Have you ever felt like you are in the brink of death, when you are the prey and the predator is in front of you weighing its options on how to attack you and chew you into smithereens? But hey, that is exactly what I am feeling right now as Kendrick looms over me.

“What is your problem?” He asked. Clearly, he’s pissed with what I have done.

The look in his eyes made me swallowed hard. “Uhm,” And damn, where’s my tongue now? “I-I Just-“

“What?” He snapped.

“I’m sorry!” I exclaimed and took all my strength to run as fast as I could away from him.

Damn you Allen! I castigated myself. Well, there’s no stopping now.

He was angry. Well, who wouldn’t? That stone hurts. He ran a hand on his head where the stone hit and he winced when he touched the throbbing part.

“Damn.” He cursed.

Yet, no matter how hard he tried to stay furious, he cannot do it. He watched Allen ran away and he cannot suppress the smile forming in his lips.

Upon realizing what he is doing, he frowned at himself. “F*ck!” He cursed yet again.

He turned and went inside the pack house, straight to his quarters. However, his feet brought him to the windows and his eyes followed the trail Allen took. He shook his head upon realizing what he’s doing. He knew that it isn’t going to do him good. Especially now that something is going on in his body.

He took off his shirt and faced in front of the mirror. What started like a small mark has now spread on his chest. He knew that in a matter of days, this black mark will be all over his body.

He didn’t know where he got this. But he know for sure that it isn’t good news.

He slumped on the bed and stared at the ceiling. He needs to clear his mind. Well, he did. When he was riding his bike, he got the chance to but when he came back and smell the scent he doesn’t want to, the unsettling feeling came back as well. And now his mind is fuzzy yet again.

It all started when he first met Allen. The way he called him Raven annoyed him so much. And the first time he touched him had awaken something in him that he doesn’t know what. And it annoys him even more.

It even got worse when Allen got into his pack. The scent of him lingering all over the place seems to get under his skin. And he is sick of it.

However, the other night was a different story. To see Allen limp and unresponsive scared the hell out of him. He was never scared that way before. And now he’s worried that this might take him into something he despise the most.

He took a deep breath.

“I have to get rid of this.” He muttered and forced himself to sleep.

“What happened to you?” Loraine asked as she approached me.

I slumped in the ground and took the liberty of leaning my back against the tree behind me. “I ran from Kendrick.”

Her eyebrows twitched. “You ran from Kendrick.” She stated back. “Why?”

“Well…” I told her the story.

And she laughed so hard. “You threw a stone on Kendrick? Now I’m so proud of you.” She exclaimed. “You know you’re the very first one to do that to him or maybe you will be the only one.”

She sat beside me. “Nobody messes with Kendrick. Hell, everyone knows how furious he could get when he’s pissed.”

“Yeah, that’s my problem now. I just wanted to have my gratitude but my douche brain wasn’t thinking and now here I am.” I face palmed. “I don’t know how I’m going to face him now. I might take a week off from the pack house.” I sighed.

Loraine chuckled and patted my back. “Don’t worry though. Kendrick will cool off eventually. Just don’t do anything that would add fuel to the fire. Anyway, he’s a good person if you really know him.”

“That’s the thing, I really want to get to know him but he is shutting me off. Not that he does that literally but at least his demeanor. He is so intimidating.” I sighed.

“Well, he’s an alpha, what do you expect?” She said.

I looked at her. “You’re an alpha too, right? How come you don’t seem to be intimidating for me?” I asked.

“It’s because I chose not to. And besides, you’re not under my pack.” She said.

“Is that how it works?”

“Technically, yes.”

“So I’m going to be intimidated by Kendrick forever.” I slumped my shoulders. “Great.”

Then she turned silent. And it seemed so unlikely for her to be silent. I looked at her and she was staring at me too. “What?” I asked.

“Aren’t you supposed to be in bed?”

“Well, not really.” I said, unsure of what to say.

“I heard what happened to you. And are you sure you are feeling well?” She checked into me.

I rolled my eyes. “Yes I am, except for the Kendrick incident, I’m fine.” I groaned.

She even checked my eyes. And she gasped. “What happened to your eyes?”

“Some kind of mutation I guess?”

She looked at me, demanding an answer.

“Ugh, don’t ask because I don’t know.”

“Fine then.” She said.

“But what am I going to do with Kendrick?”

“It’s better to talk to him.”

“The last time I tried, this happened.”

“I mean, do it when he’s in a good mood.” She said. “You know, I suggest you get to know him better. Observe him and you’ll sure find out that he’s not that bad ass as you think he is.” She winked.

“I don’t know if that’s a good idea.”

“Just try.” She pressed.

“Okay fine.” I muttered although I really am not sure if that’s going to work.

“Start in the pup grounds, you’ll spot him there now.” She said.

“How do you know?” I asked.

“Well, for your information Allen. I have known Kendrick all my life and I have lived here all my life so I know.” She said.

