#8 The Archer and her Wolf

Xaiver

It’s been days since Crimson left and I was a mess. It hasn’t even been a full week yet, and I was already falling apart. I was two seconds away from letting Lion and Frankie hunt her down for me. I was sitting in my office, reading the same email over and over again as I struggled to focus. Shay and Yaya were keeping a close eye on my son along with four guards. I wasn’t letting him unguarded or out of the packhouse until I knew who was trying to kidnap my son.

Suddenly it felt like I had been struck by lightning. I jumped in my chair at the feeling of electricity coursing through my body. I knew that it could only mean one thing, my mate was in my pack’s territory. I stormed out of my office and let my wolf, Cain, take over. I didn’t shift, but I allowed his instincts to take control.

About a mile away from the packhouse, I finally picked up on her scent. She smelt like fresh rain on a summer day. Cain and I were both going crazy and I knew, in that moment I knew, that I could never let her go. I didn’t care who or what she was, she was ours.

Cain slipped back inside my head as we spotted her sitting on a large boulder with her feet dangling over the edge. I smiled at the sight of her, my heart threatening to beat right out of my chest. She was wearing plain clothes now. A pair of tight, dark jeans and a red shirt that was longer in the back than the front. She had her raven colored hair pulled back in a high ponytail.

She didn’t flinch when I made my presence known, she probably clocked me from a mile away. I climbed up on the boulder and sat down beside her. Only then did she turn towards me. She blinked her doe eyes at me as a smirk threatened to take over her red stained lips.

“I know who you are to me.” Her voice was dark and sultry as she carefully guarded her expression. I wasn’t sure what she meant, but her scent had me leaning closer.

“Don’t.” She held up her hand, warning me to stay away, “We can’t.” Her words shattered my heart.

“What do you know?” I asked her, my gaze dropped down to her lips as I watched her form the words,

“I know that you’re my mate.”

“I am, and you are mine.” I told her, reaching behind her head to run my fingers through her silky ponytail. She flinched slightly, surprised by my actions, but didn’t pull away.

“We can’t.” She said again.

“Why not?” I was distracted by the feeling of her hair between my fingers.

“I’m an Archer. What kind of life does that make for us?” Her words shook me from my trance. I knew she was trying to push me away, but all I heard was the word us.

“I don’t care, as long as there is an us.” I dropped her hair as she began to pull away from me.

“There can’t be. Being an Archer is who I am, I’m not capable of anything else. I’m not a partner or a Luna or a mother.” Her face was hard, but I could tell she was only doing that to protect herself from revealing her true feelings.

“Have you tried?” I asked her stubbornly. She looked shocked.

“Have I tried what?” She asked.

“Have you tried to be anything else?” I raised an eyebrow at her, smirking as her cold facade faltered.

“I’ve been training to be an Archer since I was 15.” She stated plainly, like that was supposed to answer my question.

“So, you haven’t tried to be anything else, then.” I said.

My face was inches from hers by now, I had my hand pressed against the rock right beside her leg and was leaning in towards her. She was frozen, her body and her expression unmoving.

“I don’t want to be anything else.” She snapped.

“I won’t ask you to change who you are, but I will ask you to let me in.” I refused to let her look away from my gaze as I spoke softly. She pressed her lips together as her eyes narrowed on me. I took that as permission to keep talking, “I know it won’t be easy for either of us, it’s going to take a lot of work and a lot of compromising, but you’re worth it.”

“Have you even thought this through?” She was glaring at me now.

“I don’t need to. I want you and I want us, that’s all I need to know.” I said.

I was unable to help myself when I reached towards her face and ran my fingertip over her cheek. She shivered against my touch and I smiled at her reaction. She shoved me away and jumped off the boulder. I must’ve hit a nerve.

“I’m an Archer! Do you even know what that means? It means I put my life on the line every single day without thinking twice. I will always put the mission above my own life. You’re a werewolf, you are hardwired to protect your mate and keep her from harm. How does that work?” She was shouting at me. I slid off the rock and watched as she paced.

“I don’t know.” I said.

“And what about being the Luna? I can’t imagine you’ll be content with a part-time Luna who stops by in between missions.” She fired again.

“You’re right.” I said.

“Then there’s your son. I am not a mother, I never wanted to be a mother. You can’t put him through any of this.” She was fighting dirty.

“That’s true.” I said. She stopped pacing and focused on me. She crossed her arms over her chest.

“So, you see, then? This can never work.” She said.

