39

"It...it's the..." I hesitated "...the Alpha. I fell in love with the Alpha." It felt good to finally say it.

"What?" Steven looked quite upset. "Aurelia, he's dangerous. Have you forgotten that he wants to kill you? He kills people like you without batting an eyelash. It would never work between you two." Steven saying it only hurt more. But I knew he was right.

"I know, but he spared my life back then." I sobbed out loud again, so Steven gave me a comforting hug. "I don't know myself why I fell in love with him. He was the most I haven't seen him very often. But those feelings are there and they only get stronger the longer I'm away from him."

"That's fine. We're going to make a life somewhere far away from him and then you're going to forget him." Steven tried. But actually I don't want to forget him.

Nevertheless I nodded.

"Now at least I know why you tried to make him jealous back then." Steven laughed and tried to cheer me up. In fact, it helped a little. That day wasn't that long ago, but now it felt like it was it happened years ago.

My eyes grew heavy from all the crying and I finally fell asleep in Steven's arms.

-----

Suddenly I was woken up by Steven's voice.

"Aurelia! You have to wake up, they're coming!" he said, shaking me.

"Who?" I mumbled, still half in dreamland. Why does he have to wake me up in the middle of the night? I had such a wonderful dream. At least I think so, since I've forgotten it again.

"The Alpha! My pack, they're following us!"

My eyes opened abruptly and suddenly I was wide awake. I watched Steven grab our bags. Then he ran towards me and grabbed my hand. He pulled me out of bed and then, without checking out, ran down the hall towards the exit.

It was still dark outside. We really needed to have it in the middle of the night.

"What time is it Steven?" I asked as we got to his jeep and he was putting our stuff in the trunk.

"Just after half past one." Oh god, that's clearly too early for me to be on the run.

I got in the car and Steven did the same. It started and we were back on the road without a destination.

Less than 2 minutes later we were out of town and driving on a country road. This was surrounded by dense forest on the left and right and I wondered if the wolves couldn't find us better here.

"Is it a good idea to drive this way?" I asked a little apprehensively.

"Yes, because it's deserted here. If there is a fight, there will be no unnecessary deaths." I'd rather avoid that fight.

My stomach clenched. A month ago I thought I had a crappy life. But now that I knew there were werewolves trying to kill me, I'd love to be home with my dad. What has he done with his life now? Is he happier without me? Maybe he stopped drinking without me. After all, he always put me there as ballast.

Suddenly, from the forest to our right, a wolf howled. You are here.

"Fucking shit," Steven swore. "They found us."

He pressed the gas pedal even harder and our speed went well over 200 km/h. My heart was pounding in my throat. If he hits a tree now, the problem with both of us would have been solved.

"Steven, please don't be so fast!" I yelled in panic. I knew we were being followed, but I didn't really want to die in the car.

"Do you want to die or do you want..."

He didn't get any further, because suddenly a wolf appeared out of nowhere on the street in front of us and I started screaming in panic. "STEVEN WATCH OUT!"

Steven also saw the wolf and slammed on the brakes. Unfortunately we were way too fast.

Steven twisted the handlebars and the car skidded. It rolled over twice and slid upside down into a tree.

Then everything was black.

A beep sounded in my ears.

I blinked and tried to take in my surroundings, but everything around me was blurry. What happened?

"Aurelia!" I heard a distant voice say, but I could barely hear it, it was so quiet. Everything around me was in slow motion and I found it difficult to move.

"Aurelia!" came that voice again. A little louder this time.

I tried to keep moving and looking at Steven. But when I recognized the driver's seat, he was no longer there.

"Aurelia, hold on! I'll get you out of here." Now I could place the direction that voice was coming from. So I turned my head the other way and could make out two beautiful green eyes glaring at me. I knew that pair of green emeralds from somewhere. But where from?

"I am here. Everything will be fine." That someone promised me.

I still heard his voice very softly. It was all so quiet and only this beeping could be heard. My eyes fluttered as I still struggled to make out who was in front of me.

My head was pounding and I wanted to close my eyes again. It was too hard to stay awake.

"Hey little ones! Stay with me!" I opened my eyes again and took a closer look at this person.

He had black hair and masculine features, like Arsenic. But he couldn't be. I had to imagine it...

I smiled a little as I thought of arsenic. Arsenic. His name sounded so divine to my ears. Am I dead?

"Arsenic," I murmured under my breath as my eyes closed again.

"Yes I am here. You have to stay awake, Aurelia!" I opened my eyes again. This couldn't be true. Why would he come here?

I really looked into Arsen's face, which was backwards. But that could also be because I was buckled up the wrong way round. I became a little more aware of my surroundings and remembered the accident.

