41: Derek

He watched the blonde woman from afar, her citrus scent making him drunk even from such a far

distance. He laid low in the brush, his eyes observing her every move. She was hiking through the

Appalachian mountains when he caught wind of her. He knew what this meant for him, for his Wolf.

He didn't approach her though since she didn't smell like a Wolf, but his curiosity got the better of

him. She was traveling alone when he came across her. It was a hot day, the shade of the brush gave

him some comfort as the woman pulled out a canteen. As she drank from it, water dripped from her

chin. He wanted to lick it off of her.

"It's hot today." She voiced aloud. His Wolf purred happily. He kept himself low as he followed her

again as the trail lead her downward on an incline toward a stream. She pulled off her backpack,

boots and socks and dipped her feet into the river. She let out a blissful cry as the cold water lapped

at her ankles. She cupped her hands in the water and brought a small pool to her face, splashing

herself.

"That's so nice.” She smiled. The black Wolf let out a sigh as he laid down. A twig snapped beneath

his weight, making him freeze. The woman tensed up, looking in his direction. Her hand went to a

hunting knife that was strapped to her belt. She came prepared.

"Come out!" She sounded in his direction. He stepped out of the shade, moving toward the creek

and sat down on the bank. She lowered her knife almost immediately, but still kept it out. She

inclined her head at him, and he copied her.

"You're a Werewolf." She stated, sheathing her knife, "I thought the East coast pack didn't cover this

part of the mountains?” She asked him. He glanced around them, not smelling any other humans,

but a few smaller critters. He shifted before her eyes, running a hand over his short black hair. Her

face took on a deep shade of red as her eyes dropped down to his manhood and averted her gaze

afterward. He smirked.

"Not this far in." He replied to her question.

"I see.” She said nervously, "You didn't by chance bring your clothes with you, did you?" She asked

him. He looked at the surrounding forest.

"Does my nakedness bother you?" He asked her. Though she had shifted her body away from him,

he can still sense the heat in her body. Her scent grew stronger and he found himself stepping

closer to her. His hand touched her arm, the electric shock startling her. She faced him head on, an

alarming look on her face.

"What are you doing?" She asked him as he moved his hand up her arm to her shoulder, his fingers

brushing over the strap of her tank top. He watched her face as the shocks continued, her eyelids

fluttering and her breathing quickened.

"Mate." He growled softly, closing the gap between them as his fingers grazed her neck. She tilted

her head back, her green eyes shining in the sunlight as his lips hovered over hers. His cock pressed

against her, ready to seal the deal when she ripped herself away from him.

"No!" She shouted, creating distance between them. He growled in annoyance, watching her fumble

with her socks and boots.

"No?" He asked her. She slung her bag over her back.

"I'm... I'm engaged. I can't... I need to go." She fumbled before running away. He watched her go, a

sadness burrowing into his chest. Did she just reject him?

He returned home a day later, walking into the large estate that looked out over the ocean. The

white structure based off of roman architecture. Her words still echoed in his head, but he didn't

want to believe it. She felt the connection, she nearly caved to it. He'll try again.

"Alpha Derek.” A sweet voice called to him as he finished buttoning his jeans. He looked over to the

black haired woman who got up from her seat, her golden eyes like the sun. She wore a tightly fit

cream colored dress that fit her curves. Her eyes wandered over his bare chest, taking in the sight of

him.

"Lady Penelope. What do I owe the visit?" He asked her as he put on his button up. She matched

pace with him as he walked through his home. Human butlers and maids inclined their heads at him

as he walked passed.

"I came by to discuss the proposal with you.” She mentioned after he finished buttoning his shirt.

He glanced at her out of the corner of his eyes. The She-Wolf had yet to find her Mate, but was

ready to settle down. Their families had discussed a marriage between their children since the Alpha

King passed away a year ago. The Wolf King's spirit had yet to arise, causing diplomatic issues to

rise. Hell, even talk had spread that some Wolves have deserted their packs and gone rogue. Their

families hoped that with their strong bloodlines, they could born a child the Wolf spirit would be

drawn to. Derek was still young, he still wanted to roam the forests, but he knew they were right.

Until the other day at least.

"I'm afraid I'll have to decline the offer. I found my Mate yesterday.” He told her. Penelope looked at

him, shocked at first, but then she smiled lightly.

"I see, I'm glad to hear it. Is she a wonderful She-Wolf?" She asked him. He walked into his office,

the desk facing the door, book shelves lined the walls and a lounging area was tucked off to the

side. The large windows looked out over the forest that was on the other side of his home. The

green trees went on for miles, reminding him of his Mate.

