Fated To The Reluctant Alpha

Elisa held Tilly close as they crawled to Cael, her tiny body trembling in Elisa's arms. Blood now seeped from underneath Cael, pooling dark and thick.

"Go! Take her and get out of here!" Cael's voice was rough, heavy with command, even as his breaths grew strained.

"I'll heal, but it may take a while," Cael whispered, his voice faltering. "The bullet went straight through and out my back but didn't hit anything vital." He coughed, a wet, rasping sound, and blood splattered his lips. "Go… get out. Someone may have heard the noise and gunshot, they'll may have called for backup. I don't want them to meet you here."

Elisa ignored Cael's protests. She wasn't leaving him behind.

"Follow me very closely, sweetie," Elisa whispered to Tilly as she set her gently on her feet. She kept her voice steady, trying to mask her fear.

Cael weakly pushed at Elisa's hands, but his strength was fading. Elisa hauled him up, arm slung over her shoulder. The weight was almost too much, but adrenaline gave her an edge.

As they stumbled outside into the blinding sunlight, Elisa's eyes darted around, searching for any sign of a way out. Her heart raced when she spotted a car fob and keys dangling from the pocket of one of the fallen guards.

Quickly, Elisa crouched to retrieve the fob, clicking it in every direction until a car beeped nearby. Relief flooded her as she ran to it, placing Tilly in the passenger seat and fastening her seatbelt. Then she reversed the car to the warehouse doors, parking as close as she could.

Grimacing, she eased Cael into the backseat, careful not to jostle his wound.

The drive was a blur. Elisa's knuckles turned white as she gripped the steering wheel, glancing back at Cael in the rearview mirror. His face was ashen, and his breathing was shallow, each rise and fall of his chest labored.

"Hang on," Elisa whispered, her voice trembling. "Please… just hang on."

Finally, they reached Elisa's small downtown apartment. The area was deserted, the worn buildings a far cry from the bustling streets of the city center. Elisa thanked the stars for her ground-floor unit as she wrestled to get Cael inside.

The apartment was cramped and dim. Elisa laid Cael gently on the couch, her chest heaving as she stepped back, assessing the situation. Blood soaked through Cael's shirt.

"Hey, sweetie," Elisa said softly, kneeling to meet Tilly's wide, tearful eyes. "I want you to wait a little while I take care of the man who helped us."

Tilly nodded, her lip quivering, and gripped Elisa's shirt tightly.

Elisa kissed her forehead and gently nudged her toward the bed. "Why don't you cuddle with Tabby for a bit? She's probably worried about you."

Her face lit up slightly at the mention of her beloved stuffed cat. she ran to the bed lay down and picked held Tabby to her chest.

Elisa allowed herself a small, shaky smile before turning back to Cael. Grabbing the first-aid kit, she sat beside him, hands trembling as she cleaned the wound.

She laughed shakily, " in the end joining the Red Cross club in high school wasn't a waste uhn'' she thought to herself.

 When she finished, she sat down beside him on the couch, watching Cael's face. "Who are you, really?" Elisa murmured, brushing a stray lock of hair from Cael's damp forehead. This man had saved their life without a second thought, "Who just rushes in to help someone they don't know…''

Cael groaned softly, his head rolling to the side. Elisa's breath hitched. For a moment, she thought Cael's eyes fluttered open, but they remained shut.

Once the wound was bandaged, Elisa leaned back on the couch, wiping sweat from her brow. Her gaze lingered on Cael's face, taking in the sharp angles and the faint creases of pain etched into his expression.

Suddenly Cael's eyelids opened, his eyes were pitch black. Elisa pulled back in shock, as she moved to get up, Cael gripped her wrist then pulled her down. Cael lifted a hand, brushing his fingers along Eli's jaw. "You seem.... no smell different," he murmured, his voice thick with the rough edge of his wolf. His thumb grazed over Eli's cheek, trailing down her lower lip. Elisa breath hitched.

"You smell like...….Mine" he growled, Elisa felt a shiver run down her spine. Cael's hand moved, wrapping possessively around the back of her neck, pulling her closer as he lifted up from the couch to kiss her. 

The kiss was sent heat of arousal through their body; they both had never felt anything like this before. Elisa's hands that had lifted to push him away, gripped Cael's shirt, pulling him closer as Cael's mouth moved, his tongue pushing its way into her mouth tasting everywhere, intense and full of need. Elisa felt herself giving in completely.

Slowly withdrawing from the kiss, Cael worked his way along her jaw, to her throat, alternating between wet kisses, drags of his tongue and quick stinging bites, his hands, It felt so right. His taste, his smell, the way they melted into each other's arms.

 Cael reached the junction between his neck and shoulder and buried his nose there exhaled deep, then bit down firmly.

Eli jolted from the stupor the drunken kisses put her in, her father's warning rang loudly in her head. ''Never let any were bite you there until you are certain you love each other'' ready for what Eli never found out

 Pushing Cael hard she stood up quickly.

 "I don't… usually… what is this....feel this way," Eli stammered, running his hands through his hair. His mind was a wave of confusion, struggling to make sense of the sudden intensity between them.

Cael growled reaching for him.

''No! Get a hold of yourself'' Eli snapped at him moving out of his reach.

Cael tilted his head in confusion, ''Mate??....'' he asked in a low whimper

'' I'm not yours! What does that even mean….'' Elisa shouted her voice shaky. ''it's just because of blood loss, you are not in control, give him back control!'' she shouted at the wolf as he moved further from his reach.

Cael's wolf dark piercing eyes peered up at him then his eyes bleed back to its regular deep brown color, suddenly, face went slack, his breathing slowed and his eyes drifted shut as he slumped back, unconscious.

 Elisa's heart hammered as she stood looking down at him,

"Cael?" she called out.

But he just laid there unconscious.