The Alpha's Protective Mate

34

Robert Montgomery

Healing is not an easy process. When your insides repair so quickly, it puts a ton of stress on the body and mind, so I’m not surprised to see Charlotte passed out again. I lay her down on the couch and study the wounds on her face. They will take a long time to heal, and given the fact that she doesn’t have the same abilities as other vampires, I don’t know if they will scar or not. Her palm still bears evidence of the knife wound she accidentally gave herself the day we met.

A knock on the door has me glancing up.

To my surprise, it’s Adam Moore.

“Adam.” I feel my protective instincts buzzing and immediately step in front of Charlotte.

My friend tucks his hands in his pockets. “Don’t bother. I already know what she is. Could smell her a mile off.”

He’s exaggerating, but it does worry me. It is better for Charlotte to blend in with the humans completely, and the only way to do that is to hide her scent.

Adam steps forward. “So, this is the woman you’ve been pining over. Cynthia said you were upset, and I came by to check on you. A vampire, Robert? Are you serious?”

“It’s not as simple as all that.”

“It most likely isn’t,” my friend says calmly. “But surely you have an explanation as to why you’re involving yourself with a bloodsucker when you know we’re at war with them.”

“Let’s talk in the other room.” I don’t want him around Charlotte. He feels like a threat right now, and my wolf isn’t responding well to that. It wants to attack.

Fortunately, Adam doesn’t argue with me. I close the door behind us, and we head to the front of the cafe.

All the damage has been repaired. The team of experts I always have on call is wrapping up, and they nod at me as they leave. Once they’re gone, I turn to face Adam. “Alright. What do you want to know?”

“I want to know what the hell you’re doing with a bloodsucker.” Adam doesn’t lose his head, keeping his voice steady. That’s one of his best qualities: his unyielding patience. It’s what makes him such a good Alpha.

“She has no clan,” I begin, but Adam shakes his head.

“Doesn’t change what she is—”

“Adam…” I study my long-time friend and decide to tell him the truth. “My wolf wants her.”

The Alpha before me goes very still. “What does that mean?”

“You have a mate. You tell me.” I cross my arms over my chest.

Adam can’t seem to get any words out for a few seconds.

“She’s a vampire, Robert. Your wolf has no business being interested in something like her.”

“But it is.” I glance out the window at the dark night. “I slept with her. My wolf gave her the mating mark without my consent, but I can’t feel the bond. It’s desperately trying to claim her. I tried to stay away; I managed ten days before I cracked. I thought I would go insane.”

Adam looks shocked at my admission. “From what you’re describing, it sounds like a fated bond between wolf shifters. But that can’t be possible.”

“I know,” I say grimly. “It doesn’t make sense. But when I tried to move on, my wolf retaliated. I’ve never lost control of it before.”

“I have,” Adam says slowly. “When I met Cynthia. It was my wolf who forced me to give her the mating mark that same night. But my human side didn’t exactly put up much of an argument. Your situation is vastly different, though. Charlotte is the enemy.”

My wolf bristles.

“Her clan shunned her because she doesn’t have the same abilities as a vampire. She’s weak. Very weak, Adam. She’s not a threat to anyone. But she’s important to me. I won’t walk away from her.”

My friend watches me, his expression tense. “What do you know about her past, Robert? How do you know she’s not a spy?”

“I’ve done sufficient background checks on her. She’s not the enemy. I won’t offer any more information on her past. I know which clan she belonged to; I’m aware of her relationship with those people. Her own family tried to kill her tonight. Suffice to say, she is not a danger to us. And one more thing,” I say, holding Adam’s gaze. “I will protect Charlotte with my life. She’s mine. An attack on her will be considered an attack on me.”

Adam narrows his eyes at me. “Should I take that as a warning?”

My lips curve humorlessly. “In our world, Charlotte is as weak as a human. Perhaps even weaker. I forced my way into her life. And I plan to stay. She’s mine now.”

My friend looks at me thoughtfully. “You’ve got it quite bad, don’t you?”

When I don’t bother answering him, he sighs. “I trust you, Robert. And I trust your judgment. Your girl has nothing to fear from me or my pack. Besides, Cynthia was pretty worried about you, so she’s going to be relieved things have worked out. However, I would advise you not to let your guard down too quickly.”

I nod. He’s not wrong. I cannot let myself make every decision with my heart. I will still have to be vigilant.

“What about your pack?” Adam suddenly asks. “You know they’re never going to accept a vampire as your mate.”

“I haven’t thought that far ahead,” I admit, sighing. “But Charlotte is the first good thing to happen to me.” I meet my friend’s gaze. “When the time comes, I don’t know what decision I’ll make.”

Adam puts his hand on my shoulder. “I have a feeling you do. But whatever it is, you have my unwavering support. You’re my brother. If not in blood, then by our long friendship. I have your back, Robert. I just hope you know what you’re doing.”

As he leaves, just a bit later, I find my jaw hardening.

If I keep thinking and pondering, I won’t get anywhere. I can’t deny my wolf when it’s treating Charlotte as its mate. And my human side is no less besotted with her. Around her, I feel young and alive. The apathy that has become second nature to me fades away when I see her.

All my life, I’ve played second fiddle. Even though I was born as the Alpha-heir, I was still unwanted, torn from my mother’s arms and thrown into a viper’s den where everyone wanted me dead. If it hadn’t been for my grandfather, who protected me at my most vulnerable time, I might not be alive right now. But there was no love in his heart for me. He made sure I survived, but that was it.

Children react to trauma in different ways. I remember being confused as a boy about why my siblings were showered with affection while I was punished for so much as drawing a breath. I realized pretty quickly that I was not wanted, and then survival became a daily routine. I also learned that if I played the fool, my family would underestimate me. My desire to become Alpha stemmed from rage and was fueled by the idea of humiliating my father. I was always a thorn in his side, especially since I was the apparent heir to the Alpha seat. He did everything he could think of to discourage me, down to letting my siblings pour liquid wolfsbane on my face and then locking me in a room to prevent a healer from seeing me.

And yet here I am.

But my wolf was permanently scarred from the childhood I experienced, and it refused to trust anyone, to open its heart to anyone. I forged bonds of friendship with Morris and Adam, both of them fighting to claim their rightful places in their packs. I built a vast network of resources, knowing that, physically deformed as I was, I would need everything I could amass.

But becoming the Alpha didn’t give me the satisfaction I thought it would. It was still a lonely existence; my wolf was antisocial, aware that it was lacking. I looked at my friends as they found their mates, as they lost them due to their foolishness and then managed to win them back. A small part of me found their actions ridiculous. They didn’t realize how lucky they were that their mates accepted them and loved them.

Nobody could love the beast I was. People respect me. They like me. But I was so sure that no woman would be able to see past my hideous appearance. Not till I met Charlotte.

Charlotte, who stirred the desires of my wolf.