Chapter Seven

Blake was experiencing what is called as owl's slumber, where he was in a state of unihemispheric sleep, with his eyes shut but fully aware of his surroundings.

Alaska, upon entering the park, continued to run around the trees in a haphazard manner. As she approached a corner, a scent that she had become familiar with, all too well in recent days, wafted into her nostrils.

Was she so enthralled by him that she began hallucinating his captivating scent? Probably, especially when she's in the exact park where they had their first time out.

However, as she neared the largest tree, the smell intensified, not just the smell but her eagerness as she noticed a dark, velvety halo blending with the green of the grass, the chiseled jaw, a towering pointed nose. He had his arm on his forehead, eyes shut, oblivion to her and his vicinity.

But why is he here, isn't he supposed to be with his family, perplexity spread across her face as questions filled her mind she unconsciously let his name slip from between her lips.

His gaze perked up upon hearing the harmonious voice he glanced at her with a face mirroring hers. "Alaska?" He exclaimed before lifting himself up and dusting his jeans.

"What are you doing here?" She began, her eyes wondering to his disheveled hair then to his slightly damp shirt. "Are you alright?"

A portion of him was incredibly swooned and smitten with Alaska— not just a portion, but the majority of him, yet deep down, he knew she was only pitting him... once again .

"Alaska if you're here to sympathize with me then kindly leave," he uttered with a sigh, tucking his calloused hands into his pockets and leaning against the tree.

His mind lacked a lot of sleep, causing him to babble incoherent and venomous words, provoking Alaska to maintain her position with a hint of shock and anguish reflected on her face.

She had never pitied him or even entertained the thought, but now that he had brought it up so boldly, she began to question herself and her morals as well. Really? Was she the type to pity others? Did she mistreat him back then? Was that why he had left?

"Pity you?" she whispered to herself, but it was audible enough for Blake to catch.

A deep sigh left his lips "Alaska, I'm totally fine... you can carry on with your day? And i mean no offense."

He was urging her to leave? She sensed a weight settle on her chest, feeling the sting of his words melding the metal barriers that had protected her dead heart, the very heart that had somehow begun to beat sluggishly solely because of the person before her... the same person who would send it back to the dead. But despite the shattered sensation, she nodded and turned to leave, only wishing for emotions to be a matter of choice.

Blake followed her every step with his eyes, the way her eyes lost the gleam made him regret his words, was he too harsh with her? He doesn't know anymore.

He walked towards a bunch and folded his hands. As he stared at the far-off view with vacant eyes, she has came and went leaving him to his emptiness once more.

An individual settled next to him, he didn't give them much notice but based on their respiration, he could discern that they were facing him. Blake was annoyed, shifted his gaze toward the person to see Alaska looking at him.

A scowl formed on his forehead as a brief shocked laugh escaped his mouth, the gesture was sufficient to cause Alaska to redden. She swiftly looked away and directed her gaze forward, unconsciously beginning to fiddle with her thumbs.

"You know I couldn't really leave knowing that someone misunderstood my actions," perplexity still lingered on Blake's face as the words escaped her lips. Misunderstood her actions?

"I've never took pity on you Blake or even considered it... from the first time until this very moment," She continued and it began to register with him.

Silence descended upon them as they gazed at the trees, not a single word was spoken until Blake uttered "Sorry" while still looking ahead. Alaska turned to him and enveloped him with her gaze, now noticing the dark circles under his jaded eyes, his lips were chapped beyond repair...

"I'm starving and I haven't had breakfast yet, which I assume you haven't either..."

"Would it be okay if I invited you for breakfast at the cabin?" He looked at her skeptically, afraid that he would only grow fonder of her. He knew he should decline, but when a please escaped her lips with plea in her eyes, he found himself agreeing.

Alaska took the lead and began sewing their way back to the cabin and through the woods.

The stroll was somewhat lengthy and they were as quiet as corpses.

Blake was pondering how Alaska managed to reach the park in this early hour, traversing this considerable distance on foot.

Soon they found themselves in front of the rustic cabin that Alaska would name, but for Blake, it was akin to a radiant beam in the shadows, it was his refuge when he was at his weakest point... he then glanced at the young woman beside... she was his refuge.

They entered, Blake felt like a complete stranger despite only being away for two days compared to the over a week spent here.

Alaska assured him on the couch and handed him the TV remote as she went to prepare breakfast, but Blake wasn't interested in the TV and instead started sizing his environment.

A guitar with broken strings alongside a rifle were positioned in a corner caught his attention.

"Do you play guitar?" He asked from his seat on the couch, she cast a quick glance at him and then at the guitar before responding, "Yeah, but I haven't played in a while... it belonged to my grandpa."

