RALPH
I took a deep breath, trying to rein in my frustration. “Fine. We’ll do it in front of everyone,” I agreed reluctantly. “But know this, Benita. This changes nothing between us. You’re only doing this to keep your status, and I’m only doing this to keep my wolf.”
Her smile faltered slightly, but she quickly regained her composure. “Of course, Alpha. I understand.”
“Good. Now leave me,” I ordered, my tone brooking no argument.
She hesitated for a moment, then turned and walked away, her posture stiff. I watched her retreating form, my mind still in turmoil. The human woman’s face flashed in my thoughts once more, and I couldn’t shake the feeling that there was more to her than met the eye.
I made my way to Isabella’s room, my steps hurried and determined. I knocked on her door, my patience wearing thin. When she didn’t answer immediately, I pushed it open and stepped inside. She was standing by the window, her gaze distant.
“Isabella,” I called softly, not wanting to startle her.
She turned to face me, her expression calm but troubled. “Ralph, is everything alright?” she asked.
“Not really,” I replied.
“What is troubling you?” she asked as she walked towards me.
“Everything,” I replied, pacing the room. “There’s this human woman-she claims to be my mate, but it doesn’t make any sense. And then there’s Benita pushing for this Luna ceremony. I feel like I’m losing my mind.”
“You’re not losing your mind. She’s really your mate. It’s just that you don’t remember everything due to Damien and his men ambushing you in the woods. But that doesn’t change the connection bond because you marked her. Your wolf would have recognized her even if you did not. Haven’t you felt anything unusual around her?”
I hesitated, thinking back to the sparkles I felt when she touched me. “There was something,” I admitted. “A feeling, like a connection. But my wolf has been silent and gnawing on me.”
That is because time is almost up Ralph. get with the Luna ceremony quickly before you lose connection with your wolf.
I took a deep breath, absorbing Isabella’s words. “I understand, Isabella,” I said, turning to leave the room.
“Ralph, wait,” she called out, stopping me in my tracks. “Where are you going? What’s on your mind?”
“I need to clear my head,” I replied, running a hand through my hair. “I just… need some time to think.”
Without waiting for her response, I left the room and made my way to my favourite spot on the pack’s rooftop. The cool morning air greeted me as I stepped out onto the roof, I pulled out a cigarette from my pocket, lighting it with a flick of my lighter.
Taking a deep drag, I let the smoke fill my lungs before exhaling slowly. Isabella’s words echoed in my mind. Could this human woman truly be my mate? And if so, why did everything feel so wrong?
I stared out at the forest, my thoughts a tangled mess. The connection I felt with the human woman was undeniable, but the silence from my wolf was unnerving. It was as if a part of me was missing, a part that I desperately needed to make sense of everything.
I stubbed out the cigarette, frustrated by the lack of clarity. Taking a deep breath, I closed my eyes and tried to reach out to my wolf.
“Are you there?” I asked silently. “Can you hear me?”
I waited, straining to sense any response, any sign of my wolf’s presence. But there was nothing. No whisper in my mind, no comforting presence. Just an empty, unsettling silence.
“Why won’t you talk to me?” I muttered, feeling the weight of my frustration and confusion.
An idea struck me. Maybe if I went for a run in the woods, I could force a shift, and my wolf might respond. It was a long shot, but I was desperate.
I made my way down from the rooftop and headed to the edge of the forest. Taking a deep breath, I stepped into the woods, the familiar scent of earth and pine filling my senses. When I felt I was far enough from the looming pack members, I tried to shift. Closing my eyes, I focused on the transformation, the change that should have been second nature to me. But nothing happened.
Panic began to rise in my chest. I tried again, this time with more force, but my body remained stubbornly human. “Come on,” I growled, frustration boiling over. “Shift!”
I sat there, defeated, feeling more lost than ever. Without my wolf, I felt incomplete, a shadow of who I truly was.
As I sat there, I remembered Isabella’s words: “Your wolf would have recognized her even if you did not.” What Isabella said doesn’t make sense. If that human were truly my mate, the bond with my wolf would have remained strong. Instead, it’s weak-so weak that I can’t even shift.
I took a deep breath, trying to calm the turmoil within me. Maybe a run, even in human form, would help clear my head. I stood up and started to jog through the woods, the rhythm of my steps and the fresh air slowly easing my tension.
