5

Adrian drove all the way home with both hands on his car steering and his face upright and forward that he didn't get a glimpse of the fallen tree or the disturbing feeling of the jagged path of the galloping highway. On a very good day, Adrian would swerve his steering to avoid the bumps because he loves to have a smooth ride when he is returning home from the bar but this time he lacks the enthusiasm to do such. The stricken aspect is how he didn't frown at the disturbing bumps because his mind was on the lady had almost marked. He knew he wasn't himself while they were together. His wolf told him he found his mate but she seems to not feel a connection with Andrea as he wanted.

The streets were quiet and seem like it is dead. The sounds he can hear are the leaves rustling in the breeze and the pitter-patter sounds of raindrops falling on the ground. Together, they compose a brilliant song of nature. No din from the high-school students, no irritating noise from the cars. No one, not even a soul dares to make a sound to disturb this moment. Everything is silent, as if it isn’t even alive, just like a ghost street that only emerges in the mid-night and will vanish when the first sunlight strikes down from the sky. Wet dirt mixes with the smells of perfumes that are left behind by people suffuse the air. Making him think of the mixture of sodas and expired apple juices.

The silver moon suspends in the velvet sky, glowing dimly. Moonlight travels through the yellowish leaves and sheds on the land. The obscure, indistinct shadows of the trees are swaying on the floor letting me have the illusion of thousands of devils dancing slyly in the night, planning some evil trick. The hazy mist surrounds the street making it more mysterious and attractive, and bright.

Adrain pulled up the long gravel driveway to his house outside of Elkton. His residence overlooked the mountains and covered several hundred acres, more than enough room for several members of the pack to run at any one time. The house hadn't always been his, and he had no say in the design. It belonged to the pack Alpha, not him. If anyone ever unseated him from his position, he would lose the house, the land, everything. But that prospect was unlikely.

He ran his pack fairly, giving each member enough say to not feel neglected, and never making demands too harsh for any person to shoulder. He was a good alpha, he knew that. In control, cool-headed, someone you could count on.

So what the hell had just happened?

He stormed in through the front door of this apartment, slamming it behind him and tossing his keys on the front table. At first, he made for the kitchen to pour himself a stiff drink of something, but

thought better of it and merely removed his boots and coat before sinking into the ridiculously plush black couch in the living room.

He ran his hands through his hair before throwing himself back against the backrest. He had fucked up. There were no two ways about it. Would she change from that bite? He didn't know if a human could get infected that way, but his teeth hadn't felt normal. If he had undergone a partial change…It shouldn't have been possible. It took complete control and concentration to shift from man to wolf and sustain the transformation. And he most certainly hadn't been concentrating on that. He needed to see her again, to see that she was okay. He could control himself this time.

The front door opened and Murray walked through. He was a longstanding member of the pack, had been in since he was a teenager along with the rest of his family. He stood at just under six feet, stocky with wavy dark hair and the hint of a tan. Murray stomped into the room and stood staring at Adrain for a few moments. Adrain met his eyes calmly.

"Have you gone crazy?" He didn't yell he may as well have been asking about the weather.

Adrain didn't answer. He continued to stare, daring Murray to continue.

"Adrain, this isn't a joke. You attacked some woman behind our bar, what on Earth were you thinking? You're lucking she wasn't injured or this could be bad."

Adrain let out a breath he hadn't know he was holding. Good, Adrain hadn't been hurt. That was important. "If she's uninjured," he said as if he had no care in the world, "I hardly see a problem."

"You better would be sorry if she is, because the elders are already investigating on that you be sure she isn't injured. They said they see no reasons why you should ever lose your head at just a single sight of women who even the moon goddess has t destined to be your mate" Murray said.

"No! she is my mate!"

"You are a young Alpha, Adrain, no such Alpha chooses a mate for himself. The moon goddess chooses a suitable meet for you at the coming of age ceremony but then if she is injured, you would have more trouble than your testosterone can handle" He scoffed at him.

"When will their investigation report be out?"

"I wouldn't know just be calm I guess. You shouldn't have attacked her in the first place"

"I know Murray, I didn't know what came over me. It enveloped me and brought me to no control. I found my urge busting out for her touch. She is everything I had wanted. Her hourglass figure, her wider bust, wider hips but small waistline all contributed to my reacting that way. I hope she is fine Murray."

"I hope so too for you Adrian. You are an honorable Alpha whom everyone speaks well about don't let a lady you know nothing about her or her past drag your reputation to shame." Adrian stares at Murray like he had poked his brain cell with that last piece of advice.

