It was later that evening, the sun setting far behind the cities in the distance.
I stood at the cashier desk at the café Damon originally took me, pulling out my wallet from my backpack purse.
“Five, fifty?” I asked the cashier.
“Yes,” he said then.
I handed him a five dollar bill and a one dollar. “Just keep the change.”
He nodded and took it from my hand, putting it into the register before gazing up at me. “It’ll be ready in a few minutes.”
I nodded, stepping to the side.
As he walked off to start making it, I glanced to a booth that resided next to me, finding Damon sitting there.
“Aw, you suspected me this time,” he said then.
“I got used to it,” I answered, looking back at my chai being made.
The cashier walked up to me and handed me my chai, and I happily took it from him.
I turned back to the empty shop—other than me and Damon—and I just walked past Damon and exited the shop, feeling him follow behind me.
“Where are you going?” Damon asked then.
“Home,” I responded. “I’m tired and I also have homework.”
“I see,” he said then, continuing forward.
I turned to look back at him.
But—suddenly—his phone beeped, and he gazed down to it. “Oh, shit.”
He then scrambled his phone out and started typing on it.
I smiled then, taking advantage of the moment, and I shrunk into an alleyway, fitting myself in between an AC and a trashcan.
Damon clearly noticed I was missing. “Uh… Winter?”
I remained silent, continuing to hide.
“Winter?” he said again, stepping forward to look around.
I never responded, just clutched the chai tightly in my hands.
“Shit,” he said then, running forward—to the direction of my home—and I smiled, remaining silent when he vanished down the street.
I just stepped out from my hiding spot and dashed off to the right—toward the forest—feeling pleased with myself.
Clutching the chai tightly in my hands, I felt my breath come out in clouds as I passed the opening in the trees and continued forward.
The pines around me sped by like green blobs, and I kept going for too long.
It was completely pitch black outside before I made it to a stop, and I gasped, still watching my breath blow out into mist as the cold overwhelmingly bit into my skin.
I clutched my chai tighter and sat onto a broken tree trunk, tipping it to my lips.
I sighed as the heat and sweetness burst through my senses, and I smirked. “Let’s see you find me now, asshole.”
I then gazed up, breathing slowly as I started shivering.
Five minutes past, ten minutes turning to twenty, and I gazed up into the darkness, watching the stars glistening in the night sky.
“I wonder if I can camp here,” I said more to myself. “There might be some good camp places near here or something.”
I glanced around, finding the woods still engulfed in darkness.
My lashes lowered then. “I’ll just stay here for a while. And then when he goes to bed, I’ll go home.”
“I don’t think so,” someone said from behind me.
I squealed, spinning around in a hurry to find Alpha Damon standing by the trees.
And he didn’t look very happy.
“Alpha Damon…” I said then, laughing nervously, “I was just… star searching.”
“Cut the bullshit,” he snapped then. “Get up, we’re going home.”
I watched him for a moment.
Oh, my… was he angry…?
It was kind of cute.
“Get up, Winter,” he growled. “Now. Before I lose my temper.”
I stood then, brushing off my pants. “I was just star searching.”
“Bullshit,” he said then, catching my arm, “you hid from me on purpose, now let’s go.”
He marched forward and dragged me with him.
I grumbled in protest, but didn’t fight him.
“I let you out of my sight for two seconds,” he said angrily, “and you decide it’s time to play hide and go seek in a forest. At nightfall. While it’s snowing.”
I just gazed up at him. “Why are you so protective over me?”
He snapped his gaze back. “I can’t let you get hurt. How can I get my wish if something else kills you?”
I stared at him for a moment, searching his gaze to see if his sentence was meant to cut me.
His eyes seemed to soften, and he looked away as if he regretted his words.
I watched him for a moment, gazing down at his hand that gripped mine tightly, and he just continued marching forward.
But I smiled, and my lashes lowered. “Your wish, huh? You make it sound like I belong to you.”
He stopped suddenly and turned to face me. “You seem okay with this.”
I gazed up at him. “I don’t mind belonging to you. I mean… you are going to kill me, and you’re giving me something in return. It’s like making a deal with the devil. I signed my soul to you.”
He blinked then, and his expression seemed to relax. “You are so odd, you know that?”
He just turned and dragged me forward.
I followed after him.
“How did you find me?” I asked him.
“I followed your scent.”
I blinked. “What do I smell like?”
He chuckled a little. “Like cotton candy.”
I then silenced, not knowing what else to ask him.
We walked in silence for too long, but he suddenly turned back to me with a large smile spreading across his face. “I was mad before, but… I have decided I’m happy now.”
I watched him curiously.
“Please, sweetheart, escape more often.” His eyes glowed a slight green. “I’ll always find you, and I love the chase. So feel free to attempt… I’ll hunt you every time.”
He turned back forward and continued walking.
I smiled then, lashes lowering. “Hunted by the Alpha. That’s a catchy title, isn’t it?”
“Run all you want,” he said then, turning to smile at me, “I’ll find you.”
I just lowered my lashes. “I’ll look forward to it.”
“Good, that’s what I expect from you.” His lashes lowered.
I just watched him. “You don’t scare me. I don’t scare easily.”
He just smiled. “I’m still going to hunt you down no matter how far you run. I have your scent now. I will find you.”
“I expect that from you,” I retorted.
I loved the chase, too.
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