Caspian - 15 years old
Andrea - 12 years oldCASPIAN.
I was sitting on a boulder in a meadow, overlooking the whole territory that belongs to the Silver Moon Pack. I was just here with my father to visit his friend, but since I had nothing to do here, I decided to check the forest ground and ended up in this place.
To say that this place was beautiful would be an understatement. It was magnificent. It reminded me of the hillside in our own territory that I visit often. So even if this place wasn't ours, I felt solitude here. It felt like home.
My eyes were busy scouring the whole area when I heard movement from my back in the bushes a few feet away. Leaves rustled and small footsteps thudded against the forest ground. I turned my head back, waiting for the owner of the little footsteps to emerge from the bushes behind me. It wasn't long before a small figure appeared, panting from all the running she must have done.
Andrea.
Her big doe eyes widened at the sight of me, and I could see apprehension flashing in them. I offered her a welcoming smile, letting her know that she was in a safe place with me.
"Hey! Come here! Are you okay?" I motioned with my hand, asking her to come over.
"What are you doing here?" She asked in a soft voice. Her gaze was everywhere except on my face.
"Hiding from the world. And you?" I chuckled, but it was the truth.
"Hiding from Riley. He wanted to play board games with me, and I said I didn't want to, but he kept coming to me." She let out a deep sigh before standing in front of me.
Riley is the son of the Alpha of the Silver Moon Pack, and he would be the next Alpha of this pack. If Alia, my sister, was right, Riley was harboring a crush on Andrea. It was the only logical reason why he would always look and come after her.
"Is it okay if I sit there?" She asked politely, snapping me out of my thoughts.
My eyes shifted to the space beside me, where her little finger was pointing, and I immediately inched to the other side to give her space. "Of course, why not? I don't own this place."
"Papa said you'll be the next Alpha of your pack, just like Riley and I must be respectful around you..." I just chuckled at her words and didn't say anything. I just patted the space beside me.
"Where is Alia? I was hoping to play with her today." She asked as she sat beside me, but I saw how she kept her distance from me. Her gaze was focused on the view before us as if she didn’t want to even glance at me.
"We couldn't wake her up early and we didn't have time to wait for her, so we left without her. But I'll tell her that you looked for her and maybe next time she'll wake up earlier."
She just nodded her head, "Is it nice in your territory?"
"Yes, I love it there." My answer was from the heart.
"I want to go there... I didn't like this place. Maybe your territory will be more welcoming. Will you take me?" She asked innocently enough that I couldn't help but grin at her.
"I can't just take you. You need to go there with your parents."
She pouted and crossed her arms over her chest, letting out a little huff, but she was still looking straight ahead. And I was already wondering why she never looked at me.
She opened her mouth to say something, only to close it when a voice erupted in the air.
"Andrea! Andrea!" I knew that voice, and I just shook my head in annoyance.
Andrea's eyes widened as she stood up from the boulder and started pacing back and forth in front of me. "Riley is coming..." she said in a hushed tone, and I wasn't sure if she was saying it to me or herself.
"I need to hide..." she said in a hurried tone, and the next thing I knew, she was already beside a big, tall tree and was trying to climb upon it.
"You know, he can still smell you, even if you hide up there," I told her in a low voice, watching as she attempted to climb with no success.
She didn't say anything, but she kept trying to climb, and when I couldn't bear seeing her slide down too many times, I stood up and walked toward her.
I grabbed her small waist and pressed her body closer to mine. She let out a hushed gasp before she flung her arms around my neck, and the moment I lifted her body off the ground, her legs wrapped around my waist tightly.
I climbed the tree flawlessly, which I've done too many times during my Alpha training. I didn't stop climbing until we almost reached the highest point, but it was far enough that our scent wouldn't linger on the ground.
Her face was so close to mine that I could smell her sweet cinnamon breath.
I was trying to control my wolf, Zion. He kept on growling in my head and wanted to surface. Like me, he was enamored by Andrea's sweet scent.
Being the firstborn of pure-blood Alpha parents, I shifted on the last full moon before I turned 15. It was an ordinary occurrence for the next Alpha, and it was the same reason that I had to go far up in the tree.
Riley was already 16 and the next Alpha of this pack. It means that he has a wolf now and would be able to smell us if we were nearby.
Andrea's clutch on my neck tightened as the rustling of leaves and snapping of twigs were heard. It wasn't before long that Riley's form came into view below us. He was sniffing the air, and I had a gut feeling that he had caught our smells. I was just hoping it would be too faint for him to move on and search somewhere else.
Andrea was still clinging tightly to me until she lowered her head into the nook of my neck. Her breath was running against my skin, and I was doing everything I could to restrain myself from taking advantage of our position. She was only twelve. And yet, she was making me feel something I had never felt before.
I closed my eyes and tightened my grip on the branch I was holding while my other hand was keeping her steady in my arms.
It was then that I realized how perfectly she fit in my arms as if she belonged there as if she belonged with me.
"Is he gone?" Andrea's soft voice snapped me out of my thoughts and made me open my eyes. Her eyes were staring at me as if her life depended on me.
