Kira Thorne by Shia Naawl (book recommendations website txt) 📖

Chapter 1

Inhale. Exhale. Inhale. Exhale. My lungs heaved as I pushed my legs to keep jogging. The muscles in my legs and abdomen pumped and ached with abandon. I always hated the protest my body makes when it simply doesn’t want to do anything but sit, drink, eat and sleep. It was a good thing I’m stubborn.
My black and blue Nikes didn’t make a sound as I ran on the damp soil in Epping forest. I wore a blue sweater that was zipped all the way up till it reached just above my breasts and the leggings that hugged my caramel skin sheltered me from the coolness of the morning. I followed the irregular paths that were made by old footsteps and wheels. My arms followed the same movement of my right arm that swung forward as my left arm swung back. The trees around me were uneven and their trunks thin. The crisp leaves that laid at every available space possible. I inhaled the wetness and dampness of the trees, leaves and ground around me from the rain. I’ve always loved mornings like this; the air mingled with basic earthy nature. No pollution. What you see is what you smell. It was also the fact that this is where my She-Wolf is at her calmest and since we’re sort of the same person, our emotions are usually on the same page.
I changed my path and decided to go through the tall trees that were widely spaced out, slowly losing myself in the freeness of running. The muscles that protested and ached muted and I knew that it was easy sailing from here –like my body decided to go with it instead of going against me. Finally. I let my Wolf hug me like second skin. I felt my eyes burn into yellow-ish amber. I held tightly to my human. I didn’t want to change, not yet. My Wolf stirred sulkily. She wanted out but right now, I needed to feel human –or at least pretend I was. I ran towards the trees that were close together and used my left foot as anchor, as I pushed off into the other tree. In quick motion, I bounced off from tree to tree –using my feet as anchor to push my body to move. Once I landed on the earth, I switched paths again.

The tree ahead of me was old and its trunk thick. The branches surrounding the tree were thick also but it arched with strain till the tips feathered the leaves on the ground. The branches spiralled up till it reached the top. I didn’t hesitate to leap onto the first branch and used the momentum to run up the spiral till the top. I finally let my body stop and as I rested, I leaned my back against its trunk and sat with my right leg swing freely. I forced myself to inhale air through my nose to stop my heart rate going up. I always hated the ending of any run I do. The relentless ache of muscle alarms you of its exhaustion and it was enough of it for me to shake just a little. Resting my forehead on my left knee, I started to search my Alpha. The mental bond between Alpha and the Pack. It was like invisible tiny threads connecting each of us but with the Alpha as the heart of all connection. Through him, we were able to communicate between any pack members. Handy isn’t it?

Searching for the heart itself, I felt him awake and near me. I couldn’t feel no other guards with him. Damn it. What the hell happened to them? Guarding the Alpha was the most important job you could do in the pack. Did Erik command them to go? I let out an annoyed grunt. Of course he did. Typical Erik. Erik hated guards. His point was that if he could defeat all other dominant males before him, he could damn well defeat anyone else if they’re stupid enough to go against him. My point was that everyone can get lucky. Erik is too much of an importance to not have guards. But no. He’s stubborn but I was a dominant. I could easily ignore his command. And when it came to his safety, I ignored Erik. He was the heart. He was Alpha.

I leapt off the tree and started running towards Erik’s direction.

So many things could happen to him. Ambushed. Murdered. Killed. Injured. Those possible outcomes alone made me run faster towards him. It was a good thing having a connection with Alpha and Pack because when we are connected, they act like a mini map in your head and if you want to find someone, you instantly know where they are. Erik was our Alpha, father-figure, mentor, protector and strength. If he was killed all of the Pack would feel the pain of the disconnection.

Ahead of me, I saw a figure that radiated masculine power. My alpha. He had brown waves and his tanned skin was darker than my light caramel skin by only just a little. The length of his hair reached to his shoulder-blades. His muscles were bulky but not so much that it made him look unappealing and added with his 6ft 8 height; you have your Alpha looking muscularly beautiful. His face was sharp and angular. He had a straight nose and his cheekbones only emphasized he was very much masculine.

‘Are you just going to stand there looking at me, Kira?’ Erik asked amusingly even though his back was turned to me. His voice was deep but held security and power.

I was back to being annoyed at that fact that he knew and even more annoyed at the fact that I just stood there and looked at him in the first place. He was centuries older than me and I was just seventeen. A crush. Now I knew I stooped the new low.

