Chapter 19

Akira and Adam have been traveling through the forest for a while now. She was starting to feel as if Adam was taking them to somewhere he doesn’t even know. Her best bet is that they’re lost. Her thoughts went incorrect when they came past the towering trees and spotted a wide meadow of growing flowers.

      There are a few hills within a large distance away from them. Between two of those hills, the sight of a large water fall appeared on their view. The panorama took Akira’s breath away. She never thought she’d even see a mountain this up close in her life. She struggled to focus amidst the gentle whispers of the wind, the playful murmur of the rustling branches of the trees and the sound of her own and Adam’s footfalls trampling the growing grass underneath their feet.

      Akira went still on her position, staring at the immense beauty laid out in front of her. A bird fluttered on top of her head and jumped on the forefinger she gently reached out in the air. If Adam hadn’t tugged on her wrist and led the way, she wouldn’t have moved from her position. She fixed her gaze on Adam’s strong hands wrapped around hers, feeling the warmth that it brought. She blushed hard when she realized what she was thinking and pulled her hands away.

      She averted her eyes and cleared her throat in embarrassment when Adam stared at her in worry and confusion. “I-I can walk by myself. There’s no need for you to hold my hand.”

      “Sure, there isn’t.” he smiled. “But I feel the need to. Because you’re my mate.” he flashed her a bright smile as he grabbed her fingers one more time and dragged her along.

      Much to her loss of words, Akira was unable to speak and was just hopelessly towed along. “I’m not a child.”

      “I know that. But isn’t that what lovers do?”

      Akira’s face turned even redder. “S-since when did I become your lover?!”

      “Since the moment you saw me.”

      Akira smacked his arm painfully. “Stupid jerk! How dare you speak up for me?! Have you already forgotten what you’ve done just this morning?”

      “Actually, I did it since last night.” he chuckled, helping her jump over a moss-covered log.

      “Wha—? You did what?! That is it! Prepare to die right here and now.”

      “If it’s in your hands, then I’m sure I’ll be dying a happy death.”

      “If you’re going to die, I want it full of regret and pain.” she muttered, rolling her eyes.

      As they walked past the beautiful meadow, they reached the top of a small hill where a big, twisted tree had grown. There was a wooden swing that’s hanging on a branch, too. Under the shade of the tree, a picnic blanket was laid out with a brown basket of what she assumed has readied snacks. She stared at the basket in full surprise.

      “I’ve been suffocating you inside the pack-house. So I thought I’ll bring you out here for a decent picnic.”

      “This isn’t going to make up for what you did a while ago.” she told him. “Don’t hope it ever would.”

      “I am not hoping it would, anyway. But instead, I hope it would make you in the least, happy.” he dragged her to the picnic and brought out the food packed inside the woven basket.

      As she sat hesitantly beside Adam, she forced herself to not even bother think about anything funny. Her willpower couldn’t contain the rosy blush that tinted her cheeks, though. “What’s with your sweet-talk all of a sudden?” she asked him. “One minute, you were going in a forceful, possessive ‘You are my mate! That’s final!’ mode and the next thing I know, you’re starting to sound like Bruno Mars.” she commented, cocking a suspecting brow.

      “Hmm? Bruno Mars? Nonetheless, I was kind of thinking that doesn’t work on you. I can’t fight fire with fire, anyway.” He paused and looked up at the sky. “At least, that’s what Marcus told me. Besides, I was imagining something.”

      “What are you imagining?” Adam smirked knowingly and smiled at her while Akira cringed in disgust. “You’re more perverted than the last time. It’s creepy.”

      *In Adam’s mind (Song: Crazier by Taylor Swift)*

      Akira was frolicking in the meadows, giggling joyfully. Her curly brown hair bounced on her shoulders as she spun merrily and began running backwards. She crashed against a hard chest and immediately looked up in curiosity, immediately spotting Adam, who had a bright smile on his face, look down at her lovingly. She laughed in realization, as his hands wrapped themselves around her waist and lifted her off the ground, spinning her around.

