19

Running in my wolf form was amazing. All my senses were heightened. I could see and hear things from a far distance. I also felt strong enough to topple a huge rock. Adrian was right next to me in his wolf form. He was showing me the territory which belongs to his pack, now my pack too. We ran along the perimeter.

It's already been a week since I was accepted in the pack. There are still things which I need to learn about being a Luna but overall it's been amazing so far. I had difficulty shifting to a wolf after the first time when I accidentally turned. After the acceptance ceremony, that is what Adrian calls it, the rest of his pack retired. I went behind a tree and tucked my clothes safely there. Next came the difficult part. I couldn't shift as easily as Adrian made it sound. Finally after a couple of tries I turned. We had run for the rest of the night till the morning light invaded the night sky. That was my cue to sneak back home before my parents could get up and find me missing.

My routine this past week has been to go to office, finish work as soon as possible and train with Ronan. Sometimes, Adrian also joined. I usually hogged like a pig after the training. Then in the night, after my parents are asleep I sneak out and run in my wolf form. Today I had just told them that I would be staying over at Nina's place.

'So, this is where my pack land ends.' He mind-linked me. I have become good with the mind-linking now. I can block and allow people as I wish. I can even block Adrian now, not that I want to.

'Nice. Being a wolf must have been amazing for you', I replied. We ran back to his cabin. I stopped near the pond and took a sip of the cool water. A snow white wolf stared back at me. I couldn't stop admiring my wolf form.

'You know you are taking things pretty well.' Adrian came next to me and took a sip. Then he came to me and licked my face. That's been his favorite thing to do. I looked at him in question. I'm sure in my human form one eyebrow would have been raised. Not sure how that expression turned out in my wolf form.

'You know about being a wolf and all', he continued.

'I had my share of freaking out. I have accepted it.' Yes, I have accepted about me being a werewolf. What I still can't come to terms with is how could my parents hide something like this from me? It's pretty obvious that the green potion which I was made to drink is the reason I didn't turn into a wolf. With my dad being into medicinal research, he must have found a way to keep the werewolf gene dormant. But why is the question? And, I have a strong feeling that it has something to do with my birth parents. I'm sure about it. After learning that I am a werewolf, the story which my parents told about how my birth parents died doesn't make sense. I have a strong feeling that something bad happened to them.

'Hello? What are you thinking about?', Adrian was so concerned about me. It's been difficult to talk to Adrian about my fears.

'You know you are just postponing the inevitable. Talk to them. Isn't it better to get everything in open.' Adrian hesitantly told me. I had strictly forbidden him to talk to them. I wanted to be the one to do it. Being the coward that I am I backed out everyday. Life was going on smooth until we moved to this town. I remembered the first time I saw Adrian. He was lying on the ground and seemed to be injured.

I went to the tree where my clothes were hidden. I quickly shifted and got dressed. It was really easy to shift. Don't know why I found it so hard the first few times. He had also shifted and was sitting on the steps. I sat next to him. Instead of giving him a reply I asked him a question of my own. Unlike me Adrian replied.

"What happened that day? The first time I met you? I was sure that you were injured. There was blood everywhere too."

"There were a few rogues who wanted to make trouble. We thought there were three in total. But, the fourth one caught me off guard. None of us caught his scent. I lead him away from others when he attacked and thought I had finished him when he retaliated and did some damage to me. He escaped after that."

"But you had no injuries", I tell him thinking back to that day.

"Werewolves heal fast. That's why there were no open wounds. If you had looked closer that day you would have seen it." He looked away and chuckled.

"What?" I asked him smiling.

"I wanted to take a quick nap after that fight. But, there you were making it impossible. I opened my eyes to see an angel, my mate and have not been the same person since then. I was ready to mark you right there and then you called me a dog which brought me out of my trance. I thought you were a normal human being and that stopped me from proceeding." He shakes his head and is smiling.

"Yeah. You became a stalker after that. Would it have mattered if I was a human?"

"Hey! I had to get to know you better. And no, it wouldn't have mattered. Werewolf or not you are my mate."

"Nice to know. But, how did you know about my whereabouts?"

"I kept a watch on you. The first week either I or one of my pack members did that. After that I had gotten to know your routine."

"Oh! So I was not paranoid after all." I tell him about the constant feeling of being followed.

"Did you follow me on the day of the gathering after I declined your offer to drop me home?" I asked him thinking about the way I ran back home.

"No." He answered and had his thinking hat on.

"Do you think it was the kidnapper?" I asked him. Caleb did mention about following me. He nodded his head. That confirmation did nothing to soothe my nerves.