"Arsenic?" I asked in disbelief.

"Yes it really is me. Listen! I'm going to unbuckle your seatbelt now. Can you try putting your arms against the ceiling?"

I turned my head up or down towards the ceiling. I lacked strength, but I had to at least try.

I nodded and sadly stretched out my arms. Shortly thereafter, I fell and Arsen pulled me out of the car. It all happened so fast that the next moment I was in his arms while he carried me away.

"Are you going to kill me now?" I whispered, closing my eyes again.

"What? No!" he said, as if my question were completely unfounded. But was it?

"Let her go, you asshole!" yelled another voice, which seemed to be further away. I recognized it. It was Stevens.

I slowly turned my head towards him and saw Steven being held by two other people. He only had a few abrasions, otherwise he seemed perfectly healthy. You would have to be a werewolf... So invulnerable... so strong...

I closed my eyes again. It was so exhausting to think about it now. I just wanted to sleep...

"I'll get to you later," my rescuer growled.

"Please don't hurt her. Please kill me instead of her." Steven tried desperately pleading this time. I snuggled my head against the warm bare chest next to him. Why is he so hot? It feels so good to be in his arms.

"I'll still do that. Just not now." Arsen threatened. Do I understand that correctly? He must not kill Steven.

"Please don't kill him." I begged desperately now. My eyes opened and I looked up at him with wide eyes.

Arsenic suddenly stopped moving.

"He touched you, saw you naked, wanted to sleep with you and then kidnapped you."

"1. he didn't kidnap me and 2. i wanted to sleep with him and he turned me down." my voice sounded tired and i spoke slowly to focus on my words.

"You wanted what?" Arsen muttered to himself now.

"What's your fucking problem?" I was more than angry, but I sounded way too nice. I couldn't even understand Arsen. "This is my life, where I make the decisions. You can't pretend to belong I ya! You have a mate so go fuck her!" I found it terribly exhausting to say this long text. Can't I just sleep?

"SAVANNA IS NOT MY MATE!" Arsen yelled at me. I tried to pull myself out of his arms, but I was too weak and tired for that.

"BUT YOUR LUNA AND YOU WILL HAVE A SON SOON. SO STOP HOPEING ME ALWAYS." Tears and sobs suddenly broke out as I regained my consciousness. Why is he making it so difficult for me? I feel so exhausted.

"SHE'S NOT MY LUNA AND THE PUPPY IS NOT MY LUNA!"

"Damn it, arsenic! I fell in love with you, but..."

"YOU ARE MY MATE, AURELIA," Arsen interrupted. We both exchanged shocked looks, even though my eyes were only half-open. Did he really say that?

I'm his mate? It must be because of the accident. I must have bumped my head.

"You what?" he asked me.

"I'm your mate?" I asked, still perplexed and quiet.

"You are my mate, Aurelia. And maybe I didn't want to tell the pack at first because I was embarrassed to have a human mate. But I love you Aurelia and I want to finally get to know you properly." We looked deep into each other's eyes. I could see the honesty he was hiding in them. I'm his mate.

He laid his forehead very slowly and carefully against mine and I closed my eyes in relish. could it be true Did this unattainable man really want me? Me? a nobody?

"How is that possible?" Steven interrupted this beautiful moment.

Only now did I register that there were still other people and wolves around us, all of whom had the same shocked expression on their faces. Seems Arsen really didn't tell anyone about this. I also noticed now that all the wolves around us were naked. Shocked, I looked again at Arsen's bare chest. Yep, he was naked too and I was in his arms...

"WHAT ARE YOU ALL STARRING SO?" Arsen roared angrily and moved his forehead away from mine. The wolves around us immediately began to bow submissively. "Better get a roadworthy car. Aurelia should go to the hospital immediately!"

I almost forgot that I was in a car accident. Only the headaches, which have become a constant companion of mine lately, reminded me of it.

I looked over Arsen's shoulder again, back to Steven's black jeep, which was smashed and snogging a tree.

When I saw the car lying there, my head suddenly pounded even harder. So I started feeling my forehead.

"Don't!" Arsen said, pulling my hand away again.

"Can't you call an ambulance?" I asked weakly.

"No. We'll take you to the pack hospital at home." He determined.

Home. That sounded really nice. I had finally found something like a home. And now that I knew arsenic wouldn't maul me, I could finally enjoy it and call it home.

I snuggled further into Arsen's strong arms and closed my eyes. The headache was starting to get the better of me. Before I fell asleep, I could hear Arsen's chest humming soothingly. It was nice to be in his arms. It felt right.

I felt safe here.