Chapter Ten

Three exact days had elapsed since Tuscan's visit to the Luna, and three days since Blake began developing these peculiar feelings.

And today was no exception to the previous trio of days, as he awoke before daybreak and felt an overwhelming possessiveness towards his mate as he absentmindedly played with a lock of her hair, and soon succumbing to the urge to prey.

He was becoming weary of it, but had nothing to do about it, heck he couldn't even tell Alaska because he was afraid that she would get panicked about it, the only thing he has shared with her since that day was that he discovered Wolf's bane somewhere in the woods and he was immune to it.

As anticipated, the urge to prey arose once again, and he found himself reluctantly separating himself from his beloved, he was so yearning to be with her right now but the urge was too intense.

He subsequently found himself outside the cabin, sprinting with his massive paws on the dirt, exhibiting the same preying instincts until he arrived at the cottage enclosed by the Wolf's bane, once more for the third day.

He entered and continued his examination that he had commenced two days prior. The inside of the cottage was in a dilapidated condition, much like its exterior.

Everything was thrown into disarray, with old furniture strewn about and covered in a layer of dust, an aged leather couch, a table with shattered legs, books scattered haphazardly... some valuable items mixed in with the garbage.

A notion had been occupying his thoughts for the past two days. 'This cottage could serve as a suitable place to live... what if I put some effort into it?' After all, he had no intention of staying in his mate's cabin for too long, for he considered himself the man and importantly a werewolf and as a werewolf with a stronger alpha lineage, he couldn't live under the roof that his mate has made and put her blood and sweat on it.

A male and a wolf-man specifically must ensure the safety and protection of his mate, and one of the actions to achieve this is providing a dwelling, made with his own hands.

His thoughts wandered back to the large house in his pack and to the tales surrounding it, not just a house but more like a fortress, it was his father's creation for both his mates.

It caused quite a stir among the werewolf society with everyone talking about how magnificent it was. Blake had never seen his father invest his own blood and money into it, but he lived there and observed how the house was a creation that carried a higher cost than just blood and money.

He immediately felt ashamed for lacking masculinity, for not being similar to his father, Alaska deserved a lot and he was a wreak that couldn't afford anything for her. And this type of tormenting thoughts continued to race within his mind.

He tried to discard such thoughts and started arranging the books together along with the precious stuff, maybe he'll find some better use of them in the future.

He effortlessly lifted some sizable timber poles as if they were lollipop sticks and carried them to the large porch outside.

Once he stepped outside, he sensed something slightly amiss. As he heard the raucous cawing of crows, his gaze quickly shifted to the sky, causing his skin to prickle with goosebumps. He instantly noticed a flock of crows circling above the vicinity of his mate's cabin. Without wasting a moment, he began sprinting towards the location.

Upon reaching the cabin he found Alaska chopping wood on the large-cut-tree trunk, not aware of what was around her. He went to her side and started clinging to her and rubbing his scent on her, just as he had been doing for days. soon enough he started baring his teeth like a rabid dog would do.

He sensed danger coming towards his mate and he was infuriated at that point.

Alaska was gazing at her mate with bewilderment as to why he was behaving in such a manner. She asked her wolf, Rogue.

However, Rogue was also perplexed by their mate's actions, but mostly felt distressed... Alaska had been displaying this sentiment ever since the day Blake regained his wolf form and recounted the tale to them.

She was aware that her mate, Audaz, was agitated and his conduct was puzzling, but she couldn't fully comprehend why since they were not yet bonded. Once they were, it would be much simpler for her to discern his thoughts.

But now all she and Alaska could do was stare at their restless mate with confusion as he was acting like a rabid dog.

The intimidating wolf raised his head towards the sky to find no ravens remaining, and upon witnessing this, a brief sense of comfort enveloped the atmosphere. Unaware of the obsidian-winged creatures, Alaska plunged her hand into the fur surrounding his collar. "Blake? Are you alright?"

The wolf was face to face with Alaska, he was a massive wolf that even with her standing they were at the same height. And with this closeness he could perceive her dilated pupils revealing the affection she holds for him but also indicating the trepidation and bewilderment towards him.

