The alpha's forbidden mate

CHAPTER 2 : YOU BELONG TO ME.

Pain was the first thing I felt.

It pulsed through my body in show, heavy waves, dragging me toward consciousness whether I wanted to wake or not. My chest burned. My side throbbed. Every breath felt like it scraped something raw inside me.

I tried to move.

A mistake.

A sharp gasp tore from my throat as my eyes flew open.

Light - too bright - too unfamiliar - blurred my vision.

Where am I?

Panic crept in, slow and cold.

The last thing I remembered was running.

Hands grabbing me.

Pain.

Teeth.

I sucked in a shaky breath and turned my head.

And froze.

A man stood beside the bed.

He was too big to ignore. Brood shoulders, bare chest marked with drying blood, eyes so intense it felt like they were pressing straight into my bones. He wasn't looking at me like a stranger would.

He was looking at me like I belonged to him.

"You're awake," he said, voice low and rough, like he hasn't used it in a while.

My heart slammed painfully against my ribs.

"Where am I?"

"Safe," he answered immediately.

The word should've calmed me. It didn't.

I tried to push myself up, but strong hands caught my shoulders, gentle and unyielding at the same time.

"Don't move." He warned. "You're hurt."

The strange thing was my body listened.

I lay back against the bed, breath shallow, eyes locked on him. Every instinct screamed that I should be afraid - of the man, of the way his gaze never left my face.

And yet.

Something warm twisted in my chest.

Something wrong.

His jaw tightened as if he sensed it too. "You shouldn't have been alone in that woods," he muttered, more to himself than to me.

"What happened to me?" I whispered.

His eyes darkened.

"You were attacked," he said. "I found you."

A pause.

"And I'm not letting anything like that happen to you again."

The words landed heavier than they should have.

I swallowed, suddenly aware of how close he was. Of how his scent filled the room - earthy, wild, unsettlingly comforting.

"Who are you?" I asked.

His gaze softened just a fraction.

"Ralf," he said. "And you're in my home."

My pulse skipped.

Because somehow.

I already knew that wasn't the most important thing he hadn't told me.

The man - Ralf - watched me like he was afraid I might disappear if he blinked.

I could feel it.

Not just his gaze, but something deeper. A pull low in my chest, warm and tight, as if an invisible thread had been knotted between us and drawn too suddenly taut.

Every breath I took echoed somewhere that wasn't entirely inside my own body.

It scared me.

I swallowed, my mouth dry despite the strange metallic taste lingering on my tongue. "Why does it hurt... Here?" I whispered, pressing a hand to my chest.

His eyes darkened instantly.

"You feel it too," he said quietly.

"Feel what?" My heart began to race. "What did you do to me?"

His jaw flexed. For a moment, he looked almost... Tormented.

"I saved your life," he murmured.

"That's all."

I shifted slightly, wincing as pain flared along my side.

The scent in the room suddenly sharpened - blood, clean linen, something wild beneath it. My teeth ached faintly, a dull pressure that made me frown

That wasn't normal.

Neither was the way my senses kept reaching for him. The steady rhythm of his heartbeat sounded too loud. Too tempting. I had to force myself to look away before the hunger curling low in my stomach became something else entirely.

Ralf noticed.

His shoulders stiffened. "Easy," he murmured.

"You lost a lot of blood."

The word blood made my throat tighten.

Images flickered at the edge of my mind - darkness, warmth against my lips, a craving I didn't remember ever choosing.

My fingers curled into the sheets as I fought the sudden urge to lick my teeth.

"What am I?" I asked softly.

His gaze snapped back to mine.

"What do you remember?"

"Running," I said. "Pain. And then..." I hesitated. "Then I felt something inside me was breaking. Changing."

Silence stretched between us.

I became painfully aware of how close he was, how his hand hovered near my wrist without touching - as if he was holding himself back by sheer force of will.

"You're safe here," he said again, more firmly this time. "No one will hurt you."

The bond flared suddenly - hot and possesive - so strong it stole my breath.

The door creaked open behind him.

Ralf turned.

I watched in stunned dissbelief as his body changed.

Bones cracked. Muscles surged beneath his skin. His frame expanded violently, ripping through flesh and fabric alike. Fur spilled where skin had been dark and massive and impossibly real.

A wolf stood where the man had been seconds ago.

Huge. Powerful. Deadly.

My breath caught in my throat - not in fear.

But in recognition.

Because as golden eyes locked onto mine, the bond surged once more, unmistakable and undeniable.

And I realized, far too late - whatever I was becoming.

He was already mine too.

A girl entered the room eyes fiery as she looked at the beast.

"You've been Alpha for less than a week and you're already causing chaos."

Her eyes flickered to his naked form - and away without interest.

Ralf stood slowly. "I take it the whole pack knows?"

"They know what father allows them to know," she replied. "But the village saw you carrying a woman into the palace. That part spread like fire."

She approaced the bed.

"This isn't a girl." Her eyes snapped to Ralf. "Who the hell is this?"

Scarlett circled the bed slowly, studying the stranger like he was a threat.

"How does it feel?" She asked suddenly.

Ralf walked to the drawer and grabbed a pair of trousers. "How does what feel?"

"To imprint on someone you don't know." She tilted her head. "And to mark him. No wonder father looks ready to kill someone."

Her fingers brushed lightly against the young man's neck, where the mark were.

Ralf was beside her in an instant, removing her hand.