"She's human." He said. Penelope went quiet for a moment.

"It's rare for Wolves to Mate outside of the species, but maybe it's the sign of the times." She walked

over to the window that looked out over the forest as he took a seat at his desk. "Did you tell her?"

"Yes. She needs time." He lied. He couldn't tell her that the woman straight up said no to him.

Penelope nodded, keeping her eyes out over the forest.

"I'm happy for you, Derek.” She said, finally looking at him and giving him a weak and sad smile

before leaving the office. He watched after her. He knew the woman took a liking to him after

meeting a few times, and for a moment he thought he was swayed by her charm to. But finding

your Mate was a once in a lifetime thing, and he needed to bring this blonde Goddess around to his

side.

"She did say she was engaged.” He grumbled as he started his paperwork. The clock ticked away on

the wall. His Wolf became restless, eager to get back outside and finding his Mate again.

As days went by, his patience wore thin, he took to the forest again, traveling in his Wolf form for

hours until he reached the start of the mountains. This was the last place he found her, he just

hoped she was still around.

He spent a few days trying to find her scent when it blossomed nearby. He followed it eagerly until

he noticed her sitting by a cliffside, looking out over the forest below. She had on her hiking boots,

shorts and tank top. Her backpack sat beside her as her hair danced in the hot breeze.

"Come out.” She called out to him without even looking back. He stepped out into the small

clearing, shaking his fur as he sat beside her. His tail swayed against the ground. She peered over to

him, frowning.

"I told you no already.” She said to him. He shifted next to her. Her eyes darted downward then

away from him.

"I'm stubborn.” He smiled at her. He leaned over, taking in her scent.

"Why do you smell like lavender?" She asked him. He cocked a brow at her.

"Is that what I smell like? I was hoping it would be more manly, like sandwood or a spice.” He

complained. She giggled. He looked over to her as she covered her mouth, surprising herself. He

growled softly, leaning in closer to her.

"I want to hear you laugh again." He whispered in her ear. She shuddered, pushing him away.

"You need to take a hint.” She scowled at him. He chuckled, sitting back. The sun warmed his face,

seeping into his skin. He enjoyed summer.

"You know, for someone that has a fiancé, I don't quite see the evidence.” He said, peering around

over the cliffside with his hand above his eyes. When he glanced back over to her, she had this

perplexed look on her face.

Trouble in paradise?

"We're just taking some time apart right now.” She said, but he felt there was more to it. Her eyes

were looking out again, not focusing on anything in particular.

"Do you want to talk about it?" He asked her. She side eyed him suspiciously.

"We got into a pretty heated argument.” She said, looking away again. He watched her frame. She

rested an arm over a knee, her hair swept along her back and shoulders. Sweat glistened on her

forehead, but she didn't seem bothered by the heat. Did she like summer to?

"It must've been pretty bad if you're hiding away up here." He said. She let out a sigh as she pulled

out a canteen and took a swig from it.

"He wants me to move to New York with him. I'm not a city girl. I love the outdoors.” She laid down

beside him as her legs dangled off the edge.

"Can't you compromise?" He asked her. Why would he want to help solve her situation between

them? If they break up, he can swoop in and claim her. Problem solved on his end. Yet when he

looked at her, he could see the turmoil in her eyes. She cared about this other man, and it hurt him.

"I tried. He thinks that raising a family will be better in the city.” She groaned, kicking the air like a

child on a temper tantrum. It was cute.

"Do you have children?" He asked her. She shook her head, propping up on her elbows. He looked

over her body, the tank top clinging to her frame. His eyes trailed over the hills of her breasts and

down to her slightly wide hips.

"I don't want kids right now or anytime soon either.” She sat up, grabbing a loose rock and chucked

it off the cliff. Derek watched it descend into the forest below. "I just want to have an adventure for

as long as I can.” She looked over to him. He felt his heart skip.

"Adventure you say?" He got up, extending his hand out to her. She raised a brow, looking up at

him quizzically. "Until you figure things out, take an adventure with me." He told her. She bit her lip

as she contemplated before taking his hand. The shocks made them both jump.

"What's your name?" She asked him as she slung her backpack on. She didn't seem fazed by his

nakedness anymore.

"Derek." He told her simply. He didn't expose the Alpha title, not yet. He didn't want to scare her

away with it.

"Derek." She smiled.

Damn.

"Autumn."

Since then, he met with her on one of the trails they agreed upon, and they'd explore the forest

together. He made sure to bring a backpack with clothes in it as he traveled to see her. He'd return

home every few days, but the moment it was time to see her, he was out the door. He dreaded

being away from her for too long.

