(Landon’s POV)
I had been doing a lot of things around our small village in an attempt to stop me from thinking about Celina. I found it impressive that despite all the risks of coming face to face with a werewolf, she didn’t hesitate when she ‘attempted’ to kill me.
A smile crept up to my face just thinking about her.
“You seem to be doing a lot around here.” Connor, my father’s right hand man, commented as he walked up to me, “and while smiling. That’s unusual.”
“For you maybe.” I replied, “never seen you smile.”
“What do you mean? I’m smiling right now.” He stated.
I looked up only to see him with his usual frown on his face. I chuckled as I shook my head.
“Let me guess, you met a girl?” He asked.
I paused as I looked at him.
“I’d rather not talk about it.” I stated as I continued with my work. I knew that the pack wouldn’t take it kindly to the alpha being in love with a human. If that’s what I feel for Celina.
He put his hand on my shoulder, “I know that I’m not your father and neither will I ever be, but I want you to know that I’m here to help and listen if you need to talk to anyone.”
I looked at him, “I know.”
He gave me a nod.
“Why haven’t you found your mate?” I asked curiously.
He hung his head, “I thought I did.”
“What happened?” I asked.
“She turned out to be a traitor and I chopped her head off.” He replied nonchalantly with a shrug.
“You could have chosen to be with her.” I stated equating his situation to mine in my mind.
“That would mean having to let everyone you see around here die.” He stated, “love has been the downfall of great men. I just hope you will be strong enough to understand what choices and sacrifices you have to make for the sake of the greater good.” He turned around and walked away.
I didn’t want to show Celina just how much I was into her so I decided to not see her for a few days. But I had been seeing her almost every day after she got off from work, mostly because of her good cooking, that I didn’t know what to do with my evenings so I decided to go out on a stroll.
I was in the middle of the forest and I was remembering the day I met her when I heard her call out my name. Not in a scream but more in a frightened whisper.
“Stop this Landon, you are imagining it.” I told myself as I turned around to go back to my house, but then I heard it again.
“Landon, if you can hear me please help me.” I heard her say, now clearly. Pleading as if for her life.
My nails sharpened and my senses heightened as I started to follow her voice throughout the forest.
“Please don’t hurt me. Please.” I heard her beg and I ran even faster.
I saw from a distance that a man had pinned her down on the ground. She was trying to get out from under him but with how she barely moved, I knew it was a werewolf.
I moved closer and jumped as I tackled the man to the ground as I growled.
“You shouldn’t be hurting any humans.” I barked at the man.
He smirked, “I have never understood why you get to be the leader of the pack, a young thing like you.” The man stated.
“I don’t care what you think, but I’m the alpha of the pack and you should leave now!” I barked.
He looked around, “we aren’t in the village, no one is around to protect you. I could kill you then the human, I could go back to the village and say that I killed you after I found out you killed the human.” He laughed, “people would think I’m a hero, and then maybe just maybe, I could be the new alpha of the pack.”
I sighed, “why must there be idiots like you?” I wondered out loud.
“Let’s see if you’ll be thinking that when I’m holding your head in my hands.” He said as he pounced on me.
I tackled him with ease as I pinned him down. I took out a knife my father gave me while we were hunting, I grabbed the man by his hair as I leaned in and whispered, “this is why I’m the alpha,” as I stabbed him on the side of his neck as I dragged the knife across and decapitated him.
I grabbed him by his head as I looked into eyes, “fucking moron.” I said as I threw him back to the ground.
I got off him and went to help Celina.
“Maybe I should be picking you up from work.” I stated.
Celina looked from the man who laid dead and them back to me who was stained in blood. She just jumped and hugged me taking me by surprise.
“Thank you for saving me. I didn’t think you would hear me.” She said and I could feel her heart beating, fast.
“You are just lucky that I was walking close by. If I was back at the village, I doubt I would have heard you.” I replied.
She sighed as she smiled at me, that smile that melted my heart and made my stomach fill with butterflies like a school boy with a crush.
“How about you walk me home?” She asked.
I looked down at my blood soaked clothes.
She giggled, “you could clean up at the house and you do have extra clothes there. Maybe I could even make you a something to eat as a thank you for saving my life.”
I nodded as we walked to the cottage that was now her home.
“Why was that werewolf after you? I made an explicit rule that no werewolf should kill a human!” I yelled as I got out of the shower.
“It’s a long story that started at the diner. I don’t want to talk about it.” She yelled back.
I stepped out of the bathroom, “do you mind if I begin picking you up from work from tomorrow?” I asked.
“You don’t mind people seeing us together?” She asked with a raised eyebrow.
I shrugged.
“I’m the leader. I doubt anyone will question me.”
She smiled and blushed, “then I would very much like that.”
She served the meal and it was delicious as usual. As she was clearing the table she asked, “what happened today is another reason why I should become a werewolf.”
“I already told you that it’s a dangerous transition.” I stated.
“I know that. And I accepted to take the risk. I don’t want to always have to depend on someone to come rescue me all the time.” She insisted, making a small smile appear on my face.
