The Gift chronicles

Chapter 3

Book 2 Chapter 3

The Alpha was leaning against a tree, his arms folded across his chest. His eyes lazily raked over my

body, making me feel acutely aware of the fact that I was only wearing shorts and a strapless shirt.

His eyebrows raised in amusement. "Do you talk?" He asked sarcastically.

"Yes, I talk," I spat back at him. "I'm not an imbecile."

His mouth widened into a grin at my words. "Cute attitude, little one. But I'm afraid it's time for you to

come back with me."

"No," I immediately responded and took a step back.

"No?" He questioned in amusement, his crooked grin only getting bigger.

"I'm not going with you," I firmly told him. We were both adults here, I was sure we could reasonably

discuss this.

The Alpha laughed. "As entertaining as this as been, and trust me when I say it has been very

entertaining, I'm bringing you back with me to my

pack."

I took another step back, but this time, he unpropped himself off of the tree and took a step closer. "I

wasn't asking, little one."

"And I wasn't asking for permission, big one," I mockingly threw back in his face. His eyes flashed

dangerously, making my heart stop in my chest.

"No, you weren't," he mused, watching me like a lion focusing on its prey. "But regardless, you're

coming with me. We can work out the details later, but this part is nonnegotiable."

"You don't want to do this," I warned him as he took another step towards me. "I don't want to hurt you."

I could hear the pleading in my own voice.

Surprisingly, the Alpha laughed. "You couldn't hurt me if you tried, love."

I narrowed my eyes at him. What an arrogant man. I would show him exactly just how much I can and

will hurt him.

I extracted energy from a nearby tree, leaving it decomposing. I rolled it into a black energy blast, and

launched it at him. To my surprise, instead of hitting him squarely in the stomach, he merely waved his

hand and a white veil of some kind blocked the energy, merely making it disperse upon contact.

"What the hell?" I demanded, and withdrew more energy from surrounding plants.

The Alpha grinned, amused by the situation. "Your Gift is cute, little one. Powerful, even. Unfortunately,

you haven't been alive long enough nor practiced enough for it to outmatch mine."

My eyes widened. What the hell was his Gift?

I rolled the energy into another ball. To my surprise, he mimicked my actions, but his movements

created a whitish ball. Apart from the colors, the other difference was that I had to generate energy by

withdrawing it from other life sources, whereas he could just create it.

"I told you, little one. You're not well—practiced enough. Don't fret. I can help train you," He grinned

victoriously as he sent the ball at me, and I flinched, expecting it to knock me out.

Shockingly, the ball dispersed as it was about to hit me, and the fog wrapped around me like a blanket.

I tried moving, but it restrained me.

"Tsk tsk tsk," The Alpha smirked at me as he approached me. My efforts to escape were futile. I

couldn't even move my arms enough to withdrawal energy from something. "I told you I wasn't asking,

love."

My eyes widened as the fog suddenly moved so that it was concentrated around my wrists, like

handcuffs. Thankfully, I could now move my legs and least. When I tried stepping back, the Alpha was

next to me in lightning speed. How was it possible to move that fast?

"If you stop squirming I can release the restraints," The Alpha promised, but the glint in his eyes was so

wicked, I could see that he liked my wrists being bound.

I nodded, knowing I was too scared of him to try running again. His mouth curled into a bemused smile,

but the foggy restraints dissipated as promised.

"Thank you," I muttered, looking down, careful to avoid his piercing eyes.

Suddenly, he was bellowing with laughter. I stared at him in confusion. What was wrong with this man?

"I restrain you, and you're thanking me?"

I shrugged. "You were the one who took them off."

His lips quirked up in an amused grin as he suddenly reached over and picked me up, cradling me in

his arms. "You're so placable and timid, little one."

I scoffed. "I am no such thing." I really was though. It wasn't in me to be aggressive or domineering. I

assume it has to do with the guilt I live with every day.

The Alpha shrugged. "No need to be defensive,

love. It's adorable. It certainly pleases my wolf greatly."

