Chasing his Mate

Chapter Nine - True Mate

When Denali came to, nature was all around her. She could hear it and she opened her eyes to find natural sunlight that blinded her. Feeling cold, she immediately buried her head in the fur blanket that was against her. She jumped up though when that blanket moved though. When she jumped up with a cry, the fur adjusted, and she realized she had been laying against a black pelted wolf.

"Takota?" She tried and the wolf's ears twitched before he got up and went to her. He then rubbed his muzzle gently against her and she sighed in relief. She had been around dad a lot before the illness, so at least his wolf form was somewhat familiar.

"How did we get here?" She asked as she looked around to see them in a forest with fresh snow.

"What the hell is going on?" She asked as another shiver traced her skin.

When he nudged her, she grabbed a scruff of his fur and followed as he led her somewhere. In no time at all, she found his car sitting in a turn out. When he nudged the door, she looked in and found her clothes sitting on one of the seats. She immediately darted in the car and started to put them on.

She was nearly dressed when she heard the other door open. She jumped and looked at him. He immediately grabbed his clothes and started putting them on as well. She immediately distracted herself by finishing her own, purposely not letting herself be distracted by his current state.

"What are we doing in the freaking forest?" She immediately demanded of him, and one side of his lips went up. It was as if he knew a joke she didn't?

"It was a full moon. I came up here to change and you followed me into the forest." He explained as he started the car to warm it.

What did she remember about last night? She remembered them making love and the thought made her cheeks go red with embarrassment. She had held nothing back. Why did she act this way around him? It was like logic and thought was thrown out the window as soon as he smiled at her.

"It's alright." She heard Takota say before she heard him adjust and felt his lips on his forehead.

"Why are you behaving this way when you have a mate?" She asked, completely confused as to what she meant to him. Was she just another girl who was used then left by a billionaire playboy?

"Xena is playing her game again. She is not my mate." He said as he watched her a little too closely.

"I don't understand." Denali answered and he let out a half sigh of annoyance.

"Let me take care of her, then we can talk more in depth. I fear what she and her father will do when she knows her charade has failed and theirs to much at stake." He answered before she heard him shift his car into drive and make his way back to the cabin.

She stayed quiet the rest of the way back, thinking of their time together and secretly wondering when they can do it again.

Somehow, she knew he had found a way into her heart and now that he did, she could only hope he didn't hurt her. She now understood her mother more. She understood her wanting to stay by her father's side. Maybe her fate would be the same, but somehow, she felt alive for the first time since that night, and she wasn't going to give that up so easily.

When they pulled up, she got out without another word, but he grabbed her and pulled her against him. She was so startled; she didn't move when he did.

"You're so beautiful and innocent. I don't want to let you go." He admitted before she felt him lift her head and he kissed her again. She immediately reacted out of instinct and kissed him back.

When their kiss broke, he once again rested his head against her forehead and took a deep breath. She needed to ask Rhetta why he kept doing that. It had to be a wolf thing.