Transparent

Chapter 6 - Transparent

I walked into the washroom staring at my reflection in the mirrors lining the wall above the sinks. Dark circles sat under my eyes, my blue eyes dull with exhaustion, and my scarlet hair was weighed down and sweaty from cleaning. I turned on the shower and got undressed. My body was ready to collapse as the hot water soothed my aching muscles.

The last three nights had been a blur. From the early mornings to the late nights I needed to sleep for a week, it seemed each time we would get finished one room, another would be left in worse condition. We finally ended the night by cleaning the gym for the morning training, which took the longest after the bathrooms. Each mat had to be moved, washed down, and ensured all blood was gone before being placed back.

As I turned off the shower, I could feel my eyes grow heavier. I wrapped myself in a towel. I walked over to my locker to grab a set of shorts and a tank from my bag. I realized it was empty.

"Crap, of course, I forgot a change of clothes," I muttered to Phoenix.

"Greta was right. We are screwed without her." She laughed, smirking at me.

I found myself looking at the clock seeing it was 2 in the morning. I bit my lip, deciding whether or not to throw on my dirty clothes from work or just run back to my wing in a towel.

"Everyone is sleeping. I'm sure we would be fine," Phoenix mumbled.

"Whatever, I'm too tired to care." I groaned. I grabbed my bag and peeked my head out of the doorway.

I was walking fast, worried about being seen, but running might wake the other wolves in the house. Most nights, everyone was asleep by twelve as the patrol teams switched out at eleven. The beautiful house was so quiet, giving me time to really take in the character it had. I placed my fingers on the wall running them down the wainscoting. Studying every carving that the trim held.

As I turned the corner, I felt as though I had walked into a wall catching me off guard and throwing me back on my butt. I glanced up to see Alpha Erik staring down at me, his eyes black with little bits of emerald still swirling around.

"I'm sorry, Alpha, I didn't realize you were there or awake for that matter," I spoke fast, trying to smooth my voice as my heart raced. "I just finished my shift. I was on my way to bed."

His eyes were hard and his face firm. I couldn't stop my eyes from wandering across his chiselled chin and down his neck to his muscular torso. I forced myself to look up at him only to see he was no longer staring at my face but the towel wrapped around my body. I immediately stood up, my face bright red, and I looked down, trying to hide my face behind my hair.

Without warning, I felt his hand grab my waist as he pushed me against the wall. His other hand gripping my chin, forcing me to look up at him. His eyes were full of hunger as he stared at me. I winced as a sharp tingle shot through my body. It was as if I had been zapped, but at the same time, I enjoyed the sensation.

"Why do you insist on testing us, Athena?" he whispered in my ear, his voice low and husky. His lips were mere centimetres from me. His breath smelled of fresh mint as it brushed across my cheek.

"I don't understand," I whispered, my heartfelt as though it was going to beat out of my chest. For some reason, I wanted him closer and to see how far I could push him. Before I knew it, my hand had reached up to his shirt, my fingers grazing his abs, sending the same sparks up my hand. He grabbed my wrist and pinned it above my head.

"I suggest you don't do that." He growled, "If I catch you like this again, there will be consequences." He let go of me, ending the sparks from coursing through my body. He looked at me again his eyes returned to their gorgeous emerald green.

"I... I'm sorry, Alpha." I bowed my head, something about him called to me. It made my body crave his touch and see how far I could go. It also made me want to please him any way I could and submit to his every command. I somehow knew he would never hurt me.

"I will see you in training. "with that, he stormed off down the hall. I couldn't help but stare as he turned the corner. My heart pounded in my chest, my breathing heavy as I tried to understand what had just happened. I pulled my towel closer to my chest, the smell of campfire and chocolate clinging to me.

"I don't know what that was, but I would love to feel that again." Phoenix squealed in excitement

"It was weird, wasn't it? He looked at me like I was food." My voice came out shaky. I forced myself off the wall and walked back to my room, got changed, and went to bed. Dreading the early morning training as I was pulled into a dreamless sleep.

***

Erik's P.O.V

"Drake, I need you to keep tabs on the new members. We need to make sure their needs are met, so there aren't any rebellions. Once preparation is finished, they will be transferred back to their homes." I ordered. My voice was tired from the long nights spent organizing my new territory.

"Will do, Alpha." Drake nodded. "Oh, and just a reminder, you will be training with Athena tomorrow evening.

Do you need me to finish training early so you can have a one on one session with her?" Drake smirked as he raised his eyebrow at me

With all the preparations for the pack ceremony, I hadn't gotten much training or sleep in. But Creed wouldn't let me forget about Athena. He always made a point to mention her in the most annoying instances. Between him and Drake, I couldn't ignore her.

"I didn't forget," I muttered. I couldn't trust myself alone with her, but Drake enjoyed pushing my buttons.

"Your smart mouth is going to earn you some extra nights of patrol." I smirked, "Between you and Creed, I don't know how I manage to stay sane."

"That's what I'm here for, causing shit and keeping you on your toes." Drake laughed

"It would be fun, you know, just to smell her scent and be close to her," Creed whined.