She is so head strong and I loved that about her. How independent she wanted to be.
“How about we do this?” I asked as I carried the glass of water to the small kitchen, “I know a good witch named Paige. She will come here and spend time with you, teaching you a few things here and there, she will be the third party that makes a decision on whether you’re strong enough for the transition, then we can plan from there, okay?”
“Really?” She asked excitedly. “I have always wanted to meet a witch. Okay. Deal.” She agreed immediately.
She turned to continue doing the dishes as she kept talking but I could barely hear what she was saying. Her voice like melody to my ears. I had no idea why I was so enchanted by this woman.
I wanted to touch her, feel her skin on mine. I wanted to taste her lips, feel how soft they are on mine. And her voice. I could listen to her talk all day and all night. Before I realized what I was doing, I was slowly stretching out my hand to touch her but I quickly dropped it.
“I have to go. It’s getting late.” I stated and walked out before she even said goodbye.
As cliché as I could get, I dreamt about her. Everything in my mind seemed to revolve around her.
I woke up the next morning, did my duties around the village. Did other duties that weren’t mine to buy time so that I could go and hang out in the town as I watched her from a distance till it was closing time.
It was around an hour before they were set to close when a man walked into the diner. My eyes were on him when Celina approached his table.
“Before I order, could I just say that you are beautiful.” The man said to Celina.
I was using my good hearing to eavesdrop.
She smiled. “Thank you, what can I get you?” She asked the man.
“Just a cup of coffee. Black.” He said.
“I’ll get that for you.” Celina said as she walked to the kitchen in the back.
I took the moment to assess the man. Black wavy hair, strong jawline, he was muscular. Something inside me felt threatened by this unknown man, like he was trying to take something I wanted.
“Here is your cup of coffee, anything else?” Celina asked.
“Thank you…Celina.” The man said after looking at her nametag, “maybe you could keep me company? I am new to town and I don’t know anyone. I’m Austin by the way.”
Celina sat in front of him and I took that as my chance to interrupt whatever it was that was happening.
The bell dinged overhead as I walked into the diner. Celina smiled at me, as she excused herself and walked up to me.
“Hey, you’re here an hour early.” She said.
“I just thought that I’ll hang around and wait for you to get out of work.” I stated as I glared at Austin.
He turned to look at me, paid for his coffee, which he didn’t even drink and walked out with his eyes on me briefly.
“You’re scaring my customers already.” Celina joked. She looked at the watch, “maybe I should start closing.”
“Don’t mind me. You keep working.” I stated as I kept an eye of Austin out of my peripheral vision.
As soon as Celina disappeared to the kitchen I walked out to follow Austin. I grabbed him and dragged him to behind the diner.
“What do you want from Celina?” I asked in a low growl.
“I have no idea what you are talking about. I just came to get a cup of coffee.” He said, but normal humans when cornered by a werewolf, their hearts start racing and they almost immediately start begging for their lives but not this guy.
“You are a werewolf?” I asked as I dropped him.
He smirked, as his eyes turned grey.
“Never seen a gamma werewolf before.” I stated.
“And I have never seen an alpha who is in love with a human. What does your pack think about that?” Austin asked with a smirk.
“Stay away from her.” I barked as I walked back to the diner.
“Whose heart is beating fast now?” Austin asked but when I went to tell him off he had disappeared into the night. Who was that? I wondered with a frown.
(Brody’s POV)I slowly and quietly made my way to the girl who was seated in the middle of the forest with her back towards me as she read a book.A smile crept to my face as I watched how she turned a page with her face serious as she concentrated on what she was reading. She was my mate. It wasn’t easy to get her to be my mate though.“Don’t think about it. I can smell your scent from a mile away.” She spoke up.“You don’t know who I am.” I said trying to disguise my voice, making it sound deeper than it usually is.She chuckled, “you do a terrible fake voice Brody.”I hugged her from behind, smelling the unique scent of her hair that made me relax.“Do you know how much I love you?” I asked in a whisper close to her ear.She closed the book as she brought her hand to touch my face, her eyes closing. “I have known you loved me from the moment I saw you.” She replied.“I would have thought it would have been the moment I won that duel for you.” I joked as I kissed her.“You mean when
(Landon’s POV)I sighed as I stepped into my house, taking off my jacket with a smile on my face as I thought about the time I had spent with Celina. Before I could turn on the lights, someone else did starling me.“You should really pay attention to your surroundings.” Connor said as I felt my heart almost leave my chest.I sighed as I tilted my head to look at the roof.“I didn’t think anyone would be breaking into my house.” I replied defensively.Connor smirked as he shook his head, “you should always think and expect anything. You’re the leader of the pack, thinking and expecting should be all you do.”“Fine.” I agreed just to try and get him to leave my house.“Where have you been?” He asked as he slowly got up from the chair.“Trying to get a hold of my teen years that were taken from me because I had to rise to the occasion and become the leader of the pack at a young age.” I explained sounding slightly sarcastic.He walked up to me, putting his hand around my neck, “I underst
