Chapter 5: Every Girl Needs a Good Alpha
I got back to walking when the sun was lower and made it close to 35 miles by the time the sun set. I found a place to camp and tied my hammock.
I fell asleep clutching my pocket knife and rucksack and when I woke up, I stumbled to the nearby stream to brush my teeth and clean up a bit.
When I came back to my campsite, I thought my eyes might be playing tricks on me. My bike was sitting up against one of the trees my hammock was tied to. I looked out into the distance in different directions. I swallowed hard, realizing that someone was following me and had been close to me while I was sleeping.
The thought shook me and I decided to stop camping outdoors.
I had over a hundred miles to go and with the bike, that could take three or four more days. I got on the bike and pedaled until it got too hot. This time, I stayed on the trail. Resting in the shade until the sun cooled and I could continue.
It was nearing sun set, and I was less than two miles from my hotel for the night when I misjudged the road and hit a patch of loose dirt. The bike jackknifed and I went tumbling over the side of a small hill. I sprained my wrist, twisted my ankle and began to cry. This was impossible. It wasn’t fair. I had forty more miles to go and it was hopeless.
I gave thought to using the burner phone and calling 911. There was a risk of being on the news and then put in a hospital. I’d be a sitting duck if that crazy Luna found me there.
My sobs became loud and if anyone were near enough to hear them, I would have felt embarrassed. A snapping of branches on the ground caught my attention and I snapped my head to the left. My eyes took in my Alpha again… Yeah, at this point I could claim him.
A smile touched my lips as I took in his long strong confident strides. His body moved like a well oiled machine and I could not take my eyes off of him until they landed on his darkened features. His eyes glowed much like the wolf in the alley, golden orbs swarming in a sea of red.
My smile dropped and I gripped the pocket knife nestled in my pocket.
Fat chance, if this guy meant me any harm I was toast. If he shifted, I doubted that I’d even be able to open the blade before he struck.
He came over to me, eyes boring into mine without breaking his stride. He dusted his hands on his shirt and the movement drew my attention to his board frame and my imagination depicted what he must look like without a shirt on.
Then my eyes went back up to his scowl again. He came close and I was engulfed by his scent, as he lifted me off my feet and deposited me onto his back. I clung to him gritting against the pain as I enjoyed the feel of his body.
He lifted my rucksack in one hand and took us to higher ground. He placed me down gently and began to make camp.
He didn't speak to me and I took that as cue to stay quiet myself. He rummaged through my sack and found the hammock, secured it between two trees and then carefully lifted me to place me on it.
He stared at me for a moment as if trying to decide what to do with me, then he quickly turned his attention to my wrist and ankle.
“Thank you,” I finally squeaked out as he began wrapping my injured wrist.
He grunted.
“My name is Kayleigh,” I continued and he paused to look at me.
“My name is Cole,” he said, finishing with my wrist then turning to wrap my ankle. “Is there anyone I can call to come for you?”
He turned his scowl on me again as if he already knew the answer would be no and I looked away.
“What the h*ll are you doing out here on your own? How old are you? Did you run away from home?”
Again, I didn’t answer.
“I have half a mind to call the police.”
“No…” I said quickly. “No police…”
He clamped his mouth shut and I watched as his jawline rippled indicating that he was gritting his teeth, biting back a comment.
“How old are you?” he asked again.
“Nineteen…”
“So… no wolf yet. Why are you put here on your own without a wolf?”
He finished with the bandage and stared at me.
“Someone wants to kill me,” I answered.
I held his gaze and his expression softened.
“Why would anyone want you dead?”
“I don’t know. I just need to make it to Virginia. I have an uncle there who can protect me.”
“Then let’s just contact him to come and get you.”
“It’s not safe…”
He looked at me again as if not certain what to do with me.
“It will take at least a day for your ankle to heal. I’m sure your bike is damaged beyond repair…” He drifted off as if he were thinking about something.
“Thank you for your help,” I said, cutting into his thoughts. “I'll just rest for a day and continue on foot when I can.”
“Like h*ll I’m going to just leave you out here. I’ve called for my Beta to come and collect us. We will take you to your uncle’s and that’s it.”
I stared at him with my mouth agape.
“Oh…” I said. “That is very kind of you, but...”
“It’s not like I have much choice…” He shrugged.
“Well, thanks just the same. I just–”
“It will be dark soon. I will start a fire.”
I was trying to find the words to decline his offer. But, he kept cutting me off and then he was off and out of sight in the woods.
I reclined into the hammock and tried to rest. It was getting dark and I wondered how long Cole would be gone. Sounds of the night seemed to echo all around me in a way I'd never noticed before. I tried to ignore them and think about the Alpha that had saved me at least twice now and, if he were the one that retrieved my bike then maybe three times.
He must have been following me this whole time but why? He was an Alpha with a Beta and most likely a pack of his own. Why would he concern himself with an accident prone rogue with a target on her back?
I didn’t realize that my eyes were drooping and I was falling asleep.
The next thing I knew, the sun was on my face and my nose was inhaling the delicious scent of bacon. I forgot about my current ordeal as my eyes remained closed and smiled at the thought of Ms. Julie making my favorite breakfast before I went to work.
I turned over hoping for another five minutes before my alarm went off only to find myself swinging precariously in the hammock beneath me. My eyes snapped open and the forest around me brought me back to reality as I tried to steady my swinging hammock.
“Good morning.”
His voice called to me and I looked up as he stepped over me, helping to steady the hammock. Even with the calming of the hammock, my rising heart rate skyrocketed as I looked at him.
Had he been that handsome last evening?
I was certain I looked a mess. It had been merely three days since I’d showered, never mind put a comb or brush through my hair.
I turned my eyes away from him, testing my hurt wrist and ankle. Still hurt. But I needed to go to the bathroom.
I turned my eyes back to him and tried not to feel embarrassed.
“I need to relieve myself.”
He smirked, shaking his head as he helped me out of the hammock and to a private spot.
I managed as best I could and he came to help me back to the campfire to freshen up with warm water and enjoy a few slices of bacon.
When my stomach was full, I asked, “Why are you out here all alone?”
He quirked an eyebrow and smirked. “To be alone.”
“Right.”
He looked at his watch and cleared his throat. I turned back to my tea.
“My Beta should be here in an hour,” he said standing. “I will break down camp.”
There was nothing much I could do on my hurt ankle but enjoy watching him. From time to time, our eyes met but we didn’t speak and as he doused and covered the fire, I heard the whirring of a helicopter in the distance.
“That would be my Beta,” he explained, and my mouth dropped open.
“A helicopter?”
He shrugged and, in the next moment, it was over the tree canopy dropping a line with two harnesses.
Cole secured me into one harness and put my rucksack on a d-ring hook before securing himself and signaling for the line to be pulled up. He reached his hand out to me and I held onto it to help calm my anxiety.
As we lifted from the ground, I pulled closer to and wrapped my arms around him, burning my head in his chest. He held me secure the entire way up and then again as we sat on the helicopter and flew away.
Then I noticed the other shifters around us.