"Derek, look!" Autumn shouted over to him as she knelt beside a creek. He walked over to where

she was, peering over her shoulder. Her scent made him nearly drunk while being so close. She was

holding a frog in her hand, running her finger over the back of it. He reached out to touch it, but it

hopped away before he could. She let out a laugh.

"Even as a human, you still scared it away.” She snickered. He huffed, kneeling beside her and

splashed his face. The area where they were had plenty of shading for another hot day.

"It couldn't handle my raw power." He stated, which made her laugh even more. He loved making

her smile, making her laugh. It brought him so much joy. She pushed a loose strand of hair behind

her ear as she put up her hair. A deep rumble came, surprising them both as the sky above them

started to darken.

"That's unexpected. I didn't hear anything about rain today.” She grumbled, getting to her feet. He

was so distracted with her, he didn't sense the weather change either. He sniffed the air. It was a

strong storm and they were miles from her hotel.

"We'll need to find shelter.” He told her just as it started to drizzle.

"We can make it back to my room..." she tried to tell him, but soon the drizzle turned into a heavy

downpour, soaking them both. He growled, grabbing her hand and took off into a run. He ignored

the shocks in his hand as he hunted for a spot out of the rain. After running for a few minutes, he

found a giant tree that had a small hole at the bottom that appeared to have been made by another

animal prior. He pulled her over to it, shifting positions so they fit snug in the hole. The electric

shocks jolted throughout his body as she sat in front of him, her back pressed against his chest.

Water dripped from his hair and she rung out her own. She started to giggle, then to laugh. It

became contagious. He started to laugh with her. She snuggled against him, almost sending him

into cardiac arrest. They watched the rain for awhile, thunder drumming from above. He inhaled her

scent along with the scent of the forest. Rain helped heighten the smells.

"I really needed this, Derek.” She finally said after some time. He glanced down at her, finally taking

notice of her tank top clinging to her body, her nipples pressing against the fabric. He felt himself

harden against her.

"A storm?" He asked her, hoping to distract her from the rising that was pressing against her back.

She reached her hand out, the rain pelting against her skin.

"The break. The freedom. For awhile I felt so trapped, and you helped me break free. Even for a

short time." She said, glancing back at him. His Wolf growled softly. His arms wrapped around her

more, hugging her against him. Her cheeks flared up, but she didn't fight him this time.

"Autumn." He spoke her name tenderly. She looked up with those green eyes of hers, and he felt

lost in them. He closed the distance, pressing his lips softly against hers. He was worried that she

would pull away, but she grabbed his arm gently and returned the kiss. He almost felt complete.

The fall solstice was arriving quickly, and he was ready to bring Autumn home. He agreed to meet

with her where there was a sunflower field, so he took one of his cars this time. It didn't take him as

long to travel compared by foot as his Wolf.

When he arrived at the appointed location, he found a sunflower field that stretched on forever. He

spotted her easily with her scent, finding her in a summer dress. She was sitting beside the field,

playing with her fingers when he walked over to her. She looked up at him and he froze. She had

been crying. His Wolf immediately started to get defensive as he knelt in front of her and wiped her

eyes.

"What's wrong?" He asked her. She sniffled, leaning into his hand before pulling it away.

"My fiancé... He agreed to my compromise.” She told him. He stared at her for a long, quiet

moment. His heart was rampaging in his chest.

"Why are you crying? Isn't that what you wanted?" He asked her as he tried to stop his heart from

crashing through his chest. He knew what this meant for him, for the both of them.

"It is, but..." she bit her lip, moving her gaze away, "I... I'm confused now." She admitted, looking

back at him. He stared at her as she looked into his eyes.

"Autumn, I love you." He said to her, "I fell for you the first day I met you by that creek.” He grabbed

her hands, holding them to his chest, "I would do everything in my power to make you happy for

the rest of our days.” He said, watching her expression soften. Another tear streaked her cheek and

he brushed it away with his thumb.

"And I believe you. Truly. What I feel for you is so strong, Derek." She gritted her teeth as she tried

not to cry, "But I love my fiancé to. It's not fair to either of you.” She said to him, resting her hand on

his cheek. He leaned into it, growing weak from her touch. He looked into this woman's eyes, and

he knew what had to be done. He pulled her hand away, looking into her eyes.

"Then I reject you as my Mate, Autumn. If you choose to reject me, I will no longer search you out to

claim you. We'll never cross paths again.” He told her. She stared at him wide eyed.

"But Derek..." she went to argue with him, but he shook his head.