(Celina’s POV)I hadn’t seen Landon and Brody for days but I didn’t have to walk home alone since Austin and Paige always came to pick me. We wouldn’t always go home immediately, we would take detours where we could go and explore the forest. Paige would collect herbs while Austin made fun of her.I felt out of place since Austin was a werewolf and Paige a witch, but I was just a regular human. But they always made me feel included.I would feel the rough tree barks, the low hanging branches would snuggle on my hair, as the leaves gently scratched my face, the wind would whistle carrying the humming of the insects with it. I enjoyed our detours.“Do you guys want to see something cool?” Paige asked bringing me out of my thoughts.“I would love to see something cool.” I replied eagerly.Austin crossed his arms, his eyes turning a bright grey colour, “I am something cool,” he stated cockily, but with a shrug he added, “but you can show us your thing.”I chuckled at his childishness, it
(Celina’s POV)I sighed as I took a seat, grateful that the day was over. Today felt longer, and I felt more exhausted than usual.“Celina,” Andrew called out my name as he approached me, and before he could even take a seat, Austin and Paige walked in, arguing about something.“Okay, okay, then let’s ask Celina, and we can solve this once and for all.” Paige spoke over Austin, but they stopped when they reached the table where Andrew and I were seated.“What’s wrong?” Austin asked.Andrew shrugged.I was fighting the urge to cry.“He doesn’t care about me.” I blurted out, my voice breaking but still holding back my tears.Paige took a seat beside me as she pulled me in for a hug, but I backed away as I chuckled, trying to make it seem like I wasn’t bothered.“Landon came here?” She asked.“He did,” I replied, “but he didn’t even acknowledge me.” I snickered.Andrew looked at us, perplexed. He didn’t understand what was going on.“Landon is the alpha of the werewolf that took over our
(Landon's POV)I tried to steer Connor away from the diner where Celina worked, but I wasn't successful.I hadn't been there to see her, and it took everything in me not to go and see her, but when word got to the council of elders that I was able to locate the werewolf who killed my father, everything just had a mind of its own from there on.Suddenly I had to do this or that, and when Connor asked to speak to me, I knew it wasn't anything good.We walked into the diner, and I saw Celina’s face lighten up. I realized she missed me as much as I missed her, but I couldn't tell Connor that the person I loved was a human.As she approached, smelling her scent, I realized how much I had missed.“Hi, I'm...” She started, but I cut her short.“We'll have two coffees.” I said that without looking at her.I didn't need to look at her to know just how betrayed she felt. I could just feel it. But she didn't speak; she walked away to get us our order.“So what was so important that you couldn't
(Celina's POV)I didn't expect it to be Landon, who just kidnapped me from the bonfire.Under different circumstances, I would have been happy to see him, but not after how he treated me when he came to the diner.“Why are you here?” I asked as I looked around, clenching the blanket that I was covering myself with tight around me. It was cold in the forest.“I thought you'd be happy to see me?” He asked, confusion written all over his face.“I was glad to see you at the diner, remember?” I scoffed. “When you treated me like a stranger?” I asked as I started walking, “It’s late, and I have to go to bed.”He appeared in front of me and said, “I didn't mean to ignore you, but I can't let anyone know that you are the person I'm in love with.” He said this, and both my and his eyes widened.“You love me?” I was surprised.He sighed as he hung his head and said, “I do. I just don't know if you feel the same.”I didn't know how to react; I was happy, excited, and a variety of other emotions
(Celina's POV)I slept late after Austin, and I decided that it was time to go to bed. I just stared blankly at the ceiling as his words kept repeating themselves in my head.I didn't even know what I was feeling. Deep down, I knew it was fear, but I didn't want to accept it.I was strong, courageous, and confident.I didn't know what time I fell asleep, but I woke up when I heard the front door open and people were talking.I got out of bed and went to see who it was.“Look who is finally up!” Paige exclaimed.I sighed. “What time is it?” I asked.“We want to start making lunch; that's how late it is.” She replied, “What time did you sleep last night?”“Late. I was awake thinking...” I paused as Austin and I shared a look, “about what else we could do while we are here.” I lied.I wasn't ready for anyone to know about Landon's offer.“And what did you come up with?” Andrew asked; clearly, he hadn't sensed the slight tension.I sucked my teeth and said, “Umm... I don't remember. I gue
(Brody's POV)I went on a spiral of emotions when I saw my sweetheart's head on our bed. From sadness, to anger, to confusion, to denial then I just sunk into the darkness that my heart felt.I tracked down the rest of her body, which was lying in the same spot where I left her with her book just a few hours ago.It became worse when Ivory's pack came to mourn at our small village. Ivory's father didn't like me from the moment his eyes landed on me, and it didn't help our relationship that her daughter died when she was supposed to be protected by me.“You had one job!” He screamed after he saw his daughter, his head hanging and his fists clenching. He spun around so fast that I didn’t have a moment to think before he grabbed me by the neck and held me up against a wall. “What is stopping me from detaching your head from your body like you let someone do to my daughter?!” He growled.But when he held me up against that wall, I saw Ivory; she was dead, but she still looked so beautiful