From Outcast To Alpha's Mate

Chapter 3

The guards immediately straightened up when they heard the female’s voice. They turned to her and bowed though Hanna couldn’t see her yet.

“Luna Katherine. An intruder comes and claims to seek refuge,” a guard said. Luna? Hanna’s breath hitched.

“Let them in,” the female said calmly.

“But Madam, she is a stranger,” the other guard argued.

“I said let her in,” she said with more command in her voice. Enough to make Hanna want to immediately obey.her.

“Of course Madam,” they said in unison and reluctantly stepped aside and walked away.

Hanna walked into the entrance to see a slightly elderly beautiful woman with braided brunette hair. Something about her made her look so regal. Katherine gasped as soon as she saw Hanna.

“That hair, those eyes. Why I haven’t seen those since… My dear, who are you?” Luna asked, making Hanna slightly confused at her words.

“Hanna, your highness,“ she said with courtesy. ”I am a lone wolf. I have been cast out from my clan and I come seeking refuge.“

“Cast out? Whatever for?” she asked in her regal accent. Hanna wavered. Was she to tell her? What if she simply turned her away. She swallowed.

“I am a dormant wolf, your highness. I haven't shifted since I was born.”

Katherine gasped again. She stared curiously at Hanna.

“My dear, who is your mother?” she asked, making Hanna uncomfortable with the sudden question.

“Akira Ackwulf, Madam,” Hanna said and looked down. “She is late.”

Katherine gasped again and immediately held Hanna’s hands, her eyes full of sympathy. “Child, your mother and I used to be friends. We grew up in the same pack. Before she got tied to Edmund that is,” Katherine said and Hanna couldn’t believe her ears. Tears stung the back of her eyes. No one ever spoke much about her mother. Especially not her father. He saw her as responsible for her mother’s death.

“Why would they kick you out of your pack? Your mother would have never allowed it,” Katherine pressed on and Hanna blinked back her tears. She wasn’t ready to talk about that. She just needed a new home.

“Please let me stay here. I can work as a servant,” Hanna pleaded.

“Oh no Dear. You will do no such thing. You can stay here as a pack member. You are more than welcome,” she said and Hanna sighed with relief. She felt at peace and happy with Katherine’s gentle words. She gave off a motherly air.

“Thank you! Thank you so much Madam,” Hanna said earnestly.

“Of course. It’s the least I could do for Akira’s daughter. And please, call me Katherine,” she said and Hanna smiled at her. She couldn’t remember the last time she smiled. Katherine smiled back.

“I’ll just need to tell the Alpha,” she said.

“Tell me what, Mother?” a deep male voice bounced off the walls and Hanna found her heartbeat accelerating. A tall young man walked in like a god. Lean and muscular, perfect jawline, deep brown wavy hair that ended just under his ears. Hanna locked eyes with him and they both gasped. Those eyes. Forest green. They were the ones of the wolf who saved her. Hanna couldn’t forget. She saw those eyes whenever she closed hers.He was the Alpha of Moonstone? And Katherine’s son?

Hanna wished she could will her heartbeat to a stop as his eyes bore through hers. He was majestic in his wolf form but Hanna had to stop herself from gaping at his human form. He was handsome. Gorgeous even.

“You,” he said, recognition passing through his face. “What are you doing here?”

“You know this young lady?” Katherine spoke for the first time since he walked in. He nodded, facing her.

“She’s the human I saved from rogues two days ago,” he said and Hanna blinked. Human? He thought she was human? How dare he demean her to such creatures? Yes she was dormant but that didn’t make her human.

“I’m not human,” Hanna said, more aggressively than she intended to. He turned back to her sharply.

“So are you a wolf? You would have shifted at least once during the attack,” he said and she felt like she was being accused.

“I… it wouldn’t have made much difference then,” she maintained and he c****d his head.

“Oh really? Then why don’t you smell like other wolves?” he persisted. Hanna flushed, feeling invaded by his questions. Well he was an Alpha. He had to know things. But Hanna didn’t have answers to his questions. He stepped closer.

“You don’t smell like any human I’ve seen either. What are you?” he said and Hanna wanted to escape his invading questions and even more invading gaze.

It was at that point Katherine sighed. “She’s a dormant wolf, Erik. She hasn’t shifted yet.”

Erik. That was the name of the man who made Hanna want to enter the ground. His gaze grew more curious.

“Why is she here?” he asked, still not tearing his eyes from her.

“She was rejected by her pack,” Katherine said, her words stinging her. “Be gentle. She will be staying with us from now on.” She said the last sentence a little firmer as if telling him he couldn’t object.

Erik glanced between the two for a few seconds then looked away.

”Fine. Just don’t get into any trouble. I don’t do well with humans,” he said coldly and with that he walked away. Hanna stared after him. How could he say that to her? Why was he so rude? She decided she disliked him. He might have saved her but that didn’t mean he could be terrible to her. He called her a human. Again. How dare he? She found herself glaring at the dark spot he disappeared into. Katherine shook her head.

“My apologies Dear. He doesn’t really like strangers. Or people in general. Anyways, would you like me to show you your new room?” Katherine asked and Hanna nodded, offering her a smile.

Katherine dragged her off without warning. They passed the gates and walked through a majestic garden. Hanna cooed at it but Katherine didn’t give her the time to admire it. Guards opened the double doors, showing the majestic interiors. Outside the fort might have been intimidating but inside was just like a castle. She didn’t know wolves could be so…regal. They walked up flights and flights of stairs before finally walking into a corridor which Hanna was grateful for. She was so tired.

“Here’s my room, if you need anything,” Katherine said, pointing to a room with a grand door. “And ah, here’s your room. Sorry it’s a bit rusty. We’re not used to visitors.”

Hanna marvelled at the room in front of her and stepped in. Rusty? She never thought she could own anything like this. It was very different from the wolf den she shared with her pack which had no privacy. The room was gorgeous! It had splashes of blue and white everywhere. From the curtains to the bed to the rug. It was perfect.

“Thank you so much,” she said to Katherine.

“You’re welcome,” Katherine said, smiling. “Now I’ll allow you to freshen up. Dresses of different sizes are in the closets and they’ll eventually be tailored to your liking. Dinner will be ready by 7.” And with that she disappeared.

Hanna’s tummy growled at the sound of dinner. It was getting dark and she hadn’t eaten anything all day. She did as told, happily removing the ragged clothes she was wearing.

She stared at the mirror. She had cleaned up and taken care of her hair. She was afraid to touch any of the dresses in the closet as they felt too luxurious for her. So she picked the simplest one she could find. A light blue off shoulder dress that almost touched the floor. It matched her eyes and it felt the most natural to her. Her wild hair was tamed and she decided she was ready.

The problem now was that she didn’t know where the dinner table was and Katherine wasn’t in her room. She walked around the castle until she was sure she got lost. She walked aimlessly in a corridor and a very old man walked out of a room. He stared at her with wide eyes, making Hanna uncomfortable. Without warning, he grabbed her hand.