Alpha Male| ✓

19.0

WALK WITH A STRANGER

'Get up.' Daria found a familiar buff looking man standing with his body against the door frame. He wasn't overly muscled, but the sinewed arms looked strong enough to strangle the throat of a misbehaving wolf.

Daria tried to recollect the man's name.

Vincent. She remembered, he was the one who had been made to walk by her side while passing through the dense forest surrounding Emerson's territory. The one she had identified as overly rude and ill mannered, the Alpha's tail.

'You again.' She remarked dissapointed. All she wanted was to know whether or not Roman was alright, and she was desperately hoping that it was him who walked through the doors.

She stood up with her arms crossed protectively in front of her chest.

'What do you want?' Daria asked him.

'If you want to see the light outside you better behave yourself, because I'm your only way out of this room.' He smirked.

'If you're saying what I think you're saying, does that mean I'll have to be with you the entire time?' Daria was surprised that Emerson had finally decided to allow her a little freedom, but she was sad that she couldn't have Roman around her.

'Yes.'

'Then I'm good here.' She stepped back.

'Stop being such a brat and move your arse.' He took a step towards her to drag her out of the gloomy room.

'I won't hesitate to punch you.' She warned him with scrunched up eyes.

'And I won't hesitate to return the favour, so behave.' Was his reply.

'Don't talk to me like I'm your pet.' She snarled.

'Aww, are you offended?' His reply made Daria's temper rise, since she had been abducted, her anger had been harder to control. The way she was treated made her want to kill everyone in her path of getting out, but she really needed the stroll. So she quietly walked towards the door and avoided Vincent's hands as he tried to grab her forearm and hold it tightly.

'Don't come near me.' She ordered him and by some miracle, he didn't argue back or make another attempt.

She stepped out of the room and was immediately hit with the tantalising aroma of freshly baked chocolate muffins. It teased her nostrils and they flared to take it more of it. Everything seemed louder than what it usually was, the sounds formerly muffled by the door no more had a barrier and Daria could hear clearer.

'Come on, Alpha wants you back in the room by nightfall.' Vincent said. Daria made a face at him and walked forward, simultaneously trying to see if her wolf was ready to cooperate if she found an opening to run. Sadly, her life seemed to be full of disappointment as she got no response. She continued to walk.

Daria could feel eyes on her back as she passed the kitchen, and she could also hear the whispers of the pack ladies, all wondering what she was doing out. Some called her unkempt, some called her dangerous, but most wondered about the way she was dressed. Like a rag doll.

Their words were hateful and hurt her, but she stuck her chin up and walked as proudly as the daughter of Norman and Lisa Kanos had to. Vincent slyly glanced at her from the side, to gauge her reaction to the audible words, but was surprised by the way she was taking it.

Daria thought about how she had no reason to be ashamed, and if a person who didn't know anything about her, and didn't mean anything to her said something, then she would let it out of the other ear.

'Where do you want to go first? There's a lake and-'

'The lake please.' Daria cut him off, eager to escape to the beautiful little place that she and Emerson had sat for hours beside, silently and together.

He nodded as led her there, and she smiled at how the water sparkled when the rays of sunshine fell upon the surface. She walked around it with Vincent following her like a tail, wherever she went, he followed.

A sudden idea made its way into Daria's mind, she stood up and ran behind a tree. Vincent growled in warning, and kept an eye on her, she repeated her actions, and so did he.

He soon realised what she was trying to do. By making it playful she was attempting to distract him, but having an unruly, rebel of a sister he had caught her in the nick of the time.

'You can't run away from here, especially not on my watch. Roman isn't here to play around anymore.' Vincent flattened his blonde hair over his head.

'Where is he?' She asked nervous.

'Getting what he deserves.' Vincent said. 'We are going back to the pack house, the Alpha has allowed you to eat food in the dining area.'

Daria obeyed, but couldn't help but wonder why Emerson's actions had suddenly become so caring. Did he regret what he had told her the other day?

Lost in her own thoughts Daria's leg got caught on a toy fallen on the ground and she tripped, her hair flying wildly as the forward motion of her body swished it around.

'Oh! I'm sorry.' Daria saw a girl with perfectly plaited hair and wide set eyes staring at her expectantly. She shyly put forward one hand while the other was behind her back. 'Mama told me not to keep my train on the floor, I should have listened.' She looked barely eight or nine years old.

'It's alright.' Daria smiled, standing up and shaking the girls hand. 'What's your name?'

'Eliza.' She showed a set of pearly white teeth. 'My hand was out to help you up.'

'But I'm too heavy, I would have pulled you down.' Daria put a hand on the Eliza's shoulder.

'That's alright, my mistake made you trip in the first place.' Eliza frowned. Vincent was getting impatient, and he wasn't sure if Daria was allowed to talk to the pack members.

But he didn't need to worry, because only a few feet away, Emerson stood behind a clustered gathering of sandalwood trees, the strong scent masking his own. He smiled at the expression of pure joy on his mates face, the tenderness and love for the little child made something within him twist. His eyes fell onto the tattoos on her ankles that made her look more fierce than she probably was, but even though he had originally thought she was very docile, his views had drastically changed. She was fire, and he could burn.

He suddenly realised what he was doing and clenched his fists tightly, running away from the spot and his problems.

By then Eliza and Daria too had parted ways, restoring her faith in the fact that not all members in the pack were bad.

She was next led to the dining room again, but seeing all the ladies still chatting and gossiping away she felt uncomfortable and chose to go back to her room early. It was safe and it sheltered her. She was brought food, but Daria decided that she would remain on a hunger strike unless and until Roman came to her.

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Happy Valentine's Day, my lovelies!

Chapter dedication to everybody who believes in love, may it be for your family, friends or your soulmate <3