The Alpha's Love

part seventeen

POV: BRYANT

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River clenched onto my forearm as we walked down the dimly lit path to the cluster of giant oaks that sat just behind my family's estate

Multiple different thoughts flooded my mind.
River says she knew how to shift into her wolf, when I haven't seen her wolf. It was hard to believe when she had hardly tried mind linking with me. I had little hope, but I believed in my mate.

I lead her behind a wide enough tree that would allow River to strip comfortably, without risking any passing pack members seeing my mate in her natural state.

River let go of my arm and rested her hands by her sides, uncomfortably she shifted on her feet to look back at the distant porch.

"Nobodies around." I said looking in the same direction, seeing not a single silhouette on the porch.

I inhaled deeply, trying to pick up on any scents that might've been lurking in the shadows. The only scent I could smell was across the street, two 13 year old boys. As alpha, I could scold them for being out past curfew, but I was far too busy to go out of my way to yell at the kids.

I turned my attention to see River staring at the ground with furrowed eyebrows.

"What are you doing?" I asked

"Trying to shift?" She replied bluntly.

I rolled my eyes. "Rule number one, ditch the clothes. You're going to rip them and have an awkward walk of shame home, while everybody gets to stare at you."

She broke her concentration and looked up with me with a smirk and squinted eyes. "Good, that's what I've been trying to do. Unfortunately every male my age doesn't dare to look at me, because of you."

I grabbed her arm, crushing it between my thumb and index finger. "You won't look at anyone but me and only I'll get to look at you." I said through gritted teeth

My heart raced and I could feel my blood burn throughout my veins. I felt my eyes start to go hazy as my wolf took over. I took a deep breath, trying to get a hold of Briggs.

"Heat." He snarled.

I tilted my head back to look up at the sky. There wasn't much to see besides a few stars, I couldn't see the moon. The trees were realistically to high to see anything at night.

"Bryant?"

I peered down to see River's frightened eyes meet mine. Her left hand now rested on top of my hand, that still held River in my grasp.

I swallowed harshly, letting her go. "Sorry."

"I'm-I'm sorry, I wouldn't have said anything if I knew you were going to react like that." She stuttered, trying not to look at me.

I shook my head. "It's not your fault. Your heat has been getting stronger, it's messing with me."

"The pain used to be bearable, but last night..." She trailed off, pressing her hands to her stomach.

"I know, I can feel it too." She was right, I hadn't been affected by her until now. When she stayed with Cassandra, I could feel her pain. All I wanted to do was help her, but she denied me from even being around her. I wouldn't allow her to stay with anyone else, until her heat was over. She still had a couple days until her heat reached it's peak strength and I couldn't risk any other unmated wolf getting to her.
I couldn't fall asleep last night, I could feel River and her wolf tossing and turning all night. She'd be too hot and take off all the blankets then she'd be. freezing. Even Briggs couldn't get a good night sleep anymore, he would howl and howl. When I told him to be quiet, he'd just howl louder.