"Let's wait a couple of minutes before we go down." She just nodded and rested her head on my neck again.
I let out a deep sigh before asking her, "Are you comfortable or do you want me to adjust our position?"
"I'm okay, Caspian. It actually feels good here." Her sweet voice reached my ears, and I couldn't help but smile widely while my heart fluttered with happiness.
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Caspian - 18 years old
Andrea - 15 years oldCASPIAN.
"Caspian, please! I don't want to go!" Her voice followed me as I walked down the stairs, treading my way to the living room.
I didn't dare look back because I knew once I did, I would lose my stance and might give in and let her stay with us.
A few weeks ago, our pack was attacked, and my father, the then Alpha, was killed alongside his Beta. His Gamma was currently in the hospital, fighting for his life. With no other option, I was thrust into the position of an Alpha, together with my Beta and Gamma, Paul and Carlos.
We've been trained for these positions all our lives, but it still didn’t make it any easier when everything was wiped out in front of our eyes in just one night.
We were struggling, trying to survive our pack while mourning behind closed doors.
And having Andrea around me wasn’t making it easier.
Her father, a former warrior and a good friend of my father, died in the attack as well, leaving Andrea under my guardianship. It would have been easy if she was just an ordinary girl. But she’s not.
She was special. At least in my eyes.
And whenever she was around, I kept losing control.
I have a whole pack on my shoulder, and some days I just want to give in to the temptation to let myself get lost, which means Andrea would be in danger. I didn’t want to lose control when it came to her.
Small footsteps followed after me, and not long after, a small hand wrapped around my wrist, tugging it for me to look back.
"Alpha Caspian..." Her voice was breaking and it was shattering my heart into pieces. "Please..."
I closed my eyes for a moment before turning to face her and finding her kneeling on the ground, her tear-stricken face tilted up, her eyes looking at me, pleading.
"Stand up, Andrea..." I controlled my voice to stop it from breaking. I wanted to pull her into my arms, but I knew better.
"No... Please, Alpha. Don't... send me away. I'll do better. I will help... around here. I will work. You... don't need to pay me. I will do everything. Everything. I can clean... the pack house. I can wash clothes... and dishes..." She was stuttering in between her sobs, and I couldn't take it anymore.
I pulled her up from kneeling and cupped her face, my eyes boring deep into hers. "Andrea, just a few years. Just be patient with me. And then I will take you back."
"Please, Alpha... I'm begging you... Let me... stay..." Her tears were streaming down my hands, and the walls I had built were slowly melting.
"Andrea, enough! You need to go!" I raised my voice because I don't know how long I could stand seeing her like this. She needed to leave now.
Her body started to shake before she slapped my hands away from her face.
"I hate you! I hate you! I thought you cared for me! But you were just showing off! Now that your father and my father are gone, you've shown your true color! You don't care about anything but being an Alpha!" She shouted those words, and the hatred in them was shattering my heart into pieces. If she only knew.
I watched as she ran towards the entrance and out of the packhouse as my hands coiled into fists. I was trying to restrain myself from following after her.
This was for the best. I kept reminding myself.
After a few seconds, my Beta, Paul came inside the house. "She's in the car now. We're leaving. Are you sure you don't want to come with us?"
I shook my head, my lips pursing. "Go. I have already talked with the headmaster at the boarding school. They're expecting her and they'll take care of her. Drive safely." I turned around without waiting for his reply and was about to head to my office when I saw Alia, my sister leaning on the walls of the hallway.
"Are you sure you want to do this, Caspian? She just lost her father too, and you're sending her somewhere she doesn't know anyone. We need each other right now." She said in a soft voice, her eyes still puffy from crying.
"I already made my decision, Alia." I dropped my gaze away from her and continued walking.
"She's going to hate you for this."
"I know," I answered with a defeated voice.
But I don't have a choice. I have a pack to manage. And I was falling in love with her.
I needed her away from me or I would lose myself in the process if she stayed.