Alaska was also trying to fish every emotion and sentiment from the captivating large gilded pools, but Blake attempted to suppress any torment feelings from his eyes; the fear of her being captured, the fear of her getting hurt, the embarrassment of being a destitute man, the restlessness of claiming her... all whirled inside his head but he overcame them internally, he could not display fragility and vulnerability in front of his mate.

And Alaska was trapped in the illusion he was putting off; the facade of him being strong, the facade assuring her that she would be safeguarded, cherished, nurtured whenever he was present.

He then caught her off guard when he delicately clasped her shirt with his fangs and carried her as a mother would carry her little pup.

Alaska was surprised not by the sudden action but rather the gentleness he carried her with, despite his jagged fangs, how could such razor-sharp fangs be so gentle on her.

Alaska was closing her eyes, dazed in her mate's actions to notice that they were inside the cabin.

Blake was still carrying her through the small cabin with his massive bulk, trying his best to not ruin anything Alaska loved, but once he reached the stairs, he stopped contemplating his actions but still proceeded.

The wood of the steps was cracking under his paws, and he sadly broke one of them. Guilt raced over him; now he might upset his mate, but to his surprise she didn't say anything. But still, he smashed something in her cabin, but why was he in his wolf form in the first place... Well he happens to regain his wolf after four damn years... Isn't that sufficient reason to permit him prowl around with his wolf?

He glanced at the hole he has made within the wooden stair which was pretty big, but somehow the guilt that was running inside him subdued, as he remembered his lost-man-pride of living under the roof of his mate. And this hole happened to give him the desire to relocate somewhere else, somewhere he worked on for his mate, eh but he was a broke man who escaped hell, he bitterly laughed at himself before he thought -I wouldn't be able to mend this hole...let alone build a castle for its rightful queen-

But then his mind wandered to that cottage encircled by wolf's bane; surely he could work on it, right? And bring his mate there... After all, the cottage had a significant advantage for Blake... Wolf's bane, the way the plant was dispersed around, would reduce a significant amount of danger.

Blake dismissed the thought from his mind for now, and made his way towards their room. Upon reaching the room, he forcefully pushed the ajar-open door with his paw before stepping inside and finding himself at the foot of the bed.

In a blink of an eye, Alaska gracefully landed onto the bed, letting out a gentle whimper of delight. She felt pure euphoria as he clutched her delicately in his jaws, and as she settled onto the mattress, which bore resemblance to a plush field of rose petals.

In the midst of her bliss, she eventually opened her eyes and beheld a very exposed Blake, his eyes radiating deep desire with a golden hue. The soft sound she made upon landing on the bed was the cause of his heated gaze.

Feeling shy, Alaska quickly shielded her eyes with her hands. Blake murmured "Cute" and chuckled softly before he left to the bathroom.

A couple minutes later, he emerged from the bathroom, wearing a short. He then approached the bed where his mate was reclining, her hand still shielding her eyes.

A smirk was planting his face when he found the scene to be endearing. However, the mere action of his mate ignited a strong longing within him, causing both him and his wolf to grow restless, yearning to claim their mate. Despite this, he had many reasons why he couldn't do so, especially since he didn't fully understand his wolf's weird behaviors around her. Therefore, his first priority was to ensure her safety before anything else, as everything else would fall into place afterwards.

He dipped his head and began to gently inhale the fragrance of her hair, exploring further to sniff her neck. Finally, he delicately pressed his lips against her ear, allowing his warm breath to caress her soft skin. With an alluring whisper, he assured her, "I am clothed now; you can open your eyes."

Alaska complied and opened her eyes, exposing her stunning blue eyes accented with a touch of gray shimmer. Her wolf was eager to emerge upon witnessing their mate in such a state just a few moments earlier. She longed to be claimed by him, and this desire was evident to him from the intense emotions mirrored in her eyes.

This was a tempting invitation for him to mark her, and his desire grew stronger. However, he understood that he must prioritize her well-being and safety above his own desires.

