Wilder

I felt like I was still in a daze. I couldn't believe what I just saw. My mind might be playing some tricks on me. Inca couldn't be alive. She was dead. I killed her with my bare hands. Then how? How was she in flesh and blood, standing before me a minute ago.

It couldn't be possible. Was she a ghost? Had I somehow conjured her back to life by cursing her every waking hour and imagining myself killing her again and again?

Shit!

I fisted my hair, pulling on the strands to get rid of the turmoil that caused my world upside down and misleading me for years into believing and building my life on it. I had been hunting down by my pack for the crime I had done for the greater cause and when the reason itself was alive, living her best life here in a remote town, away from Ravencliffe, making a fool out of me.

But how was it even possible? How did Inca fake her own death? I wasn't there after I delivered justice by washing my hands with her blood. I had to escape, running away for my life. And I never asked Lars how the event unfolded after I disappeared.

I needed to ask him to confirm. I had to do it at the earliest before Inca vanished into the thin air without leaving any trace. But then again, she was safe here, building a home among the wolves and hiding from another pack. I snorted. The irony made me laugh even after getting trapped in this situation. Possibly revealing my identity and handed over to my alpha for justice.

"Walk fast."

I trained my eyes to the person who spoke to me. The boy would be hardly above 18 but looked a bit older with muscles and height. Werewolf gene. But he couldn't fool me. I could hardly flick a finger at his threat. He could never survive what I went through and returned.

Deprivation. Intolerable levels of hardship. Just another flick of a wrist and the blade would drive through my heart. And even survived from point-blank range. That boy in the imagine dragon t-shirt and red sneaker could never measure up to my level.

A sharp gaze and the boy felt uncomfortable. But he didn't back down. He was careful and had a quick judgment of character. He inched a further away from within my reach and slowed his pace, putting me in front. Good for him.

I wondered what did Inca saw in him. Made him fall for her. Why? It was never too hard for her to bend someone at her will. Why him?

Too easy to control. Young. Wear his heart on his sleeve.

I shook my head at the similarity more or less. She always searched for who she could control and the boy would be a fool when it came to her and fell head over heels for her. That was what she had been doing.

When the grey wolf tucked his tail behind his back, I felt relieved but it easily vanished when I realised the wolf went back to call his pack mates and then appeared as a human form. Seeing Inca struggling in my hold, he lost it. I released her from my grasp to prepare for the fight, came speeding towards me without giving her a second glance. Her head hit the ground and before I even respond to the attack charging towards me, the fight ended before it even started.

The boy rushed past me and took Inca in his embrace, clutching her tight to his chest. Speaking softly to her, urging her to open her eyes. Too concerned for her. Too protective.

What did Inca call to him? Clyde. A fool falling into her trap. If the boy believed that Inca had an ounce of feeling towards him, he couldn't be more wrong. I felt sorry for him. She was just using him for her own benefit. When this would be all over, Inca would discard him and move on with her life without a backward glance.

There were so many questions popping in my head, all I needed was some answers to make some space in my head and think for a moment what should I do next.

Suddenly my ears picked at their conversation. They were heavily engaged and our surrounding was too quiet to easily eavesdrop to their constant whispering.

The forest was quiet. Often with the noise of our footsteps, little creatures were scampering here and there. Once in a while, an owl hooted in the distance. Clyde and the other boy were engaged in a heated discussion so I took the opportunity to look here and there. What were the chances I had to escape from here unscathed?

But there was a problem. I couldn't just disappear from Fallbridge without taking the matter at hand that arose tonight. Inca. I needed to see to the end and find out the truth. For that matter alone, I needed to keep my head in the game and see if somehow I came out of this alive. If not, when my alpha came to retrieve me, I would spill my guts and leave the matter related to Inca to him to deal with it.

"What the fuck you were doing in Maia's room?"

The boy named Clyde stepped before me and stopped me from taking a step further. Head to head we stood apart. He was puffing his chest out in anger and clenched his fists at his sides.

"Answer me. Dammit. Or, you will never get to see what judgment my alpha would lay out for you before I will kill you.

I didn't intend to. I admitted it was not a very smart move on my part but when he made such a threat all I couldn't stop myself and laughed at his face.

"You are laughing? You really think I couldn't…" Clyde seemed pretty pissed off. I knew from where that anger was coming from. I had seen it before and I certainly knew how this was going to end.

"I don't know what are you talking about." I blatantly lie at his face. I wasn't going to admit it. Yes, I was in Maia…Inca…whatever name now she went by, I was in her room but for an entirely different reason. When I had no clue who she was. Never had a glimpse of her face. Even thinking for a second, I felt remotely attracted towards her, my tongue turned sour. I felt disgusted at myself.

"I know it's you." I turned my head to look at the other guy who had been quiet since we started walking the trail through the forest and following into Clyde's footsteps.

I looked ahead. We were almost reaching the expanse, could be seen from the distance we were standing with a blazing fireball supposedly a camp with a bonfire at the centre and the wolves relishing their evening.

No time to pick a fight and turn back. Though it was never an option. I needed to find out more about Inca, all I could hope was I would be given more time to stay welcomed in Fallbridge for a few more days. That would be enough for what I had in mind if my plan worked and I survived tonight.

"I got your scent in their room. I was there."

I looked more closely at the guy this time. Had I seen him before? Was he the one I got a whiff of and fled from there because of him? Could it be? I didn't pay much attention. All I got was a whiff of another wolf and my instinct kicked in and I jumped through the window.

"What proof do you have?" I challenged.

The guy looked over to Clyde and Clyde stepped forward. "Don't you lie to me? Why do you want to harm Maia?"

I didn't admit the truth. It seemed absurd now. That night I wasn't in her room with the intention to harm her, more likely to get to know her or, to stay close to her. But that notion was far off now after I saw her face. I could never visit those feelings my heart had once awoken for her. My feelings had died the moment I looked at her. Her face held the ugly truth of what was in her soul.

"Answer me." Clyde was being persistent. I couldn't let him see the depth of my hatred for Inca. He would try to protect her and that I couldn't let that happen. I needed to slide the matter casually. No could interfere, it was between Inca and me.

"I mistook her for someone." I didn't know whether Clyde believed me or not but I couldn't possibly give him more answers.

"I thought I heard noises…here you are." A man in his late fifties came down the slope and patted Clyde on his shoulder and there were other men behind him. One of them carrying a dead buck spoke out, "Come to the feast, boys."

Then all their eyes fell on me and instantly all the playfulness had gone.

"Who's this?" Another asked.

"Found him near the cafe," Clyde replied.

"What he has been doing there?"

"Let's take the matter to the alpha."

"Is he alone?"

All kinds of questions started buzzing all around me and soon, I was walking towards the expanse where people had already gathered around the fire. Laughing, passing drinks, gossiping and upon my entrance, everything halted. All eyes were pointed at me with curiosity and alert.

"Alpha," Someone called out.

A few people moved away from their place and there he was.

Alpha of the Fallbridge Pride.

I stumbled and was shocked.

"Provide the man with some food. Sit and let's have a chat."