      Akira smacked her forehead and hammered Adam’s head, dragging him out from daydreaming. “That would never happen you idiot.”

      “Ow. Okay, how about this?” he quipped.

      Sitting next to each other as they are now, Akira scooped the food served on the plate with the spoon and placed her fingers under Adam’s chin. They were perfectly relaxed like a typical couple that went out on an outdoor picnic. She gazed at him with amusement riddling her eyes and slowly directed the spoon to his mouth.

      “Say ahhhh,”

      “Ahhhh,”

      “Stop imagining creepy things!” she growled, hammering the top of his head for the second time. “Seriously, that’s so cliché!”

      Adam laughed both in pain and amusement. “Is it really that impossible to come true?”

      “It’s more than impossible! It’s not going to happen.” she huffed and crossed her arms. “Dream on.”

      Adam chuckled and shook his head. “It’s free to dream.” he commented.

      “And that’s what you will be doing for the rest of your life.”

      “Okay, fine. Just eat this.” Adam took a small piece of sandwich and shoved it inside Akira’s mouth.

      Akira chewed the food inside her mouth. “Tastes nice.” she mumbled.

      “That’s good.” He said, eating his own share.

      She swallowed. “Why did you bother bringing me out here, anyway? Aren’t you busy with your alpha duties or something?”

      “I took the time off. I’m making Marcus run an errand for me, so I thought this would be nice for the mean time.”

      “I don’t know why you should pay attention to me.”

      “Is it really that strange to spend some time with you? You are my mate after all, aren’t you?”

      “Stop calling me your mate.” Akira told him spitefully. “Every time you say that, it makes me think of animals.”

      “Then would you like lover instead?”

      “Lover? Are you crazy?”

      Adam smiled in approval. “Then it’s settled.”

      “Don’t go making decisions without me!”

      Adam brought some cake out and offered it to Akira. She shook her head in refusal, making Adam sigh in exhaustion from her stubbornness. He flicked his forefinger through the icing and smeared it on Akira’s cheek, making her gasp.

      Biting her lip in annoyance, Akira took a handful of the icing and coated Adam’s face in it. “Serves your right, jerk.”

      Wiping the icing off from his eyes, Adam reached out his hands towards Akira covered in it. She shrieked in alert and stood from her position, running away from Adam and hiding behind the tree. Peeking from the trunk, she was shocked to see that Adam was gone from his spot. Instead, she felt something cold and fragrant being spread on her face.

      Craning her neck over her shoulder, she saw Adam standing behind her, smirking in obvious delight. “Why you,”

      Adam made a run for it, Akira trailing behind him. They slid down the hillside and the moment Akira had her feet set on the bottom, Adam was gone from her sight. She let her eyes jump from one direction to another, seeking the image of a brunette or broad figure from anywhere.

      “Where did that mutt go?” she muttered to herself. Out of the blue, something painfully landed on top of her head. She looked down and saw a chestnut. Diverting her gaze back on top of the hill in confusion, she caught sight of Adam standing while passing the similar object back and forth between his hands.

      “I’m going to kill you, Adam!” she screamed, licking some icing from her face. She began creeping up the hill once more, Adam immediately vanishing out of view.

      It’s useless. She thought. He’s a werewolf. No kidding. He’s got speed.

      She formed a tricky plan and proceeded on her pursuit. As she reached the top again, her ankle twisted and she stumbled a step, toppling over like some bowling pin. She gasped. “Ouch!” she exclaimed. “Ugh. Not freaking now!”

      “Akira?” Adam’s figure appeared in front of her out of nowhere. “Are you okay?” he knelt beside her and examined her ankle.

      A murderous smile curved on her lips and she tackled Adam, both of them rolling down the slanted ground. Akira pinned him down to the ground, ending up on top of him, and smeared the cake frosting that came from her face.

