ALPHA RAZE'S POV
And then, faintly, my wolf whispered:
"Mate."
And I passed out cold.
**********
I stared at the document, my eyes skimming through every detail like I should've done hours ago.
I yawned slightly. I was sleepy, but sleep was for the weak. I valued my time and rarely rested. I was a duty-bound Alpha.
I glanced at the clock. My working hours were over...no relaxation, just responsibility.
I closed the file and pressed my hands to my face, lost in thought.
My mate. Was I ever going to meet her? Would it be when I turned a hundred? When the Moon Goddess finally decided to stop playing her twisted games?
The knock on the door yanked me out of my thoughts, and I snarled.
"Who is it?" I growled in my darkest tone. It was the kind of voice that made most people run, but the door still opened.
Of course. It was Kieran.
She walked in holding a tray and quietly approached my desk. She placed the tray down and began arranging the documents neatly before walking to the shelves.
"You should eat more often. Work can wait," she said softly.
I raised a brow. Was she trying to act like my mate again?
I wanted to get pissed, but the effort she put into making me a meal stopped the words in my throat.
"Hm," I replied flatly, not in the mood to feed her hope or conversation.
She smiled and walked back toward me. "Come on, eat," she urged gently.
My lips pressed together. If this food was bad, she'd leave this office in tears, I was sure of it.
I reached for the cover at the same time she did, and our hands brushed. I felt the tremble in her fingers and glanced at her.
Her eyes locked onto mine. I immediately pulled back, ruining whatever romantic moment she thought might bloom.
Don't try me, Moon Goddess. I wanted my fated mate, not my best friend.
I removed the lid, and she withdrew her hand, her lips pressed tight and her gaze lowered to the food. Her cheeks flushed red for some reason.
I picked up the spoon and took a bite. It was simple-not too salty-but decent.
I glanced at her. I didn't know she could cook. I always tagged her as my sexy best friend and a volana-ranked warrior-strong and skilled at training the female gammas.
"How is it?" she asked.
I paused, savoring the taste and texture.
"You're a good cook," I finally said.
She slammed her hands on the desk suddenly.
"What was that all about?" my wolf whispered. I didn't know either. Confusion crossed my face.
"I'll make it better," she said quickly, reaching for the tray. I saw tears tracing down her cheeks.
Damn it.
Whenever I said something was "good," people thought I meant it was bad. She must be hurt. I wasn't a ladies' man, but I knew women hated it when their cooking was criticized, it crushed them.
What if my fated mate cried because of me too?
That thought tightened my chest. I reached for her hand.
Tears spilled, falling into my palm. I felt awful.
"It was delicious. You're a great cook, those were my first words," I added softly.
But she still sniffed.
Her tears… damn, I hated seeing them. She'd never made me cry, not once. Ever since we were kids, she defended me, stood by me during my worst times. I never forgot people like that.
I stood from my seat. Her gaze was still on the floor, her tears dropping silently.
I stepped closer, ready to pat her back, but instead, Kieran hugged me.
My wolf jolted in warning. I snarled low, ready to push her off. But her grip was tight. Delicate.
I let her be.
Silence stretched between us. Her orchid scent wrapped around me.
She sniffled. "Kieran, let go," I said coldly.
I'd had enough. She was testing my patience.
Then the door creaked open.
Lucas walked in and froze. Shock covered his face.
Finally, Kieran pulled away. I growled low and turned to leave.
"Where were we?" I muttered, ignoring his expression. He quickly followed as I stepped out, shutting the door behind us.
"Alpha, it's not safe to leave the pack at midnight," Lucas warned.
I scoffed. My pack. My rules.
It wasn't the first time I wandered through the woods. It helped clear my head. And sometimes, I caught thieves or traitors lurking—those who thought they could escape justice. I never let them off, not even a trace.
"They could be out there—traitors, killers, waiting to strike you," Lucas added.
I paused.
He noticed my shift in mood. The air grew heavy, tense and suffocating.
I looked over my shoulder and chuckled darkly.
"Don't follow me," I ordered.
And that was final.
I stepped into the woods alone. Lucas stayed behind. He knew better than to defy my orders.
The deeper I went, the better I could breathe, away from the suffocating responsibilities, the pressure, the unwanted emotions.
Then I caught it.
A scent.
Strawberries… mixed with chocolate. Strong. Sharp. It called to me.
Enticing.
"Mate," my wolf growled.
My eyes widened.
Mate! What? I found her.
But why the hell was she in a forest like this?
This area was dangerous. Murders happened here. It was far from my pack. Too far.
Was she in danger?
I dashed toward the scent, tracking it through every leaf, every shift of wind.
I heard rustling. Running.
My heart raced.
Who was she running from?
"Mate!" my wolf roared protectively.
And then, I saw her.
Collapsed on the ground. Her breathing shallow. Her dress soaked in mud. Her eyes half-closed, still looking off into the trees.
She was struggling to rise, but her body was weak. Poisoned? Injured?
I sensed them.
Thieves.
I growled, fury rising. How dare they? How dare they try to harm what was mine?
They would die slow. Cold. I would make sure of it.