And I feel so unsure and alone

Hoping to find myself in this new home

But you're not helping me again

And no one seems to understand.-me

That's Jordan's eyes when his wolf comes out. Heterochromia Iridium +Brandon Flowers, Deny My Love COMMENT AND VOTE

Korali's Pov.

I spent a couple of weeks in that house, reading books that I found and cooking, baking, and spending my time in the weeping willow. I was literally Rapunzel right now, although I could step a couple of feet away from the house.

I never saw the pack members in that time. I only saw three people; Jordan, Cailo, and Max. Max kept my spirits up by being around and I hardly, if ever, saw Jordan. I felt my wolf getting a little restless at the fact that her mate was unresponsive and away so much. But I tried to be positive, I tried to keep it at the fact that he's busy with his pack.

It was very unsettling how my mate acted towards me. No matter how much Max and Kaliko chalked it up to him being this way because it was new—something to me felt off. This wasn't normal. We weren't normal. Remaining positive was hard to do with someone who wouldn't even give you a too much of a glance.

When I got too bored to function I waited at the willow tree hoping that I wouldn't miss Jordan and that he would pass me on the way to the house. I was perched in the tree, a little higher up than usual, my body disclosed by the low hanging green leaves of the tree. I sat up listening peeping from the slight openings the wispy tree had.

The day was bright and sunny, it was 10 am and he had been out since five this morning. If this was a normal relationship—if that's what you would call it, then I could've thought he was cheating. But this was Jordan, he didn't seem like he would hide a thing like that. He didn't care enough. Plus, he said he wouldn't touch another woman, which I believed because he never gave a reason for me not to.

After about thirty minutes I saw the large figure of my mate storming through the open field of the land our home was on. I saw him pause for a minute, his piercing gaze scanning through the area for something unknown to me. Maybe he could smell me, but not know where I was coming from.

He looked beautiful; especially from this view. His long brown hair slightly curled at the ends were in his eyes and the sun was shining from the side of his nicely shaped face. His smooth tanned skin, his green eyes highlighting his face. His lips were full both bottom and top, although he had a bottom lip that looked like it'd be great to bite.

I shook my head and analyzed him more. He was wearing a light gray T-shirt, and a pair of black sweat pants, his feet were bare so I knew that he had come from something that required him shifting.

I could tell he was highly skilled and aware of his surroundings. There was only a slight crunch of the grass as he walked across it; he was very light on his feet. I noticed his eyes dart ever so slightly, and his jaw clenching.

He paused at the tree was in for a moment before turning his head and away and continuing to walk away.

When he was about to pass up the tree so I tried to get down only to lose my footing and fall out of the tree with a "oof." Jordan watch it happen and walked over to me slowly hoisting me up by the back of my shirt. It reminded me of a mother wolf holding her pup by the tuff of the fur.

"And she's clumsy," he muttered rolling his eyes. I huffed wiping my clothes off to get any dirt I accumulated off before looking up at him in the eyes.

"Uhm, hey. I haven't seen you in a while." I stuttered trying to make conversation. I felt like a 7th grader talking to her first crush. It was awkward and I didn't know what to say exactly.

"I've been busy," he replied heading towards the house. I followed him trying to keep up with the fast pace.

I tried to think good thoughts. He's not use to this Korali. You can't rush this upon him. He's come from a troubled background. I think.

I followed him into his office sitting at a chair in front of his desk while he sat behind it. He looked up at me looking mildly annoyed.

"I'm just trying to understand some things. That's all. I'll be out of your hair for a little while if you just answer a couple of questions." I tried. I needed to give and take what I could. Patience was never my virtue, but I would need to learn it for Jordan. We had to take this one step at a time. He grunted and I assumed that meant for me to continue.

I wracked my brain for some questions. Truthfully I didn't think I would get this far so I was shocked to say the least. I looked around the room we were in. It was a brown wooden room, various pictures of landscapes pasted on the walls. Nothing screamed lived in; or personal.

I thought back to when we first met and then when we were back in my room.

"What was with the whole feeling my chest thing?" I tried to keep his eye contact, but I couldn't because he blinked staring down at his wooden desk. Papers were scattered about it and he had pens place neatly on the sides.

"I wasn't trying to touch you inappropriately." He answered and for me it felt so proper. He talked as if this was a formal meeting with another Alpha or a school board or something. I wanted him to be comfortable with me. I wanted him to like me despite his obvious disdain for me.

"That's not what—you're my mate, I want you to touch me." I paused for a second awkwardly. His eyes flashed colors quickly and startled me. It was something that I would have to get use to. It was beautiful though. His outward appearance was basically flawless though. Then I turned go rephrase. "But yeah so uhm the heart thing?"

"I'm not suppose to have you. I was feeling to see if you were just a dream. Finding you has been incredibly difficult for me." What did he mean? Maybe it was different for him because he was actually looking for me. I wasn't sure.

