Chapter 6

The forest was my sanctuary again as I walked away, feet padding quickly beneath me as my mind raced with what had just occurred. I fought away my conflicting feelings and filled my lungs with air that I hoped would suffocate the mate pull that was willing me to turn back to Ares and meet him again.

I wanted to run, back to him or back to my home I didn't know. I was a rock between a wall and a hard place, like a wolf torn between its prey and its pack. The mate pull would not let me go, what contact Ares and I had had ignited something inside of me; a want, a need for my mate. I could feel my wolf getting more feral, she was now sharing the anger that I felt, and she wanted blood, an explanation, and her mate back. It was hard to ignore, what little feelings I couldn't control that I had for Ares seemed to completely overtake my anger and I wasn't allowed to feel how I felt anymore; the mate pull truly was a curse.

I could still smell Ares's scent on me, no doubt once I met another wolf, they'd smell it too. They'd ask questions, eyes alight and wolves present, they'd assume things. They'd run and tell another wolf and eventually it would get back to the Alpha. I knew Ares would be hesitant to rub my scent from his; I would be surprised if his wolf would even allow it, but I needed to make the decision to do it, for the good of my wolf and I, so I could be at peace. Ares thrived off attention, as an Alpha's son it was his birth right, but I didn't, I didn't want my pack's prying eyes and hushed whispers, even if as my mother said they'd be on my side.

I slowed down to a walk, eyes scanning the area to see if anyone was with me. Whoever had been near Ares and I was nowhere to be found. No scent was present in the air, but one could never be too sure as the wind was blowing against me. I crouched down to the blanketed floor beneath me covered in hues of dark brown and green, and grabbed a fistful of the foliage; softened, verdant and freshly aromatic. I pulled it up to my nose and inhaled, my wolf emerging as the scent of her true home engulfed both our senses.

I felt her want to emerge fully, shed skin for fur and plant her nose onto the ground and inhale. I felt her need to scratch at the foliage and bring up dirt between her paws, and chase whatever game was around and kill. I longed for her, but it was too dangerous with our heightened emotions. I knew without a doubt she'd go bounding back to Ares without a second thought, and I'd be left to try and reign her in.

Of course, it would be easier to rid myself of Ares' scent in fur form. The scent of nature would penetrate deeper into fur than skin and clothes, and it'd replace his scent in seconds. I let some leaves fall from my grasp and watched it flitter in the wind, hoping my attraction to Ares would do the same in due time.

Ares would know I did this, but it was for me, to protect me. I began rubbing the leaves and grass into my clothes, slowly stripping away Ares' scent and leaving me a neutral hub. My wolf postured but I ignored her, she was slightly irked by my decision, but she would not get a say about skin form matters.

After I had rid myself of his scent, and I was satisfied, I continued to make my way back home, opting to take the longer route as I had quite enjoyed my walk before I was interrupted by Ares. My mind replayed everything he said to me, every touch we shared and when his eyes were on me; I gritted my teeth in anger at myself; I should've been stronger and left him there once I'd seen him, but the deed was done and there were only regrets.

My mind continued to wander to him, but I forced myself to think about other things; like the pack dinner the Alpha was hosting for the remaining Alpha's that would be leaving today. Alpha Aether would be there, someone I hadn't thought about since the mating ceremony, and I remembered Alpha Warren telling me he'd taken a liking to me.

My heart swelled and my wolf growled, offended by my thoughts. But to have not one but two Alpha's interested in me; even she could see why I was feeling the way I felt. I knew nothing would come of it, though, Alpha Aether no doubt had taken an interest in lots of females over the years, yet no word of his true mate ever circulated through the packs. How lucky he was to not have found his mate yet, to not be tied down by a rope you never cast and bonded to a wolf you never chose. I envied him and his free will, his choice to partake in whatever he so pleased.

He was exactly where I wanted to be right now; free, without this bond, without the constant itching of the mate pull that drags my mind against my will to think of Ares. Where he was, what he was doing, if he was thinking of me. I loathed it, wanted it gone but truly, I could never be rid of it, both Ares and I wouldn't allow it - the implications and consequences of a rejection would be catastrophic.

I sighed again, frustrated with myself for not being able to shake the thoughts from my mind. Walking on, I smiled as the pack house came into view, as well as a few people milling about, and sidled towards it. My mother would be satisfied with the amount of time I had spent out and would be excited to hear about what I did - I'd have to leave out the part about seeing Ares though, as I knew she'd be less than happy about that.

I opted to walk through one of the main doors, less self-conscious now that I'd had some relaxation, although some questioning looks caused me to tense a little. I passed by a few wolves who were headed out and averted my eyes, not wanting to draw attention to myself, and pressed my gaze into the floor as I walked. I knew the pack house like the back of my hand, so navigating back to my floor, and my room, would be easy, it was just the task of avoiding those who would ask too many questions, that was the difficult part.