      “You’re a clever witch.” He commented.

      She stood up and dusted off her hands, a victorious smile toying on her lips. “Not so fast.” Adam shook off the frosting from his face and encaged Akira inside his broad arms.

      “Hey! What are you doing?! Your hands are dirty!”

      She was lifted from her feet and was carried towards the wooden swing. Adam made her sit on it, pushing her immediately. “Hey! Stop this! What are you trying to do?!” she clutched the rope and tried to get a view of Adam as she flew forward.

      “Just relax.” he told her. “Try to feel the wind. It’s fun.”

      Left with no choice, Akira undecidedly obliged as Adam continued with his actions. She hadn’t noticed it before. But Adam was right. Besides it being fun, she also noticed the view from her current position. It was still breathtaking.

      This took her back to the past. She closed her eyes as she reminisced the time she would look out of the windows of the car and stare at children who sat on the swings. She felt envious of them, watching their parents shove them forward. Their thrilled giggles, a sign of their obvious enjoyment, made the current level of her jealousy bubble to a higher one. She remembered wanting to feel her own father do that. But he was so busy he rarely got the chance to see him.

      As much as he hated to admit it, she is having fun. “You should wait for the sunset,” she heard Adam say. “Once you see it, everything will be much more magnificent.”

-*-

Akira was quite annoyed of herself. Why did she have to enjoy being with that mutt? Before she knew it, the sun had the sun had already began to descend from the skies. Before it did so, it gave everything another ray of its golden glow. It emphasized the beauty the surrounding area already has. And more than anything else, Akira found it one of the most beautiful sceneries she’s ever seen in her own life personally.

      When night had rolled in, Adam and Akira ventured back to the pack-house and were informed that dinner was starting. During the course of the meal, Akira refused to talk to Adam. She was currently feeling uncomfortable. The fact that she was starting to lower her defenses against him hurt her pride.

      She had promised her father that she would return no matter what. So she let herself keep quiet all throughout the occasion.

      The moment she finished her meal, she stood up and took her plate with her. Adam had his eyes follow Akira in confusion. Just a moment ago, she was having fun in his presence, and now . . . he doesn’t really get how she is.

      Akira entered the kitchen to find Ann on the sink with the water running. She was washing the dishes along with other volunteers. Akira sauntered into the kitchen, receiving a few admiring looks from a few people. She placed her plate on the counter and walked over to Ann. “Hey, Ann.”

      “Oh, Akira.” she looked up from her work and wiped a sweat off her brow through the back of her hands. “Give me your plate, I’ll wash it for you.”

      “Thanks. I’m not really good at house chores.” she admitted.

      “That’s fine. You won’t do most of the work here anyway.” she said.

      “But I want to help.” she protested.

      “If you want to help maybe you can talk to Adam.” she told her.

      “What? What’s that supposed to do with this?”

      “It just saddens me you’re so angry to him, Akira. I may be afraid of him a few times but he’s still a great man. Get to know him.”

      “But how am I supposed to help just by talking to him?”

      “Adam is our alpha. He leads the pack. And if he’s in a good condition so are we. You are his Luna. You don’t know how much effect you have in him.”

      “What’s the sudden change of mood?” she asked.

      “Everyone was watching you. The way you reacted to him is obvious, it saddens us. You are supposed to be with him not against him.”

      “How is it supposed to affect you?”

      “Our leaders are not only the ones who think of our welfare,” she answered. “They are supposed to be our role models. We werewolves are in a single pack—we feel what everyone feel, we are one. Think of our alpha as our brain, he controls us, and regulates everything we’re doing—keeps us balanced. You, on the other hand, are his heart. You are the reason why he lives, without you, he won’t be complete. You are his beat, the center of his world. Without you, he won’t receive the proper . . . nourishment . . .” she trailed off.

