Chapter 3 Cornered

• Even as I thought it I looked up and saw him crossing the camp purposefully toward us as though summoned by our thoughts.
• He has a tendency to do that.
• Marta lifted the hood of her cloak and dropped to a knee in deference as the elders of the pack were expected to.
• Well I'm not expected to. I leapt to my feet instead. Sending the wooden cup containing my tea sloshing to the ground near the fire. And turned to bolt but as fast as he was notorious for, he was at my elbow.
• "Where are you going, Lyra Lani?"
• "I-I..."
• He tilted his head and gave me a waiting look.
• A wave of power washed over me. It reminded me of exactly why he was alpha. His strength, speed and magic were well-known. I suspected it was why we had so few challengers dare to arrive at our walls.
• He was definitely a force to reckon with.
• I didn't want to reckon with him at all.
• His sheer size was enough to disconcert me. Though far from massive, he was tall and lean and somehow still more imposing then men far bigger.
• I looked up high enough my chin nearly had to rest against his chest to see his face looking down at him. I mustered my courage and muttered. "To my hut."
• "Good. I'll walk you."
• "No! I don't need-I don't."
• "I'm going to." He cut me off. His tone hardening into the decisive voice of an alpha.
• I swallowed and my gaze fell.
• "Don't look at the ground." He said. "It makes you seem weak. Never the ground."
• He's right. I lifted my head and squared my chin to stare ahead.
• "In a pack of all predators, you can't look like prey." He said sideways as he walked next to me. Still cradling my elbow in a way that may've seemed gentlemanly in a different place or time.
• But he's keeping ahold of me so I can't run from him.
• Because I often did. And I knew he was razor sharp and knew it.
• He misses nothing. Damn him.
• He was still talking and I refocused on his voice. "If you act like prey, you'll become it..." He lifted my arm slightly to help me take the step onto my stoop before he pulled me around to face him. "And I only want you to be my prey."
• "Draven..."
• He tilted his head up in interest. Looking haughtily down his nose as if daring me to tell him 'no'. "Yes, Lyra Lani?"
• "Why me?"
• "Because you're destined for it. You're the only female in this pack that has the potential and strength for it. And conveniently, you're the only one I want."
• ***
• I swallowed hard and took a slow sliding step back toward my door. Cracking it open with my handle. As though I was in the eyes of a predator and knew that fleeing too fast would only force a pursuit.
• But as my back eased between the crack and the door he stepped forward to catch the edge of the door in one fist and slap a palm to the door frame on the other side of me. "You know running from me is a waste of time."
• "Because I'll have to give in?" My voice cracked with my nervousness. He smelled like trees and all things wild. And his skin was hot, even just this close. His brown eyes had flecked with yellow as his animal was surfacing in even this small display of domination.
• "No." He said flatly. "Because I can run you down. And no matter where you hide, I'll find you."
• "Draven..." I wanted to tell him no or to ask him to leave.
• He tilted his head sideways and looked at me with those dark flecked eyes. "Don't test me Lyra Lani. I've given you reprieve enough years. This year you're mine."