ANDREA.My name is Andrea Milton. I am just 17 years old and yet I am left alone to fend for myself.For almost three years, I've been locked up in a boarding school dominated by humans, but the good thing was, most of the workers here, including the headmaster, were the same species as me.My parents were both shifters, making me one as well. But they were both gone now, and I was left under the guardianship of the Alpha of the Blue Meadows Pack, Alpha Caspian.On the other hand, Alpha Caspian didn't want anything to do with me, so I was sent to a boarding school. But I was about to graduate, and I had no choice but to return to his territory. And I'm not sure I was ready to see him again, let alone live in the same house with him.Despite my hatred for him for sending me away, I couldn't deny that I was attracted to him. I was smitten by him from the moment I first met him when I was 10 years old. And it just kept getting stronger over the
ANDREA.I woke up late, and it was all Caspian's fault. He kept me awake all night.I chuckled as I walked with a faster stride through the corridor of my dormitory.It wasn't Caspian's fault, it was all mine. I couldn't help thinking about him, especially after the way we talked on the phone last night. By the time my mind was tired, it was almost dawn. I only got a couple of hours of sleep as a result, but I wasn't complaining. It wasn't every night that I got to hear his voice. In fact, it was only last night that I got to talk with him, so let me enjoy the moment while it lasts.Because it wasn't going to last long."Andrea!" I heard a voice calling after me.I spun around and saw Celeste approaching, a big smile on her face as she batted her eyelashes at me.Celeste worked as the receptionist in my dormitory, and since I didn't really hit it off with humans my age, I tried making friends with humans who were older tha
CASPIAN. I combed my sandy blonde hair with my hand before I smoothed the shirt I was wearing and got out of my car. I went directly to the back seat door and picked up the bouquet of flowers I bought for Andrea. Today is her graduation day, and I was on my way to attend the ceremony. And then, later tonight, I would be accompanying her to her graduation ball. I couldn't conceal the happiness radiating within me at the thought of seeing her. Although she didn't call back like she said she would, I was still in high spirits. That one conversation with her was enough to build my confidence back. I would do everything to woo her and make her my Luna. I opened my mindlink as I made my way to the school auditorium. I wanted to see her before the ceremony started. 'Andrea? Are you around? I'm on my way to the auditorium.' I sent her a mindlink and I could sense her mind was open. But she didn't reply. It might be that she was busy or that she was talking with someone. Mindlinking so
ANDREA.I couldn't keep still in my seat throughout the ceremony. I could feel my neck burning and I knew it must be Caspian staring at me.When I told him to pay attention to me, I didn't mean keeping his eyes glued to my back for the whole ceremony. But I wouldn't deny that the thought of him staring directly at me was making me giddy.I should be scared right now, right? Because it's a creepy act to keep staring at someone, but it was far from what I was feeling.I wanted his eyes on me.When I saw Miss Shannon talking with him earlier, I was beyond furious. Jealousy was eating up my senses. She was well known throughout the campus for opening her legs to good-looking men who wanted to get into her pants. And Caspian is definitely good-looking.My blood was boiling from the way she was staring at Caspian. She was making her move, and I wasn't sure if Caspian found her attractive, because even if I didn't like her, I woul
ANDREA. I was rushing Miranda and Kate because I wanted to go to the ball on time, but they were still not done with their preparation. In the end, we arrived late. The party had already started, and most of our batchmates were already eating and dancing. My eyes wandered around the big ballroom, searching for one person. My Alpha. I knew I could easily mindlink him if he was here, but a part of me wanted to see if he kept his promise not to pay attention to anyone but me. And then I saw him. Alone, not minding the crowd around him, hewas already looking at me as if I was the only person in the room. My heart dropped, and I guess my underwear too, at the sight of him. Caspian was wearing a light blue shirt under his suit. It almost matched the color of my gown, and it did nothing to hide the bulkiness of his chest. He looked perfect! His hair was perfectly brushed up and he shaved his face, making him look way y
ANDREA. I didn't know what took over me. My heart was thudding loudly when Caspian told me that Miss Shannon was on her way to us. I was jealous and frantic. All I knew was that I wanted her away from Caspian. And even though I knew that Caspian might scold me later, I took the risk. And I was glad I did. The moment his lips touched mine, the world stopped. I forgot why I was doing this. All I could feel was his soft lips brushing against mine. Caspian didn't move his lips, he wasn't kissing me back, and my confidence was already slipping away, but I knew I wanted this. We might not end up together, but what do I have to lose now when I didn't have anything to begin with? He couldn't be mine, but I didn't want him with Shannon or any other female. So I kept kissing him, parting my lips as I sucked gently on his, enjoying the taste of his warm and soft lips. I was about to back away when I felt his ha
CASPIAN. I opened the door and let her into the room. Her eyes scanned the whole room, and I didn't miss the way she swallowed as her eyes fell on the big bed on the other side of the room. She was still stuck in her place when I approached her. My hand landed on her back again, pushing her gently forward. "What's wrong?" I asked. She shook her head and walked towards the table where the wine and a box of chocolates were sitting. "Are these yours? Can I?" She took a chocolate truffle from the box and wiggled it at me. "You can eat those. They're complimentary wine and chocolates from the hotel." "You don't need to pay anything if I drink this wine?" I chuckled at her innocent question as she picked up the wine bottle and looked at it. She was worried about money all the time. But I couldn't blame her. She didn't have the same privileges Alia and I had growing up. "No, it's free." I grabbed it from her hand and set it back on th
CASPIAN. I ran as soon as I was out of the hotel. I ran without direction, without knowing where I was headed to. I just kept running until I found myself in a secluded park. It was already past midnight and the place was almost free of humans, except for one couple cuddling up on a bench under the starless night. I guess the heavens were mourning with me. No stars were out tonight, and the moon was hidden behind the clouds. I took a seat on a nearby bench and let the night air calm my broken heart. It was cold. The temperature was low tonight, just by the look of light frost on the leaves of the bushes beside the bench. But it doesn't bother me. My heart was cold enough to feel anything at all. My wolf, Zion, faded into obscurity in the back of my mind the moment I walked out of the hotel room. I wasn't sure if he didn't care or if he was hurt. He was giving me no hints, but if I based it on his reaction when Andrea told me that Riley would c