you, I hear you. Put him in the dungeons, I'll see to it tonight.'

'He demands for your immediate presence.'

'Tonight.'

'Okay, I'll knock him out.'

I cut the mind link and shift so I could push through the thorns. Knowing that I was in the nude, I call my wolf back as I step into the clearing. The cuts fade quickly as I try to locate Arabella. She had left when I turned my back. 

Her scent led up to a large ruin. It was big, probably where she lives. Leaping through an open slide door I found myself in a living room. On the wall were pictures of a little girl and a smaller boy, both with wide grins. Another showed a family of four. I vaguely recognise the older male. He was one of the most powerful Alpha's. Five years ago Alpha Liam had been killed but no one knew who had killed him. His son had taken over immediately after announcing his death. The Alpha had dark hair and strong features. The woman beside him was pale with brown eyes. His Luna. The the two children from before stood side by side with the same bright smiles. It took me a few moments to recognise Arabella. It wasn't the way she looked that made her seem different. It was the way she held herself and the expressions in the photo. I walk along the wall and notice the slight alterations. She was stiffer and her smiles became forced.

'What are you doing here.'
My head whips around to see Arabella at the base of a grand staircase.

'Is this your home?'

'No.'

'The pictures-'

'No, get out!'

Her words hurt, but I knew better than to leave her alone. So I stay in place.

'I said get out! Are you deaf?!'

'Arabella, You have clothes here don't you? We can go get them and then we'll go back. Let's go back.'

'I'm not going back. Especially not with you.'  Her voice was ice.

'Then I'm staying.'

'Do whatever you want.' She turned and leaped up the steps. I followed close behind her and almost ram into her face when she turns to glare at me.

'Stop following me.'

'You said I could do whatever I wanted.'

'Well I'm changing so stay out here.'

'I don't mind seeing you change though.'

'Just stay out here.' she rolled her eyes.

We're both sitting on the dusty carpet floor of her bedroom. She twists the ends of her hair nervously, biting a small part of her lower lip.

"Stop looking at me."

"I don't want to. You said I could do whatever I want."

"Are you seriously holding that against me now?"

"Yup." I say, popping the 'p'. She sighs.

"Look Matthew-"

"Call me Matt."

"Look Matt. I don't want any pack trouble so if you would just leave me alone, I promise that I'll never cross your borders again. You won't have to deal with me anymore and you can go on with your life as usual."

I look at her for a while, scanning her feature that seemed restless but beautiful. "Why do you want to leave so badly?" I finally ask.

"I like my life as a rogue." Her eyes remained downcast.

"You don't."

"How would you know, you've never been a rogue. I was free and I could do anything I pleased. That freedom is hard to come by."

"I would know because you're my mate." Her eyes snapped up I was just as shocked when the words left my mouth. Saying it out loud made it undeniable than knowing.

"I-I-I just- what?"

"You're my mate Arabella. You knew it too."

"It's just that I - I don't know what to do."

"What do you mean?"

"I know that two Alpha's never end up well together because of the power and I just.....can't." Her voice cracked as she whisper the last word. I pull her into my lap and wrapped my arms around her, resting my chin in the crook of her neck.

"Arabella, I know its hard but maybe it's not such a bad thing to rely on someone once in a while. I don't know why you want to leave me but just know that I'm here. I'll be here if you ever need me so don't leave. Okay?"

"Okay." She whispered.