Cara’s POV
His words hit me like a trailer loaded with a thousand pounds of cattles, and for a moment, I couldn’t breathe properly.
He liked me?
How was that even possible? I was just an Omega, a weak, insignificant wolf who didn’t belong anywhere. But the way he looked at me, the way he spoke, made me feel like maybe, just maybe, I was more than that.
“I… I don’t know what to say,” I stammered, feeling my cheeks heat up. The news was a shock. Throughout my time in his pack, I’d never imagined this.
Alpha Alexander was different from other Alphas I had met. He wasn’t all business or distant from his pack members. He treated everyone with respect, and I had always admired him for that. But the idea of being in a relationship with him? That had never crossed my mind.
My thoughts drifted back to Brian, my supposed mate, and everything that had happened between us. I had been running from him, trying to escape the memories that haunted me. But they lingered like a stubborn wound that refused to heal. The night he marked me was etched deeply into my mind. His voice, that commanding tone as he claimed me, his well defined body that will put Greek god to shame.
it had left me breathless, trembling with emotions I didn’t fully understand. It was the closest I’d ever come to something intimate, and I couldn’t seem to let go of it, no matter how much I wanted to.
“Cara… are you still with me?” Alexander’s voice pulled me back to the present.
My cheeks burned, realizing I had been thinking about “brian” another man right in front of him. “I’m sorry,” I whispered, shaking my head. “I guess I’m just… not ready. There’s a lot going on, and I need to sort myself out before I think about anything like this.”
He nodded, his expression softening, but I could see the hint of disappointment in his eyes. “I understand,” he said quietly.
“You’re a kind person, Alpha…”
“Just call me Alexander, don’t be formal with me Cara” he cutted me off.
I nodded, Alph… I mean, Alexander,” I corrected myself quickly, seeing how he tensed up at the formal title. “You’ve done so much for me. You took me in when I had nowhere to go, and I’m grateful for that. But I can’t…”
“You don’t have to say anything,” he interrupted, his thumb gently brushing against my cheek. The touch sent a shiver down my spine, but it wasn’t the same electrifying feelings as i had felt in the cabin when Brian touched me. Alexander’s touch was warm and comforting, without any pressure. “I just needed you to know how I feel.”
I felt a tightness in my chest, seeing him downcasted. the truth is that i dont feel that way for him, not when… “you know who” still haunt my dreams with unhealthy fantasies. I felt the need to at least tell him the truth.
“But… there’s more,” I admitted, biting my lip. “I’m not just running away from my past. I’m trying to recover from someone else. A past love troubles… he was my mate.”
Alexander’s eyes flickered with something, anger, jealousy, or maybe both, but he quickly masked it. “I know,” he said, surprising me. “I’ve seen the mark on your neck.”
My hand instinctively flew up to touch the spot where Brian had claimed me. It had been a moment of passion and confusion, and I wasn’t even sure if I wanted it. But the mark was there, a constant reminder of something unfinished, a reminder that my mate hates me because of who I am.
“But here’s the thing,” Alexander continued, his voice gentle but firm. ” From the smell, the marking is not yet complete. That mark only means something if you both complete the bond. If you don’t, it will fade away with time. It doesn’t define you, Cara. either he is a senile fool, or he is not a man for rejecting somebody like you.”
“You…you can smell the mark”
Yes, although it’s faint cause it’s been a while, but mating smell and territorial borders are things that every Alpha is very sensitive.
His words hit me hard, and I felt tears pricking at the corners of my eyes. How was it possible for someone to be this understanding? “Thank you,” I whispered, not trusting myself to say more.
“You don’t have to rush into anything,” he said. “Take all the time you need. I’ll be here when you’re ready. Or even if you never are, that’s okay too.”
We stood there in silence, the only sound the gentle rustling of leaves in the wind. His hand lingered on my face, and I felt a warmth spread through me, something I hadn’t felt in a long time. It was comforting, not demanding, and for the first time in a while, I felt safe.
Then, the distant sound of laughter and music reached us, breaking the moment. It was coming from the direction of the packhouse, and the pack’s bonfire celebration had started. I could hear the faint echoes of people talking and laughing, the crackling of flames, and the soft hum of music.
Alexander cleared his throat, a small smile tugging at the corners of his lips. “Looks like the bonfire has started without their alpha,” he said. “You should get ready.”
I nodded, suddenly feeling a bit awkward. “Yes, I suppose I should…”
“Allow me to walk you back,” he offered, gesturing toward the path leading to the packhouse. “It’s the least I can do after, you know…everything.”
I hesitated for a moment but then nodded. “Okay, thank you.”
As we walked, neither of us said much, but the silence wasn’t uncomfortable. It felt like we had reached an understanding, a moment where words weren’t necessary. Every now and then, I would glance at him, wondering how someone like him could exist. He was an Alpha, strong and powerful, but he didn’t let that define him. He wasn’t arrogant or cruel. He was just… Alexander.
When we reached the edge of the packhouse, he stopped and turned to me. “I mean it, Cara,” he said, his voice gentle but firm. “Take your time. Figure out what you want and what you need. You don’t have to be anyone else’s but your own, no rush. ”
His words wrapped around my heart, filling the cracks I didn’t even know were there. “Thank you,” I said again, my voice barely more than a whisper. “For everything.”
He gave me one last lingering look before nodding. “Go on, get ready,” he said , his tone lightening. “and i understand if you want to keep the story of your hair a secret, but you can trust me. I’ll see you at the bonfire.”
I watched him walk away, his broad shoulders tense as if he was carrying the weight of the world.
I stood transfixed at my doorpost, “my white hair?, a secret?” What does he mean by that?
Unless…
The pricking feelings when the sisters and i were going to the forest, I had sensed that someone was following us, but i had overlooked as me being paranoid. It must be him, that explains everything, why he was able to stop the rogue leader when he attacked me from behind.
Alexander has been with us throughout our little escapade in the forest, till he time of the fight where my eyes turned white, and my powers manifested.
He knows my secret!!.