His Match

Chapter Fourteen

Ashton's Point of View

After our encounter in the forest, I couldn't stop thinking about her. I was so angry with myself that I couldn't take control of my wolf, but in a way I was glad. My wolf was overjoyed that he was able to spend time with her's. As I approached the house I could only smell a faint scent of her. Immediately, I could feel my wolf trying to surface so that he could search for his mate. Pushing him to the back of our shared soul, I jogged a bit and tried to see if I could smell her anywhere.

An enjoyable scent tingled my nostrils, and though very faint, forced me to follow. I became closer and closer, the scent becoming more and more entrancing. My head turned when I heard a female scream at the edge of our territory. My wolf was growling, using all his might to surface, but I pushed him even further back. I ran, a bit faster than I would've yesterday, and tracked Harley down using her scent.

Another scream ripped through the forest, and at this point my wolf was flooding my mind with ferocious growls. However, I wanted to do this on my own so I used all my might to be the dominate one in the moment. I sprinted, desperately trying to find her. As I ran, a bit of chestnut hair stood out in the green trees. I slowly stepped backwards and saw Harley's back. My heart dropped as I picked up the scent of another.

"Harley," I whispered. She turned around and stared at me. I ran to her and embraced her tightly, taking in her enchanting aroma. "I'm so glad you're okay." Harley struggled under my hold and tried to escape. This led to me holding her even tighter.

"Let go of me!" Harley cried out as she pushed against me. Finally, I let her go and her face contorted into one of confusion. "What are you doing here?" She asked, slightly still annoyed that I hugged her.

My heart rate began to steady, "I saw you weren't at home and came to look for you. Then I heard screams and I thought you were in danger."

"The screams you heard," she started and turned around, "were from her, not me." Harley pointed at a girl who was sprawled across the forest floor. She had a large wound across her cheek and her arm was positioned in an unnatural way. "Now before you ask, she is not dead," I nodded slightly, confused with the whole situation, "only unconscious. She'll wake up in a few hours."

"How did you find her? Who is she?" Questions began to flow freely from my lips, but she quickly cut me off with the wave of her hand.

She inhaled sharply, as if preparing herself to recite a speech. "Long story short," Harley responded, "I got a bit lost and I ended up on the opposite side of where I wanted to be. Trying to take in scents, I really wasn't paying attention to my surroundings. Then, out of the middle of nowhere she lunged out at me and started to attack." I growled lowly and she rolled her eyes. "Calm down tiger, she didn't get to me."

"It seems she's part of the rebellion," I stated. The rebellion wanted to end the idea of packs and hierarchy. They believed that everyone should be equal and lawless. In truth, that wouldn't work. Wolves are dangerous creatures by nature, and our wolves would certainly be able to surface without much of a fight from their human counterparts.

"How do you know?" Harley questioned.

I stepped towards the female and crouched down to the ground. Brushing a bit of her blonde hair, I exposed her neck which was ornamented with an intricate tattoo. "That's the sign of the rebellion. It's like a logo," I explained, "all members have one on the leftmost side of their neck. Some of the more powerful members have their's shielded. You can only see it if they are weakened or wounded." She nodded, taking in the information. "We better get going," I looked up at the setting sun, "before it's dark." I lifted the unconscious rebel and held her, prepared to take her in for questioning.

With me leading us in the right direction, we quickly made it back to my lands. I told Harley to go home so that I could bring the new prisoner to the cells. "Where'd you find this one?" Louis, my second asked staring at her. He picked her up from my arms and gently placed her onto one of the beds in the closed cell to the right of us.

"Just at the edge of the lands. Harley said she attacked her, but she was able to fight back," I explained as I shut the gate of the cell and securely locked it.

Louis looked at me and flicked up an eyebrow, "Harley did that?" He asked, typing a bit on the large computer. "That's a pretty significant wound. She'd do well fighting with us."

I slammed my hand down on the desk that Louis was typing at and growled, "She will not fight!"

Louis, a bit startled, looked up from the computer and then laughed, shaking his head. "Man, you are so whipped."

"I am not 'whipped,' and do not call me 'man' Louis," I warned, keeping a stern look.

He laughed quietly again, "Whatever you say." I sighed, slightly annoyed. Heading towards the door, Louis called, "Close the door before you leave lover boy."

"You should be glad, I'm choosing to ignore that Louis," I said as I shut the door of the prison behind me. I promptly began to speed walk home to check on Harley. My hands reached into my pocket and fished for my keys. I unlocked the door and pushed it open, making sure to lock it behind me.

When I opened the door, I saw Harley sitting on the couch watching a movie. She looked so effortlessly beautiful, with her hair in a low bun and still wearing the dress she retrieved from the forest clothing boxes. My mind was in such a jumble ever since earlier today. "Hey Ashton?" Harley called to me.

"Yes?" I responded, suddenly a bit nervous. Step by step, I got closer to her and rested my hands on the couch.

"Why were you so 'lovey dovey' today?" She asked, testing me.

I pondered an answer, "My wolf took over. Your's did too earlier today. Plus, I was just acting for the crowd. I don't even know what you mean by 'lovey dovey' anyway," I began to mumble on and on.

She shook her head and returned her gaze to the television, "Whatever you say Sally Sunshine." I sighed, surprisingly happy with her teasing, I walked towards the hallway leading to the stairs. I offered her a 'good night' and she grumbled something I couldn't hear.

"What the hell is going on with me?" I groaned, rubbing my temples as I rushed up the stairs to my room. Shutting the door quietly, I jumped onto my bed and shut my eyes, confused with the day.