Chapter 7

~Timber POV

I have been back to the lake a few times since I saw him there the first time. He has been there each time I went now. So why I was surprised as I approached the lake and looked up and saw him I don’t know. Mostly because I figured it was a fluke. A once in a lifetime thing that kept happening. He normally showed up after I had been there for a moment but today was a complete shock.

Oh, my goddess! HE! WAS! THERE! He was there already, as if he was waiting for me. Now I know he really wasn’t, but it was nice to dream he was. His wolf is so playful and fun to be with. We nap in the sun most of the time with his nose on my paws.

The last time we napped together, I laid my head on his shoulder. He placed his arm over me, and we napped like that for a while. Still, I do not know who he is. He has not tried to open a mind-link with me. We just spend our time together in beautiful silence and mutual non-verbal communication.

Since I met the wolf by the lake, I have not felt the painful bond between me and my rejector. It may be, because I have started to accept the rejection? Karin and I have been thinking a lot about that other wolf. I’ve been dreaming about my lake visitor every night now. Some nights it's simply us talking and swimming in the lake together. Other times he is trying to mate with me which makes me blush at the memory.

Even though I do not know what he looks like, I dream of his human form without a particular face mostly. Last night he had a face. Alpha Johnathon’s to be exact! I should NOT be dreaming about mating with Alpha Johnathon.

His hands. His lips. His arms. His chest. It is all enough to cause a fire within that I know I cannot extinguish without him. I have also been seeing Alpha Johnathon more around since my visit to the lake too. That too, must be a fluke of some sort.

Karin swoons over his scent. She wants him so much. I know this cannot be. He’s an Alpha of a mighty pack and I’m just… well. I’m just a poor orphan nobody wanted. A rejected reject.

But every time I see him, I can hardly breathe. His scent fills my nostrils, and they flare with wanting. I have been placed in charge of making breakfast for the pack house recently. This means I must get up very early to cook and have it ready for the warriors who look over us. Since I normally get up early anyways, it wasn’t really a problem.

The problem then? Alpha Johnathon. He is always up that early too. It seems like we are the only ones up and sometimes I have a hard time thinking when he’s around. Sometimes I wonder if he did this on purpose. But that’s wishful thinking and lots of hoping of course.

I like being in the kitchen. I feel more like myself being in there as this was my main job back in my old pack. I made everything and what I did not know how to make I learned very quickly. They wanted what they wanted. Without excuses, or failures. I now can cook and bake just about anything.

I came downstairs to start organizing breakfast. Alpha Johnathon had not made it down yet. Thank goodness. I pulled out the eggs, bacon, biscuits, fruit and placed them all on the counter. After placing the biscuits and bacon in the oven, I started cutting up the fruit since eggs really do not take long to cook. I must have been deep in thought because I did not notice Alpha Johnathon leaning on the door frame into the kitchen staring at me with those eyes. Those beautiful green eyes of his.

He was wearing jeans and a form fitting dark blue shirt that hugged him just right showing off his chest and abs. He had his arms folded in front of his chest looking like he was staring at prey. Why is he staring at me like that? Without looking directly at him I greeted him as usual.

“Good morning Alpha Johnathon. I did not hear you come in. Do you want some coffee or tea? Breakfast will be ready shortly.” I said gently and as friendly as I could with his piercing stare at me.

“No. I’m fine. Thank you.” He said with a smile on his perfectly sculptured face. I knew he wouldn’t take coffee or tea. He never does. But I always ask.

“Would you like some help cutting the fruit?” he said with a small smirk on his face as his eyes danced with anticipation.

Did he just seriously ask me if I wanted help cutting fruit?! What is going on with him today? Normally he just walks through, says good morning; well sometimes, and asks me to let him know when breakfast is ready so he can come down from his office.

“No. I’m ok thank you. Did you want me to let you know when breakfast was ready?” I asked still cutting fruit and placing it in the bowl as I finished each one. “I think I’ll just stay down here with you instead today.” He said, while smiling bigger.

“Sure, I can’t do; something for you?” he said with an emphasis on something. What is going on here? My heart is pounding in my chest. Please don’t let him hear it. I almost feel sweat beads forming on my forehead as nervousness starts taking over.

Walking over to me he says, “here let me cut the pineapple while you finish the apples.” He leans in and takes a knife out of the drawer in front of me as he brushes into me slightly. I swear he did that on purpose too. Why? I wouldn’t know.

Goddess help me! His touch caused a surge of electricity to move through my body. Karin jumped and leaped with excitement. ‘Mate!’ she said. I froze with the touch and her claiming words. ‘We had a mate. He rejected us. We only get one!’ She insisted ‘Mate!’ Mate!’ is all she would say. Although, I still refused to look directly into his perfect green shimmering eyes afraid of falling to the floor or worse.

I blocked her out and tried with all my control not to grab him and pull him in a passionate kiss. I wanted him. Karin wanted him. We. Cannot! Have him! I shook off my hazy head and went back to cutting the apples before moving to the eggs. My body wanted him in ways that was not right.

Warriors started coming into the kitchen smelling the aroma of breakfast up their noses. Alpha Johnathon and I were no longer alone. Thank you! Goddess! I sighed a huge sigh of relief and he looked at me with a frown, like I hurt him somehow as he slowly walked back around the counter. What was that about?!?

I shrugged it off. The kitchen was noisy with everyone talking over each other and eating their meal. I heard a lot of ‘good breakfast’. Thank you’s and accepting nods as they ate as well. There was nothing left when everyone finished.

Alpha Johnathon seemed pleased with his breakfast as well. He ate with a smile looking up at me periodically. I frowned when one of the she-wolves sat next to him with her breakfast. She kissed his cheek and ran her fingers through his hair. He just looked at her talking and I looked away with sadness.

Karin wanted to jump on her and tear her apart. ‘How dare she touch my mate’ she complained angrily. ‘He’s not our mate. He can have anyone he wishes to touch him.’ She did not like that answer I hissed back. But I didn’t care. She growled lowly and left me alone.

Now that I fed the warriors that lived there, I decided I needed a run. BADLY! After over an hour serving and cleaning up breakfast, I took a shower, then off to the lake. It didn’t take me too long to get there today. I stretched out my legs and ran faster than I have ever ran before. I felt free and Karin loved the freedom of letting it all go.

I needed to get away from the house. From Alpha Johnathon. From everyone. I needed clarity, to shake this feeling off and get my head back into place. When I arrived at the lake. He was there.

Why was Alpha Johnathon there? What!?! How can this be? I do not think he saw me because I saw Alpha Johnathon shift, and… HE was the wolf! This whole time it was Alpha Johnathon?!? Did he know it was me? How can it be him? Wait! He laid, swam, napped, played and was loving to me?

Or at least Karin. What is he going to do if he finds out the wolf, he's been spending his time with, is actually me! The orphan reject, who had to be traded for peace and prisoners? ‘Be calm, it’ll be alright. Just breathe!’ Karin soothingly said to me. Once I was calm enough, I shifted.

I growled at him when I saw him laying by the lake. He got up in shock and stared at me for a moment then growled back. It wasn’t a loud or scary growl. But it still caused me to withdraw and cower away from him. He circled me, making me start to feel panic and whimper. Then he placed his nose on mine.

Like a soothing bath it released everything tense in my body and I relaxed, as I laid down in the grass. He opened a mind-link between us and all I could feel was compassion, love, urgency and want. Everything else was a blur.

I could not even think clearly as he spoke to me. I don’t remember what or if I even spoke back. It all became a hazy blur leaving me completely in his surrender as I laid there overwhelmed.