I concentrated on the floor as I walked, passing quickly by people as I glided through halls and past doors until I came to each staircase. Higher and higher I climbed and less and less people I came across. The higher floors were reserved for important meetings and guests, whilst lower floors were casual meetings and events, which meant most of my worries were stuck on the bottom floors and I'd relax soon.

I was almost to my floor, about to step into another hall, when I caught the scent of Alpha Warren. I felt the hairs stand up on my neck and my eyes widened. I had rid myself of Ares' scent not too long ago but there was still a chance Alpha Warren would smell it, being his blood. I panicked, quickly darting down another hall, opposite the way of his scent, and ran down it without looking. I'd just find another way back to my room, one that avoided him and his family.

My hood flew off my hair as my pace quickened and I looked behind me to see if Alpha Warren had appeared, not watching where I was going and slamming into something hard without looking. I gasped lightly in surprise and tumbled backwards onto the carpeted floor beneath me, squeezing my eyes shut as I made contact with the floor.

I winced as my eyes opened and I picked up Alpha Warren's advancing scent, lifting my gaze to find what I had bumped into, or, rather, who I had bumped into.

Alpha Aether looked down at me with a slightly amused expression on his face, his hard-set features softer now as he stretched his hand out to me. I looked up at him too, cursing at myself in my mind as I snapped out of my trance and quickly gathered myself up, ignoring his hand to help me and immediately casting my head down in a bow.

I felt my ears grow hotter as I stared intently at the red carpet that lined the floor, wondering if this was all some joke. I was thinking about Alpha Aether mere minutes ago and now here he was, standing right in front of me, looking down at me as I bowed and tried to suppress the urge to shake with anxiousness.

I bit my lip nervously, suddenly feeling self-conscious as to whether I still smelt like Ares, being so close to Alpha Aether. He had pure Alpha genes and that came with better senses than unranked wolves like me, meaning even if I did try my best to rub Ares' scent off me, he might still be able to pick up traces of it, much like Alpha Warren, who's own scent had since receded, allowing me to relax a little.

"My apologies, Alpha." I breathed out; eyes still glued to the floor. My hands shook with anticipation, and I felt blood rush to my ears, but I stayed firm, waiting.

I watched nervously as Alpha Aether's hands moved up to lightly make contact with my chin and lift my head to meet his eyes. I didn't dare do anything that might make him angry or disrespect him; despite his relaxed demeanour he was known for his ruthlessness and aggressiveness, and I did not want to trigger that.

My wolf's fur stood up and she lowered her head, questioning this male who touched us who was not our mate. I pushed her out and fought for my eyes not to turn dark and show her presence, for I knew this would surely get a negative reaction from the Alpha.

I was getting a sense that this had happened before and suddenly thought back to the mating ceremony, where before I had gotten on stage, I had briefly had an encounter with him. That was what had started all of this madness, all of this confusion.

"...okay?"

I became aware Alpha Aether had spoken, but I was in a world of my own and had missed most of it. His hand was still on me, and his eyes were still boring into mine despite me doing my best to avoid his gaze. We were standing close together, too close for two unmated wolves. I knew if anyone found us like this it would not take long for the hushed whispers to get back to Alpha Warren...and subsequently Ares.

"Sorry, Alpha, I..." I trailed off, blinking up at him and wondering why he had not gotten angry with me yet. Surely, I had just disrespected him by not listening intently to what he had been saying.

He dropped his hand and gazed at me with an amused, questioning look on his face, like he was throwing around ideas in his head and weighing up possibilities, then he spoke.

"Aether. Just call me Aether, okay?" He instructed.

My mouth opened slightly in shock, and I blinked up at him again, but no words came out. I didn't dare speak up to question him or ask why, but nor did I want to obey him and risk offending him at a later date.

"You're still unmated, yes?" He asked, and I risked briefly meeting his eyes before I dropped my gaze again.

I nodded, "Yes, but it's...complicated." and by saying those words, by speaking it into the real world and not just in my thoughts, I felt a surge of pain that threatened to pierce my heart as I thought back to why I was in this situation in the first place.

Anger coursed through me again, suffocating the pain I was feeling, and I couldn't react as Alpha Aether lifted my gaze to meet his once again.

"Look at me when I'm talking to you." He said, but it wasn't harsh or aggressive, instead soft and... intimate and it caused my head to spin slightly.

I couldn't move and could only think back to Alpha Warren's words, which were currently ringing in my ears - that Alpha Aether had seemingly taken a liking to me. I had forgotten all about that in the chaos of things and wasn't even sure what I was supposed to do with that information.

Alpha Aether's gaze shifted, and he again seemed far away in his thoughts. My wolf emerged again despite my reigns, and she wanted me to push his hand away but something inside me craved the validation of a male, any male. The reassurance that I was not just some unmated female cast to the side and unwanted, that I was wanted and craved.

The mate pull's vice-like grip was no longer present, as if it had witnessed what was happening and was offended at my blatant disregard of it. Someone else had witnessed it though, as Alpha Aether met my eyes once again, about to say something. Alpha Warren's scent suddenly rushed through my senses and his booming voice rang through the empty hall, anger evident in his tone.

"What is going on here!"