He lowered his head and lightly kissed her lips. The taste of her lips tempted him to intensify the kiss, but to his annoyance, a crow perched on the windowsill outside the cabin and started cawing loudly.

Reacting quickly, he stood up with low curses escaping his mouth as he hurried to the window and forcefully flung the curtains shut. The sight of the crow unsettled him, as his gut feeling warned him that the presence of the crows signified ill intentions.

With a heavy exhale, he released the tension building up inside him. They were looking for him, and if his gut feelings were correct, they were getting closer. The urgency to finish working on the cottage intensified as he contemplated the situation with his wolf.

Alaska observed him closely, analyzing his every move and observing the emotions playing out on his face. "Blake, are you alright?" she inquired, her voice carrying a tone of concern.

"Huh?" Impacted by her captivating voice, Blake was drawn out of his reverie and turned his attention towards his mate, he inhaled heavily before he plunged on the bed landing carefully on his mate's chest, instantly calming his mind.

Alaska immediately tangled her fingers in his hair as thoughts of him overwhelmed her mind. There was no denying that he was acting like a man with psychiatric disorder, but Alaska chose to overlook his behavior. She wanted to understand what was troubling him, but he remained silent every time she asked. She yearned to be marked by him, hoping that it would give her insight into the tormenting thoughts that plagued his mind so that she could attempt to heal him. Unfortunately, they were far from that point. She was aware that he had only recently regained his wolf, and he needed time to adapt before marking her.

And now; In her current state, all she could sense was his restlessness, and she blamed herself for doing nothing to alleviate it. Her gaze was drawn to his exposed back, once littered with fresh wounds just a few days ago. Now, thanks to the help of his wolf, they were nearly healed, but the scars remained visible. And witnessing them pained her deeply.

A sole uncontrollable tear flowed from her ocean eyes and landed onto Blake's back, pulling him out of his thoughts-drowned state. Startled by the tear, he immediately glanced up at her, his brows furrowed in concern. 'Mate is crying, protect mate' Audaz said, urging him to protect his mate. But as Blake saw her gaze focused on the scars adorning his body, it started to clarify for him the reason behind her teardrop. His expression softened, as he realized why she was crying.

He raised his hand and gently wiped away the tear from her exquisite visage. Despite being aware of the reason, he couldn't resist inquiring, "Why you crying darling?" Alaska quickly averted her reddened eyes, feeling a hint of embarrassment for being caught in such a vulnerable state.

Alaska was silent for a while, overwhelmed with shame. Just a few months ago, if someone had told her that she would find her mate and get this soft and actually pass that 'soft' point to weeping and crying upon witnessing his scars, she would have scoffed, saying that she would reject her mate upon catching just a whiff of their scent. However, at present, the sight of the scars on his back affected her with a devastation comparable to shattered glass through her eyes.

"It... Just hurts so much to see your..." she couldn't bring herself to finish her sentence and instead motioned towards his chest, Blake immediately halted her from saying more as he cradled her in his arms, gently twirling his fingertips through her hair. Amidst this intimate moment, Blake found himself lost in his own thoughts. If someone had told him a few months ago that 'he would escape from that rotten cell and eventually find refuge in a small cabin owned by his mate, who would tenderly nurse his wounds and demonstrate genuine affection towards him, all without knowing their destined connection and then somehow she brings back his long lost wolf'... he would have dismissed them as a naive dreamer lost in their fantasy world— a mere child with whimsical tales in their mind.

However, to the astonishment of many, Blake, who had been deprived of care and affection ever since he tragically lost his beloved mother, and had endured a harsh existence for ten years, with the last four years being particularly harsher, Blake who likened to a resilient cactus thriving in a harsh and arid climate, now found solace in the arms of his mate, Alaska who once considered herself a cold hearted, rebellious person.

In the realm of tranquility, they savored this serene instant, until a rumble surged from their bellies, signaling their hunger. At that moment, a tender "Sorry" escaped their lips stimulatory. With a swift motion, Alaska took the initiative and proclaimed, "I'll go make us breakfast" as she arose and made her way towards the door. Before long, Blake joined her and offered his assistance. Thus, they departed the room, embarking on yet another day of their existence.