Not My Mate (On Hold)

Chapter 3

Riley 's POV

The sound of my alarm woke me up. How I hated that noise. Curse the genius who invented it. I stretched out let a tired moan escape, followed by a loud yawn before I fumbled around, trying to find the culprit who was responsible for my awakening. Only I ended up hitting my bedside lamp instead, followed by a plangent crash.

"For the love of God, can someone turn of that freaking alarm?" I moaned into my pillow, trying to seduce Sandman to lull me back to sleep. But my prayers weren't answered as the beeping sound simply continued.

I opened my eyes and looked around, my eyes struggling to adjust to the bright sunlight that entered my room. Groaning once again I turned to read the red numbers on my clock: 2AM.

Wait, my alarm isn't going off. Did I just dream about a beeping alarm clock. Well that's just plain awkward. I rubbed the remaining sleep from my eyes and got up from my warm bed. I didn't even bother to put on my shoes, all I wanted was to shift and go for a run.

I got out of my room and walked through the hallways of the castle. I headed outside and made my way through the palace gates. We aren't allowed to leave castle grounds at this hour, not before you come of age.

It's some stupid rule to unsure our safety. Everything changed drastically around here after the attack. Roughs in general never formed any kind of threat. Besides rumors doing round about them being ruthless and dangerous. They were just wolves who preferred living outside a pack.

Wolves barely get banned from their pack. If you break the law, you get a trial followed by a community service or jail time. At least that's how things go around here. What's the point in banning an outlaw from your land, it only sedates the real threat, you shove the problem upon someone else and its only time before it gets thrown back in your face.

However not all packs have the same standards like us. An outlaw pack had attacked the castle a couple of years ago in hopes of gaining the crown. Many died, and it has been an open wound ever since.

I tried to shrug the memory away. I understood why there's a rule that prevents us from venturing out at night, but I couldn't help but break it once in a while. Out there is the only place where I can find peace. Away from my mate.

'You call being away from your mate peaceful?' Rue snorted.

'I don't need this right now Rue.' I took of my shorts and my t-shirt before I shifted into a light brown wolf. I ran straight ahead, enjoying the feel of dirt crumbling beneath my paws and the soft breeze playing with my fur.

I loved being surrounded by nature. It made me feel free.

I had been running for half an hour when I suddenly picked up a strong scent.

'Apples.' I smirked, I loved apples, the scent tingled my nose in a pleasant way. I sniffed the air again, wanting to take in more of the scent.

'Apples and cannella, where is this delicious scent coming from? And where did I smell this before?' My wolf jumped happily, eager to follow it to its source.

And suddenly it all clicked into place.

"Mate." I whispered. I stopped running and shock struck me. My head became fuzzy and I felt light-headed.

'We have to go.' I panicked.

'No! Let him find us.' Rue screamed. I growled from within her. I fought to get control over her which was hard because I was in wolf form.

'Not a chance.' I hissed. She tried taking over again but I wouldn't let her. Completely ignoring my wolf's whining, I started running into the other direction.