Blake hummed with curiosity, then redirected his attention to the rifle. It appeared to be an old-fashioned one, likely inherited from her grandfather as well. "You hunt?" He inquired, receiving an affirmative answer from her. It was evident, considering she resided alone in this desolate region.

The conversation between them went dead once more, Alaska was still preparing breakfast and Blake was captivated by her every action, enchanted by her.

She was so soft and fragile, resembling a porcelain doll. How could someone with such delicacy reside in such a rural and intimidating place... but then again, that's what Alaska has manifested to him, never the rebellious monster.

The breakfast was royally delicious despite the simple dishes that were served modestly on the small table.

Blake was the first to finish, leaving half of his food even though he was hungry, but he reminded himself that he was a guest.

Alaska had her palms sweaty and kept dabbing them in the fabric of her pants beneath the table, she wanted to ask about something but was somewhat afraid and restrained herself as she had noticed his mood swings.

Blake, who was falling into the abyss of emotions once more, his mind was compelling him to leave or else the girl would be in trouble, and so would his heart. "I believe I have exceeded my welcome."

Alaska glanced at him, feeling more sweaty knowing his desire to depart but just expressing it politely. However, she played along and responded with a smile , "of course not."

She rose from her seat and gathered her plate before stating, "Let me just clean the table, then we'll go back to the town."

He nodded and stood awkwardly next to the door "You can take a seat on the couch," she said behaving so casually but her insides were turning into a mush. She wanted to know something, anything about his initial condition but couldn't strike up the conversation.

She stood gazing at the glazed pottery of her kitchenware, before she mustered up courage and uttered "Blake, I am aware that you have to leave again but I have a question."

It's undeniable that the request itself surprised and startled him, but he still encouraged her to proceed.

Upon hearing this, Alaska cut straight to the chase and inquired, "What happened to you?" A brief silence hung in the tense atmosphere before she pressed on, "The gashes and scars... from where?"

For more than a week now, Blake had been anticipating this very question. In fact, he had anticipated it being asked sooner and had prepared a response for it. He never wanted to lie to her, but there were certain things that had to be kept hidden.

"I escaped my family" The resentful words escaped his mouth.

The statement was peculiar in some way but she felt for him... he fled from his family just like she had left hers.

"What about the gashes?" She urged lowly , biting her lips.

"My family..." the word slipped from his lips before he paused, his eyes stilling as if he was recalling some unwelcome memories.

Alaska took feather-like steps and settled next to him on the sofa, causing his mind to wander away from whatever thoughts had been preoccupying him.

He stole a quick glance at her before lowering his head and clasping his fingers, allowing them to dangle between his knees. A deep sigh escaped his lips before the most outrageous words left his mouth bashfully "My family tortured me".

Upon his last words, his skin formed goosebumps which Alaska took notice of and instantly started caressing his bare, large arm.

Sensing her gentle touch on his skin made him feel inclined to divulge further, regardless of how it revealed his vulnerability. He was alright in sharing every weakening detail about himself with her... and her only.

"My father was an extremely wealthy man who wedded my mother... and her identical twin too- as it's okay to do so... from the place I came, you know...

Umm, I was the eldest born then a few weeks later arrived my brother... half-brother if I may add; from my father and my mother's twin.

Things were going pretty well within my family, I had a strong connection with my brother, I was so attached to my mom despite the time I spent with my father as he was grooming me to take over of the family's business— as he would say," he finished the last statement quoting the air.

He felt the air suffocating his lungs muting him, unaware of Alaska's firm grip on his arm and the glossiness of her eyes... she truly fell and felt for him that she was on the verge of shedding tears without him even telling the whole story or even the saddening part... but there was no need to do so as the hurt in his voice was saddening enough especially at the mention of his mother.

"Before my thirteenth birthday... my mother passed away," he paused moistening his deserted lips. "My father adored my mom immensely, and when he lost her, he also lost his sanity... heck, I lost mine too; I was young and surrendered by chaos, all the parental care and affection from my parents and my mom specifically... vanished in a snap of a finger...

And that's where I found myself at my aunt's mercy... not gonna lie, she was kind to me at first but it was all an act in front of my father, and when he wasn't around she would inflect some major pain on young me."

A sadistic laugh left his lips as he unclasped his hands and shook one in a quizzical manner before proceeding "But you know what the cool perk is?... no one stays young forever; i grow up and became stronger and wiser than before? And i was pretty much capable of doing basically anything on my own; and at that point the sole pain that she could inflect upon me was turning my brother against me...

Anyway, came this day that I recall well, I was seventeen, my father was absent and attending one of his meetings or something as usual. I went for a hunt that day and on my way back I was knocked unconscious and then I found myself in a room locked and chained by men were hired by the serpent herself; why? Because she wanted her offspring to be the hire for the family's business... which he wasn't... and my darling , that's where I have stayed for the following four years... cool story, right?"

