RALPH
I stood under the head shower, letting the morning’s cold water run over me, washing away the remnants of the night’s restless sleep. The icy droplets pelted my skin, but they did little to numb the whirlwind of thoughts churning in my mind.
I couldn’t shake the image of the human from my head. Her eyes, filled with a mixture of desperation and determination, haunted me. She had appeared out of nowhere, first in the ambulance, a place I couldn’t recall how I ended up in. Then, in my pack house, speaking words that sounded like nonsense. Claiming to be my mate, talking about a child. It made no sense. And yet…
I gritted my teeth, my fists clenching at the memory. Who was she? How had she managed to stir such confusion and turmoil within me? Why did she affect me so deeply? Her scent, her voice, her presence-everything about her felt inexplicably familiar. And that was dangerous.
I slammed my fist against the tiled wall, the sound echoing through the bathroom. This was madness. I couldn’t afford distractions, especially not now, when I was about to lose my wolf.
But no matter how hard I tried to push her from my mind, her image lingered, haunting me. Her eyes, filled with determination and sorrow, her voice echoing with a fierce resolve. The bathroom spun, memories, and enchantments clashing violently in my mind. I felt like I was being torn in two. This human woman was more than just an intruder. She was an anchor, something real and tangible in a sea of confusion.
Turning off the shower, l stepped out and grabbed a towel. I needed answers. I couldn’t continue to live in this state of confusion. Wrapping the towel around my waist, l looked at my reflection in the mirror, my eyes hardening with resolve. Who was she? And why did I feel an unshakable connection to her?
It was disturbing that amidst all the questions and confusion whirling around my head, my wolf remained silent. It wasn’t like him to be so quiet. Was our bond weakening because I was getting closer to my birthday and had not yet found our mate?
Before I could call out to him, there was a knock on the bathroom door, jolting me from my thoughts.
“Ralph, are you alright?” It was Benita, her voice laced with concern-or was it curiosity?
“I’m fine,” I replied curtly. “Where did you take her?”
“Who?” she asked, confused.
“The human woman,” I growled. “Where is she?”
Benita emerged into the bathroom, her eyes wide with curiosity as she quickly raked over my form.
“Why are you asking about her?” she inquired, her tone carefully neutral, though her eyes betrayed a flicker of intrigue.
My gaze hardened. “I’m your Alpha, Benita. Don’t question me, and just tell me where she is.”
Benita’s posture stiffened, and she took a small step back, her expression shifting to one of mild shock. “Did you forget you threw her out last night? By the time you threw me out too, she was already gone,” she said quickly, her tone almost a snap. “Let’s not talk about her and focus on today. Today is an important day for both of us. Today is the day you’re supposed to mark me. To officially make me your Luna.”
I stared down at her, my mind reeling. “What the hell are you talking about? Mark you?” I repeated, confusion evident in my voice.
“Don’t tell me you already forgot about today, Ralph,” she said, a hint of frustration creeping into her tone. “It was just yesterday when you announced to the pack that you’re marking me today.”
She didn’t even let speak before she continued, her eyes flashing with determination. “Don’t even think about changing your mind, Ralph,” she said sharply. “You decided to do this because you know the clock is ticking for you. If you embarrass me and don’t make me your luna, I will never forgive you. You know I’m the only person who truly cares about you losing your wolf.”
Her words hit me like a barrage of bullets, each one driving deeper into my already conflicted mind. I raised a hand, trying to block out her voice, but she continued relentlessly.
“I’m the only one who’s been by your side through everything,” she insisted. “I’m the one who’s worried about you, about us, about the pack. You can’t just-”
“Stop!” I snapped, the intensity of my headache amplifying with each of her words. “You’re giving me a headache, Benita.”
She blinked, taken aback, but before she could protest further, I turned and walked out of the bathroom. I needed to clear my mind, and I knew exactly who I needed to talk to.
Isabella.
After throwing on some black shorts and shirt, I moved swiftly through the corridors of the pack house, my thoughts racing.
As I turned toward the wing where Isabella’s room was, I noticed the human woman slipping out of the pack house. My heart pounded, each beat echoing louder in my chest. But something else caught my attention-she was speaking to herself, her lips moving as if in conversation with someone invisible. My instincts flared, and a growl rumbled from deep within me.
“Stop right there, human,” I commanded, my voice thunderous.
She froze, her eyes widening in shock as she turned to face me. For a moment, I saw fear flicker in her gaze, but it was quickly replaced by that same determined fire.
Ignoring the storm of emotions within me, I barreled downstairs. As I neared her, I noticed her glance to her side again, as if someone unseen stood beside her. The sight made my blood run cold.
“Who are you talking to?” I demanded, my voice low and dangerous. “And why are you still here? Did whoever brought you here not tell you humans are not allowed? Didn’t they tell you what I do to humans?”
She blinked, her expression shifting from surprise to defiance as she stepped closer and met my gaze. “To reply to your first question, I wasn’t speaking to anyone. As for your second question, this is my home, and I’m not just any human. I’m your mat-”
Before she could finish, Benita wedged herself between us, using her body to push the human away from me as she intertwined her hand around my arm. “You rushed out in an instant, leaving me in the bathroom alone. Is everything alright?” she asked.
I noticed the human woman’s eyes shift from defiance to hurt. Her resolve wavered, and with one last glance at both Benita and me, she turned and walked away. She didn’t reach the door, though, before she turned back to us, her eyes fixed on our tangled arms. I felt Benita’s hand tighten around my arm. As I was about to disentangle Benita’s arm from mine, the human walked back towards us. Before I knew what she was doing, she reached out and disentangled Benita’s arms from mine, her fingers slightly brushing against my skin. A rush of sparkles followed where her fingers touched. With a fake smile, she said, “That’s better.” She then gave me one last glare before disappearing. The sight of her retreating figure left a strange pang in my chest.
As she vanished from view, I turned to Benita. “Can you too disappear out of my sight? You’re being a pain in the ass,” I snapped.
“You’re hurting my feelings, Ralph. How can you say that to someone who’s about to be your Luna?” she exclaimed, her voice dripping with hurt and indignation.
“Will you stop reminding me of that already?” I retorted, turning on my heel to go find Isabella. But she still followed me.
Her persistence was like a gnawing itch I couldn’t scratch. My patience frayed with each step she took behind me, her presence a constant, irritating reminder of the unwanted bond that loomed over us.
“Ralph, you can’t just walk away from this!” she insisted, her voice rising in pitch.
I stopped abruptly, spinning around to face her. My eyes bore into hers, my jaw clenched so tightly I could feel the pressure in my temples. “Will marking you as my Luna make you leave me the hell alone?” I asked, my voice low and agitated.
A wide smile spread across her face. “Don’t sound like I’m the only one benefiting from this. You get to keep your wolf and your title as the Alpha. And yes, marking me will make me busy, because as your Luna, I’ll be occupied with the pack’s work.”
Her words only fueled my anger. In a swift motion, I grabbed her by the shoulders, forcing her to look directly into my eyes. “If this will make you stay away from me, then let’s get it done now,” I growled, my voice a mix of desperation and anger.
Her eyes widened slightly in surprise, but the smile remained. “Fine,” she said, her tone almost victorious. “Let’s get it done.”
“Not not here, though,” she said firmly.
I felt my frustration flare again. “Isn’t this what you wanted?” I demanded.
“Being your Luna has been my dream,” she replied, “But I want it done in front of everyone. It needs to be official for the pack to see.”