"You are so insufferable sometimes." I moaned

"Just so you don't get any ideas, Drake, we will be training as a group like usual," My eyebrow raised as I looked at him. He nodded and turned out of the room.

I leaned back in my chair and closed my eyes. Athena popped into my head immediately. Her bright blue eyes and her scarlet hair. I could smell her even in my imagination; her scent was so powerful. I had been avoiding her since she arrived at the house. I knew I couldn't trust Creed or myself to keep our hands off of her. To feel her hair run through my finger and my lips against hers was enough to drive me mad. Creed had already claimed her, but she still wasn't able to claim us. The last time I was alone with her, I had to do everything not to get up and touch her. It was unusual to know your mate before you both were of age. Something about her was special different from any other she-wolf I ever met. I would be hers completely, but I also was hesitant she might not want to be mine.

"Daydreaming again, brother," Philip spoke, his voice snapping me from my thoughts.

"No wonder you have so much work to do." He mused

"What do you want, Phillip" I muttered, the taste of metal on my tongue.

"Someone is in a mood today, aren't we." He laughed. He knew I was not too fond of his presence, almost as fond as I was of rogues. He constantly challenged me and tried to push my buttons, igniting my already short fuse.

"I just don't have patients to deal with an arrogant swine like you today." My voice came out sharp

"Now, you don't truly mean that, brother." His voice full of sarcasm, he let out a sigh and continued.

"I'm just here to invite you to our house for dinner. Rachel insists that the whole family get together to celebrate the news. Dad will be there, and so will Cassie." I couldn't stand his arrogance and constant need to rub his mate in my face. Of course, I couldn't blame Rachel for being his mate, but the thought of it still stung.

"I'll try to show up; I have a lot to do, Phillip. Because, unlike you, I have a pack to run." I muttered, my voice sharing the annoyance I was feeling.

Phillip laughed for a minute before turning his back to me. "I'll see you Friday for dinner. Don't be late." He said as he left my office.

"I would love to fight him. Put the miserable mutt in his place." Creed growled.

"He may have gotten her, but we got the title and the respect. I sighed before responding.

"She wasn't our mate, though we were too naive to see it. I thought I knew what love was then, but I was wrong."

"You're too level-headed sometimes. It's such a bore." Creed huffed before retreating from my mind

I shook my head before continuing the rest of my paperwork. Tuesday is when we would do our pack ceremony, and the new pack members would join us, mind link and all. As I looked up at the clock, I realized it was two in the morning. I stood up from my desk and decided the rest could be done tomorrow. I mind-linked Drake to make sure patrol was okay as I headed down the stairs into the hallway. As I turned the corner, I was caught in a familiar and intoxicating smell. The smell of vanilla and citrus hit my face and caused me to stop in my tracks. I hardly felt her run into me. I was too stunned to catch her as she fell to her butt.

"I'm sorry, Alpha, I didn't realize you were there or awake for that matter." She spoke fast, her blood rushing up to her cheeks. "I just finished my shift. I was on my way to bed."

I looked down to see she was just in a towel; her wet scarlet hair clung to her body. Her chest was rising frantically as she tried to compose herself. She stood up frantically, her lips parting slightly as she looked up at me. How much I wanted to taste them and let her know she had me.

Before I could stop myself, I wrapped my hands around her waist and pushed her against the wall. And lifted her chin, so her wild eyes met mine. I could feel Creed taking over. He wanted what was ours and didn't have the self-control I did.

"Why do you insist on testing us, Athena?" I whispered in her ear, trying my best to control my urge to touch every inch of her body. The sparks from holding her were enough to drive me mad. I could hear her heart beating rapidly. I could feel her breath against my neck. Her scent was calling me closer, begging for a taste.

"I don't understand." She whispered, fear entangled in her voice. Her eyebrows in a slight frown as she tried to process what was happening. I could see the desire in her eyes. She could feel something too, but she wasn't sure what. I felt her fingers graze my skin as her hand glided under my shirt sending waves of sparks through my body. I grabbed her wrist and pinned her arm above her head. If I didn't stop her now, I wasn't sure I would be able to walk away from her.

"I suggest you don't do that." I growled, "If I catch you like this again, there will be consequences." It took everything in me not to give in to the thoughts Creed was showing me. I had to leave before I pushed it any farther. I let pushed myself back, letting go of her. I held my breath to stop her intoxicating scent from drawing me in.

"I... I'm sorry, Alpha." She said as she bowed her head. Seeing her so submissive made me even crazier for her. My control on Creed was starting to slip as he tried to gain complete control.

"I will see you in training." That was all I managed to say before I rushed down the hallway. I could feel her eyes on me as I turned the corner and left. I didn't know what had come over me, but it took everything in me not to turn around and bring her to my room.

"I'm sorry, Erik, she caught us off guard," Creed whined.

"You will be the death of me." I snapped as I walked out of the packhouse into the forest lining the backyard. I let Creed take over, running into the woods to collect my thoughts of what just happened.

***