Her Mate

Chapter Four:

I love the morning.

It's my favorite part of any day.

The birds chirping their morning greetings, the sunlight making its way through the cracks in the walls making the little room light up more than any light fixture could, the dew on the grass outside making every sparkle in the morning light;but most of all, I love the quiet.

I woke up on a beautiful morning the next day an hour earlier than usual, just like my father commanded, slowly making my way up the stairs to the kitchen.

I don't settle for the usual breakfast, my good mood and lack of authority convincing me to make a big bashful feast of fried eggs, green peppers and onions omelet, hash browns, colorful ceasar salad and (of course) bacon.

All through the cooking progress, the silence keeps me company.

As I finished plating all the dishes, my workspace in the kitchen sparkly clean and tidy, I suddenly hear the front door open quietly, with it a pair of footsteps and a heavenly smell, both coming my way. My heart in my throat, I finish plating the last dish and sprint to the basement, a little squeak falling out of my lips in panic. Running down the stairs I suddenly stop as the endless seeming staircase, well, ends, and I fall onto my bed. My heart beating fast, and my lungs working overtime, I lay on my back on the mattress.

Only when my breathing began to return to normal and my heart returned to its usual pace did what happen settle in my mind. My mind started rattling questions at bullet speed. The footsteps were heavy and sturdy, definitely belonging to a male. Who is he? He wasn't from our pack- I would have recognized his smell. So he must be from the neighboring packs high ranking entourage of the visiting alpha. Why did he smell so damn good? I don't even know how to describe it, it just pulled me to him. Why was he up in this hour? It is now about 5:00 in the morning, rarely a time a high ranking pack member wakes up before, nonetheless returns home from somewhere at. And that was what he was doing, of course, as he was not leaving, he was coming my way. My question continued running through my mind, each one leading to new questions while leaving the old ones stay still unanswered.

For some strange reason, I want to know more about him. Why? I don't know.

Something about him pulles me to him. Is it his smell? Rank? The way his footsteps were confident, knowing no hesitation to his destination or the way to it, even though he has arrived only yesterday?

Only when my mind was filled to the brim with questions, did I remember one most important detail: my father ordered me to stay in the kitchen. And I was not in the kitchen then, the packing boxes to store the food so it won't get cold were all the way across the lounge, since the stock I keep in the kitchen ran out. So in my hase to get away, the man could have seen me. And he will tell my father, this pack's alpha, because he is a man- his pride and need to impress to show power and a chance to puff his chest at an alpha are dominant traits. He will surely tell my father. Shit.

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All that day, I've been tense and skittish. After breakfast ended I got my list of chores for the day and the news that the visiting alpha and his pack mates will be staying for the next week due to complications. I didn't get a beating.

Whether it is because the man didn't see me or because he is waiting to use his knowledge to gain something from me or my father, I don't know, but I don't particularly care. I'm just happy to not be limping and bruised.

I don't know whether to be happy or sad they're staying. While the thought of seeing the man from this morning again made my insides tingle and heat rush to my face for some godforsaken reason; the news meant I will have to use the long and dark underground passageways ,as to not be seen, making even the simplest chores take years to complete. But I might see him again.