"Faster!" Barks Gamma Cole making my heart race.

Digging my heels into the soft earth, I push myself harder, racing through the forest quicker than I've ever sprinted before but it's still not good enough for Gamma Cole from how he's barking insults at me. We've been running drills like this for two weeks solid now and it appears that Cole has it in for me. Gone are any signs of the playful Gamma that day in the woods. Now all I get is him always on my back, always pushing me harder than anyone else on my team, just waiting for me to fail to send me home.

On the plus side Beta Jay has finally started to notice me, turning up to my training sessions regularly to see how I'm doing. He's yet to speak to me, but I've caught him staring at me numerous times. I've been thinking of asking Gamma Cole if I can swap onto Jay's team as he so obviously doesn't want me around.

"Faster Wonderland!" Bellows Gamma Cole just behind me making me jump, I dare to side glance to my left and see that he's running right beside me, barely breaking a sweat. Gasping at his proximity, I stumble and trip over some tree roots and slam into the forest floor before spinning over clumsily yelping in pain as my ankle crunches on impact.

Fuck!

"Get up." Growls Gamma Cole from above me.

I slowly turn over to sit up when the pain seers through me as I try and move my ankle. Hissing with pain I look up slowly to see Gamma Cole stood over me, looking at me with a that bored look on his face that just gets my back up every time I see it.

"I can't." I grit out through clenched teeth, desperately holding back tears of pain. Why does this guy always seem to bring the worst out in me? Make me feel so weak all the time.

Gamma Cole sighs before he looks around the forest then gives a whistle to someone just out of my eye line and flicks his head to beckon them come over.

Oh, fucking wonderful it's Clark.

Like an obedient pet, Clark runs over to the Gamma before his eyes land on me a big smirk spreads across his lips.

"Clark, take the team to the river and back whilst I sort out Wonderland. I'll be timing you all, so no short cuts." Gamma Cole instructs.

"I don't mind taking care of Alice, I can carry her back to the complex." Clark offers to Gamma Cole with a fake smile. My stomach twists when I see Gamma Cole thinking over the proposal. Not this guy, fucking anyone but Clark. Clarks tongue darts out as he wets his lips, his dark eyes look over my vulnerable position, something about the way he's staring at me makes my flesh creep.

"I'd rather fucking crawl back then have you touch me." I mutter in disgust, which just seems to excite Clark's wolf, his eyes flashing at the challenge as he steps forwards towards me.

Gamma Cole throws out a strong arm blocking him from walking any closer, then grabs him by the front of his top and pulls him closer, baring his teeth. "I said, take the team to the river. I don't like to repeat myself cadet!" Growls Cole.

Clark pulls away from Cole, showing him his neck in submission before shooting me a look of disdain. Clark then nods to Cole and runs off into the tree line, it's not long before we hear him shouting out orders like the good little boy soldier, he so desperately wants to be.

I puff out some air in relief, then look back up to Gamma Cole, surprised to find him staring at me with a raised eyebrow as if to try to work me out.

"What?" I glare at him.

Cole shakes his head then bends down to roll my leggings up to look over my ankle. "You seem to have quite the effect over unmated male wolves Wonderland." He mutters. His eyes fixed on my ankle as he looks over the damage.

"I don't know what you mean?" I frown back at him, but he ignores me and starts to undo my lace on my trainer.

"Broken. Damn." Cole mutters again, but this time he looks up to me. "This is gonna hurt like a bitch, but your wolf is already starting to heal the bone and it's not set properly. If I don't adjust it now, it's gonna cause you issues."

"So, what are you gonna...AHH." In one swift move Cole snaps my ankle without warning and I cry out in agony. On instinct, I grab onto the closest thing to me, which in this case is Cole's shirt and nestle my head into his hard chest whilst my tears soak through it. The pain hits me like a freight train. It's just too much. Before I know what's happening, everything goes black.

--------------

Something smells so good.

Like a pine forest after the rain...but mixed with something else earthy too.

...it smells so fucking good I just want to wrap myself in the scent and let it sink into my skin. I pull myself closer to the scent, smiling to myself and humming with satisfaction.

Close by I hear a rumbling sound like a throaty growl, my other senses are starting to take over now. I feel like I'm moving. Slowly I open my eyes, blinking a few times to try and get my bearings when reality snaps me out of my daze and I find myself with my lips and nose pressed up against Gamma Coles neck and I'm snuggled into his chest. Gasping I pull away, removing my hand that's looped around his neck and threaded through his soft chocolate hair. Coles stormy eyes collide with mine as he carries me effortless through the forest in his strong arms.

"Awake huh? Done trying to give me love bites Wonderland?" Cole smirks.

"I....umm...I..."I stutter out, but I have nothing. My cheeks blaze up with embarrassment. "Put me down." I croak out.

Ignoring me entirely, Cole continues striding through the forest with me in his arms.

"I said, put me down." I say more firmly as I watch his jaw clench.

"Nope, your ankles still healing, plus you just blacked out so I'd say you're not in the best shape" Cole deadpans and continues strolling through the wood. My ankle throbs, but it's certainly better than before. We fall into a silence, oh god this is worse than not talking.

"How long before we're back?" I ask quietly.

"My cabin is five minutes away I live on the outskirts, I'll take you there to check you over before I drive you back to the complex." Cole replies.

"Why are you not taking me straight to the complex?" I snap at him with alarm, Gamma Coles home is the last place I want to be taken to after I was just latched onto his neck. In the wolf community this is a really intimate act. Cole comes to an abrupt stop and looks down at me, his eyes scan my face and I raise an eyebrow at him waiting for a reply.

"You're heavy and I've just carried you for over an hour in this heat Princess. So, if it's OK with you, your highness, I'd like to put your clumsy ass down as soon as possible. That work for you?" Cole says sarcastically, his eyes so intense they make me tremble and all I can muster is a weak nod of my head.

"Good." He growls before he adjusts his grip with a quick jolt bringing me even tighter to his hard chest. I give a little yelp at the sudden action, my hands flinging back around his neck as my head slams against his shoulder. My whole-body tenses up. This can't be fucking happening. Do I move my head off his shoulder now, at least I can't see his face like this. Fuck why does he have to smell so fucking good. I try to squirm in his arms to move away from his neck, but he jolts me back again and I bite my lip not knowing what to do.

"Relax Wonderland and stop moving will ya." Cole mutters and for once I listen to him.