The Alpha’s Regret, The Lycan King’s Obsession

Chapter 12

Author’s POV

The heavy silence of the corridor settled around Kai Thorne. He stood completely immobile in the center of the hallway, he had held her pinned against the wall.

Inside his mind, chaos reigned.

Darius was tearing through his consciousness, clawing at the edges of Kai’s control with a wild desperation.

MATE! Darius roared, his voice rattling through Kai’s head like thunder. Our mate! She ran from us! Fetch her now! Bring her back!

Kai’s jaw clenched so hard a muscle in his cheek twitched violently. His chest heaved as he dragged in a deep breath, every nerve in his body still vibrating from the sensation of her skin against his. His fists clenched tightly at his sides. He wasn't enraged at her. But the fact that his mate had looked into his eyes, and chosen to run from him. That ignited a dark, possessive fury that made the very air around him drop.

Without a word, Kai snapped into motion. He tracked the lingering vanilla mixed with her sweet, intoxicating scent—a divine fragrance of wild honey and rain—he followed it down the hallway.

Students scattered like frightened sheep the second his presence crossed the threshold. Low-ranking wolves dropped their gazes, whispering in hushed, terrified tones as Kai moved across the room.

He locked onto her scent, following it straight toward the heavy iron gates of Lunas Crest.

Then, right outside, the scent abruptly vanished.

Kai froze dead in his tracks.

He closed his eyes, tilting his head back slightly as he took a deep, aggressive breath, expanding his powerful senses to sweep across the entire space. Nothing.

A dark, dangerous smirk slowly pulled at the corner of Kai’s lips, though his eyes remained icy.

"Run all you want, little mouse," Kai growled under his breath, his voice a low growl that vibrated through the quiet courtyard. "Because the second I place my hands on you, there won’t be no escape."

"Alpha."

A calm voice broke through the storm of Kai's thoughts. Gideon walked toward him, his movement silent and smooth. Gideon took in Kai’s rigid posture, the glowing silver hue bleeding through his irises.

"What happened?" Gideon asked quietly, his eyes scanning the empty gates.

Kai turned his head slowly, his piercing gaze locking onto his beta.

"Someone ran from me," Kai said, the words heavy with a quiet promise.

Gideon’s eyebrows shot up in genuine surprise. "Someone ran from you? In this academy?"

"Find her," Kai commanded, his tone leaving zero room for question. "Every detail. I want everything on my desk before nightfall."

Gideon inclined his head in a professional bow. "Consider it done, Alpha."

Without another word, Gideon turned on his heel and disappeared into the crowd of whispering students.

**********

The estate Kai had purchased on the outskirts of the Half Moon Pack territory was a sprawling, modern mansion surrounded by high stone walls and thick forest. It was isolated from the rest of the world—a fitting sanctuary for a Lycan King who preferred control over chaos.

For four agonizing hours, Kai paced back and forth across his study.

He couldn't sit. He couldn't think. Darius was pacing inside his head, snapping at the boundaries of Kai's mind every time her sweet scent flashed through their shared memory. The scent of her skin was branded into Kai's soul. He had spent his entire life believing the Moon Goddess had spared him from the burden of a mate—viewing bonds as a pathetic weakness that made strong men fragile.

Yet, the moment he had inhaled her scent, every wall he had built around his heart had crumbled into dust. She was his. Every line of her body, every breath, every tear belonged to him entirely.

He slammed his fist against the desk, splitting the wood down the center with a loud crack.

"Where is she?" Kai snarled aloud to the empty room, his shadow stretching long against the walls as the sun began to dip below.

Right on cue, the doors of his study swung open.

Gideon walked in, carrying a thin folder in his hand. His expression, usually unreadable, carried something different that immediately caught Kai’s attention.

Kai straightened up instantly, his eyes locking onto his beta like a predator spotting its prey. "Tell me."

Gideon closed the doors behind him and stepped forward, laying the folder flat on the damaged desk.

"Her name is Hazel DeRose," Gideon began, his voice clear and precise. "Eighteen years old omega living at the edge of the Half Moon Pack territory with her mother. She attends Lunas Crest Academy on a full academic scholarship."

Kai stared down at the file, his chest tightening as he absorbed the details of her.

Hazel. The name tasted like honey on his tongue.

"Her family holds zero standing in the pack. She works part-time jobs in the human world." Gideon finished, taking a deep breath.

Kai’s eyes narrowed as he traced a finger over her name written on the paper. "An Omega."

"Yes, Alpha," Gideon confirmed.

Kai let out a low chuckle that had no humor in it. He didn't care about anything. She could be a beggar in the dirt, and she would still be his Queen.

"Go on," Kai ordered smoothly, leaning against the desk.

Gideon hesitated for a second, his gaze meeting Kai’s with a rare look of cautious hesitation.

"There’s something else, Alpha," Gideon said smoothly.

Kai’s eyes narrowed instantly, the air in the room dropping. "What?"

"According to the pack... Hazel doesn't have a wolf." Gideon explained, choosing his words carefully.

The silence that followed was absolute.

Kai went still.

The low hum of Darius's restlessness inside his mind instantly died down. Kai stared at Gideon, his expression turning cold.

"Say that again," Kai commanded, his voice dropping into a whisper.

"The pack records state she failed to shift during her eighteenth birthday," Gideon repeated calmly, though he braced his feet slightly against the floor.

“Wolfless?”

Kai’s eyes narrowed. Then, slowly, a dangerous smile curved across his lips.

“The fools would believe that.”

Gideon watched his Alpha's back, confusion dawning in his eyes. "What are your orders, Alpha?"

Kai stared out into the night. Darius let out a low, satisfied growl inside his chest, finally settling down now that their target was locked.

"Keep a watch on her," Kai said. Let her run for tonight. But tomorrow... tomorrow I take what is mine.