The covenant
Two weeks in the past
As I walked away, my heart raced. A blend of fear and adrenaline flushed through me as I replayed the Alpha's words in my mind. How he looked at me. Oh that fleeting moment of connection, it felt electric. I felt alive. I couldn't shake the image of him smiling gently, the warmth of his touch that I so desperately wanted to feel.
Once I was back on the path leading home, I replayed the encounter repeatedly. Questions swirled in my mind. Like, what did his smile mean? Why did he save me? Despite the uncertainty, a part of me yearned to see him again, drawn by his pull that seemed to defy all of my morals. What had happened? Had I just crossed paths with the man of my daydreams? Even though he was a wolf. Yes, it had been embarrassing and nerve-wracking, but it was real. I had seen him, felt his presence, and even shared a tiny moment with him. All the questions played in my mind like a school-aged child asking her teacher questions.
The way the Alpha reacted showed that he cared about his pack, I can see that clearly. He protects them from threats, even unfamiliar ones. I was just a girl in the wrong place at the wrong time, but he had defended me. Somehow, that made me feel a little special The thought made me think we might be together, maybe just maybe. Despite what the bears thought of the wolves.
As I got closer to home, I caught sight of Solar and Eclipse through the trees. They laughed as they recounted something amusing. I wanted to share my experience, the excitement threaded through my veins, but how would I explain my near encounter with the wolf pack? I could already hear their teasing, the playful jabs about my crush.
When I finally joined them, they both noticed my overly red cheeks.
"What happened to you?" Eclipse asked, leaning closer, her eyes sparkling with curiosity.
"Nothing... just went for a walk." I shrugged, trying to play it cool.
"Yeah, right. You look like you just saw your true love," Solar teased, but I could see genuine concern in her gaze.
"Are you sure everything's okay?" Eclipse pressed, her tone changing.
I hesitated for a short tiny moment but then decided they deserved at least a hint of the truth. "I… ran into a member of the wolf pack, well the one Iv'e been watching" I said it like it was nothing, but inside, my heart raced, like a wolf running.
Their eyes widened. "What?!" they exclaimed simultaneously before bursting into questions.
"It was nothing! Just a chance meeting. We just ran into each other. That's all." I downplayed it, a nervous laugh escaping my lips.
"Just a 'chance encounter' with a werewolf?" Solar pressed, raising an eyebrow. "Spill, Saturn. You can't drop that and expect us to ignore it."
Taking a deep breath, I shared the basics of how I had gone to watch them and my nervousness that had led to my awkward situation with Atohi. The magic, the spell, the whole ordeal.
"You have to go back," Eclipse insisted, her enthusiasm making my heart flutter with anxiety and excitement. "You have to introduce yourself properly this time!"
"I can't just go back! What if they think I'm a creep again?" I protested, but deep inside, a part of me was tempted by the idea.
"Take a moment to think about it! Even though it was strange, you felt a connection with him. It's a risk you have to take. What could go wrong? "
"But what if it goes wrong?" I looked at them, searching for a hint of doubt in their eyes, but they just beamed back at me. With confidence, they seemed so sure.
"Then you'll just learn from it," Eclipse smiled. "You can't let fear hold you back. Besides, who knows what could happen?"
Their support sparked a fire of determination within me.
"Alright, maybe I'll go back, but not tonight. I need to gather my thoughts and plan my approach."
As the night deepened, I felt the thrill of possibility pulse through me. Maybe this was the turning point I needed, not just in my feelings for him, but for my courage.