"I’m Cece, thank you for helping me out. What is your name?"
I awkwardly rubbed the back of my neck. "No problem." No problem indeed, I hardly did a thing. "My name is Akira."
"A-ki-ra," Cece spelt, as she seemed to think it over. She then clapped her hands, threw her long hair over her shoulder and giggled. "That is beautiful. I love it. You should keep it!"
"Great, thanks? I will?" I slowly said, not sure why the girl assumed I wasn't planning on keeping it. I groaned, wondering what the hell I had gotten myself into this time. I should probably just say goodbye and quickly, quickly, walk away from this girl. But she seemed so young. Could I really leave her alone?
"Are you on your own or are your friends waiting for you somewhere?" I asked, secretly crossing my fingers behind my back. Please say friends, please say friends.
"No friends, just me! Little old me."
Damn it! Just my luck. Don't say it Akira, don't say it. "I’m travelling with a group of friends, you can come with me for the time being?"
As soon as the words left my mouth, I internally facepalmed myself. Bad Akira, I said don't say it!
Cece happily clapped her hands. "Oooh, I would love that. Haven't travelled with anyone in a while now. Not since my last friend died, but oh well, it happens."
I let out a sigh as I motioned her to follow me. Why did I keep finding strays? Why didn't I get more than five minutes alone time?
I nostalgically thought back to my first two weeks of my journey, remembering all the peace and quiet. But as I did, an image of Ashleigh flashed through my mind and I realised that finding her, hadn't been so bad after all.
With my new companion to my side, we retraced my footsteps. I let out a sigh of relief as I found the pot I had left behind and made a mental note to take better care of our equipment. Well, not ours, Darren's. He would surely kill me if I lost one of his cooking pots.
We reached the clearing in front of the cave and to my surprise, Aspen was leaning against the entrance, his arms crossed over his chest. He seemed to be drawing figurines into the snow with his feet, but as if he sensed me coming, his head snapped up. His eyes worriedly darted over me and I realised he had been waiting for me. Why? I hadn't been gone that long, had I?
A smile tugged up the corner of his lip as he realised I was still all in one piece and only after that, his eyes darted to the left.
"Fuck!" Aspen's loud voice trumpeted into the night as he suddenly called for Ashleigh. Not a moment later, she appeared from the cave, a worried look on her face as well. A smile of relief lightened up her face as she saw me, but that quickly changed into a snarl. The two siblings exchanged a glance, stared at me and signed some quick signals at each other. They curtly nodded and surprisingly efficient for the bickering duo, they seemed to come to a consensus.
Like they felt hellfire up their ass, the two twins sprinted towards me. Ashleigh jumped in front of me and as she pushed me behind her, Aspen flew at Cece's throat. With unexpected ease, he swiped the girl off her feet and slammed her into the ground.
Aspen was hovering over her as he used his knees to pin her shoulders down. "How dare you!" he growled at her, his lips curling up menacingly.
Not entirely sure what was happening, except that Aspen just attacked my guest, I pushed Ashleigh aside and grabbed Aspen by the upper arm. "Hey, calm down! She is a new friend!"
Now I really regretted bringing Cece along, but for a whole lot of different reasons. This wasn't exactly the warm welcome I had been planning.
Danny and her guys came running out of the cave and if I thought Aspen had an overreaction, I wasn't prepared for the rest. Darren immediately pounced on the girl, while Regan had to hold back a hissing Danny who seemed to be ready to claw her eyes out. Even with a giant gash in his chest, he was still a force of nature.
More screaming ensued as both Darren and Aspen bore their teeth at Cece.
A hand touched my shoulder and as I turned, I found myself staring at the worried face of JP
"A-A-Are you okay? Did, did C-Chesca hurt you?"
"Chesca?"
"Y-Y-Yes. I t-told you about her, d-didn't I?"
I turned from JP to Cece, who seemed quite unfazed by the angry man sitting on top of her.
"This is Chesca?" I asked, my voice rising in surprise. "But she is so..."
"Young? Pretty? Incredibly sexy?" Cece quipped in, her voice far too carefree.