He gestured for Murray to join him on the couch. Murray sat down close enough to touch. "Since when do you act like that? Panting after some human?"

Adrian grabbed his hand, clutched it tight enough to hurt. But he didn't say anything," Andrea is not some human! Watch your words!"

Adrian had no right to speak to him, to speak about Andrea, like that. But he had a point. One Adrian could not acknowledge. He loosened his grip but kept hold of his hand. "Is that why you came here, Murray?"

Murray looked at him, leaning in slightly. Adrain stared into his bright green eyes and couldn't help but wish it had been Murray that had brought up those feelings in him. They had tried to make

ago of it years before, and it had been fun, but there was none of that wildness that he had felt from the moment he laid eyes on Andrea.

Andrea what? He didn't even know her last name and already he wanted to make room for her in his life. That was crazy.

Murray dropped his eyes, his breathing deepening, but he stayed still as Adrian took him in.

Adrian circled his thumb slowly on Murray's wrist, feeling his pulse speed up. Oh yes, those days had been fun. But even this close, the scent of Murray's budding arousal seeping into the room, Adrian felt hollow. He dropped the hand and pulled away. Whatever this was, it was too much for him.

He couldn't think straight.

"Did you get her information?" He asked.

Murray continued as if he hadn't felt the moment between them.

"Andrea Sheldon, her book belonged to a Bar Virginia facility in town." He set down a driver's license on the table.

"I lifted it while she was out."

Adrian tamped down the growing rage within him. Had Murray touched her? No, that way lay even more madness. "What is in the book?"

Murray shrugged, "Looked like something about figures, I didn't have much time to glance through between you storming out and, well…" He trailed off.

She said she felt fine, but maybe we have someone drive by her place in a few days? To make sure nothing is wrong. You know we have to be careful with elders, a few of them don't like you for no reason and you know it so if try to check on her, we should be able to counter any false allegation."

Adrain should have been the one to suggest that. He picked up the license and studied it. It was an Elkton license, so she was probably new in town. He hoped she wasn't here on business. That would be unfortunate. Twenty-three years old, blond hair, blue eyes, everything he had seen earlier, though with none of the punch her presence brought. Even from her license picture, he saw that she was beautiful, but he felt no compulsion. Perhaps it had just been something in the air, some strange smell that caused him to go temporarily insane.

"Are you even listening to a word I'm saying?" Murray's voice broke in, his hand waving in front of Adrian"s face.

"Yes," Adrian said, "Someone will check up on her, everything will be fine."

Murray looked at him for a long moment and Adrian wondered if he had missed something. Instead, Murray stood and bid him farewell as Adrain continued studying Andrea Sheldon's license photo.

Someone would check up on her. Adrian was sure it would be him. he Lee his business is unfinished with Andrea and he didn't need to explain that to Murray.

Adrain stood and calmly disrobed, folding his clothes and setting them on the couch as he walked out the door to his backyard.

There were no neighbors for miles to see his nude form, and he would not be nude long enough for anyone to get a good look.

Slowly he breathed in, clearing his head of all thought and focusing on the wolf that lived within him. He felt for the fur of that beast, running his hands over it, felt it lap at his hand. He could hear wolves howl in the distance. The change took him quickly once he caught the feel of the wolf. And where once stood a man stood a huge beast covered in gray fur.

He padded away from the house, gaining speed as he entered the forest. An owl hooted in the distance and he ran towards the sound, the joy of the run surging through him. Small game fled, but he gave no chase. This night was simply for the speed.

He couldn't wait to show this to Andrea.

His pace stuttered and his wolf shivered with that thought. There was no room for anything besides the wolf right now. But with a shudder he collapsed into his human form, unable to hold to the concentration he needed. He lay shivering on the ground, a naked human exposed to the harsh night air.

Adrain stood. That was unacceptable. One by one he cleared his thoughts once more and focused on the wolf. His form shifted and he ran. Flying down the path as naturally as if he was born to it. He was fine now, no outside thoughts intruded into this wolf's head.

He circled back to run from where he came. With a calm sort of defiance, he padded to the edge of the woods and deliberately thought of Andrea. She is sure a concern to him now. . For one second, Adrian's wolf was fine. He held his concentration and remained that gray beast.

But with a whine and a whimper he convulsed, falling to the dirt on all fours and once more transformed into his human shape. Adrian had no energy to stand after that, and lay there, feeling the damp earth all around him. Andrea was a distraction, a huge one. That was alright, he had handled distractions before. All he needed to do was figure out why and then everything would be fine.

Adrian did his best to convince himself of this as he lay on the ground.