Freeing the Stranger

The snap of fingers in front of her eyes brought Tessa back to reality. That was when she realized he had broken the kiss and was now just standing in front of her. She shifted her gaze to him and could clearly see the proud and fulfilled look on his face as he just stood smiling. She still couldn't grasp what just happened. She felt her heart pumping blood faster than usual but it felt as though she still couldn't move her body. Tessa kept her eyes fixed on him whilst trying to figure it out in her head, though she wasn't actually looking at him, more like drifting off again.

"Are you alright? You seem a little out of it" Kieran's smile slowly turned into worry on seeing how she was reacting to the kiss. "Hey ar..." A slap landing across his face cut his sentence short. "Ouch" He said softly, touching his face where her small hand had left a mark.

"Oh my God! I'm so sorry" She gasped, covering her mouth in shock on realizing what she just did. "I didn't mean to...I...it's just...are you okay?" She inquired, moving closer to him with a face full of concern.

"Yeah I am okay"

"I am sorr....." She paused as this realization dawned on her again. "No! No, I'm not sorry. You're the one who should apologize for kissing me without my permission" She protested, her concerned look swiftly replaced with a fiery one.

"So you're saying I could kiss you if I asked for permission" He quipped, followed with a sly smile.

"Aren't you too confident for an Omega?!" Tessa pointed out, staring at him with disbelief. She hadn't met anyone like him. Someone so confident even with his low rank in the food chain, someone so forward who says what he thinks, someone so spontaneous and quite funny too if she was being honest.

"What does my rank have to do with who I am? I think that's just what it is. A rank, social status...that's all" He explained

"I'm guessing you have some different opinion about a lot of stuff and about the hierarchy and all"

"Yeah I do. Maybe I'll tell you about some of them over coffee if I ever get free from this holding cell"

"No thanks. It's probably same with every other low rank wolves' stories. Complaining about how the system is unjust and unfair because of the ranks" She rolled her eyes

"Maybe....but you'll find out anyway soon" He shrugged, going back to sit on the bed

"How long have you been a wolf? How long has it been since you hot bitten?"

"A little over three years"

"And you haven't found a pack since then?" Tessa inquired with a curious look.

"Not really, I have come across some but none that peeked my interest and made me want to stay"

"And what will peek your interest in a pack?"

"One that's like yours. Well to be more specific, your pack does peek my interest. You in particular. I don't know how to explain but somehow I feel drawn to you. My wolf feels drawn to you. It was same thing that made kiss you. There's something about you that makes me want to be a member of your pack. Like I want to try to know more about it, about you" He explained

Tessa didn't know what to make of all what he just said. She knew he was probably serious because that was the most serious expression and most serious he's been since she first laid eyes on him. "Well good luck with that" She scoffed like it was some unserious joke before making her way out the holding room.

As soon as she went, she locked the door and moved away from his sigh, she leaned against the closest wall to catch her breath and replay what just happened in her head. She unconsciously began grazing her lips with her fingertip, smiling unknowingly as she thought about what a surprising but electrifying kiss that was. She immediately comported herself on realizing she was still close to where he was and he could smell her arousal and pounding heart. She cleared her throat and walked away.

***

As soon as she stepped into her room, Derek immediately grabbed her and pulled her into himself, sealing her lips with his deep usual kiss. A little startled by his sudden action and eager kiss. She accepted his kiss, wrapping her arms around his neck. His arms immediately tightened around her waist simultaneously. After a long minute of intense lips sucking and tongue twirling he finally broke the kiss, giving them both a chance to catch their breaths.

"Are you feeling okay?" Tessa asked with a curious and questioning look.

"Of course. Just missed you that's all. The meeting dragged on longer than expected and then you disappeared after we were done" He took her hands and led her to the Her queen sized bed. "Where did you go run off to?"

"Oh! I went to see the stranger who rescued one of our own. I wanted to know more about him and find out if there was anything he left out" She explained hoping that was all there was to his question. She didn't want to mistakenly spill out something that would expose her still unbelievable kiss with him. Thinking about it alone was conflicting for her. She didn't know how to feel about it. Admitting she liked it even a bit seemed to her like the most shameful thing there was. But still, she knew she couldn't lie to herself.

"There is no need for you seeing him. It isn't like he's a part of our pack or that he will be staying here" He explained, trying to hide the jealousy in his tone. He wasn't pleased to hear of her visit, especially after witnessing the eye contact between them back in the meeting room. He wanted her all for himself and he wasn't shy to show it. Every male she smiled to seemed like a potential threat to him. And what he noticed from her was worse than a smile. He couldn't wait for this White-haired Omega to leave just as fast as he came.

"That's it!" Tessa exclaimed with a bright smile as what Derek just said gave her an idea.

"What? What is 'it'?" He inquired

"He could become part of our pack-"

"Wait no that's...."

"I mean it makes sense. He has no pack and he's here now. He helped one of ours also." She explained seeming a little too excited. "I should go tell my father" She added. Before Derek could get a word out, she was out the room which altogether surprised him more. He hadn't seen her that excited in a while. He stayed back for a second to process her actions before running after her to try and stop her.

