Chapter 27 Unarmored Knight

~Anna~

My back hit the ground, but that was all I felt – no sharp teeth on my skin, no thick slobber. Then I heard another growl, heard a heavy thud, followed by a whimper. I opened my eyes and to my left I saw that a new wolf had come from nowhere, baring his teeth at the rogue, who was lying to his side, bleeding from his neck.

I quickly got to my feet, preparing to sprint back, hoping the newcomer wouldn’t notice. It was a wolf with brown and black fur and unlike the rogue whose wolf looked malnourished and savage, this one looked stronger and more composed.

The new wolf lunged for the rogue and I looked away. The image of the wolf ripping off the rogue’s throat – I didn’t want it ingrained in my memory. My legs scurried forward, and I ran towards the castle. Whether it was a bad move or not didn’t matter. I just had to get back.

A growl came from behind. I heard it catching up to me. I didn’t look back.

It was suddenly in front of me, blocking my path, its bloody muzzle pointed at me. It snarled as it walked towards me. This one was no rogue but it killed its companion just so it could kill me – a human. But why?

Which pack was it from? Who sent him here?

It carried itself with a certain air of arrogance, deep green eyes cold and piercing, and it seemed to be smirking, knowing full well that it had already won. My breath hitched in my throat, my hands shaking, as my gaze met his.

I… my last days were… new friends… the call… Liam…

Was this what it was like when one was about to die – regrets, wishing I could’ve done better. Even this last week was full of pain and anger. But it wouldn’t be so bad – I missed him.

I smiled at the wolf. “Don’t make it hurt,” I said before closing my eyes and welcoming death.

I fell on my back, again, caged under the wolf. I would’ve preferred to die with my body intact but if it ripped my throat out, at least it’d be over in an instant. I wouldn’t have to slowly bleed to death. I wouldn’t even feel the pain. A quick death, an act of mercy.

It howled, then I felt its scratchy tongue lick my face.

Gross…

It licked the sides of my face a few more times that I had to tell it to stop. Raising my hands to prevent more slobber on me, I said, “Alright, stop. Stop with the…”

Its tongue trailed my jaw to my cheek.

“… Gross. Please stop,” I said, laughing.

It stepped back to give me room then let itself down on the ground. I rubbed my cheeks with the sleeves of my jacket as I neared it… him. “Hello. You’re quite friendly, aren’t you?”

I reached out a hand and scratched his head. He closed his eyes as if liking what I was doing. His fur was so soft. “Thank you for saving me,” I said. “I’m Anna. Are you from the pack?”

He opened his mouth and his tongue flicked out as if he was yawning. “I’m sorry. Did I interrupt your sleep?”

He replied with a low growl which made me laugh. Shifting to his side, I hooked my arm around his neck and kissed him. Then I hugged his head to my chest. “Thank you,” I said.

He pulled away from me and I let go. He stood and went behind the trees, hidden from sight. “What’s wrong?” I asked. Did I do something wrong?

“Would you prefer me clothed or naked?” he replied, in a deep manly voice that could make a woman fall in love. My cheeks heated up – at his voice or his question – I didn’t know. He had that one in a million kind of voice that almost seemed inhuman due to its rarity.

Goddess, if this was his voice…

A hand came into view, holding a basketball short. “Well?” he asked. “I don’t have all day, Anna.”

I could listen to that voice all day… saying my name.

“Which one would you prefer?” I asked, playing his game. His laughter sounded better, and I was totally boy crazy right now. If he emerged from there looking like a –

My eyes widened as he showed himself, leaning on the tree with his arms folded across his chest and a smirk on his handsome face. He was too good-looking, and he knew it, and he was flaunting it at me. Every muscle in his body was well-defined and well-proportioned, giving him a neat sexy look. And his abs were hot – I counted eight – my eyes following the deep V line that led to…

I looked away.

He chuckled, knowing I just eye raped him. He was arrogant, but he had a reason to be. “Like what you see?”

“I’ve seen better,” I replied. When the warriors back at the pack were training, the Omegas would spy at them from the mansion’s windows, giggling to themselves as they picked out their favorites – if it wasn’t Carson, it was the next best option. None of them really struck me as my type, except Carson but that was more because of the curse, so this man standing in front of me was literally having a dream come true. Straight up the man of my dreams.

“Who are you?” I asked, finding my tongue. He snickered, then was suddenly in my face.

“Your hero,” he said, minty breath blowing on my face.

“Uh… I guess,” I said, distancing myself from him. What was he doing in the forest, naked of all things! “I meant to ask your name.”