"You had your fiancé first before we met. I don't want to pressure you to be with me if you love

him." He told her. A part of him hoped that she would toss her fiancé aside and go with him, but he

knew. Deep down he knew what her true choice would be. She started to sob, burying her face in

her hands. His Wolf whimpered to comfort her, but he couldn't.

"Derek." She cried. It pained him to hear her speak his name. She reached out to him and he pulled

her into his arms, hugging her tight. She cried into his shoulder. He knew what this meant for them.

He accepted that fate.

"All I wish is for you to be happy, Autumn. With me or with him." He pulled away from her, his

hands on her neck. She looked up at him, her eyes tinted red from crying. He kissed her, shoving

every bit of passion and love he could put together. He wanted to leave her with this endless feeling

of being loved, no matter where she was or who she was with. Her arms wrapped around his neck,

returning the kiss tenfold.

He pulled away with anguish in his eyes, staring down at her. She looked up at him, the tears finally

ending.

"What if I chose not to reject you? Like what if the future changes?" She asked him eagerly. His

brows came together.

"My Wolf will still assume the rejection is set in stone and will proceed to look for another partner.”

He told her. She frowned, letting out a shaky sigh. She brushed her fingers over his cheek slowly.

"Our happiness lies elsewhere.” She said to him. His Wolf howled painfully. She didn't have to say

the rejection openly, the connection was already broken. He helped her to her feet, looking at the

sunflowers. He reached into his backpocket and pulled out a camera

"Can I take a picture of you? For memory sake?" He asked her. She wiped her face, nodding. She

stood in the field, but she wouldn't smile. She looked heartbroken, just like he did. "I want to see

your beautiful smile, Autumn." He told her. She looked at him, finally mustering enough energy to

give him a radiant smile. He burned that image of her into his memory as the shutter clicked.

Night fell as the fall solstice was coming to an end. Derek looked out his office window while a party

raged on downstairs. It had been three weeks since he last saw Autumn, last he spoke to her, kissed

her. He was still dealing with the rejection, effecting his work and his attitude toward others

Especially toward humans. He found a new rage that distracted him from the pain he was dealing

with. No human could possibly understand the heartache of being rejected like a Wolf could. The

level of pain far succeeded that of a humans.

He heard the door open behind him, the sound of music blasting for a second before the door shut

behind whoever entered. The sound of heels clicked against the marble tiles, the reflection of the

woman with black hair, golden eyes and a silky red dress walked up to his side. She didn't say

anything for a minute, but he was fine with that. Having the company was nice.

"Are you okay?" She finally asked him. The sheer question made him want to punch the glass

Instead he sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. He felt tears stinging the back of his eyes,

threatening to expose the hurt he had been feeling. He felt her slender hand rest on his arm, giving

it a comforting squeeze.

"I couldn't ever comprehend what you're going through, Alpha. I am sorry though." She told him.

The sorrow he felt was quickly replaced by sudden rage as he grabbed her hand, flipping her onto

his desk. She stared up at him, shock painted on her face as he pinned her down. With her free

hand, she reached up and touched his face. His eyes widened as he realized he had let his Wolf

loose a bit. He retracted his fangs that had extended past his bottom lip. He released her, stepping

away quickly, but she grabbed his hand.

"Derek." She spoke his name softly. He looked down at her, seeing the pure concern in her eyes. He

let loose the tears that he held back for so long. Penelope frowned, wrapping her arms around his

waist and hugged him gently. At first he didn't return it, still remembering Autumn's sweet smile.

But then he let go. He let go of everything. He crushed Penelope against him and cried into her hair.

She didn't speak again. She didn't need to.

Soft beeping woke up his mind. A sliver of pain pricked along his throat. He tried to open his eyes,

but they felt so heavy. There was buzzing in his ears now as he tried to register his surroundings

blindly. He scented someone. A male Wolf with strong authority. Derek forced his eyes to open,

letting out a weak groan as the lights above him hurt.

"You're awake." A deep voice grumbled beside him. He looked over, seeing Jayce sitting beside his

bed. He looked exhausted with the bags under his eyes. He had on a regular tee and sweats from

the looks of it. Derek tried to sit up, but his body ached so much, he could barely move as it is.

"Lily." He managed to get out, his throat dry. He looked over to Jayce, his son's eyes darkened on

him. "What happened... to Lily?" He asked him. Jayce’s jaw clenched and unclenched.

"She lost a lot of blood." Jayce looked away, the pain visible in his eyes, "She defended you before

going unconscious.” He met Derek's eyes again as he pulled out a photo that he had hidden out of

sight. It was Autumn smiling in the field. Derek closed his eyes, inhaling sharply.

"Is Lily my sister?"