Alpha Derek

22

After Derek hogged down the pancakes Macie made for him, he washed his plate and asked me one more time if I was really ready to meet his parents. I rolled my eyes at his back and huffed a "Yes."
He then teasingly asked me if he needed to carry me there or was I capable of walking. Now I was sticking my tongue out at his back as I following him outside.

As soon as we stepped out the door the chilly breeze hit my fur-free body and I shivered in delight. The sun rays seeping through the tall woods that surrounded Dereks cabin made random patterns on his porch. I lifted my arm and saw the same patterns imprinted on it, feeling the slight warmth of the rays on the areas that were lightened. I wandered down the stairs and towards a particularly light area. I stand directly beneath it and spread my arms, basking in the warmth that suddenly surrounded me everywhere.

"Stay right there."  I heard Derek say behind me.

As if I was goint to move, I thought to myself as my eyes lazily closed and my heart fluttered for the second time today. I blushed as I thought about the first time. I was grateful Derek couldn't see me right now as I flustered thinking of the kiss.

"Now twirl." Derek ordered.

I giggled at his silly suggestion but twirled a few circles anyway. Halfway through my sixth circle I start feeling giddy and loose my balance. But of course before I touched the ground, I was whisked up in Dereks arms.

"I knew I was going to have to carry you there." He smirked down at me, lifting me up effortlessly.

"I was just t-testing your r-reflexes."

He raised an eyebrow. "Were you, now?"

I nod, pursing my lips so he couldn't see the smile threatening to spill, but wrap my arms around his neck anyway.

He chuckles and starts walking in the other direction. "Well, I very much like you in my arms and you gave me a good reason to have you in them. Besides, I noticed my forgetful sister didn't get you a pair of shoes to wear and we wouldn't want you to scrape your feet walking in the forest. Would we, milady?"

"Nuh-uh." I mumble and peer down from his shoulders to look at his feet. "You're not w-wearing any," I point out.

"I don't wear shoes unless I'm going into town. I'm generally in my wolf form around the territory, I would've offered you a ride on my back but I don't want to destroy these new clothes. Or Macie would destroy me. Also, I am not the delicate flower here." He bends his head and gives me an Eskimo kiss while his stubble tickles my face, making me erupt in giggles.

"I-I am a w-wild flower." I counter with an attempted growl.

"You were a wild flower. Now you're my flower. And I pamper my flowers."

I turn my attention ahead to look away from his dancing beautiful eyes that were even more intricate in direct sunlight, not knowing how to respond to what he said. We have bonded so much in the past few days that it's difficult to believe it's only been three days since we met. I felt so strongly about him that I knew if things were to go back to the way they were, I would not survive.

His flower would wither.

I rest my head on his shoulder. I want to stay his flower forever. Wild or not. Pampered or not.

We stay silent the rest of our way, but it wasn't uncomfortable. The quiet woods created a pleasant atmosphere and mixed with Dereks calming scent - it created the perfect sleep tonic. The constant noise of leaves crunching under Dereks feet was like a lullaby and his warmth surrounded me like a blanket. The faint motion of us moving felt like he was rocking me to sleep, so I let myself slip for a while. I can't remember the last time sleep came so easily to me.

After what felt like hours of jumping in and out of sleep, I finally notice something in the distant, through the slits of my eyelids. As we neared, it appeared to be much larger than what it initially seemed like. A huge structure, almost castle like but not quite. I opened my eyes wider, and realised the mansion sat atop a shallow cliff that fell into water... but it wasn't a large water body - not an ocean or sea, more like a huge lake. The cliff narrowed like an oblong trapezium, at the edge of which sat the building, the levels of which were stretching in random directions, not like a simple box house. It was so very weird and it hanged off the cliff as if about to fall any second in to the water beneath. But captivating at the same time.

"Modern architecture," Derek said.

Whatever that meant. Although, I could definitely see the modern. "Pretty," I say. "But—"

"But where's the rest of the clan?"

I nodded.

"This is what we call our 'show house'. Where we're allowed to invite humans. I figured, since we're still keeping you a secret from the pack, this place would be the safest for you to meet my parents."

I nodded in understanding. When we got closer, Derek pointed at something beyond the house. "You see that hill on the other side of the water?"

I nod again. The hill stood lone in the middle of the massive lake, like an island. There seemed to be no feasible way of entry unless you crossed the waters. "That's where the pack houses reside," Derek explained. "Years ago, the Alpha who owned this territory came up with the idea that if all of the houses were built on this hill—instead of spread out across the land like they used to be—the chances of humans coming across something suspicious will decrease to a negligible amount. Stuck together also makes defending an attack easier. Not only that, but because it's surrounded by water, it's easier to notice if someone is trying to sneak in and buys us enough time to prepare ourselves. Of course, we have strategic weapons positioned that targets enemies in the distant, but that's just details."

"B-But your c-cabin?"

"The show house and my cabin are the only exception. When I became the Alpha, I decided I needed to be on this side of the land to be able to get around the territory faster, in case there was a problem. We do have a patrol system that keeps guard round the clock and they're posted at a miles distance from each other on the boundaries. But they're my responsibility. It is as much my duty to keep them safe as it is theirs to keep me safe, if not more so."

I kiss his cheek and smile at him. Derek made a good Alpha.

He grins at me as we come to a slow halt in front of the grand entrance, under a massive chandelier that hanged from two storeys up. "Wow." I whisper mesmerised. The entrance consisted of a huge grey wall with water sliding down it on both sides of the big wooden door. I looked down at the marble-floored porch where small rainbows reflected erratically all over.

I tapped Derek on the shoulder and pointed at the floor with my mouth agape. Was he seeing this?

He casually chuckled as if it was no big deal that there were rainbows forming on the floor of his front porch. "When the sunrays hit the glass chandelier or the water droplets at certain angles, it creates tiny rainbows that reflect on the floor," he explained, as if he expected me to understand that. He forgets I studied very little. I'm sure there's some science behind it but to me it just looked like pure magic.

"C-Can I touch it?" I bite my lip, unsure. He probably thought it stupid of me to ask but I've never touched a rainbow.

Derek chuckled as he put me down on my feet. "Of course, baby."

I kneeled on my bare knees to touch the cold white marble—

"Is that her?"

I jumped startled, my eyes shooting up at the intruder standing at the door. The man loomed over, almost as tall as Derek, his grey hair falling into his matching deep set grey eyes that were encircled with age wrinkles. He had wrinkles around his mouth too, and they were especially enhanced as he smiled down at me.

I flushed and instinctively slid in Dereks direction, still on my knees. The man didn't seem like a threa, in fact his body language was very warm and welcoming. But my social skills were really being put to test here.

Dereks low chuckle echoed in the foyer as he stepped towards me, reciprocating my action. "That's her." Derek confirmed, his leg brushing my arm as he leaned to stroke my hair affectionately.

☾

Having your hair stroked as you kneel. :)
If you know, you know.