Chapter 3: GREEN EYES DRAWING ME IN

GREEN EYES DRAWING ME IN

~ Gabriel's POV~

It was as if my heart stopped the moment the scent hit me. Perfume like the smell of a dozen fresh roses fogged my senses. Mika, my wolf excitedly jumping, and pawing was a new reaction of his. I had had my wolf for two years now; this strange behavior took me by surprise. I shut Mika out. I had a meeting with a potential new member of our pack. My father will never turn a wolf in need away. I am here to help him determine if any ill intent is detected from this, she wolf. The protection of our pack is our top priority.

Before I could fully gather my senses, there was a soft knock on my father’s office door.

I looked up from my standing position to the left of my father’s desk where he was seated. The feel of his authority was thick in the air. When the door opened, my jaw nearly hit the floor. I had to stop myself from nervously shifting back and forth on the balls of my feet. This girl is different… She had already walked midway into the room before she looked up. I could tell she was nervous. She was trying to contain her emotions and straighten her posture in confidence. It was obvious to me that she was the type of girl that wasn’t one to beg. I had a feeling that if my father rejected her, that she would walk out the door and never look back. This was a trait that I found attractive in a she wolf. Too many females want to beg and cry over things that they don’t get. Her eyes met mine…I had to still myself as if I was bolted to the floor. This was my miserable attempt at hiding the strange attraction that I was feeling toward this stranger. I always made it a point to be professional and respectable. My position as the future alpha depended not only on my alpha presence that naturally radiated out of me, but the respect that I received from my pack and other leaders. There was a moment where she and I had locked eyes, causing my train of thought to completely derail. Her scent got stronger the closer she got to me. My father seemed to notice my reaction. He spoke to me through our mind link

“Gabe, we need to have that talk about my future daughter-in-law. This she wolf seems to get your wolf all in a tizzy. Maybe she is the one.” I glanced toward my father, giving him a stone-cold look, warning him to let it go. His mouth set in a slight grin; I could tell he was having fun at my expense. He and mother have been pressing me to pick a mate. They constantly remind me that the future of our pack is relying on me to produce an heir. I didn’t believe in just picking a mate. I was hoping the Moon Goddess was planning to reveal my life partner soon.

My eyes followed the girl to the front of my father’s desk, as she accepted his offer to take a seat.

“She is very beautiful,” said my father. I tried to look as if there weren’t voices in my head. I can’t wait to hear what he has to say once we are alone. I discreetly rolled my eyes, pretending my father wasn’t playing matchmaker during an actual meeting.

“This is my son and next in line to take my place as alpha of our beloved pack, Gabriel.” Harper turned to look at me. I could hear her heart rate increase as she prepared to speak to me.

“It is nice to meet you, Gabriel. I am sure you will make a fine alpha when the time comes.” I almost lost myself in her smile. I could tell I also had an effect on her. The thought of this made me realize just how much fun I could have with this girl. Mika wagged his tail and bounced around my head unable to contain his excitement.

“Thank you, Miss…” I said, still not knowing her name.

“Harper…. Um…Harper Rae.” She said nervously. I bit my bottom lip as I tried to hide my amusement. She was so cute even though she was obviously nervous.

“Thank you, Harper, it is an honor to have you. Hopefully it is still a while now before I must take my father’s place. When that time comes, I am ready.” She then turned her attention back to my father who was giving me a look I know all too well.

“Not before I meet my future daughter-in-law and the next Luna of this pack. A strong alpha must have a strong and capable Luna to support him. The Luna is the heart of this pack. She will play an important role in all of our lives.” Harper glanced toward me. I was unable to hide my own nervous habits at this moment, as my father finally succeeded with his evil plan. Using me to amuse himself at my expense. A red tone now warmed my cheeks. Raising my eyebrows to get a better look at him. I kept my head facing the floor, trying to conceal my embarrassment.

“Now is not the time father. We can continue this conversation later.” I glared at my father, willing him to shut it.