"Max said something about it hurting?" It hurt the day before I met him but that was it, anything longer than that and I probably would have been paralyzed from the pain.

"It was a burn in my heart, sometimes, almost feeling dilapidating. My mind wouldn't rest until my wolf brought me here. It went on for a month before I found you." I gasped placing my hand on his arm that was leaning on the desk in front of him. I needed to touch him. My wolf needed some contact or she would go crazy and probably too hormonal.

The gentle shocks he elicited tingled my whole body and made me feel warm almost moan inducing. My heart sped up and I'm sure my eyes were dilated.

"Are your parents—" And that's where I fucked up. I barely got the sentence out before he ripped from my grip and left the room. I sighed and sat my head on the desk. I sighed, so much for getting him to open up. I needed to go slower with the questions; I needed to get to know the basics first before trying to learn anything too deep, which his parents obviously were for him.

But damn it if I wasn't curious. I was about 2 weeks into this pack and I still didn't even know the basics. I felt like I was in a *box with no imagination, while everyone ran freely around me. I could hear them, but I couldn't join them.

I stood up leaving the room to go back to my room. I was better off there than anywhere else. I picked up a book before plopping on my bed and turning the 3rd page. I got to at least page 40 before I heard a knock on my door.

Usually I would notice Jordan before he was this close because of his scent, but because this was his home, it was literally everywhere.

"You will be guarded whenever you need a run." He divulged in calm voice, his eyes slicing through me. I turned away from his gaze, not liking how harsh they seemed.

"What? Why?" I asked. In all honesty I was just glad that I would go a little further than the house. I was a little tired of being stuck here, although I wouldn't mind if I was at least with Jordan. But I didn't want to be guarded. Who wanted to hurt me on his land?

Well his pack didn't really like me. So never mind to that question.

"Don't worry about it." He didn't really want me to answer me but felt it was necessary to get me off of the subject, but I was persistent. I got up sitting on the edge the bed trying to reason with him.

"Don't you think I need personal space? And everyone in this pack seems to hate me anyway, so who do you trust to guard me?" I explained not wanting to insult his packs behavior but it was true, by the words said when I got here—I was not the most liked.

"Even if they did hate you–they know not to touch you or let any harm to you or else." I was sure I didn't even want to know what that or else was. Jordan seemed like a silent force. Those are the ones you should be the weariest of. He grabbed the trimming of my shirt and led me outside to the lining of the forest.

"Out." He commanded and five men jumped from random trees in the forest. They all looked pretty normal and they didn't seem to look at me with hate or anything, but they weren't showing welcoming countenances either.

"These will be who will watch you while you run. Don't worry about their names. You will not see them, but they will see you." I couldn't help but look away from Jordan, he looked at me with the most-blankest stare imaginable and it made me anxious.

Although they tried to remain as neutral as the could I could see the various shocked glances at their Alpha while he was speaking. One thing I did learn in my weeks here was that Jordan didn't talk much to his people and that it was mind-blowing when he did. So to see him say more than a growled out command was new to them.

"Well getting undressed will be uncomfortable." I mentioned causing him to glare at me and I shrugged. It was the truth.

"Go." And they all swiftly ran deeper into the woods. "Undress," he huffed his eyes narrowed into slits.

"I'm not comfortable undressing in front you." I was telling the truth. You're supposed to feel the most comfortable with your mate. He was supposed to be the one to make you feel like all your imperfections were beautiful. But I think Jordan might be different. He already didn't like my personality; would my body be just another thing he didn't like? I didn't know, and I wasn't confident enough to find out. Call it an insecurity, but with a stoic mate like Jordan I doubt anyone could blame me.

"Why does everything have to be so difficult with you?" He reached for the him of my shirt and swiftly removed it before I could stop him.

"Maybe this wasn't a smart idea." As I tried to cover myself up. I was still in a bra but I could see that he was battling with his wolf; his eyes switching colors a lot. That made me smile because I knew that whatever he saw he liked; even if I wasn't naked.

While he was having inner turmoil I slipped behind a bush and finished undressing. I turned into my dark brown wolf.

When I came out I immediately saw who won. He quickly stripped down not caring about nudity and I looked away. When I turned back around he was his wolf; we looked very similar. His chocolate fur matched his hair color and our wolves color almost seemed to match.

Suddenly he pounced on me and I fell onto my side. He didn't apply any weight but I was confused on what he was doing. He slid his body against mine and at first I thought he was dry humping me and from an outsider I'm sure that's what it looked like. But when he climbed off of me and rubbed the side of his body against mine and then I knew he was putting his scent on me in a non lasting way. It'll stay slightly until I took a shower.

His blue and brown eyes were trained on me after he stopped. When I finally got up and I ran. I didn't think about it I just did it. I have no idea how he took it but I ran through like I could run no more. It wasn't because I was frightened by Jordan or anything, I was just loving the free feeling. I felt like when I was back at school or home. I didn't like running—although I was a wolf, it just wasn't my thing. I was lazy and I enjoyed a nice walk instead. Kaliko thinks I have a defect.