***

The silence in the room was deafening as she waited for the Alpha's reply. Her eyes shifted from the Alpha to Beta Maynard back and forth. She hadn't expected to see them having a private meeting in her father's private office just few hours after they were done with the main meeting. It was something to be expected from Beta Maynard. If there was even a little chance he could whisper something new then he would take it so she wasn't so surprised to see him there but she was afraid he could speak against her request.

"Come on, this is ridiculous" Derek who had been standing behind her the whole time she had been making her sales peach to the Alpha, finally spoke out. It was clear he wasn't in support of it.

"It isn't ridiculous. We wouldn't just be helping him out but ourselves also, our pack. That would be one more member expanding our pack and one more soldier to have on our side against whatever is coming." She explained, sounding a bit desperate.

"He is an Omega. Part of the weakest group in the chain. How much of a help can he be as a soldier?" Derek argued

"He's right..." The Alpha finally broke his silence. "At a time like this we need strong Betas who can actually act during a battle not a weak Omega who just adds more load to the pack"

"He can be of use I am sure of it" She stood her ground even knowing she was losing the argument.

"How do you know?"

"I....i...i just know it" Tessa stuttered. She didn't actually have any proof about how he can be useful after all she had just met him and just had a conversation once with him. But from their encounter she could tell there was more to him. 'Why am I pushing so hard for someone I don't even know' she thought to herself.

"What do you think Maynard?" The Alpha turned to his right hand man who has been quiet the whole time.

"I think I agree with our heir" He stated, drawing a surprised look from everyone in the room, especially Derek and Tessa. He was usually the one that overthink things and carefully consider matters before taking action.

Derek stared at his father in awe, wondering what he was thinking agreeing with Tessa. No matter how he thought about it, it seemed like it was definitely an obstacle to their plan. "We don't even know if he's someone we can trust yet" He pointed out

Tessa on the other hand couldn't believe her ears. She never thought the commander would ever be the one to agree with her. This made her wonder what he was planning. She knew he was definitely planning something seeing as he agreed to free the stranger and let him into their pack so easily.

"Fine. Set him free and add him to our pack but the weight is on you Tess. You'll be the one to oversee him and help him settle in and if he turns out to be someone else from whom he claims he is, you'll bear the burden too" The Alpha stated.

"Yes father" She nodded eagerly and happily, still unable to believe she won the argument. Although she knew her father only agreed because the commander agreed with her. "Thank you dad...I'll go deliver the news to him" She concluded and hurried out, leaving the men there, including Derek who was trying to make sense of what's happening in front of him.

***

Tessa immediately came to a halt as she got closer to the holding room. She took a deep breath, calming herself. She was excited without knowing the reason why. Neither did she know the reason why she argued so hard for him to be free and brought into the pack. "I can tell you're there" Kieran's voice broke through to her thought. "You can come in, I promise I'm not gonna kiss you again" He intentionally said it louder.

Tessa's eyes widened with shock and she immediately rushed to the door, coming into his sight. "Would you lower your voice" She said, more like a whisper as she began unlocking the door.

"I knew you'd rush over if I said it loud enough" He smiled, laying down on his back on the bed. "What? You came to keep me company some more?" He inquired, locking his fingers under his head.

"Actually, I came to free you" She unlocked the steel door and pushed it wide open.

He shifted his gaze to her and a smile immediately formed on his lips. He sat up swiftly, facing her. "So I can leave now? Leave this town for good and continue on my soul searching journey" He added, sounding relieved.

Hearing this, Tessa's countenance fell immediately. "Actually, you're not free to leave town or our pack yet. Just free from this holding room. We still need to make sure you're not an enemy that infiltrated our pack just to gather info on us for the enemies. So you're ordered to not leave yet by the Alpha" She lied, hoping he buys it.

"I see....i thought as much" He sighed with frustration, combing his fingers through his snow white hair.

Tessa smiled slyly on seeing that he gulped up the lies. "Yeah. So for the meantime you're under my care. Anything you do reflects on me. I am to keep an eye on you for the time period you're here. Except you decide to be a member of our pack..."

"No thanks! Don't want to be a part but I do like the idea of being together for the meantime" He stood and started for the entrance where she was. "Don't worry, I won't do anything that will reflect bad on you" He stopped in front of her and she swiftly covered her mouth with her palm.

He laughed on seeing this. "Relax, I am not gonna kiss you again...well, not unless you want me to" He flashed her his flashy smile and then walked past her out of the holding room. "Now come on, I am starving. I have a list of things we can do together in the meantime we are together" He called as he continued making his way to the exit.

Tessa took her palm off her mouth and uttered a sigh of relief. As much as she was swift to guard against any incoming kiss, part of her wished he had tried to. 'What is wrong with me?' She thought, wondering about her thought and the fact that she lied to him just to make him not leave.

"Come on princess!" His voice echoed into the passageway

'This is going to be interesting' She thought to herself as she began making her way to him.