Mesmerised by the Alpha

Chapter 26. The Alpha's Watch Pt. 1

Theo's p.o.v

I watched her run—mud-caked trainers thudding over the gravel path as she disappeared around the side of the hotel. Jasmine. Still radiant even when covered in earth and leaves. I could still feel her touch, the ghost of her fingers combing through my fur. Her scent lingered in the air: wild jasmine and freshly-cut grass, sweet and sharp like summer rain.

I let out a quiet huff and turned away, padding back into the forest. The trap had to be filled in before someone else—wolf, deer, or even a curious child—fell victim to it. I sent a mind-link to my beta. "There’s a deep pit trap out past the north trail, near where we tracked Ava’s scent last week. Fill it. Quietly."

"You got it, Alpha."

I ran, my paws barely disturbing the undergrowth. The earth was damp, the cold air carrying the faintest promise of snow. As I moved, the forest opened up around me—every tree, rustle and heartbeat announcing itself with perfect clarity. The morning had started with a purpose. I hadn’t intended to find Jasmine again. Not today. But maybe fate had other plans.

I was meant to be out here tracking one of my missing pack members. Ava, a junior scout. Young, bold, far too eager to prove herself. She’d vanished a few nights before. Our best trackers had followed her trail near St Amstein’s border—worryingly close to where Jasmine had found the pup—but then her scent disappeared completely. As if she’d been snatched from thin air.

A sick feeling twisted in my gut. I knew what that meant.

Hunters.

I’d seen it before. Perfectly clean breaks in a scent trail, sometimes a trace of iron in the air. Signs of paralysis darts or smoke grenades. Technology. Traps designed specifically for wolves. And lately, there’d been whispers—rumours about the hunters working with vampires.

I didn’t want to believe it. Those leeches never worked with anyone unless there was something truly dark in the mix. But the evidence was stacking up. Half my warriors had reported odd movements in the woods, and the survivors of the last ambush spoke of pale figures moving like shadows, fangs glinting through the mist. It was too much of a coincidence.

And now this hotel—St Amstein, which had been closed to the public for the past few years—had sprung back to life at the start of autumn. Renovation, they claimed. But the timing? Too perfect. Too convenient. Situated practically on our doorstep, fortified, isolated, and already humming with quiet secrets. The place stank of weapon oil and lies.

I slowed as I approached the old boundary stone, half-covered in moss. A familiar landmark, one I used often during my patrols. I sat back on my haunches and let my thoughts drift to her again.

Jasmine.

The first time I caught her scent, I froze. My entire world narrowed to that one thread of air. Titan—my wolf—nearly burst through my skin, howling with joy. “Mate,” he whispered, breathless. “She’s here.”

I tracked her scent to the hotel’s gravel drive and hid in the treeline, watching. She stepped out of her car slowly, stretching her arms as if shaking off a long drive. I remember how the wind caught her hair, raven-dark and spilling over her shoulders like ink. She looked around, uncertain—curious. There was a sort of quiet resilience to her even then. Something that pulled at me.

Titan was nearly out of control, urging me to run to her, claim her, mark her. But I knew better. I couldn’t just barge into her world. Not with everything at stake. Not with her working at the hotel.

Still, I found myself drawn back to the edge of the woods more than once after that. Just to catch a glimpse of her. She had this habit of brushing a lock of hair behind her ear when she thought no one was watching. She walked the grounds in the early evenings, sometimes lingering by the lake, sometimes sitting alone with a book in the garden, and every time, my heart ached with the need to approach her.

But I waited.

I told myself it was for her safety, for mine, for the pack. I needed to know who she was. What she believed. Whether she posed a threat—or if she might be something else entirely.

Something worth risking everything for.

That was until I caught her scent once more, in the town center.

I followed the trail straight to Nora’s shop. Just the back of her was enough to undo me. Raven hair falling over the collar of her coat, hips swaying slightly as she leaned in to admire the mannequin display. My mate. My fated one. The Moon Goddess had answered my prayers.

And nearly destroyed me in the same breath.

Because just as I was about to approach her, Nora’s voice rang in my mind. “Careful, Theo. She’s working at the hotel. She could be one of them.”

"I know." I replied.

But my heart still dropped. Was this some cruel joke? The goddess giving me a mate only to place her in the center of enemy territory? The pain that ripped through me then—sharp, hollowing—was worse than anything I’d felt since my parents were killed.

But I couldn’t stay away.

I walked into the shop, acting casual, my pulse roaring. Titan demanded I claim her on the spot. “Kiss her. Mark her. Now.” But I held him back. I needed answers.