As I jogged back toward the pack house, my mind began to clear, though the unease still lingered. The rhythmic pounding of my feet on the forest floor was almost meditative, helping to calm my thoughts. Suddenly, a rustle in the bushes ahead made me pause. My instincts, though dulled without my wolf, screamed that something was wrong.
I squinted, trying to make out any shapes or movements. My heart pounded harder, and my breath hitched as I noticed dark figures slipping through the foliage-a werewolf pack, with predatory grins on their faces.
Before I could demand what they were doing in my territory, they launched at me with feral snarls. I barely had time to brace myself before the first one was upon me. I dodged his swipe, grabbed his arm, and used his momentum to throw him to the ground. Another one lunged from behind, but I spun, delivering a swift, powerful kick to his chest, sending him sprawling.
But they kept coming. One of them grabbed my arm, trying to pull me down. I twisted, using my momentum to break free, and slammed my elbow into his face. The crunch of bone was satisfying but fleeting. I could feel my muscles straining, the effort of fighting in human form, taking its toll. But they started shifting into their wolves. Damn it, this isn’t getting me anywhere.
The wolf’s claws raked across my back, and I hissed in pain. Blood dripped down my skin, mingling with sweat. Another one lunged, and I barely managed to dodge. His claws sliced through my shirt, leaving a deep gash on my side. I swung around, landing a punch to its jaw, but another one tackled me from behind. We hit the ground hard, and I struggled to throw him off.
With all my might, I hurled the wolf off me, sending him crashing into a tree. Before I could catch my breath, another, larger and more powerful than the rest, leapt at me, his bared teeth aimed straight for my throat.
Instinctively, I raised my arm, and his fangs sank into my forearm instead. Pain shot through me as his jaws clamped down, but I couldn’t let it paralyze me. With a fierce yell, I twisted my body and brought my knee up into his ribcage. The wolf yelped, loosening his grip just enough for me to wrench my arm free. Blood poured from the wound, but I couldn’t afford to be distracted by the pain. I knew I couldn’t keep this up much longer; my human form was no match for their combined strength and numbers. The pain in my arm was excruciating, and blood loss was making me dizzy. Just as I was about to be overwhelmed, a commanding voice cut through the chaos.
“That’s enough!”
They all paused, their snarls silenced as they turned toward the voice. A tall, muscular man-presumably their alpha-stood at the edge of the clearing, still in his human form. His eyes, cold and calculating, scanned the scene with a mixture of satisfaction and disdain.
“We got what we wanted,” he said, a cruel smile playing on his lips. “There’s no need to prolong this any further.”
The wolves immediately backed off, still baring their teeth but no longer attacking. Their alpha shifted into his wolf form with fluid grace, his fur a sleek, dark grey. With a final, menacing glance at me, he darted into the forest, and the others followed suit, disappearing into the foliage.
Breathing heavily, I assessed the damage. My arm throbbed where the wolf had bitten me, and blood still dripped from the wound. I tore off my ruined shirt and used it to bandage my arm as best I could.
With my arm bandaged as best as I could manage, I made my way back to the pack house.
As I emerged from the trees, Zac approached me, his hands in his shorts pockets. He looked me up and down, his gaze lingering on the blood-stained makeshift bandage.
“That must be a deep wound for your wolf to heal it,” he remarked, his tone almost mocking. “I hope it won’t affect the ceremony. This day means a hell of a lot to my sister.” With that, he walked away, whistling a tuneless melody.
I watched him go, suspicion creeping into my mind. Had that bastard had something to do with the attack? But I quickly brushed it off. There was no time for paranoia. I needed to focus on healing and preparing for this damn sickening ceremony-or maybe it’s not so damn sickening, perhaps it could help me regain control of my wolf.
I headed straight for the medical room. The sterile scent of antiseptic filled the air as I entered, and I set to work cleaning my wound properly. The bite was deep, and the edges were ragged, but I managed to disinfect it and wrap it with fresh bandages. The pain was still intense, but at least it was now under control.
Once I was done, I headed to my room for a quick shower. The hot water washed away the grime and blood, cooling my nerves.
After drying off, I dressed in clean clothes, opting for a simple T-shirt and jeans. As I looked in the mirror, I couldn’t help but feel a surge of determination. Whatever had happened, I wouldn’t let it ruin the day. The ceremony was important, and I had a role to play.
Taking a deep breath, I left my room and headed back out, ready to face whatever came next.