The Guardian's Mate

Chapter Two: The Stranger Who Called Me His

Sophia Pov

The last thing I expected to hear was the word mate.

I stared up at the stranger holding me, struggling to understand what he had just said. My mate. The words meant nothing to me. Not really.

I had heard werewolves mention mates before. Over the last two years, I had overheard countless conversations about the Moon Goddess and destiny and bonds that supposedly connected people forever. I had never paid much attention. None of it involved me. I was human. At least, I thought I was.

So why was this man looking at me like I was the most important person in the world?

His arms tightened around me as several wolves emerged from the forest. The sight nearly stopped my heart. Five massive wolves stepped from the shadows. Their eyes glowed under the moonlight. Their teeth gleamed as they snarled.

I recognized two of them immediately. They belonged to Damien's pack. Panic surged through me.

"They found me," I whispered.

The stranger looked down at me. "You're safe."

Safe. The word felt foreign. For two years, nobody had ever said those words and meant them.

One of the wolves shifted. Bones cracked.

Muscles twisted. Fur disappeared. Within seconds, a naked man stood before us.

Beta Carter.

One of Damien's most loyal men. His eyes narrowed when he looked at the stranger.

Then his expression changed. Recognition. Followed immediately by fear.

"You," Carter said quietly.

The stranger's jaw tightened. "Leave."

The single word carried enough authority to silence everyone. Unfortunately, Carter wasn't leaving.

"We're taking the girl."

A growl erupted from the stranger's chest.

The sound vibrated through the air.bEvery wolf immediately lowered its head. Even Carter took an unconscious step backward.

The stranger's eyes never left him. "She's not a girl." His voice was calm. Deadly calm. "She's my mate."

The words sent another wave of confusion through me. Mate. Again. Carter laughed nervously.

"With all due respect, Guardian, she belongs to Alpha Damien."

The stranger's expression darkened.

Belongs. That word again. Like I was property. Like I wasn't standing right there.

Something dangerous flashed across the stranger's face.

"Humans don't belong to anyone."

Silence followed. Even I could hear the conviction in his voice. For the first time since escaping, someone was speaking as if I mattered. As if I had rights. As if I wasn't an object.

Carter swallowed. "Damien won't be happy."

The stranger stepped forward. I could practically feel the power rolling off him.

"Then tell Damien he can speak to me himself."

The confidence in his voice stunned me. Nobody challenged Damien. Nobody. Yet this stranger looked completely unconcerned.

Carter glanced toward the forest. His hesitation was obvious. Eventually, he shifted his gaze back to me. Hatred filled his eyes.

"You'll regret this." Then he looked at the stranger. "Both of you."

Without another word, he shifted into his wolf and disappeared into the darkness.

The others followed. Within seconds, they were gone. The clearing fell silent.

My body immediately sagged with relief.

The adrenaline that had kept me moving for hours finally began fading. Exhaustion hit me like a truck. Everything hurt. My feet. My legs. My arms. Even breathing hurt.

The stranger turned his attention back to me. His expression softened instantly. It was such a dramatic change that it caught me off guard.

One second he looked capable of killing someone. The next he looked concerned.

Genuinely concerned.

"Are you injured?"

I opened my mouth. Nothing came out. The emotional weight of everything finally crashed down on me. The escape. The chase. The fear. The betrayal. The tears came before I could stop them. I hated crying.

Damien had taught me that tears only gave cruel people more ammunition.

But I couldn't stop. The stranger looked horrified. As though my tears physically hurt him.

"Hey." His voice became gentler. "I've got you."

I shook my head. The words spilled out before I could stop them.

"I don't understand." My voice cracked. "I don't understand any of this."

His expression softened further. "That's okay."

"No, it's not." Fresh tears rolled down my cheeks. "Nothing makes sense anymore."

For a moment, he simply looked at me.

Not with pity. Not with judgment. Just patience. Finally, he sighed.

"My name is Ethan."

The introduction surprised me. Such a simple thing. Yet Damien had never introduced himself to strangers as though they were equals. Ethan did.

"My name is Sophia."

A small smile touched his lips.

"I know."

I frowned. "What?"

His smile widened slightly. "Sorry. Wolf senses."

Right. Werewolves. Sometimes I forgot how strange this world was.

Ethan glanced toward the forest.

His expression immediately became serious again. "We need to leave."

The fear returned instantly. "They'll come back."

"They won't touch you."

"You don't know Damien."

"I don't need to."

The certainty in his voice surprised me.

Then again, everything about Ethan surprised me. Most werewolves carried themselves with arrogance. Dominance.

Aggression. Ethan felt different. Strong.

But controlled. Dangerous. But disciplined. Powerful. Yet kind. I didn't understand it.

"Can you stand?" he asked.

I tried. The second my feet touched the ground, pain exploded through my body.

I nearly collapsed. Ethan caught me immediately. Before I could protest, he lifted me into his arms. I froze.

No one had carried me since I was a child.

"You don't have to—"

"I'm not letting you walk on those feet."

Embarrassment heated my cheeks. "They're not that bad."

He looked down. I followed his gaze. Blood covered both feet. Dirt and cuts covered my legs. My dress was shredded.

Okay. Maybe they were that bad. Without another word, Ethan carried me toward his vehicle. The expensive black SUV suddenly looked enormous.

He opened the passenger door and carefully settled me inside. The gentleness caught me off guard. Damien had never been gentle. Not once.

Ethan closed the door before walking around to the driver's side. A few moments later, the engine started. We pulled onto the road. For several minutes, neither of us spoke.

I stared out the window. The trees blurred together. The darkness slowly began to feel less threatening. Then a terrifying thought hit me.

"What happens now?"

Ethan glanced at me. "What do you mean?"

"I escaped." My throat tightened. "I don't have a home."

The reality of it hurt. I couldn't go back to my apartment. Damien knew where it was.

I couldn't contact old friends. Damien would find them. Everything from my old life was gone.

Ethan remained silent for a moment. Then he said something I never expected.

"You stay with me."

I laughed bitterly. "That's a terrible idea."

"Why?"

"Because you're a werewolf."

The words slipped out before I could stop them. Silence filled the vehicle. I immediately regretted saying it.

Ethan didn't look offended. If anything, he looked sad. "I know."

I stared out the window. "I don't trust werewolves."

His grip tightened slightly on the steering wheel. "I don't blame you."

That answer surprised me. No anger. No defensiveness. No excuses. Just understanding.

For the first time, I looked directly at him.

Really looked at him. At the man who had risked himself for someone he didn't even know. At the stranger who stood between me and an entire pack. At the werewolf who had protected me when every other wolf had failed. And for the first time since I escaped, a tiny spark of hope appeared.

Small. Fragile. Dangerous. But real.

Unfor

tunately, neither of us noticed the black SUV following us several miles behind. Or the furious Alpha Damien sitting inside it. Watching. Waiting. And planning how to take me back.