UNEXPECTED MATE
1274 Words
Maxwell
I had been attending meetings non-stop since morning, and they had drained every ounce of my energy. My temples throbbed with fatigue, and my patience had long since worn thin.
I left Milton yesterday after a grueling journey, thinking I’d get a brief respite once I returned. But as soon as my jet landed, Cross, my Beta and closest friend, met me on the tarmac with grim news.
“You’ve got five meetings lined up, all critical. No room to push anything back,” he had said.
Now, it was nearly eleven at night, and the final meeting was still dragging on. The heavy tension in the room felt like thick fog, cloying and suffocating. I already knew I wouldn’t make it back to the pack tonight.
I raised my hand to signal Vale, my personal assistant.
He approached quickly, always attentive. “Yes, my king?”
“Book me a presidential suite,” I ordered, not even sparing him a glance. “I’m not returning to the pack tonight.”
“Yes, Your Majesty. I’ll handle it right away.”
He bowed and disappeared through the doors. I barely registered his exit as I turned back to the council of Alphas seated before me.
This last session involved the Alphas from the surrounding zones. Their bickering had started the moment I stepped into the room, and it hadn’t stopped since. I could have walked away and let them tear each other apart, but as King of these territories, it was my responsibility to mediate. Without me, they were nothing but reckless dogs…useless against the rogue Lycans terrorizing their borders.
“Your Majesty,” one of the Alphas finally spoke, breaking the cycle of useless debate. “We apologize for the delay and disrespect. Please forgive us. We needed to resolve internal conflicts before bringing the matter before you.”
I scoffed, folding my arms across my chest. “You should have done that before summoning me. You dare waste my time with your petty quarrels?”
Their heads bowed instantly, the weight of my fury slamming down on them like a hammer. Even without unleashing my aura, they knew they had crossed a dangerous line.
Zion, my wolf, stirred restlessly beneath the surface, his rage barely contained. “Kill two of them. Make an example,” he growled inside my mind.
“Not now,” I replied, holding him back. “Stay quiet.”
Suppressing him required effort, especially in my exhausted state. But I couldn’t afford to give in. All I wanted was rest, though I doubted I’d get any peace tonight, not with this lingering tension.
“Forgive our carelessness, Your Majesty,” Alpha Mathias said, his voice laced with fear. “Please don’t abandon us. We need your leadership. Without you, we’re vulnerable.”
My silence stretched for a moment. I stared at them, letting the weight of my disappointment sink in.
“Fine,” I said coolly. “I accept your apologies. But understand this, I will call another meeting on my terms. Compose yourselves before you dare step foot in my territory again.”
They all bowed in unison, murmuring, “Your word is law, Your Majesty.”
Satisfied, I turned on my heel and exited the room. In the hallway, Vale waited.
“Your Majesty,” he greeted, bowing again.
“Is it done?”
“Yes, Your Majesty. Here is your key card,” he said, handing it to me. “Your belongings have already been transferred to the suite.”
“Good. Get some rest. I’ll call you if I need anything.”
He nodded and left without another word. I continued down the hallway, already imagining a hot shower and a stiff drink. But as I neared the elevator, something unexpected happened.
A scent, rich, intoxicating, almost dizzying, hit me out of nowhere. It wasn’t just pleasant; it invaded my senses, jolting me fully awake. My Lycan stirred with interest, then growled with hunger.
Who is that? Zion demanded.
I didn’t know. But I intended to find out.
I stepped into the elevator and pressed the button for my floor. The doors began to close when a soft, breathless voice called out behind me.
“Please, wait!”
Instinct overruled everything, I caught the door and held it open. A young woman entered, clutching a slim black briefcase. Her steps were quick, almost rushed, and her eyes, though beautiful, carried the weight of a silent storm.
“Thank you,” she said softly, her voice wrapping around me like a melody. There was something ethereal about her.
That scent…her scent, grew stronger in the confined space. My beast growled again, pacing, restless and agitated. She wasn’t just beautiful; she was magnetic. Her presence flooded every corner of my awareness.
I inhaled deeply, trying to control my reaction. But something about her triggered a powerful, primal response I couldn’t ignore. My muscles tensed. My breathing hitched.
What the hell is happening?
Worse, I could smell her arousal. It wasn’t overpowering, but it was there, ripe, warm, inviting. She wanted something. She needed something. And every part of me wanted to be the one to give it to her.
She looked up at me, her electric-blue eyes locking with mine. I saw sadness there, deep, aching sadness that twisted something inside my chest. For a second, I didn’t feel like a king. I felt like a man desperate to wipe that pain from her face.
“To the presidential suite,” she said, barely above a whisper.
“What a coincidence,” I murmured, unable to hide the husky edge in my voice. “I’m headed there too.”
The elevator continued its ascent, but it felt like the air grew thinner. The tension between us crackled like static. I tried to determine what she was. She wasn’t human. She wasn't a wolf either. But there was something in her, something ancient, something wild. Her scent, her posture, her aura, it didn’t fit into any category I knew.
I allowed my eyes to wander, noting every curve, every inch of flawless skin. Her long, golden hair cascaded down her back like sunlight on silk. She was dressed modestly, but it didn’t hide the softness of her figure.
I wanted to touch her. To bury my face in the curve of her neck and inhale until I memorized her scent.
She shifted slightly, and her hand brushed against mine. Just a whisper of contact, but it sent a jolt through me, like lightning beneath my skin. My breath caught.
“We’re here,” she said gently, stepping out of the elevator.
I stared after her, my body frozen, my instincts screaming. I should say something. Stop her. Ask her name. Touch her again.
But I didn’t. I watched her disappear into her suite, the door closing between us like the end of a dream.
This wasn’t like me. Women usually threw themselves at my feet, desperate for even a second of my attention. Many had even pretended to be my mate, hoping for a crown and title. But my sister’s magic always exposed the lies. I’d grown numb to it.
Yet this woman… she was different.
I could still smell her on my skin, feel her energy in the air. The pull between us wasn’t normal, it was magnetic, dangerous, fated.
If she truly was my mate… I would not let her slip away.
Not tonight.
And if it came down to it, I’d be the one to take her pain away, through pleasure, through touch, through every sinful act my body ached to offer her.
- Writer