After introductions, I took a seat next to Harper. I was apprehensive about getting closer to her, afraid my wolf Mika would get the better of me and jump on her. After sitting, I breathed deep and readied myself. Apparently, she needed our help. She said she stumbled onto the edge of our territory by accident late last night. I now know that her name is Harper. Her name was beautiful, just like her. I sense no ill intent from this girl. It didn’t take long for her story to light my blood ablaze. I was boiling with anger. Thane Kago…. He put this girl through hell. His plan as Alpha of the Foul Moon Pack is unclear, but it looks like he simply wants to gain as much power and territory as he can.

“Get control of your anger.” my father said through our link. “Your eyes are black; your wolf is close to taking over. I know this little lady’s story is tough and tragic, but we must remain professional and calm in order to do our part as leaders of our pack. We need to be able to make a rational decision about this girl’s future within our pack. I know that she has an effect on you but compose yourself until we have more information.” I nodded to my father, letting him know that I will try to gather my emotions. He was right, we needed to leave emotion out of the decision concerning her position in our pack. I shut my eyes and rested my head on my hands where my elbows were propped on my knees. I am trying hard to calm myself and concentrate on what this girl was telling us. That sick piece of sh!t wanted to force her to be his mate! I am going to lose it. Clenching my jaw, the way that I do to calm myself, I kept my eyes shut desperately trying to keep my wolf locked down.

“We will kill him. We will gut him from his navel to his chin. We will wait patiently for the right time, and we will gladly anticipate the smell of his blood pooling on the ground beneath his feet.” Mika’s voice boomed in my head. His teeth bared as his long sharp canines beam brightly in my mind. He ran his tongue over his teeth like he couldn’t wait to taste Thane’s blood in his mouth. I agree with Mika’s thought process. Not only has Thane put Harper through torture, but he continues to kill, steal, and r@pe women daily. He burns down villages, and tears families apart. I have a feeling Thane and I will cross paths in the future, and I will fantasize about what he has coming to him until that day arrives.

I somehow managed to keep my wolf back for the remainder of her story. I agreed with my father, Harper was no threat to our pack

“I have no issues accepting her into our pack, do you?” I ask my father through our link. My head is still resting in my hands with my eyes shut. My father’s response makes me want to egg him in the head.

“I knew you would have no objections the moment she walked through my office door. HAHAHA.” His laughter boomed in my head. Yeah, I’m going to egg him in the head. I heard her sniffle and despite my head being down and my eyes closed I knew she had been crying. My heart ached for her. I know that the pain of losing her parents in the way that she did must be overwhelming.

I hated the fact that she had to relive everything while telling us her story, but unfortunately it had to be done.

“Your story is very tragic young lady. I am sorry to hear of all the horrible things that you have been through in the last few months.” Said my father. I was still sitting in my chair with my elbows resting on my knees. My eyes were still shut, as I was still clenching and unclenching my jaw. Still trying to get my emotions back to normal. Mika finally making himself comfortable in a lying position allowed me to think more clearly. Catching both myself and my father off guard she seemed to speak more confidently.

“Please, don’t pity me. I went through hell, but I am alive. I lost my parents, but I made it out. I know my parents are watching over me. No matter how alone I feel, I will keep moving forward for them. I am a strong woman. All I need is a pack. I will get a job and support myself if given the chance.”

I finally opened my eyes… Her seemingly stronger demeanor piqued my interest even more. This girl is stronger than she realizes.

“Did you say you don’t have your wolf yet?” I asked her. She looked toward me.

“That is right, I have not gotten my wolf yet.” I nodded,

“When is your eighteenth birthday?” This question seemingly confused her, but she answered.

