Asher
The moment Alethea steps out of my office, Kaidos, my wolf, roars to life, growling defiantly in my mind.
His anger surges, threatening to overpower me, to take control.
I clench my fists, and with a sharp sweep of my hand, the papers scattered across the desk, tumbling to the floor in a mess.
“What have you done? Why do you speak those cruel words to our mate?” Kaidos’s voice rumbles in my head, with fury.
I try to shove him back, to silence him, but he paces wildly, refusing to be ignored.
“Call her back, now! Apologize to her!” he snarls, his growl vibrating through me.
“No. I won’t,” I spit, with a tight jaw.
“How can the Moon Goddess be so cruel?” I seethe.
“Pairing me with someone like Alethea-there’s something… off about her. She has this strange aura.”
“Because her wolf hasn’t been unleashed yet, you fool!” Kaidos snaps, seething with impatience as he continues to pace in anger.
I close my eyes, taking a deep breath as I fight to regain control.
Alethea blows into my life like a sudden storm, dismantling every plan I’ve carefully put in place.
I’d been out hunting when I heard the sounds of a chase. Kaidos’s voice roars in my mind, “Mate!”
I tap into my shadow power, vanishing into the darkness. Silently, I take down the wolf pursuing her.
The instant her panicked eyes meet mine, something twists in my chest.
Then, before I can even speak, she faints, crumpling into the forest floor.
I know I have to get her to Selena. She is someone I trust with my mate’s life.
She’s a rare kind of healer who travels between packs for medical outreach. Her presence in Redwood is a blessing.
She’s an expert in both modern and traditional medicine, respected in the werewolf world and beyond. Her knowledge is special.
Fate twists when Alethea walks into my office again; Kaidos growls in my mind, demanding I claim her as mine.
I’ve never wanted a mate. The curse it brings upon our pack, the weight of responsibility, and the danger it poses – it’s a legacy I’d rather avoid.
My father, the last alpha, suffered greatly, and the other alphas before him met tragic ends. I know I can’t afford to lower my guard.
The door swings open, and my beta, Liam, strolls in like he owns the place. If we hadn’t been friends since diapers, I’d have ordered him out without a second thought.
Liam stands there, watching me with sharp eyes like a hawk; I know he has something he wants to say to me.
“Spill it,” I snapped, with my voice edged with anger.
“Come on, man, do you like Alethea? I don’t get why you suddenly go ballistic whenever you see us together,” Liam asks.
My eyes snap to him, my brows pulling together in a sharp frown.
Even Kaido’s stirs, on edge.
Liam’s question hits me – Alethea is not up for discussion, not even with my Beta.
“What exactly are you getting at?” I ask with a bored tone to mask the rising heat.
Liam clicks his tongue, leaning against the doorframe like he’s bored.
“You know what I mean,” he says.
“I know Alethea’s a good girl, and I understand she’s probably not your type. But I’d like to make a move on her, and I’m only telling you this because she works for you. Is it okay if I pursue her?”
Kaidos snarls in my head, and a deep, threatening growl echoes through me.
My hand clenches around the pen, the plastic creaking under the pressure.
“Touch her, and I’ll forget we grew up together,” I growl, barely holding back my wolf, who’s itching to break free.
“I’ll rip you apart,” I warn.
Liam smirks, enjoying the reaction he’s provoked.
He’s playing with fire, testing my limits.
But this isn’t a game.
Alethea isn’t up for grabs, and I’m not about to let anyone, not even him, take what’s mine.
“Chill, man,” Liam says with a smirk. “By the way, I saw the news this morning about Maya’s ‘mysterious boyfriend.’ That was you, right?”
“Yeah,” I mutter.
Liam chuckles, shaking his head. “That woman still has you wrapped around her little finger. You always want to please her.”
Maya is a world-class designer, the only woman I’ve ever shown off in public – she is from a noble family, my first love and chosen mate.
But now, with Alethea in the picture, my thoughts are a mess, and Kaidos isn’t helping.
I’ve been avoiding Alethea like the plague, quietly counting down to the gala, where I’d asked her to stay back.
I could’ve chosen someone else for the job, but I can’t let her go.
Tonight’s the gala, and Maya insists we spend the day together, pulling me back into her orbit one last time.
Maya studies me with a narrow look. “You look…” She trails off. “I can’t explain it. You look like you’d rather be anywhere else than here with me.”
My eyes snap to hers, with guilt clawing at my chest.
She’s not wrong.
“Oh, my bad,” I say quickly, forcing a smile. “It’s not that. I’ve just been swamped with work lately. It’s overwhelming.”
Maya’s gaze stays on me, searching for the truth.
“I know you better than that, Asher.”
“You’re distant, distracted. What’s going on?”
I force a laugh, trying to deflect.
“Just stress, Maya. The gala tonight, work piling up…”
I hold her gaze, trying to shake the guilt, but it’s hard to ignore the weight in my chest.
Maya is stunning, her raven hair falling sleek over her shoulders, her blue eyes as piercing as ever.
She’s the picture of elegance, her figure flawless in every way.
But even as I sit with her, I can’t shake the feeling that my heart is somewhere else, somewhere it doesn’t belong with her anymore.
“It’s time,” Liam’s voice echoes through the link as Maya and I step out of the restaurant.
As we enter the hall, I smile in satisfaction.
Alethea has truly outdone herself, transforming the space into something magical.
I stood at the podium, all eyes turned toward me.
I smile, but my gaze instinctively sweeps across the room until it lands on Alethea.
My breath catches in my throat.
She looks stunning in a beautiful low-cut dress, her hair perfectly curled, framing her face in a way that makes my heart race.
I catch her gaze, I see her eyes widen slightly, and I can almost feel her sharp intake of breath as if the air has been knocked from her lungs at the sight of me.
But before I can process the moment, I look away, breaking the spell.
My heart is still racing, and I focus on the task at hand.
I can’t keep my eyes off Alethea for long, especially with those unmated wolves’ lustful glances in her direction. Their attention stirs something primal in me, my wolf growling low in my chest.
Just as I prepare to close the distance between us, Maya steps into view, her presence commanding as always.
My gaze snaps to Alethea, and I catch the way her expression shifts. Her eyes widen, her lips part slightly, and a flicker of something-fear, anger, maybe both-crosses her face as her gaze locks onto Maya.
Without a word, Alethea’s hands tighten around the fabric of her gown, the knuckles of her delicate fingers turning white. Then, she suddenly spun around sharply on her heel, her movements rushed, almost frantic, as she bolted for the exit.
I freeze, confused and alarmed. My wolf bristles, pacing restlessly in my mind. What’s happening? Why is she reacting like that? What could Maya have done to elicit such a visceral response from her? I take a step forward, determined to find out.