CHAPTER 22

CHAPTER TWENTY TWO
"Why do you care so much about the whereabouts of my wolf?" Avyanna asked, her mind battling with a million thoughts that tried to decipher the rationale behind the Lycan king's concern for her missing inner wolf. She couldn't help but be shocked about his inquiries, so she began to wonder; "Could he be aware of my wolf's absence?"
Realizing that a worried look on her face was forming, she quickly pulled her lips to form a smile and breathed.
"I am just a curious ally."
"You know, I do like the sound of that. Allies." Avyanna looked away and led the path through the gardens at the pack house.
"Where is your wolf?" Baron inquired again, this time sharply with a hint of sternness in his tone.
"Don't you think, your curiosity is getting in the way of what could be a much more interesting conversation?" Avyanna asked.
"Why would a conversation about your wolf not be interesting?" Baron retorted, sounding concerned.
"You ask a lot of questions Mr. Ally." Avyanna kept the smile on her face so Baron would not sense deception, worry, anxiety or any expression that would give her up and put the truth on her face.
Avyanna knew so well that Baron was just fishing for answers and he had no idea that, for a fact, her wolf was missing. The only person she had told was her good friend, Gina. Knowing Gina on a deep and personal level, Avyanna could easily trust her confidential nature, so she believed that Gina kept the secret and had never mentioned a word of it to Baron. In light of that knowledge, a very relieved Avyanna made her smile more conspicuous and stopped walking to turn around and look at Baron.
"Why have you stopped walking?" Baron asked, not taking another step further.
"I want to see the look on your face. What is it I see?" Avyanna asked, peering into Baron's countenance, and at the same time, trying to decipher the thousand emotions on his face.
"Mere curiousity." Baron smiled.
"No there is something more to it." Avyanna stared deeper into his eyes.
Baron was slightly agitated that her piercing gaze lasting longer than it should have, would allow Avyanna sense the burning desire he nursed for her, so he expertly averted his gaze to the gardens aesthetics with a smirk and said, "If I didn't know any better, I would say that you are avoiding the question. What I can't quite figure out is why? What kind of wolf doesn't want to talk about their wolf?
"Hm." Avyanna turned around and took a slow step away from Baron. He had her and she knew. He was closing in on her secret, almost figuring her out and pulling down the smile that she put on her face.
"Isn't that the whole deal with wolves? Bragging about their wolves?" Baron went on, taking a step closer to her as she moved away.
Avyanna took another, trying to figure out the next thing to say. The conversation between the duo was a game of truth in which the winner would be who could conceal the truth the longest. The conversation was a game that Avyanna knew that she was losing.
"Talk to me. Where is your wolf Avyanna?" Baron held her arm gently to stop her from taking another step away from him.
She shrugged her arm away, turned around, and said, "Drop it."
"I'm sorry what was that?" Baron asked, looking at Avyanna' face that was devoid of her conspicuous sexy smile.
"I said, drop the question." She turned around and kept on walking, Baron trailing behind her.
"I sense ..."
"You sense nothing. You're just invading my privacy and asking about something that I obviously would rather not say. So, I ask you, Lycan king, politely, to please stop asking me about my wolf." She spoke gently, walking slowly, maintaining her pace to show how calm she was.
She didn't lose the game afterall.
"As you wish." Baron said calmly. "It is totally okay if you don't want to talk about it. I, better than anyone, should understand that. My bad for putting pressure on you."
"It's totally fine."
Avyanna was surprised at his immediate switch in character. His voice was calming and soothing to her. His aura spoke of but one aim; to protect her in that moment and ease whatever troubled her, and Avyanna sensed that aura.
As she escorted Baron through the gardens, she wondered how he would react if she ever told him the secret surrounding her wolf, and his reaction to her unbelievable story about her second chance at life.
'Would he even believe me?" She thought to herself, 'Would he think me a fool?'
Harboring such thoughts, Avyanna recognized how Baron was a major variable from her past life. She never knew him before the Moon goddess gave her a second chance at life but it felt like he was someone that she had known from lifetimes past. She couldn't quite put a pin on the absurd faint feeling of familiarity. The more she spent time with him, the more she thought about it.
Recognizing Baron's unique and obviously extraordinary presence in her life, she had a conviction, as strong as her jaw, that the Moon Goddess had brought him to her life for a purpose. He had a purpose to serve in her quest for victory over Nancy and he was going to fulfill that; not even a missing wolf could hinder that.
"I despise that Omega. What was she trying to accomplish by grovelling at my feet?" Baron said distastefully as he recalled the incident that had happened earlier that morning.
"That's just bitch-ass Nancy."
"Oh dear. Language my dear Luna. This omega seems to really annoy you more than she does me."
"I would squeeze the life out of her if I could without hesitation."
“‘If you could'? Why can't you?" Baron asked curiously.
"I need to be strategic if I want to do that." Avyanna replied, concealing the real truth from Baron.
"It's a good thing we are allies now. Strategic is how we Lycans operate."
"Are you certain? Lycans seem like ones to never take plans into consideration." Avyanna joked.
"You haven't met a lot of Lycans have you?" The duo giggled as they toured the gardens.
"I am grateful to you for considering this alliance." Avyanna turned to look at him, "I don't think I have shown it much, but I want you to know that I really am."
"Great." Baron smirked.
Avyanna's gaze was focused on Baron's so as she turned around to continue walking, she couldn't see the immovable rocky hump on the ground. Just as she turned, her toes made contact with the hump, instead of the ground, causing her to lose balance and almost fall to the ground.
Inches away from her body making impact with the ground, she felt her body suspend itself in midair. In the heat of the moment, she failed to notice the muscular arms around her waist that prevented her from falling until a few seconds had passed and she looked up to see Baron's face staring down at hers, his breath warming her lips.
He held her waist tightly as his groin made contact with her thighs. The short gown she wore had squeezed into his grip so her panties was visible and her laps were in the grasp of his left hand. Her breasts remained firm on her chest but jiggled as the gown failed to hold it in place. His lips were so close to hers; they could feel the heat from each other's breath seeking for a brief feeling of lust from each other's lips.
His eyes turned into a piercing yellow as his lips magnetically moved closer to her face. Her belly rumbled with the melodies of imaginary butterflies singing a live song in nervousness, anxiety, and lust as her lips magnetically moved closer to his.
Pure primal instinct was at play for the pair would have let their instincts take over them if a loud snarl did not interrupt them.
"What are you doing with my wife!?" Ericson thundered.