"It all happened too fast," he said tightly.

"I thought he was dying. I've never - I've never been that afraid."

The truth surprised even him.

Scarlett starred at her brother.

Scarlett had always been the one he would die for. The one he would protect above all else.

Until now.

"How are you going to handle this?" She asked quietly. "You know father will never allow this. Not with war coming. Not when the pack needs strenght."

She pulled back and looked at the stranger.

"But now you won't survive without him."

Ralf swallowed.

"I'll make it work."

"And if you can't ?" She pressed. "Are you willing to choose him over being Alpha?"

Scarlett eyes searched his.

"You don't even know if he could love you back. If he can accept what you are."

"Scarlett..."

"Let him go," she said sharply. "Before this destroys you. Before it destroys us."

Ralf's voice dropped to a whisper.

"I can't."

Her expression hardened.

"You can't?"

"That's enough."

Scarlett stepped back, anger flashing in her eyes.

At the doorway she paused.

"You'll regret keeping that human alive."

And she left.

"I should leave." Caison said quietly.

"No." Ralf said.

One word that sounded more like a plea than a order.

"Get some rest. I'll return in the morning."

Before Caison could respond, Ralf was already out the door.

He leaned against the closed door.

I haven't even considered the possibility.

Rejection.

The word cut deeper than any blade.

"I'll protect you," he murmured. "Even if you regret me. Even if it cost me everything.

The following morning.

Sunlight spilled through the curtains.

Ralf jerked awake in the chair beside the bed at the sound of a soft groan.

He was at the young man's side instantly, taking his hand.

"Shh... You're safe."

Blue eyes fluttered open.

Confused.

The young man looked around the unfamiliar room before focusing on Ralf holding his hand.

He tried to sit up.

Pain shot through his chest and he gasped.

"Don't." Ralf said firmly easing him back."

"I'm fine," Caison muttered avoiding his gaze. " I thought it was all just a dream..."

Ralf gently lifted his chin.

"Look at me. Please," Ralf said, softer."

Slowly, those blue eyes opened - and locked with his.

The connection hit like lightning.

"Why were those men beating you in the woods?" Ralf asked.

Fear flickered across Caison's face.

"What happened to them?"

His breathing quickened.

"They won't hurt you again," Ralf said carefully.

The boy pressed a hand to his temple.

"Did you turn into a werewolf?"

Ralf held his expression steady.

"Do you remember what happened?"

"No... It's still a blur." He swallowed. "But I thought I saw something. A werewolf in the woods and again here last night."

He touched his throat.

"My mouth is dry. Water?"

"Ofcourse."

Ralf stepped out.

The door opened again.

Scarlett...

"I see our guest is awake."

Caison looked at her warily.

"Do I know you?"

"My brother saved you during his mating ceremony," she said coolly. "And now it's time for you to return the favour and go back to wherever it is that you came from."

"I didn't mean to cause trouble." Caison said quickly, trying to rise - but his legs trembled beneath him.

"You can't stay here," Scarlett snapped. "You can never be his mate."

"Mate... Alpha..." Caison frowned. "So I did see a werewolf?"

"Yes," she said flatly. "What else would it be?"

She moved closer.

Caison instinctively shifted back.

Scarlett's eyes narrowed.

With sudden speed, claws burst from her fingertips and pierced his shoulder.

He cried out.

His scent changed instantly - something metallic, ancient... Wrong.

His eyes flashed red.

Scarlett froze.

"What are you?" She whispered.

The door slammed open.

Ralf crossed the room in a heartbeat, gripping her wrist and throwing her aside.

The force of his reaction stunned them both.

She starred at him in disbelief - then left without another word.

Ralf turned back to Caison.

The puncture wounds were already healing.

Too fast.

Ralf's mind raced.

"That's not possible... Wolves don't heal human like that. Unless..."

His gaze lifted slowly.

The faint red still lingered in Caison's eyes.

"... You're a vampire."

Shock pulsed through him.

A werewolf Alpha... Imprinting on a vampire.

Of all creatures.

Ralf didn't hesitate.

He drew his pocket knife and sliced across his wrist.

He pulled Caison close and pressed his bleeding wrist to his lips.

"Drink."

Caison shook his head weakly.

But the scent was overwhelming.

His fangs slid down.

They pierced.

Ralf inhaled sharply but didn't pull away.

Instead he stroked Caison's hair as he drank.

Once the pack smells him, they will hunt him-

But I won't let them.

Caison pulled away abruptly, shame darkening his features.

Ralf tilted his chin up gently.

"What's your name, little vampire?"

"Caison..."

Ralf repeated it slowly.

"Caison."

It felt right.

"Why didn't you defend yourself?" He asked quietly. You're stronger than humans."

Caison's voice trembled.

"I didn't want to complete the transformation."

Ralf stiffened.

He hadn't expected that.

And here he was... Feeding him.

"I'm sorry." Ralf murmured.

Would I have let you die?

Never.

"I guess I'm destined to live miserably." Caison whispered.

"Don't say that."

"I don't want to survive on blood!" Caison's eyes filled.

"How can I stay sane when all I think about is sinking my teeth into someone?"

You can sink them into me.

"Let me help you," Ralf said, taking his hands.

Caison searched his face.

"Why would you help me?"

Because I'm already yours.

Ralf didn't say it.

But the truth burned in his eyes.

"Because," he said instead, voice low and steady, "you're not alone anymore."