Alpha Roman’s POV
There she was. My mate. The girl of my dreams.
The moment I saw her, the world stopped, she was the only thing that mattered. The music, the crowd, the flickering lanterns-all of it faded into nothingness. She was wearing the same mask from the night we met. As an Alpha, it was easy to see her aura. She called to me, attracted me like a magnet. My heart pounded against my chest as if it recognized her before my mind could catch up.
I took a step forward, eager to close the distance between us. But my steps faltered when I caught sight of the person she was dancing with.
My sister.
What the hell?
Confusion mingled with excitement, twisting into a knot in my stomach. The woman destined to be mine, the one who had haunted my dreams for weeks, was laughing and spinning with my little sister. The familiarity between them raised a dozen questions I wasn’t ready to ask.
As if sensing me, she turned. Her movements were unhurried, her head tilted slightly in curiosity before she started to approach. The crowd seemed to step aside for her, leaving a clear path between us. The air thickened, and every step she took tugged at something primal inside me.
When she finally stood in front of me, her soft voice broke through the haze in my mind.
“Uhm, hi. It’s nice to meet you again.”
Her words were tentative, almost shy, as she stretched out her hand for a handshake. It was such a simple, polite gesture, but it felt absurd given the firestorm of emotions roaring within me. I wanted to pull her close, bury my face in her hair, and whisper the truths my soul already knew: **You are mine. You are everything.**
Instead, I took her hand, my grip firm but trembling slightly. The ridiculous smile spreading across my face was mercifully hidden by my mask, but I could feel the heat rising to my cheeks. Was I blushing? What the hell was wrong with me?
“We should talk in private,” I said, forcing my voice to be steady.
Her head dipped in a small nod, and I led her away from the thrumming heart of the festival. Behind us, I caught my sister winking at me.
—
The path away from the festival was quieter, lit only by scattered lanterns. The din of music and laughter grew fainter with each step. My mate followed without hesitation, her company was as calming as it was electrifying. My wolf stirred restlessly, urging me to claim her, to protect her, to-
A scream shattered the night.
We both froze, the piercing sound slicing through the quiet like a blade. My instincts kicked in, and I whirled around, scanning the area.
The crowd behind us was in chaos. People scattered in every direction, shouting and pointing toward the center of the square. I didn’t think-couldn’t think. My hand tightened around hers.
“Stay close,” I commanded, but as I turned to shield her, the unthinkable happened.
Someone bumped into her in the confusion, and she stumbled. Her hand slipped from mine, and in the commotion, her mask fell.
Time slowed.
The mask hit the ground, the soft thud echoing louder than the chaos around us. She looked up at me, her face finally, completely exposed.
And my world shattered.
Her.
The face I saw in every nightmare. The face of the girl who destroyed my family.
The memories came rushing back, unbidden and merciless. The girl I’d once loved, 300 years ago who betrayed me. The girl who broke my heart and made me this monster. Her? She’s my mate!
No.
It couldn’t be.
My chest tightened, and I staggered back, unable to breathe. The bond, the connection that had felt so right, now felt like a noose tightening around my neck.
She reached out, her brows furrowed in concern. “Are you okay? What’s wrong?”
Her voice only made it worse. That voice. That same voice.
I stumbled farther away, shaking my head. My wolf howled in confusion and anguish, the bond fighting against the memories searing through my mind.
“Stay away from me,” I choked out, my voice barely a whisper.
Her face twisted in hurt and confusion. “What-”
I didn’t let her finish. I turned and ran, my vision blurring as tears threatened to spill. Three hundred years of burried feelings and heartbreak, this was the thing that broke me.
This couldn’t be real. It couldn’t.
The girl of my dreams had just become my worst nightmare. Jacky.