Pride & Prowess.

"It is a truth universally acknowledged that an alpha in possession of a pack must be in seek of a luna. Beware, stay away from the forest, unsuitable characters bury themselves in shadows and prejudice filled creatures reign with great pride and prowess, especially one."

Well, that's a bunch of crap.

The moonlight bleeds into my veins and I choke on the silver magnificence as it drowns me in its beams. I've always thought that the stars are the best form of company, loyal, unfaltering and constant in their dedication. This damn book provides me with nothing to draw me away from my ponderings. Why do guys never possess the qualities that the stars have? Loyalty. Modesty and so on? The wind answers at least with a chilly embrace around my shoulders and I hug my coat tighter, looking out across the sea of tangerine lights from the city cast in shadows.

I wish Jane and the other girls had wanted to come up and join me. Alas, they're probably too busy preparing for the the Bingley's at High School tomorrow. I want to roll my eyes but I don't.

The tears are stinging, just like the truth. I've never tasted love or lust buried beneath the weight of textbooks and maybe I'll never taste the sweet poison. My trembling fingers wipe away the falling tears and I let out a shaking breath, maybe I'm alive but not living. The thought keeps my brain occupied as I long to distract myself from my mundane reality.

Give me something interesting in life... I muse quietly. The rustling of leaves behind me retorts. A smile spreads over my lips, as if I'll fall for that.

The night carries a bark on its breathe, a growl in its grip and it's pretty fair to say that I'm just imagining the spine chilling howl that just came from somewhere behind me in the forest trees.

My hairs are standing on end, terror is beginning to rush through my veins as the possibility of the padding paws being real is pretty evident. Stop! My mind screams but it doesn't.

I can hear it. The way the paws scratch at the mud and the song of snarls surrounding me. I don't know why I know, I just do. Wolves are watching my back and they're waiting for something, or maybe someone.

Slowly, my head turns to my right. I can see them all out of the corner of my eye. Wolves, ready, waiting and wild.

So maybe Jane Austen wasn't making up crap?

I can see their breaths dancing in the air like puffs of swirling smoke. I should run, my instincts are begging for my legs to break into a sprint but my feet refuse, fully planted on the ground of the forest floor.

There's a war inside of me, my head is telling me to flee like a survivor but my body is commanding me to stay put to save myself the trouble of being tackled by the gargantuan mutts.

My blood is sounding in my ears, adrenaline taking hold of my every atom. It's not hard to figure out. I'm going to die, the fact now seems startlingly inevitable. The growling and drooling tells me as much as they glare with eyes of amber, blue and hazel.

But why are they waiting? Do they need more wolves to tear me apart? The thought is almost laughable considering there's around 50, and they're only the ones that I can see. Maybe it will be over quickly?

I swallow hard in an effort to contain my composure, but most of all my head. One wrong move and I'll be clawed to death in an undignified manner instantly. Now that's a truth I acknowledge so I remain standing, pretending to gaze out across the picturesque view of Aventown. I try to search for my home but the night hides it from my view most cruelly.

"And you are?"

The voice reeks of rigid formality, insolent boredom and obvious disinterest, even before I turn to lay my eyes upon the beast. Except, his face possess no taint of unattractiveness but a fine blend of beauty worthy of divine craftsmanship. His pale skin is touched by moonlight, the silver glow highlighting his naked chest sculpted like marble. I'm not quite sure whether to look away or to allow my eyes the shameful pleasure.

I think the blush in my cheeks betrays my internal conflict because his egotistical smirk is my retort as he has the audacity to continue watching me. He rakes his hands through his tousled hair that is colored like midnight. My eyes fall to the ground as quickly as possible but I don't miss the unmistakable fact that he is the only human in my presence, unaffected by the bowing of the wolves around him.

"I asked you a question and yet you don't give me a reply. So are you deaf or rude? Either way, quite frankly I find you tolerable I guess, but not very beautiful. I fail to see why my pack thought you worthy of my presence, I hear you're elder sister is the pretty one."

How does he know about Jane?!

Fury surges through my veins at the insult that slips from this stranger's tongue like casual conversation. A sudden wildness takes a hold of my hand and leads it to connect with his cheek before I have the ability to calm myself down. I hear the sting of skin and skin and a smile dances onto my lips at the satisfying sound.

"You're the one that needs the lessons in manners, Mr-"

"Alpha Darcy of the Pack of Pemberly."

I try to avoid the way his eyes are glistening so I pick at my nails to distract myself from his cursed handsomeness and intense gaze that horrifies me.

"Elizabeth Bennet, you jerk of Longbourn House."

Why did I tell him where I live? I silently curse myself at giving a total handsome stranger my address! He doesn't seem to care one bit though, his temperament is tainted by self importance that the look in his eyes is not compassion as such but merely pride. He's covered in it from head to toe with his perfect posture and authority.

I raise my eyebrow questioningly and he blinks in reply unaffected by my sarcasticness, so much so that I find him leaning down and brushing a light kiss on the back of hand. His lips are warm unlike his manner and sends an odd fluttering about in the pit of my stomach. A sudden surge of electricity makes it' way from his lips to mine, a desire. A strange longing for him to remain close and connected so that he does not severe this- this bond.

The gasp that passes my lips is audible and his eyes flicker up and the rest of his body in response. He's still looking, wide eyed, hungry, dark and dangerous. There's silence around us and he edges closer just a little. With every step the fire around us gains intensity and I'm ravenous for him but repulsed at the exact same time.

His fingers find my cheek then follows my jawline slowly. I can see that he's enjoying this but also loathing this, whatever this is.

"It's seems you're my mate." He whispers tauntingly. My core tingles in reply and agreement as if a single word can somehow possess the ability to satisfy this most unwelcome and irritating flush of desire.

He mocking me with our achingly close proximity. I open my mouth to tell him what an asshole he is but his index finger rapidly finds its way to my lips.

"Shhh. I'm not finished."

My rage only intensifies at his undignified response and under his scrutinizing gaze that seems to trace my every flaw, freckle and curve. He must find a million imperfections from my brunette waves and plainess to my slender but curvy frame.

"You lack the strength, grace and politeness to be my luna. You will learn to bark to my command, you will master the art of holding my attention because you certainly aren't jaw dropping like the others. You, Miss Bennet are to damn shy to let your inner wolf out but your wildness slips through the facade of innocence. I already know you- insolent, on the edge of tolerable and barely tempting."

He leaves my pride wounded whilst his is untouched but he doesn't miss the fire in my eyes or the deep warning that flickers over my expression. He's unaffected and arrogant- but more than that he is pride and prowess entwined.

Damn Alpha Darcy!