The Wolf Within (Book 1 of Wolf Within Series)

She Doesn't Know

** Lia's POV **

I didn't really want to leave, but exhaustion had started to creep in since I hadn't gotten any rest last night. I was so excited that I had finally gotten to officially meet her. Dakota... I thought to myself, such a beautiful name. Her eyes, her smile, the way she spoke. Everything about her just had me completely captivated, but there was one huge thing in the way of us being truly together:

"She doesn't know she's a werewolf."

Al jerked her head in my direction, her eyes wide with shock and confusion. "What do you mean she doesn't know she's a werewolf? How could she not know?" She let out a gasp. "Is that why she has a pet cat?"

"What is your obsession with that cat?" I finally asked her.

"It's an Alpha cat! I swear! And that's beside the point, can we go back to that original statement? How, in the Goddess's name does she not know she's a werewolf?"

"I don't know, but I guess that's why she didn't show me her wolf last night. Al, I'm not crazy right? You felt her wolf too?" Thankfully we were at a stop light as I turned to look at Al. "Tell me the truth."

"Yes, I definitely felt her wolf. Though I'll admit something about it felt.... Trapped." She looked out the windshield and continued. "I'll be honest Lia; I have no clue what to do here. She's at least heard of werewolves, right?"

"Yes. I told her the "legend" about our Pack and she was completely infatuated. She said she always felt connected to wolves. She even said she'd always wished she could be a werewolf, then she asked me if I would want to have the abilities of the majestic creatures!" I almost yelled, my frustration kept growing and was only amplified by the fact that I didn't know what to do.

"Well you should have told her right then." Al said, matter-of-factly.

I tossed her a look that clearly read 'oh really?' dripping with sarcasm.

"I mean, what better time to say it! 'Not only would I accept the powers of such a majestic creature, I am that majestic creature you love. You are too!' See? How hard would that have been?" Al scoffed.

"You realize she is a twenty-seven-year-old woman. Correct?" I stared at, more than frustrated. "She would think I was crazy."

"Yeah, I guess you're right." Al admitted, sinking further back into her seat, her face completely baffled.

We sat in silence for a long while on the drive home. Every now and then Al filling it with stupid ideas to get Dakota to embrace her inner wolf. "We could make her play fetch?" and "We could take her hunting and tell her, 'You are only allowed to kill it with your bare hands and teeth'".

As we parked at the Ranger station, she sat straight up and grabbed my shoulders and turned me to face her. Thank Goddess I just parked.

"You should consult Strega Tali!" she had practically yelled. She was right. Strega Tali would be able to shed more light on this situation than anyone else could.

"Al! You are brilliant!" I said, "I'll arrange to meet her in a few hours. First, I really need some sleep."

"Yeah, no kidding." Al replied. "Your eyes look like shit." She said as she got out of the car. "Don't worry though, I don't think Dakota noticed one bit. She was too distracted by those biceps of yours." She teased as she made her way past the Station and toward the pack house.

I got out of the car and headed up to the station, I knew I wasn't in any mood to deal with the pleasantries required of me when entering into a house filled with my pack. Instead I opted to sleep on one of the many cots in the ranger station's break room. Before I fell asleep, I reached out to Strega Tali via mind link.