Episode 5

She just ignored me and continued walking.

I walked towards my black 4x4, a 200 Toyota Land Cruiser that stood like a titan of steel and rubber. This vehicle, a tall, sturdy SUV, was perfectly suited to face the region's extreme weather. Its huge wheels were designed to effortlessly traverse deep snow, while the high chassis prevented the vehicle from getting stuck in the most treacherous snowdrifts. The bodywork, coated in a cold and corrosion-resistant metal, gleamed under the pale sun, reflecting the light in a kaleidoscope of cold colors.

When I saw that she was still on her way to the bus stop, I accelerated, passing her, I made a 90 degree turn, stopping right in front of her with a loud screech of tires. She wasn't expecting it; I saw the surprise and fear in her eyes.

"Get in," I said in a cold, authoritative voice.

"Alpha Samuel, there is no need, I'll take the bus," she said in a low, trembling voice.

"I won't repeat myself," was all I said, my tone of voice making it clear that I was annoyed and that there was no room for negotiation.

She got into the passenger seat and closed the door with a little more force than necessary. A smile threatened to form in the corner of my lips. 'Come on puppy, a little more,' I thought to myself. But I erased any trace of a smile from my face, going back to my old self, when I then heard:

"I'm sorry Alpha, it won't happen again."

I wasn't sure if she was referring to her attempt to give my door a nitrogen boost. I decided to ignore her.

The road stretched out before us, with trees and brush on either side, and the sky was still tinged with a dark blue, as if the night didn't want to let go of its embrace. Kattie was quiet, staring out the window with an expression mixed with fear and determination. I knew I was about to cross a line, I'd already had too much during our breakfast, and that made me feel a strange mix of satisfaction and guilt.

"Are you going to take me all the way?" she finally asked, her voice barely a whisper.

Her tone was loaded with palpable fear, but also with a certain rebelliousness that barely peeked out, like a ray of sunshine in a storm.

"What if I do, pup? What are you going to do about it?" I replied, trying to keep my voice steady, though a slight tremor betrayed my intrigue.

This was the part of the game I enjoyed the most, but this time, something in her eyes told me I was on edge, a different edge; a breaking point and I didn't know if it was good or bad.

The road was empty, with no other vehicle in sight. The engine of my 4x4 roared beneath us, a kind of roar that seemed to resonate with the beating of my heart. The tension was palpable. The silence became heavy, until Kattie broke the ice with a question that took me by surprise:

"Why are you doing this, Alpha Samuel? Why don't you leave me alone?"

That question, simple and direct, left me speechless for a second. My wolf and I were in constant conflict, but that question... that question had a tone I had never heard before. It was as if, for a moment, Kattie wasn't being submissive, but confronting me with her true strength.

"I don't know," I finally said, trying to sound indifferent, though my voice sounded more vulnerable than I wanted to admit.

"Maybe because you are strong, and I like to see how you fight, how you defend yourself. I like to see the real you, not the one the pack has forced you to be." The words came out of my mouth before I could stop them, like a cataract that washes everything away in its path.

Her gaze locked with mine, and for a second, I thought I saw a flash of something I couldn't decipher. Was it sadness? Or perhaps something more dangerous, something that challenged me to go on?

Kattie said nothing, just went back to staring out the window, her body tense as a bow ready to be released. The route became lonelier, and the sound of the engine and the wind were the only things that broke the silence.

The school was in sight, and time seemed to slow down. I knew we were at the point of no return.

"Are you going to let me go, Alpha Samuel?" she asked, her voice a mixture of fear and determination.

I didn't answer right away. I was at a crossroads. My wolf howled within me, wishing that I would continue the game, that I would push her to the limit. But a part of me, that part that had been silent for so long, also felt something deeper, something that went beyond mere amusement.

I saw her put one foot on the ground, getting ready to get out of the car. Then something inside me clicked. I knew I had to go further, that I had to break through that shell that kept her captive.

"Get out," I said gravely, more seriously than usual.

I looked into her eyes, and for a second, I saw a spark of something I couldn't quite understand. It was a mixture of fear and fury, but also of a determination that made me realize that this time, the rules of the game were changing.

Kattie got out of the car, but before closing the door, she looked at me one last time, with a mixture of defiance and resignation.

"Don't forget it, Alpha Samuel. I have my limits too," she said, looking me in the eye, closing the door and walking away without looking back.

When she closed the door and walked away, I felt as if a part of me had changed forever. For some reason I felt no satisfaction at the look she gave me.

I watched her walk to school, and for the first time, I wondered if maybe, just maybe, what Kattie needed most was not a dominant alpha to help her break through her shell, maybe she needed a partner who would see her true self and help her break free from her own shadow. But that wasn't all, there was another question in my head: why does my wolf recoil at the mere thought of finding his mate?

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