“Rigel,” he replied. “Rigel Johnson, Head Gamma of the Red Claw Pack and your knight without an armor, Luna.”

He’s perfect.

“Anna Bella Fiora. And I’m not your Luna.”

I turned to head back to the castle, my eyes satisfied. “You weren’t in training?” I asked, making small talk.

“Skipped it today. Probably the most important decision in my life,” he said, smiling down at me.

“I thought I was a goner.”

“You accepted it so easily.”

“There was no way for me to fight you.”

“You have your arms and legs, don’t you?” he asked. “You have your nails and teeth, don’t you?”

My brows furrowed. “Where… are you going with this?”

“I’m saying you don’t need a weapon. You don’t need a wolf. When the rogue was chasing you, you wanted to live, didn’t you?”

“Y-Yes?” I did, which was why I was trying so hard to run and call.

“You have the will to live and the fearlessness to accept death. If you come across a life and death situation next time, choose your will. Then the fearlessness will follow.”

“I don’t think I understand you,” I mumbled while looking down. “Wait, next time?”

He chuckled. “This isn’t funny! I don’t want the next time!”

“We don’t get to decide that, now do we?”

I bit my lip. No, we didn’t. We had no way of knowing what might happen tomorrow, just as I didn’t know I was going to get attacked today, just as I didn’t know I was going to get saved. We didn’t know what tomorrow might bring, so… might as well take risks and live with no regrets.

“Rigel…”

“Yeah?”

“… nothing,” I said, smiling. His arrogance would bloat if I told him. Next time, I’ll be saving you.

“Nothing?” he asked, stretching his arms over his head.

“How did a rogue get into the territory?” I asked. “I mean… this belongs to the Red Claw Pack!”

“I’ll look into it,” he said, yawning. “Don’t think too much about it.”

“Don’t think – I almost died!” Stopping in my tracks, I looked up at his flawlessly handsome face and tried my best to glare at him. In a way, he reminded me of Carson – his competition by far. They’d probably get along just fine.

He raised a brow at me and bent down so his face was close to mine. “I want you to remember that when you called for the Alpha, it was I who saved you… and I’ll save you again as many times as I have to. I’m your knight now, Anna. Get used to it.”

He stood and continued walking. “Besides, I don’t want you losing a limb or breaking a nail or losing a tooth. It’ll lessen your appeal, and frankly, you don’t have much.” Scratch that – he’d be more annoying to Carson than I ever was – I had to up my game. Catching up to him, I linked my arm with his, the feel of his hard biceps simply amazing.

“What are you doing?”

“Clinging to my knight,” I replied nonchalantly.

“Harder.”

“What?”

He held my hand and pressed it down into his upper arm, my palm digging into his flesh. Goddess, help me. I didn’t know what came over me – my hand squeezed and… his laughter rang in my ears. Heat crept up to my face; what was I doing!

“If only Liam could see you now!” I slapped his arm at the comment. Liam didn’t have to know about this – about the rogue, yes, but not…

“Oh, I can,” said a voice from our left. Liam stood there, his hands shifting back into their human form. His eyes were cold and locked on where I was clinging to Rigel. A rumble came from his chest.

I rolled my eyes at him – whatever. I wasn’t the one keeping both a fiancé and a mate under the same roof. Rigel was unaffected by his Alpha’s warning. He smiled like Liam didn’t look like he was about to beat him up. “A bit late, don’t you think?” he said, raising his chin slightly. “If I wasn’t here, you’d be seeing her in an entirely different scene right now.”

Liam’s nostrils flared, but he didn’t attack him as he did to Flynn. “Move, Rigel.”

“Gladly,” he replied, tugging me with him as he turned his back on Liam and continued his way.

“Rigel!”

He stopped. I glanced at Liam, at Rigel, then back at Liam.

“Let her go. Now.”

Rigel stood silent, his smirk gone, replaced with a tight line. “What do you say, Anna?” he asked in a bored tone. He looked down at me, fluttered his long eyelashes as his lips pursed into a pout. “Do you want me to let you go?”

A muffled snicker came from me – he was childishly cute. “Do you want me to?” I asked playfully and he shook his head. I leaned into him and we continued walking. “Then I won’t… my knight.”

“Anna!”

I turned my head and saw him stomping over to us. “I’ll see you at your office later,” I said, and he froze, eyebrows furrowing. “Alone… my Alpha.” I voiced the last two words as softly as I could, trying my hardest not to smile as his eyes widened in shock. Oh, look at that – he calmed down.

“That’s a cool trick,” Rigel whispered.

“It is, isn’t it.” Seriously, everyone around here behaved like children.