“I can see that you’re scared.” I stated and her face turned deadly.

“I am never…” I interrupted her,

“You are scared. Scared of your emotions, scared of what you can’t control, scared about not being able to see how this ends. But, I refuse to let you push me away just because you’re scared.” I closed the distance between us when she was in too much shock to move. I gripped her forearms and pulled her towards me, “You don’t need to be alone anymore and it’s okay to be afraid.” I softened my tone. She fought against my grip but I wouldn’t let her move.

“Let me go!” She screamed in my face. I sighed and did as she asked, “I only came here as a courtesy. I may only be half wolf, but I know that an unsevered matebond is painful. If you don’t want to sever it, then fine, I’m not the one who will be in pain.” She spat at me. I stumbled backwards. She wanted me to reject her, that’s why she came back.

“I’ll never reject you.” I mumbled.

“Then, that’s on you.” She said, crossing her arms again.

“I’m not going to give up on you.” I attempted to step near her, but she pulled a bow and arrow out of nowhere and leveled it with me.

“Don’t come near me again.” She was seething. I held up my hands and backed away in surrender. She lowered the bow but kept the arrow notched, “I can’t be what you need me to be.” She sighed.

“I don’t need you to be anything but mine.” I smiled widely at her and she sighed again, louder this time.

“I am no ones.” She argued.

“You’re wrong. You’re mine, mine to protect, to love, to cherish, to spoil, to pleasure, and to annoy.” I hit her with my best crooked smile and I swear I saw her lips twitch towards a smile for just a second.

“Well you are succeeding in the annoying part.” She said.

“Good, then I’m part of the way there.” I smirked and she sighed at me again. This time, she dropped her bow and arrow, and they disappeared again. “Can I at least know your name?” My question caught her off guard.

She watched my expression closely, like she was trying to decide whether to trust me with her name or not.

“It’s Thea.” She finally said and I couldn’t help the ear splitting grin that broke across my face. Her name was the most beautiful name I had ever heard.

“Thea.” I purred and I watched as her expression changed to something unrecognizable at the sound of her own name, “That’s a beautiful name.”

“I’m sorry that I’m not who you deserve, Alpha.” She whispered.

I shook my head and took a few steps forward. When she didn’t threaten to shoot me, I closed the space between us and took her hands in mine.

“You get to call me Xaiver,” I said, pressing her hand to my lips, “And you are so much more than I deserve.”

“I should go.” She said in a breathy voice.

“You should stay.” I held her hands tightly.

“I meant what I said, Xaiver,” She tried out my name and I shivered at the way it sounded, “I can’t be your mate.”

“All I’m asking is for you to give me a chance to prove to you that this can work. Just one chance.” I realized I was begging now, but I didn’t care. I would get down on my knees and cry in front of this woman if it meant she’d stay.

“I’m sorry.” Her words broke my heart. She ripped her hands from mine and they suddenly felt freezing cold. She turned on her heels and ran away. I had never felt so lonely.

I must’ve waited for her to come back for two or three hours before I finally gave up. I would never give up on her, but it was time to try a different tactic. I jogged back to the packhouse and ordered Frankie and Lion to meet me in my office.

“What’s up?” Lion asked, throwing himself down on the chair. Frankie walked over to my liquor cabinet and poured us all a round of scotch.

“My mate came back. I know her name.” I said, earning a surprised expression from both my friends.

“What is it?” Lion asked.

“Thea. I need you two to find out where she comes from.” I said.

“I thought you said she came back? Why do you need us to find her?” Frankie handed me a glass and sat down.

“She wanted me to reject her. She said she came as a courtesy so I wouldn’t have to live with an unsevered bond. Then she left.” I sighed.

“You didn’t reject her, did you?” Frankie’s eyes were wide.

“No way. I told her that I never would, but I couldn’t convince her to stay. I need to find her family. She said she’s been an Archer since she was like 15, there’s gotta be a reason for that.” I explained.

“Alright, we’ll find her.” Lion was already standing.

“What? Now?” I said, standing.

“Well, yeah. You’ve been a grumpy mess the last few days. It needs to stop.” Lion grumbled.

“He makes a good point.” Frankie sighed, standing up as well, “You’ve been awfully pouty.”

“I don’t pout, I’m an Alpha.” I growled. Frankie and Lion both rolled their eyes at me before leaving the office.

I groaned loudly and refilled my glass with scotch. I filled it three more times before I was finally buzzed enough to take myself to bed.