The Unwanted Mate

Meeting Him

Evelyn took the basket before setting off to search for some fruits and herbs. She had to collect and sell them in the nearby village market to buy clothes and other necessities.

Though the forest provided her food and water, it couldn't give her blankets and shoes. She needed money. Earning wasn't difficult business, though. Evelyn knew where all the rare herbs grew. She could even cultivate them if she wanted. Perks of living in the forest, she supposed.

The herbs were costly around this time of the year because winter was approaching. She could use the extra money to buy a new blanket. Her old one was torn.

Should she stay in the treehouse until winter blew over? Perhaps not. It was best to move out when she had enough money and supplies. Finding a place to stay before winter comes may prove to be a troublesome task. She didn't have any time to waste.

***

It's been two days since Evelyn left the treehouse. So far, she has had no luck. The cold was bothering her now. It would be dangerous if she caught a cold somehow.

The bag containing all her worldly belongings was getting heavier and heavier with each step. Evelyn wanted to give up. Why was she still holding on?

Always running. Always hiding. Always living in fear. What was the point of living like this?

Sometimes she felt close to ending it all. But something inside tells her to hold on, whispers of requests to be strong and patient. This same voice was pushing her now to keep walking towards the north.

Evelyn stuffed her hands into her worn-out jacket to warm them up. If only she bought some gloves while she was at the market! The cold was making her hands itch.

She needed to find a place before the sky grew dark. Spending the night in the cold would definitely make her ill. Getting sick in the middle of the forest would definitely be a nightmare, no matter how knowledgeable you were about survival.

Evelyn looked around her. The distance between trees increased the further she trekked. It wasn't safe to be in wide-open areas; she was well aware. But wide spaces meant sunlight and at this moment, Evelyn needed as much sunlight as she could get.

The sound of gurgling water made her pause. It was a faint noise, so it couldn't be a waterfall or a river.

A stream, maybe?

Evelyn cautiously followed the sound, hoping to find some sort of treehouse or even a tent. She desperately needed shelter for the night.

Finally, Evelyn came upon a deserted cabin. Her brow furrowed. She stood there for a minute, analyzing the tiny shack. Who would build a cabin in the middle of nowhere? Why did they abandon it?

Well... it wasn't too shabby. The roof appeared sturdy enough, despite cracks in the wood here and there. And it had a door.

Would anyone still come by this place?

Evelyn had a lot of questions, but not enough time to ponder. The sun would set in a few hours.

She hurried into the cabin, making as much sound as possible in case there were any animals inside. This way, she could alert them of her arrival. She didn't want to scare any creatures by just barging in unexpectedly.

Evelyn slowly opened the cabin door. Thankfully, it wasn't locked or stopped up.

Inside was bare save for a rusting iron table. The floor was dusty and covered with dry leaves. She'd have to clean it so she could sleep.

Carefully placing her backpack down, Evelyn walked out to gather a few things. Moments later, she was able to fashion a makeshift broom out of sticks and leaves.

The sun was setting, and time was almost up. She had to set up a fire as fast as possible before the cold became unbearable. Dry leaves were harder to burn in the cold.

After an hour, the girl successfully set up the fire. She sighed in relief, plopping down on the wooden floor. Her eyes surveyed the four walls of the cabin. The shack was beautifully made; she had to admit. And despite the initial disheveled appearance, it was comfortable.

Unfortunately, she couldn't stay here for long. Open places like this meant people came here often. In the morning, she would have to leave and try somewhere else.

Evelyn dragged the iron table behind the door to block out the wind. The cabin was warm and toasty because of the little fire she made.

Time to rest. She made a little set-up and snuggled into her new blanket. But though she tried to fall asleep, her mind was still active. She couldn't break free from all the harried thoughts running amok inside.

One of the biggest doubts Evelyn had right now was about her mate. Would she ever meet her mate? How can she meet them if she hid in the forest forever? What if they had already given up on her?

All those worries made her heart heavy. She didn't want to burden her mate. They deserved to be happy. If she ever found them, she'd try her best to make them happy.

Maybe she can find happiness too…

***

Shouts coming from outside the cabin jolted Evelyn awake the next morning. She frantically scrambled to her feet. The cabin door was still closed, thankfully. But there were voices of people outside.

Evelyn crammed her blanket into her bag, ready to run if she needed to. The girl slowly walked to the door. There was a little hole in the cabin's wall and she peeked through it.

There were three men standing outside. Two were having a heated conversation while the third one was inspecting the cabin.

'I shouldn't have stayed here. I should've known it wasn't safe! I'm so stupid.' Evelyn internally cursed herself for her decision.

"Guys, I'm going to see who's inside," one of them called, taking a step towards the cabin.

They were all high-ranked wolves. Anyone could tell, judging by their appearance and the way they carried themselves. There was no way Evelyn could escape from their hands.

"Calvin, wait. Take out your gun!" One of them shouted, making Evelyn tremble.

'A g-gun?' She clutched her bag and backed into one corner of the cabin.

"No need for the gun," the man evidently named Calvin replied. "It's an omega. I can smell them."

Evelyn could hear his heavy footsteps growing closer and closer. Her heart was thumping rapidly and her palms were sweating.

'This is it. It's all over. They're gonna kill me.' Her eyes blurred as she hugged herself.

The iron table fell to the floor as the guy pushed open the door. The loud noise made Evelyn flinch.

The guy scanned the room before his eyes fell on the girl curled up in the corner. He called the others who were outside, ready to attack if needed.

The three men stared down at the girl, trembling in fear. She was pale and had long blonde hair. She didn't seem to be much of a threat. But they couldn't just let her go, even if she was an omega.

"I'm going to link the Alpha. Going to let him know we found a rogue omega," one of them said. The others nodded.

One of them crouched down before Evelyn. "Hey... What's your name? Where are you from?" He asked, trying to stop her from panicking. He had brown skin, curly hair, and striking emerald eyes.

He was gorgeous, just like his companions. They radiated power and elegance. With her raggedy clothes and dirty hands, Evelyn felt even smaller.

She remained silent, too afraid to speak. The guy sighed and turned back to Calvin. "What are we going to do with her?"

Calvin shrugged, uninterested. "I don't know. Let's do what the Alpha says." He leaned on the wooden wall.

"Alpha is here!" The man outside called out.

Calvin and the other man immediately straightened their posture.

"Where's the omega?" The new voice made Evelyn shiver. Why did their voice have to sound so deep and commanding?

'It must be the Alpha,' she mused as the newcomer stepped into the cabin.

Evelyn didn't have time for any more thoughts because suddenly she was engulfed in the strong scent of cinnamon and honey. Her head tilted up to stare at the man towering over her.

Midnight black hair and sparkling blue eyes. Beautiful.

Evelyn was filled with the desire to touch him, hold him, and be close to him. There was something inside her telling her to go to him. What was happening to her? She couldn't understand. She hugged herself even more tightly, but her heart was doing somersaults inside her ribcage.

Despite being in a compromising situation, Evelyn felt happy and content for the first time in years.

'What's happening? Why am I feeling like this? Is this what I think it is? Could he be my mate?' Thoughts both panicked and giddy flooded her mind.

Evelyn did not break her gaze from the man, whose eyes seemed to have grown a shade darker. The expression on his face was unreadable. Evelyn was close to smiling shyly at him when he frowned.

"Her?" His voice was laced with so much disappointment and disgust. Evelyn whimpered. Did he hate her?

She searched her mate's face, hoping for even a glimpse of joy, but there was nothing except pure frustration.

Evelyn felt her vision blur. The only hope she was holding on to was falling in front of her like a helpless sandcastle.

This was her worst nightmare….