I decided to ignore her suggestions as I turned back to JP and narrowed my eyes. "I thought you said she was a Coyote?"
He shook his head, both his hands worryingly running through his hair. "N-No. She is a-a Puma, but s-she has a standing a-alliance with the C-Coyotes."
I tilted my head to the side as I studied the frail girl underneath Aspen. So this was a Puma? Interesting. I had never seen one before. They were supposed to live all the way up in the desert.
"She seems harmless to me."
"H-Harmless?" JP stuttered, his eyes turning as wide as saucers.
"I will kill her!" Darren growled as he pressed a knife against her throat.
"Do it quickly!" Aspen encouraged him as he backed away from her, giving Darren better access to the girl. Cece looked at me with pleading eyes and this time, I tugged on Darren's vest.
"She is just a little girl. Darren, please stop!" I called out to him, trying to remove the blade.
"Don't let her fool you. She is the devil herself," Regan added. I threw him an angry look. He was supposed to be the reasonable and reliable one of the group. How could he be okay with them killing off someone like that?
I gave Darren's arm another yank. "Don't."
I could feel the muscles flex under his shirt but I wasn't fast enough to react. With a hard shove, he pushed me away, his dark eyes flickering menacingly in his sockets. "I’m going to slice her up real nice. Real nice," he muttered under his breath, as he teased her skin with the tip of his knife.
"Ashleigh? Will you do something?!" I turned to my mate, begging her to help me. I tried to catch her eye, but she was stubbornly staring into the ground, unwilling to meet my gaze. "Ashleigh?" I tried again, panic rising in my chest as even my own mate wouldn't back me up. This couldn't really be happening, right? They weren't seriously going to kill this girl right in front of my eyes, wouldn't they? They wouldn't...
But as I saw the murderous look on Darren's face, the disgust on JP's and the approval on Aspen's, I suddenly realised that this group wasn't nearly as cheery or as warm as they let on.
A chill ran over my entire body as even the cheery Danny didn't object or the voice or reason, Regan, seemed to agree with the general consensus of the group.
Their intent was clear. I could feel it in the air, I could smell it on their bodies. They were here to kill.
Akira... What did you get yourself into?
Darren growled menacingly, bearing his teeth at Cece as he traced her neckline with the tip of his knife. He looked like he was ready to plunge the steel into her without a second thought.
I felt my muscles tense. Was there nothing I could do to help her? Maybe if I...
It happened in less than the blink of an eye. If you didn't pay close attention, you'd have missed it. One moment, Cece was there. The other, she was gone.
A loud scream pierced the night. Darren. With his eyes spitting fire and rage visibly surging through his body, he threw his knife into the ground. Right into the spot where only an instant ago, Cece had been.
"No!" Aspen growled loudly, so angry his Alpha surfaced for a brief moment. For an instant, my breath caught in my throat as my wolf could feel his raw power. Beautiful.
I suddenly felt two hands on my shoulders and a slender body pressed against my back.
"There!" Darren barked as he picked up his knife and suddenly pointed it at me. As angry as I had ever seen him, he limped toward me. Where did that limp come from?
But this was not the moment to wonder about his mobility. The knife threatening me seemed much more pressing,
as it was almost literally pressed against me.
What had happened? Why were they so violent, so angry? Was this really the same Darren that had admired a stray winter flower?
I wanted to back away from this lunatic that I didn't know but was reminded again of the body pressed against me. I turned my head and was met with a set of yellow eyes. Cece.
"They want to hurt me, Akira. Don't let them," she whimpered, looking like a scared child.
Again I turned towards my mate. "Ashleigh! Please?"
This time, she did look at me and in her eyes, I found a vulnerability and a helplessness I hadn't expected. She looked pained and I could tell from her gaze that she wanted to help me, but couldn't.
Why not?
"Kill her."
Another surge of power flooded over me as I suddenly realised what was going on. Aspen. As a natural born Alpha, he was controlling the group. Controlling their moods, controlling their actions. Controlling them.
So was this the real power of the Alpha?
