Everything happened so fast, from the moment when he put his hands around my tiny waist to when he took my hand, sending jolts of electricity up my shoulders. He pulled me out of the dining room, before the owners of the voices got to us, walking through the crowded kitchen and towards the back door of the house, oblivious of the surprised stares we got. I didn't have the time to worry about what the consequences of this action might be, as I couldn't even think straight anymore.
My head was in the cloud as I followed behind him, his scent intoxicating me, making my head feel light. Soon the house was behind us as we walked into the woods,, I saw his shoulders, which I didn't know were tense, relax as he began to slow down his steps and then came to a halt.
He turned to me and one look into his eyes set my face on fire. I bowed my head, knowing that I was blushing red and it would be so embarrassing. Gently touching my jaws with two fingers, he pulled up my face and looked intensely into my eyes. At this point, I was sure he was going to kiss me, but what he said shocked me even more.
"How have you been hiding from me?"
I frowned in confusion, not understanding what his words meant.
"Where have you been all this time?" I saw a flash of pain appear in his eyes and then it disappeared as if it never had.
He sighed as if trying to keep in control, but I was now confused. Had he been looking for me? I wondered not knowing what to do or say at first, but what I did shocked me even more. There was no way I did that with my head in the right place.
I hugged him. Pressing my burning cheek into his chiseled chest. He stiffened, probably due to shock.
"I'm here now," I said softly, hoping to comfort him, and it did, for his cheek rested on my head, and he hugged me back.
Right there and then, I knew I was defeated. Me and my logical self both. I knew I would do anything to make him happy, kiss the worries off his brows and be a pillar of strength if he needed me to. I knew I wanted to be there for him, by his side and nowhere else.
Was this my happily ever after? I couldn't help but ask myself as I stood there in his embrace. I had seen a lot of she-wolves' lives turn around, the moment they met their mates, and from the look of things, something similar was going to happen to me. I smiled contently in his arms, feeling safe, secure, and loved for the first time ever.
....
Minutes later, we were strolling in the forest holding hands and smiling as if we had known each other for a long time. I glanced up at him and blushed as I realized he was still staring at me.
"Your hair....." I heard his deep voice say. "Is it natural?"
I smiled at the fact that someone else had asked that question earlier, how thicker than water blood is. I nodded,
" It's the most beautiful thing I have ever seen." He said, and I tucked my lips in to prevent myself from blushing more than I already have. He chuckled at my effort and I sure loved the sound of it.
"My name is Eric. But you know that already, since you've been purposely hiding from me."
He accused
I opened my mouth, rather shocked at his words. They might not have meant the same thing to us, but they were true and I knew it.
"What is your name?"
"Silveen." I whispered, as blushing was now becoming an uncontrolled reflex on my face.
"A name as beautiful as you, my love."
Did he just call me his love? I asked myself as I began to feel giddy. His next question brought me back to my senses.
"Why have you been hiding from me?"
"I haven't," I said, defending myself almost too quickly for my own liken, his smile broadened as he obviously noticed my effort.
"I just became a member of this pack a few days ago," I said with embarrassment in a small voice.
"Oh?" he raised a brow.
"How's that even possible, you becoming a member of my pack without my knowledge," he said as he stopped walking and turned to me, bending a little to be at eye level with me.
"..... when I am the alpha."
I smiled at the pride in his voice when he said it. I had always known he was the Alpha, no one could emit such an aura of authority as he did, he was a natural-born leader, who would do anything to protect his pack.
"Why would you be informed when nobody like me is about to join your pack".
" Well, that nobody is my mate," he said, frowning at me.
"I am an omega. A maid of lady Freya". I said, bowing my head.
"My cousin?"
"Yes. Wait what?! Lady Freya is your cousin?" I asked, gaping at him in surprise.
"Yes, she is." He said, smiling and ruffling my hair playfully before he began to walk again, His hands now folded behind him.
I frowned and quickly arranged my hair before running after him. We walked silently now, him not saying a word. I glanced over to look at him but he had a distant look on his face and slowly a frown began to set in.
Was I wrong to have told him my status so early? Why did he become so quiet? Was he disappointed? Was he going to reject me because I was a maid? I asked myself several questions as we walked. I kept on glancing at his facial expression as mine also began to change. I realized if he rejected me, I would probably not survive it.
I bowed my head, sadly lost in my own thoughts, not realizing we were walking back to Eric's home. He stopped and I looked up to see the mansion in front of us. My heart sank.
He was sending me back to where I belonged, not claiming me.
"It seems our date has been cut short by my duties." He said, smiling at me, and I realized he had been mind-linking someone. I heaved a sigh of relief. I didn't know I was holding.
"I would love to meet you here again. What do you say we meet tomorrow," he said, countering my worries, as he walked closer to me, removing a strand of hair from my eyes.
"I have to attend to some things at the moment."
I nodded in reply and he left me almost immediately, walking away into the village in a hurry. I stared at his retreating self for a while before walking into the kitchen feeling abandoned.
Everyone in the kitchen was still busy with their duties, though the number of women had been reduced. I took the opportunity to look around the kitchen. It had the look of a conventional kitchen, except for the large cauldrons and fireplace that were obviously used to cook the family meals.
"Silveen". I heard my name and turned to see Mathilda, signaling me to come to her and I did so quickly.
"Where have you been? Lady Freya has been waiting for you."
That was when I remembered that I had been there with my mistress. I walked past her immediately into the dining room, which had now been decorated with all sorts of food, waiting for the guests to arrive. I quickly entered the hallway, and met lady Freya with Luna Misheal, an unknown woman was standing with them now.
She seemed a little older than me, if not my age. She had an athletic build and was tall, almost too manly for my liking. Nothing about her stood out, except for the proud look in her eyes, which made me extremely uncomfortable.
"Ah, there you are," Luna Misheal said, and the other ladies turned to me. I bowed to the Luna, but not before I saw the smile that graced Lady Freya's face the moment she saw me. Did she just really like me or was she proud of my looks? I couldn't help but wonder, howbeit rolling my eyes at the latter suggestion.
"I was beginning to worry Silveen," she said.
"I'm sorry my lady, I seem to have gotten lost." I lied comfortably.
"She's always had a thing with the forest". Lady Freya said, trying to defend me, but I raised my brow, wondering how she knew I had gone into the forest. Did she know who I went with?
"Don't we all," Luna Misheal said.
"You must not have met Layla," Luna Misheal began,
"She's the alpha's bride-to-be and your future Luna".
My heart sank and my face probably seemed pale as I stared at her speechless, and they all couldn't help but notice. Luna Misheal frowned at my actions, while Lady Freya shifted uncomfortably.
I blinked twice and looked away, feeling as if I was beginning to understand why Eric had been flustered when he met me, he had already chosen another to be his Luna and I was sure she was from a respected home. Could he possibly leave her for a servant like me?
"We will leave now. Luna." lady Freya said, breaking the awkward silence that had fallen between us, and immediately began to leave. I immediately followed her but not before, glancing at Layla and seeing the deathly look in her eyes as she stared at me. I knew if anything. I had made myself an enemy.