She was looking at a red dress. Flirty. Bold. I asked if she liked to party. Her eyes met mine for the first time and the world faded. Ocean blue, flecked with silver. Porcelain skin with freckles dotting her nose. Lips that curved slightly as she replied with that sharp tongue of hers.

I was gone. Just like that.

When we shook hands, it was like someone had lit a match between our palms. Sparks. Literal, tangible sparks. Her breath hitched. Mine did too. Titan was already curled up in a love-drunk haze, sighing, “Ours.”

But I had to be sure. I couldn’t bring her into my world if she was loyal to theirs.

I followed her discreetly after she left. Not stalking, just… observing. Protecting. Her scent led me to one of the shops I owned in town. A little home improvement store. I waited outside, watching, listening, before gathering the courage to enter. And then I made my move—"accidentally" bumping into her. She scowled, all fire and sass, and I couldn’t help but laugh. Even her anger was captivating.

I wanted to ask her out then and there, but instinct told me to wait. I needed intel.

I contacted Dana.

She looked like a harmless, eccentric chef to the hotel staff. But Dana had once been one of my fiercest warriors, known as the “Witch of Elmridge” for her cunning in battle and her uncanny foresight. She’d been working at St Amstein for months—quietly passing along information as the renovations began and suspicions mounted.

I trusted her with my life. And more importantly, I trusted her with Jasmine’s.

She looked into her past, her relationships, her schedule. I needed to know: Was Jasmine complicit? Was she hunting us? Or had she simply found herself tangled in a web she didn’t yet understand?

It didn't take long.

But Dana came back with the all-clear. Jasmine was clean. Conflicted, maybe. Curious, definitely. But not a hunter.

The relief nearly dropped me to my knees.

I decided then—no more waiting. I would find a way into her heart, gently. She needed to learn the truth. But in her own time. For now, I would be patient. Careful. I couldn’t afford to scare her away.

Too much was at stake. My pack. My people. And now… her.

I decided to engineer another meeting. Nothing dramatic—just a casual ‘accidental’ run-in.

We chatted as we ran together, Titan loving how she couldn't seem to take her eyes off my body. My confidence peaked, and as I escorted her back to the hotel, I managed to ask for her number without sounding like a total i***t. I played it cool—just in case she didn’t feel the connection as strongly as I did—but she gave it to me without hesitation. My heart did a little flip.

I didn't want to leave it too long, so I decided to ask her out properly. Just a simple coffee. Nothing too over the top. I wanted her to feel comfortable—wanted her to know she could trust me.

But then the lead came in. One of the scouts thought they’d picked up Ava’s trail—an old scent, muddled and faint, but close to where she’d last been seen. I couldn’t ignore it. I cancelled with Jasmine, something that felt like a kick to the ribs, even though I knew I had no choice.

And then the lead turned to dust.

No sign of Ava. No evidence she’d ever been there. Just a false hope that left my pack disheartened and me fuming. I hated having to choose between duty and the one bright thing that had started to grow in my life.

So I made a decision. I drove straight to the hotel, parked up, and waited. I hadn’t planned it—not really—but I didn't want some other guy coming along and end up missing my opportunity.

The way her eyes lit up when she saw me—genuine surprise, not annoyance—relieved something deep inside me.

She was impressed by the truck, too. I saw it in her expression. I didn’t mean to show off, but I wasn’t complaining either.

Lunch turned out better than I’d dared hope. We laughed—really laughed. It wasn’t forced or polite; it was the kind of laughter that came from a shared wavelength. The kind that left you grinning like an i***t hours later. We talked about music, growing up, our favourite films—and then, somehow, we ended up talking about our parents.

It was strange, how natural it felt. How easily I told her things I rarely spoke about. She listened—really listened—and shared her own story. I could see the pain in her eyes, but there was strength too. Resilience. She hadn’t had it easy, that much was clear, but she hadn’t let it turn her bitter.

Then, of course, Valerie showed up.

She was never subtle. She swept in like a hurricane in heels, throwing sharp looks and snide remarks. I could feel Jasmine stiffen, hating the way her smile faltered. But she didn’t crumble. She handled the entire thing with more grace than I could’ve asked for.

It made me want her even more.

As soon as Valerie left, Jasmine turned back to me with a slight roll of her eyes and picked up the conversation as if nothing had happened. I admired her for that—for not letting someone like Valerie ruin her afternoon. So many others might have walked away, but Jasmine stayed. She gave me a chance.

And in that moment, I knew.

I was already in deep.