I took another moment to admire Aspen in all his glory. So this was his real face. The man behind the cheeky boy. He was grand, majestic, nothing less than utterly magnificent. And also completely terrifying.
Nails dug into my skin brought my head back as I was reminded again what was going on. I couldn't give in. To anybody. Not even to Aspen.
"Aspen," I called out to him, catching his gaze. His amber eyes almost blackened as they bore straight into me, making my wolf jump up in longing. Mate.
"Please..." I begged, hoping that even if my wolf couldn't get through to Ashleigh, she was strong enough to sway Aspen.
Another timeless second passed as we just stared at each other. And then a twinkle flickered through his eyes as they lightened up, returning back to the familiar amber hue.
Darren's arm fell down as he stopped dead in his tracks, no longer approaching or threatening us with his knife. A heavy tension left my body and I could almost feel the group collectively sigh. The Alpha had retreated.
"Only this once. For you," Aspen growled from behind his gritted teeth. And with those words, he turned on his heels and disappeared into the cave.
I glanced at the rest of the group, wondering if this was an invitation for Cece... For Chesca, to stay with us. Danny shook her head at me and JP threw me a disappointed look, as they followed their leader into the cave. A lump appeared in my throat as I could feel another kind of tension settle onto the group and I already cursed at myself for bringing Cece here. This wouldn't have happened if I hadn't brought her here...
But then again, she was already here and if there was one thing I had learned from growing up in my household, was that being shunned was never the answer. That just because people tell you to stay away from someone, that you should. Growing up lonely and exiled had taught me to give people the benefit of the doubt.
Cece deserved that same right.
I pointed towards the cave, inviting the Puma in, part of me wondering if they would kill her in her sleep and if she'd even still want to stay with us. I could imagine this wasn't the warmest welcome.
She flashed a carefree smile at me like she hadn't just been threatened. She had shrugged off the event like people pressed knives against her throat on a daily basis and somehow, I felt that might have been true.
The girl skipped into the cave, apparently not worried one bit about the murderous intent hanging in the group. I was ready to join her, but then I felt a warm hand on my arm.
"Be careful. She isn't as innocent as she appears to be."
I stared at Ashleigh's hand and then at her face. Her blue eyes were piercing into mine with concern, but for some reason, it made anger bubble up in my stomach. I shrugged her hand away, still utterly disappointed she hadn't stuck up for me and without another word, I turned my back towards her.
If my wolf was strong enough to pull Aspen out of his Alpha state, why hadn't hers reacted the same way?
I couldn't help but feel a huge wave of disappointment wash over me as I realised being mated wasn't enough. It didn't mean you'd get that instant bond Danny seemed to have with not just Regan, but all three of her lovers.
It also meant I could choose Aspen.
But then my wolf stirred and I couldn't help but look at the beautiful woman standing next to me, looking utterly defeated.
On queue, she met my gaze as her glacier blue eyes pierced into mine. And all thoughts I had about Aspen were washed away with her oceans.
Why would I choose Aspen if Ashleigh was right here?
I had heard about the power of the Alpha before. Almost none were born anymore and those who were, almost always immediately grabbed power. A stray Alpha like Aspen was a true rarity and as his mate, I couldn't imagine the pull he had on people. The only thing I knew was that his Alpha was strong enough to challenge the bond with my first mate.
And with that thought, I suddenly felt almost guilty for being so harsh to her. She wasn't the only one who wavered in the Alpha's presence. My wolf did as well. Every time he unleashed his raw power, my wolf was drawn to him, ready to forget all about Ashleigh. If he had this effect on me, I shouldn't judge her for the pull he had on her wolf. It wasn't fair of me to expect impossible things from her.
I let out a deep sigh, not liking one bit how my wolf seemed to keep getting pulled back and forth between the twins. They had already made it perfectly clear they wouldn't be sharing me. But the way it was going, I wouldn't be able to be with either of them.
As long as Ashleigh was around, my wolf would never be able to choose Aspen. But I also realised that with Aspen's Alpha around, he could make me forget about his sister.