“Four days from now. The day of the solar eclipse and the summer solstice.” I turned my head to look at my father. We have all heard the stories about a wolf born on the day of a solar eclipse. I wonder if Harper has heard them. A solar eclipse isn’t something that happens often. It is a very rare event. My father plans to throw a huge celebration to honor our Goddess of the moon, Selene. Getting lost in my thoughts. It is a good thing that my father was staying on track with why we were here. He continued his conversation with Harper, asking a question that brought me back to the topic of our meeting.

“I have heard about The Foul Moon Pack. They have not always been such a thorn in my side. They have always been a hateful pack with a handful of loyal and good wolves. I have been getting reports just how bad things have gotten with that pack. A few alphas have approached me to ask for our assistance and protection from fear of being overtaken by the Foul Moon Pack. What was your rank in your old pack?” She contemplated the question.

“Oh…um…I was considered a warrior in training.” Instantly I turned to look at her surprised by what she just said.

“You trained? How often? How long have you been in training?” This question instantly seemed to excite her. Her green eyes glittered with what looked like pride. She answered my question with enthusiasm, as if this is something that she really enjoyed.

“I have trained since I was old enough to try. When I was four years old, I would watch my mother and father with their forms and motion. I would try to mirror their movements. My parents thought it was cute, so they started including me in their routines. Before times got bad within the pack my father was hailed as one of the strongest warriors in the pack. He could calculate his opponents’ movements like he was reading their mind and predicting their next move. He hardly ever lost a fight, and he didn’t hold back on the battlefields. I never looked at training as a job or a chore. I fell into a routine and stuck with it. I constantly pushed my body to the limit, conditioning myself to have better cardio and skills. I found training to be the one thing that I could indulge in, and it made me feel like I was doing something worthwhile. I was gaining skill sets that I could use in my future of being a warrior for my pack. It wasn’t long before I was recognized as one of the strongest warriors in training. Age and height did not hold me back. I am only 5’3 with a toned build. This was never a disadvantage to me. I was usually faster than my opponents. Every failure or lost fight wasn’t devastating to me. I would take my loss like a lady, learning from my mistakes and getting better and better at what I did. Before I was made an official warrior, our alpha died, and all hell broke loose.”

My father and I both stared at her surprised at what she just said. None of our female warriors were that involved in training, and never excited about it. My mind is going to the training field. I wonder what other warriors in training would think of her. If what she is saying is true. Maybe she could be a good influence for our females in training. Even through her clothes I could tell her body was well conditioned for combat.

“Wow, I look forward to seeing you in training.” Once again, a red shade graced her beautiful face. I knew she was thinking about me watching her on the field. She bit her lip and it drove me crazy with want. I wanted to be the one biting that lip. Mika gave a low growl, agreeing with my thought process. “What are your greatest strengths?” I asked.

“Well, I try to keep myself well diverse in my specialties, but I took after my father. It is easy for me to predict my opponent's next move and implement counter attacks on the spot. I am not as good as my father…. was, but I know I can be with enough training and hard work.” At this point I am thoroughly impressed by her commitment and enthusiasm when she talks about training.

“Well, it is settled then. As the Alpha of the Harmony Moon Pack, I am proud to accept you with open arms. I sense no ill intent from you, and I know that you will be a great gain for our pack. Our warrior she wolves could use some of your help on the field. If what you are telling us is true. Your skillset will prove to be beneficial to our training sessions. What do you think Gabriel?” My father asked, dragging my attention from fantasizing about how her body must look while moving. Taking this opportunity to have a little fun I gave Harper a seductive look. Our eyes met, and the pull to make her mine was growing stronger by the second. The shiver that ran down her body didn’t go unnoticed. The smell of her arousal driving me and Mika insane.