“Right.” I stood.

“Good luck.” She winked.

“What? You’re not coming?” I asked.

“Nope. It’s time for you to stand on your own.”

“Oh, come on.” I rolled my eyes. And when I saw her put her hands on his waist, I know I had to do it. “Fine.’ I sighed.

Why did I agree to this anyway? If there’s one thing I have to do now, that is to stay away from him as much as possible but I’m doing the opposite. Ugh, Loraine.

As I made my way to the grounds, the afternoon air worked its magic to calm my nerves. But in the middle of the track, I froze. I cannot be mistaken, the scent lingering around the premises is Kendrick’s. As if on cue, my heart beats went erratic. And deep inside me, I seemed to be exultant.

I sighed. Why do I get this feeling when I get near him? It's kind of disturbing.

I looked around and I heard the laughter of children.

“I’m next Ken-Ken.” I heard one of the children.

"Can you do that to me too? Please, please."

"Alright." He chuckled.

I concealed myself behind a thick bush and watched Kendrick play with them. He was wearing a bearskin robe, just like my father gave me. And he was laughing as well as he took one child and tossed up in the air and catch it again.

The children were all around him, yearning to be the next.

“Oops, Tyke, you’re already done.” He chuckled and messed the hair of the child who giggled at his touch.

And the sight of him doing this somehow is comforting. Way better than the cold afternoon air. I can’t help but smile.

And to see him laugh as carefree as those children made it hard to believe that he was the Kendrick who scared me just a moment ago.

Loraine and Drake were right. He has goodness in him.

And that fact seemed to affect me so much. I feel so light headed. Then all of a sudden, I felt something. The more I looked at him, the more I wanted to get closer and ran my hands over his thick, messy hair. The more I inhale his intoxicating scent, the more I wanted to stick close to him and feel his skin against mine. The more he smiles I wonder how it would be if those smiles were for me, if those mirthful eyes were staring on me? I wonder how it would feel to be touched by his hands, to feel its warmth over me.

I shook my head.

What did I just do?

Goodness! What am I thinking? This is definitely a terrible idea. I have to get out of here before it gets worse.

Get a hold of yourself Allen. You are prohibited to lay your eyes in him, even for a second! I told myself.

"Okay that's enough for today guys. Go home and wash yourselves. You stink already." I heard him said to the bunch of children.

"But we still want to play."

"I promise we'll play tomorrow. Okay?"

"Okay."

"Good boy."

And my scumbag eyes drifted into him. And to my surprise, he was staring straight back at me!

I immediately ducked. Did he see me?

There was a bush right? There's no way he could see me through it. Besides, he wasn't using his wolf vision or was he?

Oh god.

I crawled from my position towards a nearby tree. It was large enough to conceal me.

I tried to peek then I realized he wasn't there anymore. And I heaved out a sigh of relief and slumped against the tree.

I won’t be able to explain myself if he catches me…stalking.

I was about to stand when suddenly I began to feel tingling sensation in my chest. It wasn’t emotion, it’s more like physical sensation. And it slowly spreads out. I tried to run a hand over it expecting that it would go off but it spreads even further.

However, as surprising as it was, it felt good. I run my hand on my chest once again, the sensation that was there a moment ago seemed to linger there for good. And it felt great.

I feel serene and contented.

I don’t know what has gotten into me but this might be the sensation of getting high. Maybe. Because I definitely don’t have an idea of what it would feel like.

But the familiar sensation came back, and this time, it wasn’t on my chest but on the base of my forearms. And to my horror, I saw tiny white spots that shimmers. The spots seemed to be the cause of the tingling sensation.

For a moment, I don’t know what to do but to stare at it hopelessly with no idea of what’s happening. And then, the spots began to move towards my hands, leaving sparkling, silvery trails. But then I realized that the trails seemed to have formed a floral graffiti along my forearms with my hands having the largest curves and most complicated pattern.

If this was just an art in a canvas, I would admire it but to see it in my hands, glittering, I can’t help but freak out.

I shook my hands hoping to get the trails of glittering graffiti-like off but the effort is futile. The air around it seemed to glimmer as well as I shake my hands off.

I peeked at my chest and saw the same glittering, silvery trails but with more complicated patterns. Unlike what I have in my hands, the patterns that I have in my chest seemed to fade for a moment and then it reappears again. It’s more like it’s in harmony with my heartbeats.

The realization freaked me out even more.

“Oh god, what is happening with me? First, the hair, then the eyes and then this.” I muttered.

No matter how hard I try to calm myself, I just can’t. Do I have some sort of disease?

The rush of negative thoughts didn’t help and the accidental touch to dead tree trunk made it even worse. What was once a dried, rotting trunk came back to life with no sign that it was dead just a moment ago.

I stared at my hands then keep them close to myself, fearing that I might do something that will not do anything good.

I have to speak to the alpha.