"Why didn't you shift earlier with Greyson?" I suddenly asked him. Surprisingly, his usually calm

demeanor hardened.

"I could have killed him with my bare hands, I didn't need to shift into my wolf. He's an unranked rogue.

Likely never trained properly. I'm an Alpha and have trained my whole life to be one. Not only that, but

it's wired in my DNA. I come from a long line of Alphas." My heart quickened at his mention of being

related to Alphas.

"The Blood Alpha," I whispered.

The Alpha nodded in confirmation, continuing to walk us through the woods. I wanted to walk myself,

but I was too scared to contradict him. "I am related to him, yes. Our mothers were twins."

"Are you close with him?" I asked quietly, my heart beating fast as I hoped he would say no.

"Yes, immensely. Both him and his mate are very dear to me," The Alpha responded as he got a

faraway look in his eyes. My heart quickened once more, and I was positive it would leap out of my

chest at any minute.

"Little one, are you alright? You look as though you've seen a ghost," The Alpha asked, concern etched

into his face.

I nodded wordlessly. "Awe, is this about the Blood Alpha, Little One? Don't worry, I'll protect you," he

teased me.

Suddenly, the overwhelming urge to word vomit overcame me.

"Iheardhewhippedhismatesobadlyshewentintoacoma" I blurted out.

The Alpha's eyes darkened in anger. "Do not speak on things you do not know about, Little One."

"Did he?" I quietly asked, my curiosity getting the better of me.

He went silent for a few moments. "Yes, it's true. But there is more to that relationship than meets the

eye. They are no ordinary Alpha and Luna."

"Poor girl," I murmured against the Alpha. I felt sick to my stomach thinking about all of the torture that

the Blood Alpha must put her through.

The Alpha chuckled as if he knew something I didn't. "Do not fear for the Blood Luna's safety, little one.

She is more than capable of holding her own."

I snorted. Against the Blood Alpha? Unlikely. Despite my opinion on the matter, I decided to drop it,

seeing that the topic of the Blood Alpha and his mate was a sensitive subject with him. I wondered

what happened there.

"Are you Thane or Cain?" I asked suddenly, remembering Greyson's earlier words.

"Thane, Alpha of Blue Moon," He proudly spoke, and my mouth dropped open. They were the biggest

pack on the continent.

"I know, impressive, right?" Thane smirked at me, and his carefree attitude made me laugh. He was

nothing like my old Alpha from what I remember, and he was nothing like what Greyson had told me

about Alphas.

"How did you find me?" I quietly asked, not wanting him to be angered by all of my questions.

"We were looking for someone, and came across your cabin. We thought that the person may have

been housing there. Instead, I found something much more valuable," He smoothly spoke, Text property © Nôvel(D)ra/ma.Org.

effectively making a blush rise to my cheeks.

"We have to go back," I suddenly said, twisting in his arms.

"Calm down, little one. We don't need to go back to your cabin. I promise you I have more than enough

money to buy you whatever you need for my house." Thane soothed me.

"My grandmother!" I blurted out.

For once, I effectively surprised and confused him. "There was nobody home, little one. My men

searched the whole house and surrounding woods."

I realized my mistake. "Ah, the thing is, I sort of used magic to turn my grandmother's dead body into a

tree, and I sort of need to take care of the tree because I would feel if my grandmother died twice

because of me." I explained.

He looked at me as if I grew a second head. Thankfully, he kept the questions minimal and pretended

like he didn't think I belonged in a looney bin. "What tree? I will have some of my men retrieve it and

bring it to my territory," He spoke as if it were a normal conversation, and for once I was glad for his

expressionless face.

"It's a small cherry tree, right in the front. Please make them be careful with it," I begged him, knowing I

sounded absolutely bonkers.

To his credit, he remained composed. "Of course I will have my men be careful with your grandmother

—tree. Nothing harm will come to it," He promised, and I smiled gratefully. Greyson was wrong. Thane

was nothing like the Blood Alpha.

Or so I thought.