“I am sure that Harper will be a kick ass fighter. I am looking forward to watching her on the field.” Feeling possessive over this girl I barely know, our eyes held contact for a moment. I would never get used to her face reddening every time her body reacted to me. It caused my mind to think of all the ways I could play with her in my bed. My father coughed, and I tried to bring myself back to reality, my father was finally ready to give Harper her answer. Rising from his chair my father walked around his desk. He placed his hand on her tiny shoulder and began,

“As alpha this pack, I am proud to exercise my authority provided to me by our beloved Moon Goddess, to accept you Harper Rae as a proud member of The Harmony Moon Pack.” After being sworn in and hearing my father’s final words to her. He seemingly volunteered me to escort Harper into the dining hall. He usually called an Omega to do things like that. I knew what his little game was, not trying to hide the grin on his aged face. I chuckled at the thought of what he was trying to do. I love my father; I have always respected him and trusted his opinion. He must approve of this girl for me and as a future Luna of this pack. Not really knowing her very well was not an issue here. My father had great senses that allowed him to know the personality of a person or wolf. It wasn’t often that we ran across a person who was pure. And Harper was…I don’t know if she knows it, but she radiates a Luna aura already. Making me realize that the Moon Goddess was hard at work here.

I held the door of my father’s office open for Harper as she exited into the hallway. I internally kicked myself knowing good and well that I held that door not to just be a gentleman, but to get a good look at her a$s as she walked in front of me. I feel like a real creep right now for checking out a girl who has recently been to hell and managed to walk back out. I couldn’t help it though, her long black wavy hair trailed down her back stopping mid back. I love her long hair, but right now I am thanking the Moon Goddess for not hiding this girl’s shapely yet slim Waist. My eyes trailed down her back, drinking in every curve of her hourglass figure. Continuing their descent, my eyes rested on her perfectly round and toned ass. I have always been a b00ty man, but this girl is on a whole other level. In my father’s office while she was introducing herself, I could tell she was having a reaction to me. The red blush that settled on her cheeks wasn’t the only thing that gave her away. Her subtle hints of arousal exaggerated her scent. It made it so hard for me to lock Mika down. He was like a mad wolf, trying to take control. He begged to be let out so he could shift and claim her right then and there. I was accustomed to this type of female reaction to me, but Harper’s scent overpowered my mind. I couldn’t think or concentrate. I was able to see that she wasn’t only built nice in the back. She had to have a nice full C cup concealed under her fitted tee shirt. Her stomach appeared to be flat and toned. I could tell she loved to train, but still has a feminine body. I was never into she wolves who had too much muscle. Yeah… her body set me ablaze with want. Her eyes… Green emeralds that seemed to constantly be rotating with hints of blue. It reminded me of little fairy’s playing hide-and-seek at night in a field full of flowers. The most beautiful eyes I have ever seen. They complemented her tan skin and full lips perfectly. Today she was sad, but when my father allowed her to become part of our pack, she let herself be happy for a moment. That’s when she smiled. A beautiful pristine smile that had me mesmerized. At that moment I would have done anything to keep her smiling. It felt as if her smile faded, my soul would fade out with it. If I’m not careful, this girl is going to catch me hook, line, and sinker and she’s not even trying. I don’t go through girls like my Beta Tanner, but I can’t say I haven’t had my fair share of fun. Watching Harper walk in front of me made me wonder if I’ll ever be able to enjoy another one-night stand in my life.

Harper stopped to let me catch up. I hadn’t realized I had let her get that far ahead of me. I guess when my mind is concentrated on a woman as tempting as Harper, my legs stop working. Well… that is the first time that has ever happened. I started to walk at a normal pace again, trying not to look like I was so eager to be near her. I needed to pull myself together and start acting like the gentleman and future Alpha that my father and mother raised me to be. Thank the Goddess my mother can’t read my thoughts right now. She would try to bend me over her tiny knee to give me an old-fashioned ass whooping. I smirk at my thoughts as I try to picture my tiny 5’1 mother attempting to wrestle with my 6’2 frame. I wiped the smirk off my face as I reached Harper. Walking side by side now we were nearing the end of the hallway entering the main dining hall. As if her perfect figure and interest in being a warrior wasn’t enough to have me swooning over her, the mere scent of this girl was enough to cause my wolf to howl and leap excitedly in my mind. Since we first caught her scent, Mika has been demanding I take her to my room and make her ours. He is acting like she is our mate. He is all but coming right out and saying it. What if she is our mate? Maybe we can’t feel the entire extent of the mate bond because she hasn’t gotten her wolf yet. If I get any worse than I am already, I’m going to kiss all my pride goodbye and beg at her feet to have me.

