Retreating to the solitude of my quarters, I tried to grapple with the rapid sequence of events, each more bewildering than the last. My mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions. From the moment I saw Kelsey standing her ground against Finn, my wolf instincts had taken over. I'd seen only one thing - a threat to my mate, and I'd acted on it, consequences be damned.
I had saved her. A hunter. I was torn between the instincts of a man who had cared deeply for her and those of a werewolf Alpha, whose duty was to protect his pack from the likes of her. A bitter laugh escaped my lips. It was ironic, wasn't it? My heart clenched at the thought of her hurt, but my mind reminded me of the danger she posed to my pack.
"Why her?" I groaned, running my fingers through my hair in frustration. The question echoed back at me mockingly from the empty room. How could Kelsey, the woman I'd spent countless nights dreaming about, be a hunter? The idea was ludicrous, but the image of her standing amongst the attacking hunters was etched into my mind.
Suddenly, the memories flooded back. The sound of her laughter. The glint in her eyes when she was determined. The way she looked at me, with that intense gaze that always seemed to see right through me. The way her body fit against mine as if we were two halves of a whole. All these memories were now tainted with the knowledge of her true identity.
I fell back onto the bed, my eyes staring blankly at the ceiling. This was all wrong. I'd expected many things, but not this. Not betrayal. Not from her.
"Why, Kelsey?" The words barely whispered from my lips as a searing pain shot through my chest, making it hard to breathe. I felt like a man drowning, struggling to surface, but the more I struggled, the deeper I sank.
Closing my eyes, I sent a silent prayer to the Moon Goddess, pleading for guidance. The Goddess of wolves, the one who'd paired us together as mates, surely she'd provide some clarity, some hint of what I should do next.
"Guide me, Luna," I whispered, the silent words disappearing into the darkness. The silence that followed was deafening. There were no divine signs, no sudden revelations. Just the pounding of my heart echoing in the silence, each beat a painful reminder of my predicament.
I wasn't sure how long I lay there, drowning in my thoughts, wrestling with my emotions. It felt like an eternity. My thoughts were filled with her, with us. She had been a hunter hiding in plain sight, and I, oblivious to it all, had fallen for her. The realization hit me like a ton of bricks.
A raw growl escaped from my throat as frustration welled up inside me. I punched the bed next to me, the impact doing little to quell the storm brewing within. The pain in my hand was insignificant compared to the turmoil in my heart.
I thought of the danger Kelsey posed to my pack, and a sense of helplessness washed over me. I was their Alpha, their leader, and yet, I'd brought danger right into our midst. I had to protect them, even if it meant from the woman I cared for.
I knew I had tough decisions to make, decisions that would change the course of my life. But I also knew that I couldn't let my personal feelings endanger my pack. Kelsey was a hunter. And no matter how I felt about her, I couldn't change that.
With a newfound determination, I stood from the bed, my mind made up. I was Jason, the Alpha, and
the leader of my pack. I would do what was needed to ensure their safety. And that meant dealing with Kelsey, even if it tore my heart to pieces.
The door creaked open, breaking my train of thought. I turned to see Lyla, a sweet-tempered, unassuming member of my pack, standing in the doorway. She was a good woman, loyal to our pack, and had been vying for my attention for quite some time. Her gentle eyes, filled with warmth, were a stark contrast to the turmoil raging within me.
"Jason," she whispered, taking in my state. "You look troubled. Can I do anything to help?"
It was an innocent question, one borne out of genuine concern, but it felt like the final push I needed to forget Kelsey. Maybe being with Lyla, losing myself in her would offer some reprieve from the turmoil within me. Perhaps, it would help me do what I had to - focus on my pack, on my duty as their Alpha.
Walking towards her, I took in her features. Her soft brown eyes watched me with concern and anticipation. She was everything Kelsey was not - a werewolf, loyal to the pack, her motives clear and simple. As I pulled her towards me, her breath hitched in surprise.
"Lyla," I whispered, my voice filled with a raw emotion I wasn't sure I understood. My gaze locked onto hers, and for a moment, all my thoughts about Kelsey faded away. This was about my pack, my duty as an Alpha, and maybe, just maybe, about moving on.
"Jason," she whispered back, her hand reaching up to caress my face. There was a tender vulnerability in her touch, a stark contrast to the turbulent emotions raging within me. It was comforting, and grounding.
In response, I wrapped my arms around her, pulling her close. The scent of her filled my senses, her soft curves fitting perfectly against me. I brushed a loose strand of hair away from her face, my fingers trailing down her cheek. Her breath hitched, her eyes widening slightly at the intimacy of the gesture.
"Lyla," I murmured, my voice barely a whisper, "Let me forget."
As my lips claimed hers, I could feel her surprise. But soon, she relaxed into the kiss, her hands coming up to clutch at my shoulders. The world around me faded into nothingness, my mind consumed by the feel of her lips against mine. And at that moment, I allowed myself to forget about the chaos outside, about Kelsey, about the immense task that lay before me. At that moment, it was just me and Lyla, two souls seeking comfort in each other.
Losing myself in Lyla, I hoped to silence the confusion, bury the hurt, to diminish the longing for Kelsey. But as the moonlight streamed through the window, illuminating the room with its ethereal glow, the harsh reality loomed over me. I was an Alpha, and I had duties to fulfill, painful decisions to make, and a pack to protect. But for now, for this fleeting moment, I allowed myself the comfort of Lyla's embrace, hoping that maybe this would help me face what was to come.