‘Where is your bodyguard? He is supposed to be with you everywhere Erik.’ I said in a firm voice.

‘Can’t an Alpha walk through his own forest alone instead of having his bodyguards follow him everywhere?’ Erik asked.

‘What if you get ambushed? What if someone was trying to kill you and the blow was fatal? You need your bodyguards.’

‘I am strong enough to defeat them Kira. And my bodyguard is here. I knew you were running so I kept close to you before I get on your bad side. See? I’m considerate of where to go.’

‘You should’ve called me. I can’t bodyguard if I don’t know where the body is to guard.’

This time he turned around. I saw his eyes soften and he smiled showing his dimples and teeth. He looked wolfish even.

‘I didn’t need to call you. You would be here regardless.’ He paused. ‘You are only seventeen and you fight like a grown man.’ Erik paused before he continued. ‘You are not indebted to me, Kira.’

This time I broke eye contact with him. I felt my body tensed and my jaws clenched. I softly said ‘Yes I am. If it weren’t for you, I would’ve…’ I trailed off because I wasn’t able to say it and that just bothered me more. I looked up and met his gaze. ‘I would’ve still been in that shithole.’

That was only reason why I stayed in the Pack and not become a Lone Wolf. No matter what Erik said, there will always be a debt and I don’t have it in me to walk away from this kind of debt. So here I am.

‘What happen to you so young was unfortunate but me seeing those eyes that matured beyond your age? It pains me.’ He said softly.

My face hardened against him. I felt my eyes bore into him more. Anger shook me hard as I tried to regain control of it. My Wolf screamed with displeasure. I didn’t like it. Not one bit.

‘Never pity me. I hate pity. What’s done is done; there is nothing more, nothing less.’ I said in a cold voice.

‘Be at ease. I wasn’t trying to anger you.’ He said gently. He sent me a wave of warmth and reassurance to me. I felt both the Pack and Alpha. I felt them howling for me in rejoice as I joined the pack. I instantly relaxed without invitation.

He unconsciously brought his hand to touch my arm in comfort. Werewolves need touch when they seek comfort but I was different. I learned to be aware of each touch that came in contact with me. I tensed when his hand touched my skin. I didn’t look away from his hand. I didn’t as much as move. My heartbeat slowed at an impossible rate and my Wolf was stilled. She and I were waiting like predators ready to pounce. We didn’t like being touched. Being touched makes you on the floor helpless and bloody as you were beaten raw. Erik sensed my distress and slowly let go of my arm.

‘You need help, Kira.’ Erik said quietly.

I shook my head at once. I didn’t need help. I didn’t want anyone to know what I’ve been through. I didn’t want a therapist. Through harsh reality, you don’t lean on anyone but yourself. Trust is a fairytale to those who are ignorant. I wasn’t.

‘If you were beaten raw into submission, would you ever let anyone touch you?’ I asked softly.

He thought about it for quite a while and the silence grew at my question. ‘No. I wouldn’t.’

‘I still have bones in my closet Erik. I’m not going to lie but I will figure it out myself.’ I said.

‘You are dangerous to the Pack, Kira. If one so much as brushes against you, you snap and let your wolf lose control.’

I smiled then. ‘They have learnt to stay away from me.’

‘You cannot let your past dictate you.’

‘The past made me who I am. I don’t regret what has happened. Shit happens Erik.’ It was true. I didn’t feel hatred for my past but accepted the injustice that came with it. It made me who I was today and defined me a little bit more. How can I hate something that made me strong and brave?

‘What happened to you was inexcusable.’

‘He is dead. There isn’t a better punishment than death.’ I reasoned. It was true. Death outweighs anything you have done in that past moment.

That was when I heard a twig snap. Immediately, my senses kicked in. I instantly positioned my body in front of Erik. I scanned the open-spaced area. I stood tall and my muscles tensed. I felt Erik annoyed at the fact of what I did but he didn’t object. As Alpha, he needed bodyguards. I was one of them, not a damsel in distress. The trees were close together and where Erik and I stood was in a ditch and the only escape was the way we came in. Logs and trees were around us. I looked at the higher land. I saw fast movements but not in a way I could see who it was. I inhaled the lingering scent. It was a werewolf. One of us. I didn’t take my chances, so I stood still and waited for him to come to me.

My body was motionless as my muscles were clenching. I coaxed my Wolf to come to me. I