      Unable of knowing what to do, Akira paced out of the room and made her way towards the training yard. At such a time like this, it was empty. There were no one training or working out, just a wide plain, yard with a bright moon decorating the sky. The stars twinkled, and it was wondrously cloudless. She gazed at the brightest star and felt a hot tear slide down her cheeks. Every night before she goes to sleep, her father and she would climb the highest point of their house and they would both gaze up at the sky.

      “Why are there stars, papa?” a chiming voice echoed in her memory. She remembered a little girl on her pajamas, sitting beside a younger version of her father. She heard him sigh as he gently placed his arms around her shoulder and pulled her close to his chest.

      “They are the ones who died here, and chose to go to the skies to watch over their loved ones.” he answered.

      The girl looked like she pondered for a moment before deciding to speak. “Is mama there, papa?” she asked.

      Her father looked down at the little girl with tear-filled eyes. “Yes, she is.” he told her. “Even though she isn’t here with us anymore, she’s up there.” he pointed on a winking star. She nodded. “See why she’s twinkling? Because that’s your mama. Watching over us right now. Through that light, she bids us goodnight.” her father said.

       The little girl merely smiled and admired the star as her father pulled her close and hugged her tightly, burying his nose on her brown hair. She remembered the way those hot tears felt as it dropped from his eyes. He hugged her fiercely like she was the last thing he ever had. And since then she knew, she is the thing he treasured the most.

      Right now, Akira was confused. She wanted to be with her father, yet, she can’t leave. She was bound to this place and that made her miss him dearly. She released all her longings through the continuous flow of her tears, letting the pain that built in her chest to escape by letting out sobs. But as everyone in this place said, she’s mates with Adam. She’s unwillingly shouldering their sake, and just by trying to push him away, she’s putting them in an unstable state.

      “Akira,” Adam’s familiar voice was carried to her like feather in a wind. It was soothing. She started to think what they were saying was true. No man had ever got an effect on her like he does. She wiped her tears with the sleeves of his shirt and sniffed, willing for her face to alter back to its normal shape. “You’re crying.” he reached out his hand to touch her shoulder, but she slapped them away.

      “Don’t touch me.” she tried toning her voice to its usual coldness, but to her dismay, it turned out as a small squeak.

      Adam’s heart clenched at the sight of her. The whole time, she never showed any vulnerability. What did make her cry? “Are you okay?”

      “No, I’m not okay.”

      Although Adam knew the answer, he spoke, “Why?”

      “Because of how stupid I am.” she answered. “I shouldn’t even be here.”

      “Akira,” Adam started.

      “Please, leave me alone for a minute. I need time for myself.” she told him.

      Adam sighed. He can’t do anything for now. He stepped back into the shadows of the pack-house and decided to leave her alone to her business. It made him feel powerless and pathetic.

      Adam wasn’t as he seemed as the first time Akira met him. Hidden beneath the strong, dominating, possessive, and forceful image, she discovered he has a soft side in him. He was sweet, playful, and mischievous. The events a while ago proved it. If his pack members are what they say he is, then her fight against him would be helpless.

      He remembered about him telling her he would be taking her to see his parents. It wasn’t like she could refuse, anyway. But she doesn’t want to. If she meets them, she’d be sure that she’ll be more tied to their family even more. The kids, Ann . . . and even him.

      She was confused, even with her own emotions. She was torn. A part of her was comfortable being with Adam and she felt very attached with all the members of the pack. It felt natural to stand beside him and have fun. But the other side was utterly prideful and rock-hard. It wouldn’t back down that readily.

      Adam had cheerfully told her about his parents. No matter the circumstances, he said that his situation was always understood by his family. The whole time, they were right behind him, offering him their support. So she doubted they would be against her being there with them at all. Besides, Adam had been waiting for her for more than three years, as he informed. Letting her go that easily wouldn’t be that simple at all.

      She’s frustrated. What is she exactly going to do?

I was quite unsure of this chapter! I hope you like it.