“So, this is the dining hall. Plates are situated at the end of the bar, just grab one and help yourself.” Harper looked up to me with her eyes shining. I could see that she wasn’t comfortable with this whole situation. I wish I could make it easier for her to adjust.

“Thank you, I have only been here almost a day now, and I have received more hospitality since I have been here than I did the whole time I was a prisoner to Alpha Thane.” I clenched my jaw trying to stow away the anger bubbling up in me. Thinking about what he had done to Harper, and what he planned to do to her caused my blood to boil. My wolf was itching to break out, hunt that prick down and rip his heart straight out of his chest. I smiled down at Harper, and when our eyes met my anger instantly vanished. How did she have that effect on me?

“I think she’s ours.” Mika was having a hard time keeping his drool contained. I blocked him out, drawing my attention back to Harper.

“As long as you are here, you will be safe. Our boarders are the most well protected of any wolf pack. No one has tried to enter without permission in years. Sometimes I wish they would try. It would be less boring here.” Harper giggled, causing me to feel a strange giddiness as well.

“I appreciate your offer of protection, but I won’t allow anyone to put themselves in danger for me. If Thane does come for me, it is my fight alone. I won’t let anyone else get wrapped up into my troubles. Your pack has been so kind to me, I am hoping I can move on from the past and become a productive member of this pack.” Her fearlessness was admirable, but there is no way I would let any she wolf fight a battle like that alone. Especially my potential mate!

I decided to keep that thought to myself and turned just in time to notice Tanner my Beta coming straight towards us. He was beaming his big bright sh!t eating grin with his eyes trained straight on Harper.

“Well,well,well… this must be our newest member of the pack. Let me be one of the first to personally welcome you.” He took her hand while leaning down to kiss her. Before I could stop myself, Mika had gained some control and elicited a growl that was heard through most of the dining hall. Shocked pack members stared with fearful looks plastered to their faces, but soon they went back to eating. Harper was looking at me with a worried look while Tanner looked like he regrets not stopping at the little wolf's room before walking over to talk to us. He may have accidentally relieved himself right in front of Harper. Realizing my unspoken jokes were becoming too much, I decided it was time to excuse myself. I don’t understand what was causing me to have these thoughts and feelings toward Harper. I reluctantly left Harper to have breakfast with Tanner while I made my way to my room on the fifth floor. I need a cold shower and a drink. I couldn’t go back around Harper until I cleaned up my act. I decided to spend the rest of the day in my room. I didn’t have any responsibility today so calling it a lazy day and relaxing shouldn’t be an issue. After my shower, I poured myself a stiff drink and quickly knocked it back. The liquid burned my throat on the way down, but this didn’t faze me anymore. I turned on the TV and propped myself against the headboard of my bed. Flipping through the channels I stopped on one of those teen wolf shows that all the girls were so crazy over. It didn’t take me long to roll my eyes at the characters. If only they knew what it was all really like… my mind drifted back to Harper. What if she is my mate?

“Then you have left her with that player of a best friend of yours to flirt with as much as he wants. I can just hear him now laying it on thick. I hope Harper doesn’t fall into his trap. I would hate to kill my Beta but……”

“Mika SHUT UP!” I blocked Mika’s link. If I continued to listen to him, I would find myself strangling Tanner to death before anyone could stop me. I opted for another drink and settled on a nap. Hoping that when I wake up, my attitude, thoughts, and feelings will be reset back to normal. Somehow, I don’t think things will be that simple. I drifted into unconsciousness thinking about those emerald, green eyes drawing me in…