The Doctor's Alpha Mate

Chapter6.

Hope's POV.

"No you're not." I giggle, a little more nervously than I intend.

Malakar just stares at me with those bright eyes of his. He looks as serious as a heart attack. But he can't be. Werewolves don't exist! Do they? He's completely lost the plot.

I sigh heavily as I look into his eyes. I should have known that he was too good to be true. A man this perfectly gorgeous has to have a flaw. No one is perfect.

I take a small step towards him and raise both my hands slowly. I talk in a gentle tone as to not scare him away. I feel like I'm approaching a wild animal caught in a trap, and I can't help but remember the first day that I met him. The way he howled with pain and snarled at me. He reminded me so much of a wild animal that day too.

"Look, Malakar. The hospital where I work has a world-class psychiatric ward." "The doctors there are really good at what they do. They can help you. I can take you there."

Malakar frowns at me. A deep frown that draws his beautiful dark brows together. Then he shakes his head and chuckles softly. It's a deep throaty sound that makes my heart skip a beat. He takes a step towards me and reaches for my hands.

"I'm not crazy, Hope. I'm telling you the god's honest truth. I am a werewolf. I'm the alpha of my pack, and you are my fated mate."

His tone has a hint of starkness to it. His eyes don't waver from mine for a second. He is either telling me the truth, or he truly believes that he's telling me the truth. Both are equally disturbing. I honestly don't know which one scares me the most. Either Malakar is a werewolf and werewolves exist, or he believes that he's a werewolf and that I am his mate, whatever that might mean. Who knows what he might try and do to me out here in the woods all by myself. I never should have come here. I should have stayed away. I should have just pretended that none of it ever happened and that I never even met him. I feel very, very stupid, and very, very scared.

I instinctively take a step back and start looking around for my exit. My eyes catch Malakar's and I glimpse a shadow of pain in them. I'm a little surprised by it and not entirely sure what to make of it. My mind is racing. My heart is pounding in my ears and I can feel the blood rushing through my veins. To my surprise, instead of attacking me, Malakar takes a step back from me as well and raises his hands in defense. He has a pained look on his handsome face.

"I'm not trying to scare you, Hope. And I'd never do anything to hurt you. Even if you don't believe anything else that I tell you, you can believe that. I'll protect you with my life if I have to. I'd die before I touch a single perfect hair on your head."

His tone is so sincere that I can't help but believe him. I feel my shoulders start to relax a little and my heart rate slows down again. I don't feel like I'm in any kind of danger anymore, but I'm nowhere near ready to believe anything else that he's said.

"Werewolves don't exist. That's just crazy. I would have heard about it by now."

"Who would have told you?" He has a dangerously seductive and self-satisfied smirk on his face. I can feel my cheeks flush slightly.

"I don't know. People." I shrug and shift my weight uncomfortably.

"And what makes you think that other people know?" He's still smirking at me. I'm not entirely sure why, but it annoys me a little. I'm an intelligent and educated woman. I know a lot of things that other people don't, and maybe it just annoys me that this is something that I didn't know and he did.

I cross my arms across my chest in a gesture of defiance. I don't like that he's in control right now. "Well, why don't they?" My attitude has quite the opposite effect on Malakar. His seductive smirk broadens into a charming grin and his eyes light up with amusement, but not a teasing sort of amusement, rather an endearing kind. He takes two steps towards me and this time I don't back away. I stay where I am and allow him to take my hands in his. He seems pleased about this.

"Because we don't want him to, Hope. It's just safer for us and for them not to know."

Malakar is standing very close to me now. So close that I can feel the intense heat radiating from his body. I can smell him. He smells wonderful, like a warm summer's day after rain. Suddenly, and for no apparent reason, I find myself wondering what I smell like to him. His closeness makes me feel a little nervous, but in a tantalizing sort of way. It's a feeling that I find myself enjoying. I can't help but wonder if I make him feel nervous as well.

"Well, now I know." I whisper the words without meaning to, and to my utter surprise, my voice sounds husky and suggestive.

Malakar takes another step towards me. He's so close to me now that my fingers gently graze his chest as he holds my hands. His stare deepens and his eyes grow dark with a desire that lights a fire deep within my soul and my pelvis. I want this man and he wants me too.

But the moment between us is broken by a rustling in the trees behind Malakar. The desire leaves his eyes and is replaced by a sort of alertness that again reminds me of a wild animal. His entire body goes rigid with tension. A primal dominance seems to radiate from him. He doesn't seem scared. He seems protective of me.

"Did you come here by yourself, Hope?" His tone is stern and serious.

"Yes. Why?" Mine is shaky and small.

Malaker stares over my shoulder at the spot where the trees rustled. He stares at it for a few nerve-wracking seconds. I find myself holding my breath. I spin around and stare at the spot as well, but all I can see is the gray mist and the outline of the trees. Is there another werewolf in the forest with us? One that isn't part of his pack? Are there even more than one pack of werewolves? Or is it something else?

"We need to get you out of here. It's not safe out here for you." Malakar doesn't give me time to respond. He turns on his heel and walks off with me scurrying along after him.