ALL NOVEL Chapter 371: The first run
After convincing Nate to leave without checking the quarters, Samantha's life changed. She had no clue what had happened, but the wolves in the pack started greeting her with nods, waving hands, or even a few polite words.
That wasn't all that surprising, by the way. She was expecting to be accepted a little more after sending away two Alphas. Not in such a great measure, but she was expecting a change.
What was astounding was how she didn't mind being greeted so often. She felt happy to be recognised and would return every gesture. She smiled at everyone and received smiles from them.
Seeing his mate accepting the pack - even though still subconsciously - made Renato's mood wavering. He couldn't decide whether it was a good or a bad thing. Also, so close to the Bright Moon...
«Hey, do you want to run together?» he asked, getting his heart ready for a harsh rejection.
He couldn't just let her attention be stolen by everyone else. He would bring her away if she accepted. If not, he would spend the night in the corner of his room, whining and asking for forgiveness. He still had to earn that from her.
Their issues hadn't been solved. Just, they had pushed them to the side in the name of survival. It was a difficult period, and dealing with the betrayal of one's mate was too much even for Samantha.
«Run?» she asked. «Sure.»
Just like that, he won the chance he was praying for. Running together was among the most intimate moments mates could share. They would see each other as humans and as wolves, and they could understand their link more in depth. They could feel whether their souls were compatible and if they could have a life together. Read new chapters at m_v-l'e|m,p| y- r
It wasn't all that relevant for Samantha and Renato: they already knew they were mates. Yet, knowing it and feeling the ancient call was a different matter. They would accept or refuse the link among them, and they would be able to set their boundaries.
«Here?» she asked, looking around. Mayford headquarters were surrounded by a forest. It was the perfect place to live for a pack of wolves. It wasn't too far from the city; it could be reached by public transport. However, the trees provided enough privacy and a place to run when needed.
Still, Samantha didn't want to turn there. Not with everyone potentially looking and paying attention. Unluckily, she was at the centre of everyone's attention lately.
«No, not here. There's a nice place not far from here. We can go by bike,» Renato said.
«Oh, I see. This is Mister Rider's return.»
«Don't make fun of me yet,» he complained. «I'm serious!»
«I might be serious, too; who knows?»
«If you want to come with me, there's this place no one else knows. I've gone there quite a few times, and there has never been anyone.»
«Your secret place?»
«Not really a secret... I guess, the others are too lazy to get out of the pack territory.»
«And are you sure you want to run with me, Renato? You won't be able to go back once we recognise each other in wolf shape. Aren't you afraid?»
«Afraid of what?» he said. «I don't have any choice even now. There's no going back for me. I'm yours, and that is final.»
Samantha rolled her eyes, following him to the bikes.
«We can go with one,» he tried, but he read Samantha's objection on her face. «Or with both,» he added, giving up. He didn't need her to hug him so badly, after all. He could settle with spending the night with her, running in the woods and letting their nature do the rest.
After that night, he would know whether she would ever forgive him or not. He could make sure their link was there, still untouched, or it was slowly disappearing.
He had made her suffer too much, though. He was afraid of what he would discover. Asking Samantha was pointless since she didn't know what was going on with her.
«So, is it far?» Samantha asked, waking him up from his considerations.
«No, not really far. It's less than half an hour by bike.»
«And is there anything there?»
«Just the trees. It's nothing much; don't expect anything, okay?»
«Okay,» she said, biting her lower lip so as not to laugh. «Lead the way.»
«Don't be too slow, or I'll leave you behind,» he challenged her. Not that he was expecting her to be slow or back down. He knew her enough not to be such a fool.
However, he was dying to find out exactly how much she liked bikes. Enough to cross the speed limit and pull a stunt or two?
«Hey, you,» she said, but he was already turning the engine on. He sat on the saddle and left, leaving her in the dust.
He was serious! He was going to leave her behind if she was too slow.
«Just you wait,» she murmured, following him with just a few seconds of delay.
They raced in the streets, chasing each other like kids. It had been so long since the last time that Samantha's lips curled up in a wild grin. Her mood reached the stars, and it didn't change the whole time.
Chasing Renato was so fun! She had missed doing something as stupid as racing in the streets, and the Bright Moon was making her act even more fearless. She wanted to play, and he was giving her the chance to.
«Awesome,» she shouted in the wind.
It didn't last half an hour. Renato had lied: the place was closer than that. Or, most likely, they had driven too fast and reached there before planned.
Samantha got rid of the helmet while laughing out loud. She felt so alive, and that was just the beginning. She hadn't even started running yet.
It was going to be a night full of excitement, wasn't it? Moreover: with her mate. The first run was a moment most couples would treasure and remember forever.