He asked with sarcasm as a smile was gracing his countenance, like he has been telling a joke or some good happy memory "I managed to escape a couple days ago and that's where you have found me" he concluded, then looked up at Alaska to see her balling her eyes out. Her face was a vibrant disarray of red beauty.

He panicked upon seeing her this way and started wiping the tears off her pretty face, "Why are you crying... I must be the one crying you know." He stated lowly, while placing his hand on her back and gently rubbing it in circular motions.

"I'm sorry." The words departed her red ring of lips as a few hiccups slipped out, the atmosphere grew quiet once more, Alaska lowered her head absorbing every word, while Blake continued tracing spheres on her back, sensing a weight lifted from his chest as he recounted his woeful story, and after a span of four years... he felt a sense of relief in a way.

"Why did you lie to me?" She couldn't just keep her mouth shut recalling yesterday, his departure and some specific words as well... "When you mentioned your family?"

Blake remembered his white lie and detested himself for it but he had his excuses, didn't he?

"Alaska I had to leave, I was a liability to you, I couldn't simply continue to impose my burden on your shoulders... and I've seen the way you and Roy... I wouldn't want to ruin that for you," She chuckled softly at his words, sensing her head reverberating from her recent cries.

"Silly you. Roy is like my brother... you wouldn't ruin anything.

As for you burdening me; how many times must I rectify that for you, huh?" She released a lengthy exhale before resting her head on his hunched shoulder "In fact you have brought too much joy and light into this gloomy cabin, I've been here for years and let me assure you that you were the happiest occurrence that ever happened to me, notwithstanding our wild encounter"

She released a chuckle at her own notion before uttering a phrase that would change her life a one-hundred-eighty degrees "I really like you Blake" the words slipped from her lips so nonchalantly and effortlessly, but the impact they had on Blake was immense, leaving him bewildered.

He desired to confirm whether he correctly heard her or not; he gripped her jaw with his coarse digits. "What did you say?"

"I like you," she reiterated, entranced by the verdant labyrinth of his gaze, which appeared remarkably captivating from such proximity.

"You do?" He found it difficult to believe her, questioning why anyone would harbor likeness for a wreak havoc like him. He attributed her words to her unstable state of mind, which had been rendered dysfunctional by crying and exposure to such informations about him.

But she still nodded at his question with a small tremulous smile, averting her eyes as warmth crept into her cheeks, then gradually turning her gaze towards him scrutinizing his features, she was so close to him and she could perceive everything from this angle. The dense black eyebrows that were slightly covered by his disheveled hair, the profusely thick black lashes shielding his hooded emerald eyes, the sculpted sharp nose with a very few perhaps six or seven inconspicuous freckles on it, his cheeks that were partially covered with a thin layer of facial hair. Then her eyes went to his rosy white deserted lips and dwelled there giving her the desire to wet them.

Desire flooded her mind as she leaned in and placed her mouth on his. She was in a state of euphoria, but Blake was utterly astounded and unable to respond to the kiss, freezing like a statue.

However, the tender, pliable lips of hers were sufficient to snap him out of his stunned state, and before long, he grasped her chin as he deepened the kiss, mingling their saliva together...

The gentle, mellow, sloppy kisses turned rough from Blake's side as he entwined his bigger coarse hand in her hair and drew her nearer to him, as longing consumed him ten times more than before.

Presence, strong presence made its way into the room making Blake to emit inchoate sounds from between his lips and into the kiss... groans turned into growls... then a crippling pain spread in his head and suddenly he was no longer with Alaska, but on the opposite end of the couch with his head between his palms.

Alaska was dazed, yet she undoubtedly was aware of the presence as it was too strong and profound to be disregarded. The presence of a potent werewolf with the utmost Alpha blood was in the room .

Her wolf, Rogue began swirling in her mind shouting 'Mate, mate'

She was utterly confused... as to where was her mate?. She gazed at Blake, sensing the power radiating from him. Just a few hours ago, he was a plain human, but now he was a werewolf possessing the highest position in the lycanthrope realm.

Her eyes were widened as she continued to gaze at Blake who was still holding his head tilted upwards with shut eyes.

Suddenly he uncovered his eyes and to her astonishment they weren't that beautiful green and instead they were golden.

The creature rose from his position and stalked his way towards Alaska who was still eyeing him with surprised eyes but never frightened.

When he reached her, he lowered his head into her neck and nuzzled it, inhaling in every bit of her scent. He lingered there for a moment before planting a wet kiss on her neck.

Then in a second's fraction, he was under the doorway transforming into an colossal wolf with a pitch-black coat; the beast let a chilling howl that would make anyone crawl under their skin before disappearing into the woods.

The expression on Alaska's face spoke volumes, revealing her astonishment and bewilderment.