Destiny's POV
"Who are you?"
The question came out as a growl, and I resisted the urge to take a step back. The man, or wolf, hard to tell which was currently in charge, stared at me with emerald green eyes. He was clearly an Alpha. He radiated power, and I was only able to resist the question because my wolf Kayia was dead. I felt the familiar pang of loss at the thought of her.
The Alpha in front of me did not break his stare. He was clearly used to being obeyed. It had been nearly five years since I had faced another wolf and I felt a pang of annoyance that this stranger would intrude upon my quiet sanctuary. I lifted my chin higher not giving him what he demanded of me.
I could see that he was confused by my presence. A slight frown had formed on his square face, clearly assessing me and our surroundings. I knew what he saw. A small single bedroom cottage that looked more abandoned than occupied. A small vegetable garden just outside the front door. The faded white fence had seen years of rain and sun and had begun to fade. Bits of fence railings were scattered around. He was probably wondering why a young woman was alone in the woods in a house that looked like it was going to collapse on her at any moment.
All this was by design. The Forest Light Harem had placed the glamours on my surroundings. It kept away most wandering eyes. They would see an abandoned little cottage that was one stiff breeze away from falling down and would avoid it. As long as I was in it's borders I was hidden too, the combination of the glamor and the scent suppressing potion the witches made me, made it nearly impossible to find by passing wolves. It hadn't worked this time though. He had snuck up behind me while I tended the garden and demanded to know who I was.
"Who are you?" He said again taking a step toward me. This time I did take a step back. A flash of unease ran up my spine. I had my own questions starting to form, starting with "how in the hell did he see through the glamours?" I knew they were still in place. I could feel their reassuring hum, like warm sunshine on my skin and smell fresh fallen rain that was indicative of Maggie's magic. My savior. My protector.
My silence was clearly frustrating the werwolf. He ran a hand through is jet black hair and let out an inpatient growl. "Listen," he began "I am not here to hurt you, but imagine my surprise while I'm on a run in a seemingly abandoned forest and I sense witch magic and then stumble upon a lone wolf" He looked accusingly at me. "This is my cousins territory, and this magic is strong. If you are planning something...." he let the threat linger. My imagination needed no help filling in those blanks.
"SO, I am asking one more time, WHO are you?".
He threat worked where his presence did not. I was left with two choices, tell him my 'name' and hope he would move on, or remain mute and risk being removed from my home and subjected to Goddess only knows what.
"I'm no one," I replied, "I aid the witches in their meals and chores, just a lowly maid" I cast my eyes down hoping to adopt a convincing subservient attitude. It was difficult with my heart thundering in my chest and my legs wishing to run. But I willed myself to remain still. I peaked through my lashes to see how he took this piece of news.
Not well.
He growled in frustration, running his hand through his hair again, "a nervous tick?" I thought. Moving his hands from his hair to his face he looked like a man on his last thread of patience.
"You are lying, your heart rate increased, your cheeks turned red and" he leaned in closer, emphasizing the fact that he is in fact a dangerous predator "I can smell it on you"
Who in the actual fuck was this guy!?
I straightened and looked at him through narrowed eyes, making my own assessment of the stranger. He clearly wasn't going away without a name, and he had abilities far more superior than a regular werwolf had, including the Alpha's I had known in a previous life.
'Fine a name, if it's a name you want , then a name I will give' I thought with defiance. I opened my mouth to give my customary lie, one that I had used so often, it was not a lie anymore. 'My name is Julie Andrews' but the words didn't come.
Instead I was halted by a voice. One that only lived in my memories now. 'Tell him the truth ' I heard my dead wolf, Kayia, say. And the wall around my heart shattered.
Perhaps it was the pain of missing her. Perhaps it was the deep loneliness that haunted my days and nights. Or perhaps dead or not Kayia was the only thing I could trust in this world.
I faced the stranger and squared my shoulders, looking him dead I'm the eye. I could see the surprise of my directness on his face. I felt a rush of satisfaction at unnerving him.
" My name," I spoke clearly and with force, my words seemingly to ring through the forest like a war cry "is Destiny Starfrost, Princess and sole survivor of the Artic Moon pack".
The stranger looked at me, mouth ajar as my words quieted the forest. The truth that the witches and I had gone to great lengths at hiding laid bare at this Alpha's feet. I waited for his response not shifting my gaze away from his stare, matching him in his power and challenging him to call me a liar once more.
"But," he stammered, clearly in shock, "You're dead"