Unless I mated with either of them, they would always tear me and my wolf apart.
But how to choose?
I thought about the two twins, marvelling at how uniquely beautiful they both were. Aspen with his muscled chest, his handsome smirk and his witty comments, he certainly was a charmer.
But then there was Ashleigh. At first glance, she was just as high-tempered as her brother, but the longer I knew her, the clearer it became it was all just a game. The real her was much softer, gentler. Quieter. There was an unrivalled depth to her that made me breathless. Speechless.
He was wild and loud like the waves of the ocean crashing against the cliffs. She was like a mysterious, undisturbed lake, deep and bottomless.
Aspen felt like a gust of wind, an unexpected tornado with limitless reserves of energy. Powerful. Destructive. Frightening. He was, in every way, the storm.
Ashleigh was his opposite. She wasn't destructive or aggressive. Not really. She was the protector, the care giver. She was the mountain braving any kind of weather, bowing to no one, no matter how loud the wind howled or how relentlessly the rain threatened. She would shield me from the storm.
Aspen or Ashleigh.
What did I need? Who did I want?
I peered deep into the cave, catching the frown on Aspen's face. It made him look dark, angry and freakishly handsome. Then I directed my gaze towards the forest, gazing at Ashleigh. The wind was playing with her curls and the saddened look in her eyes made me ache. She looked so hurt, so disappointed, all I wanted to do was comfort her.
Aspen was exciting. Ashleigh was grounded. He could make me feel high on life. She would make me feel safe. Cared for. Loved. She could be the home I had never had. She would be.
Ashleigh... Of course, Ashleigh.
"I'll be in in a second, okay?" I told Cece, knowing I couldn't leave things like this with Ashleigh. The young girl happily nodded and skipped inside, unfazed by the killer mood hanging in the air.
I took a deep breath and gathered myself, ready to face my mate.
"Hey..." I softly whispered into the night, drawing her attention.
"Hi..." she muttered back, a sad smile playing around her cherry red lips.
"You, umm... You okay?"
Ashleigh tilted her head. "Ehmm... I'm not sure..." she slowly said, her eyebrows furro
wed.
I placed a hand on her lower arm, sparks shooting through my body. Yes, definitely Ashleigh.
"I'm sorry..." I apologised, earning a surprised look.
"For what?"
"For being so harsh... For expecting too much from you?"
She briefly smiled, but it never reached her eyes. "I don't understand why I couldn't do a thing... I should've been able to..." she muttered, disappointment clear in her voice.
"It's okay..."
"Is it? What if next time you're the one in danger and I can't help you?" she growled, her hands balling into fists. As if it hadn't been clear before, she was probably beating herself up over this. Nothing I said would've made her feel worse than she already felt.
Just knowing that, knowing she thought she had let me down, filled my chest with a warmth I hadn't felt before.
She cared. She genuinely cared. She barely knew me, but it didn't matter. She wasn't torn between two people, scaling qualities, gauging who was the better fit. For her, I was the one and only. I had always been. I knew I was.
I recalled how she always stared at me, always lingering in the background, one eye on me, on eye on her own task. How she was always watching out for me, making sure I was okay.
Why hadn't I realised that before? Before all this, before my disapproving look...
She was the one. My mate. Of course, it was her.
And as this realisation flashed through me, another thought quickly followed. Now that I knew she was the only one I truly wanted, I couldn't screw it up. And that thought, it terrified me.
Before, I had the luxury of two people wanting me and me wanting two people. If it went wrong with one of them, I could just gravitate to the other. Like a real coward.
But I didn't want to be a coward anymore. I wanted to do this right. I wanted to be the mate that Ashleigh deserved. And I would prove I was just as perfect for her as she was for me.
Ashleigh. Of course, Ashleigh.
Mine.
I placed both my hands on top of hers, gently pushing them open as I intertwined my fingers with hers. "If I were in danger, you'd come through."
"What if I won't?"
"You will."
She snorted sarcastically, pulling her hands out of mine. Ouch, that stung.
Shifters Gone Wild: A Shifter Romance Collection Page 43