"Did you bring me back home on the day Alexa was kidnapped? I remember seeing her car. And I must have blacked out because the next thing I remember is waking up in my own bed." I quickly explained to him the details of my realistic dream I had on that day.

"No. I did not take you back home." He was angry now.

"Then who did?" I think out loud. Both of us were lost in our own thoughts for a while.

"Hey what did you mean when you said you were ready to mark me right there?" His whole demeanour changed when I asked him that. He lost his serious expression and in its place came an expression which I couldn't name. He shifted his stance towards me and moved closer. He then took my hands in his and pulled me on his lap. After I settled and wrapped my hands around his neck he spoke.

"Once a werewolf finds his mate, he marks her to let the whole world know she is taken." His fingertips were tracing along my neck. He paused to gauge my reaction and then continued.

"After that happens, they are more drawn to each other. It is harder to resist each other. They tend to get..um.. you know.." Understanding dawned. He stopped talking and we continued to hold each other's gaze. He lifted his hand and wrapped it around my head. He pulled me to him. The kiss was magical. After what seemed like forever we broke apart to breathe. His mouth then went to my cheek and traveled along my neck. I could feel it coming before he did it. He placed a few open mouthed kisses before taking the plunge. A painful sensation coursed through my body and I shuddered. His hold around me tightened. He continued kissing the spot and the pain was replaced by a tingling sensation. Without breaking contact he lifted me and got up. He carried me inside the cabin. The mating ritual continued and the bond was sealed.

The next day Adrian accompanied me to office. We walked hand in hand. After I settled in he went to speak with Eric. I was working by telling myself not to get distracted with the events of last night when Adrian came back. He was about to tell something when Ronan walked in talking with a file in his hand. He didn't see Adrian immediately.

"I need you to finish this before coming for the training." He would have continued but stopped on seeing Adrian. He looked at both of us and said, "You did it." How the hell did he know? I was waiting to hear 'Shut up Ronan' but all there was was silence. Adrian had a proud grin. I was so embarrassed that I hung my head and couldn't look at those two. Adrian told that there was nothing to be embarrassed about and I should get used to it because all the wolves would be able to smell him on me and vice-versa. Probably this was just the werewolf way and they were used to it.

"I'm going to take my green potion." I vehemently tell him.

"The hell you will." He shouted in reaction. Then added in a softer voice, "Are you ashamed of being with me?"

"No." I immediately deny.

"Then there is nothing to discuss." He ended the conversation.

Adrian and I became inseparable. Each night I sneaked out and instead of running in my wolf form we ended up in his cabin. I now instead trained in my wolf form with Ronan and few other pack members in the open. It seems letting out your wolf was essential, else you tend to become restless.

The weekend arrived and with it came some much needed me time. I brought out a garden chair and a book and sat under the shade. The book was lying open but I had hardly turned a page. I was contemplating the incidents which happened since I arrived to this town. The last couple of days with Adrian has been amazing. But, I can't live in this bubble forever. There are many things to be resolved yet, starting with my parents. Also, there is the question of the kidnapper. He has not been found.

I sighed and looked around. This town was beautiful, the trees, the people, everything about it. I was tracing out the patterns on the leaves of the tree closest to me with my eyes. The science of patterns is such a wonder. There is a pattern in everything in nature. I immediately sit up. Yes, there is a pattern in everything. I try to work it out in my brain. I mind-link Adrian and include him in my thought process.

'Alyxandrina and Alexa have names similar to mine, Alexandria.' What else? What else?

'Alyxandrina's and my hair color are the same.' I added remembering that I had noticed that similarity when her photo was displayed on TV.

'Alyxandrina moved to this town after her parents died in accident just before you did.' Adrian puts in.

'The reporter on TV mentioned that there were rumors of her parents' accident not being an accident. Could the same person be involved in it?'

'We have no proof.' He replied.

'But she also like me was a family of three.'

'Where are you going with this?'

'I'll get there. Now, coming to Alexa; she has black eyes like mine.'

'So?'

'That's something which we have in common. Also, correct me if I am wrong, she moved to town recently right?'

'Yes.' He answers but his voice in my head sounds scared.

'So, the other two have some features similar to mine and moved to town about the same time I did. What I am trying to tell is, what if I have been the target all along and this person who is behind the kidnapping didn't know who I was. Maybe, because he didn't know me he was randomly targeting people who had something in common with me to check out if it turned out to be me?'

'Bloody hell.' Adrian says it like a prayer.