THE ALPHA WHO DIDN'T BELIEVE IN MATES

Chapter 7

The Cierra Safehouse was like a secret treasure, tucked away in a rocky canyon where the wind carried a haunting melody. It sat isolated, shielded by strong stone walls and a special cloaking technology. There were no guards or authorities in sight, only the scent of pine trees and the unsettling sound of an injured Alpha fighting for breath.

Phiona helped Conrad as they entered through the door. Conrad was feeling heavy, his skin warm with a fever that wasn't usual for a True Alpha. The sniper had used a bullet coated with a strong silver-nitrate solution, specifically targeting to hinder a wolf's healing powers and interfere with his internal systems.

"Have a seat," Phiona said firmly, leading him to a sturdy leather couch next to the fireplace. "And don't even think about saying you're okay. I saw the bone, Conrad."

Conrad collapsed into the chair, the backrest echoing a loud thud as his head met it. His face looked pale, showing clear signs of agony. "Check the medicine cabinet... under the floorboards. Find the green vial. It's a neutralizer. And Phiona... please stay close. Our bond... it's keeping the fever from clouding my mind."

Phiona discovered the vial and a medical kit. As she came back, she knelt down between his knees. The fire she had hastily lit in the hearth created long, flickering shadows on his chest. She had to carefully remove the blood-soaked shirt from his shoulder. Her hands shook, not because of the blood, but due to the intense and palpable connection between them.

Her gaze fixed on Alpha Conrad's sweaty, well-built chest.

"Like what you see?Phiona?" said Conrad as he gave a smirk.

"Umm...,"

"Shut up."

As she moved away from the hustle and bustle of the Stronghold, a powerful connection enveloped her. It felt like a profound, vibrating hum deep within her being, a constant pull towards him that made her heart race.

"This is going to hurt," she whispered softly, her voice gentle in a way it had never been.

"Go ahead and do it," he whispered, his eyes slowly closing.

While she was tending to the wound using the neutralizer, Conrad's uninjured hand suddenly reached out and grasped her wrist firmly. Instead of letting go, he simply kept her in place, his heartbeat pounding fiercely beneath her touch. In that moment, he wasn't the "Logic King" anymore; he was just a man clinging to his stability amidst turmoil.

"Why did you throw yourself in front of that bullet?" she whispered softly while applying the salve. "You could have been killed. Your pack would have been left without a leader."

Conrad slowly opened his eyes to a mesmerizing sight. The once steel-gray hue had transformed into a swirling, molten silver. As he extended his hand, his thumb delicately traced along the contour of her jaw, his touch radiating intense heat.

"I tried to explain," he whispered, his voice lowering to a tone that caught Phiona's attention. "My perspective shifted. For so long, I believed having a mate was a weakness. It made me a target for my foes." Leaning closer, his face near hers, he continued, "Yet, as I stood on that rooftop, observing that red dot on your forehead... I understood that a life without you is not one I want to live."

​Phiona’s heart hammered against her ribs. "You don't even know me, Conrad. I’m a thief. A Lonewolf."

"I can feel the connection between our souls," he whispered softly. "I notice how the atmosphere shifts when you take a breath. Forget about logic for now, Phiona. This... this is beyond words."

He pulled her close, his hand gently sliding into the hair at the nape of her neck. The kiss was not gentle; it was a fusion of suppressed desire and the profound sense of relief after weathering the storm. It tasted like copper and woodsmoke, a primal bond that ignited Phiona’s inner wolf, urging it to howl in recognition.

They weren't simply soldiers in a battle together; they truly represented the essence of war.

Conrad's touch grew more intense, his hands delicately following the curve of her waist as he guided her to sit on his lap. Despite his injured shoulder, he yearned for the closeness. In the dancing firelight, the barriers they had carefully constructed over the years crumbled away. For Conrad, it meant letting go of his rigid control; for Phiona, it meant releasing her isolation.

After a few hours, when the fire had dwindled to glowing embers, they found themselves intertwined under a thick woolen blanket by the fireplace on the floor. The stillness of the Cierras enveloped them completely, yet the connection between them burned like a fierce fire.

"We can't stay here forever," Phiona whispered, leaning her head on his unharmed shoulder.

"I understand," Conrad answered, gently running his fingers along her arm. "But just for tonight, let's pretend the world stops at these walls."

Little did he know that the world had already found its way to his doorstep. Unaware of the significance, the bond they had just formed would shape a future where their children would be pursued by adversaries. Living his everyday life, he was oblivious to the fact that Lily, a person from his past, was already in sync with the beat of his heart.

As Phiona drifted off into a deep and peaceful sleep, she felt a strange yet comforting warmth in her belly - a spark of life that felt almost magical at this early stage. Her wolf softly hummed a soothing tune, signaling the beginning of the legacy of the "True Alpha."