The wind whipped through my hair, my fur slightly brushing bushes and side of trees. I could smell the other wolves' scents above me in the trees trying to keep up with me and I could sense Jordan near by but after a while I just let my senses take over.

I ran for hours until I heard my name. "Korali, Korali, Korali slow down!" I heard Max scream. I knew truthfully that Jordan could out run me and could have caught me by now, but with the speed I was going, it would only hurt me in the process of stopping me.

I tried to turn my head back but I lost my equilibrium, tripped and started tossing and tumbling over at my speed I was going.

A very naked Jordan hovered over me and a guy I didn't know threw him a blanket and shorts before disappearing into the brush. I noticed we were in an open field; an odd unfamiliar smell lingering nearby.

"Change." Jordan grunted and I just peered up at him still lying down from my fall.

He rolled his eyes and threw the blanket over me and I changed back immediately clutching the blanket to myself. I had a couple of cuts and scraps from the fall but other than that I was fine.

"What the fuck was that? Were you trying to escape?" He yelled at me after giving me a once over to make sure I was okay or something.

"No, no, I was enjoying the breeze and the smell of pine and daisies." I objected my eyes locked on his willing him to believe me. I don't know if my leaving was an insecurity or precaution for him. But I'd know in a while.

"I will mark a tree. Don't go past that point."

"Are you angry?" I whispered looking up at his hard face. I'd understand him being mad if I did it on purpose but I wasn't trying to run away or anything. Although I was more free-spirited, I wasn't just going to let him walk over me. I was just trying to be nice because this was a bigger change than I'm sure he was expecting.

He let out a breath, "No. Just–just stop running when I tell you to. Now come on." He reached down and grabbed my hand hoisting me up while I used the other to hold the blanket to me. He turned towards the almost open part of the blanket I was holding and wrapped it tighter giving me the end to tuck near my chest because that was territory he thought better of going towards. I noticed his eyes were blurred and unfocused as he eyed my chest slightly.

"We need to get you home," he said suddenly with rough tone. I knew his smell must be wearing off but I had no idea what was bothering him. He called the place we both lived home though. But he was most likely saying that because of the fact that it was probably his home all his life. He grabbed my arm and jerked me through the forest before we pulled up to a jeep like car with no doors or windows. He pulled me in a seat and Max appeared out of nowhere and began to drive.

"You went to the end of the territory Flower, that's no good. Any one could get you and take you away from us. Especially because you're this alpha's mate." Max smiled with his pearly white teeth. His nickname made me smile and feel more welcomed than anything else. "Luckily not many packs know about you yet."

"I've heard stories about this pack but I'm unsure of the truths. What—" I was cut off by Jordan who didn't seem to want me talking at all. We both sat on opposite sides of the five passenger jeep.

"It doesn't matter. Just listen to what I say and in times of seriousness what Max says."

I looked at Max who just shrugged and began to tell jokes about the time he was a stripper. I knew he was just trying to ease the tension and it worked. I laughed more times than I've ever have since I've been here in that 45-minute drive with Max telling me stories. It even got to the point where Jordan told Max to shut up and I still couldn't contain my giggles.

"What?" I laughed, my cheeks starting to hurt. My hair was wild and I had a couple of sticks lodged in it and I'm sure I smelled like dirt and grime, but I was laughing and that felt better.

"Oh," he smiled and I could see the side of his face lift. "The old lady grabbed my junk and told me that I 'shouldn't wave it, if I couldn't give it.' Let's just say that was my first and last stripping experience."

"Oh, that is just too good!" Tears were streaming from my face by now and I couldn't contain my laughs but I held my stomach because it hurt from laughing too hard.

"Jordan was there. Right Jordan?" He turned his glee to his friend but Jordan just turned away and grunted. My smile faltered a little but I brought it back up when Max caught my attention again.

"He was definitely there. Can you picture him stripping? Well let me tell you, the whole stand there stiff in nothing but tiny boy shorts thing, turns women on apparently." Max told me and I laughed till my stomach hurt and tears were coming out of my eyes.

"Sounds like fun." I made eye contact with Jordan. He looked at me from the corner of his eye and his expression was anything but loving. I shot him a small smile to which he averted his attention back to the forest.

I gave my eye contact back to Max who despite Jordan's commands continued with his hilarious stories.

Although his stories didn't make me feel any less uncomfortable than I was at the moment. Maybe this was a lesson in life I needed to be taught. I've never been this sad, I've never had the problems to be. But one thing I did know; I didn't like this feeling at all.

On one positive, things could be a lot worse. It's not like he abused me or anything. He just ignored me.

How do you feel about Jordan? Max? Why do you think Jordan freaked out about her going to the end of the territory? Do you see anything that's going to be a problem already? Do you think Korali is being too eager on her approach of Jordan? How do you think she should approach him?