ALPHA'S HUMAN MATE

The knife at my throat belonged to the man who had rejected me three months ago. Roman Vale. He stood behind me in the empty parking garage, one hand holding a silver blade against my skin while the other gripped my wrist hard enough to stop me from running. “Tell me where you got this.” His voice was low. I looked at the object in his other hand. My hospital bracelet. I swallowed. “I found it in my room.” “That isn't what I asked.” “You broke into my apartment?” “I asked where you got it.” I should have been terrified. I was terrified. But anger was stronger. “You rejected me, Roman. You don't get to show up whenever you want and start giving me orders.” His jaw tightened. I had been wrong. Roman moved the blade away from my throat. “Anaya,” he said, “you need to listen to me.” “No.” His eyes flashed gold. I froze. “You shouldn't have that bracelet,” he said. “Why?” “Because it doesn't belong to you.” I stared at him. “It has my name on it.” “I know.” “Then what exactly is the problem?” He hesitated. Roman Vale didn't hesitate. “Where did you really get it?” “I told you.” “Anaya.” “Fine.” I pulled my wrist from his grip. “I woke up with it on my arm.” His expression changed. “What?” “I woke up with it yesterday. I thought it was some stupid prank until I saw my name and the hospital date.” Roman went completely still. The date was twelve years ago. I had been six. “I checked hospital records,” I continued. “The bracelet came from Saint Mary's. That's where my mother told me I was born.” Roman stared at me. “Your mother lied.” My stomach dropped. “What did you say?” Before he could answer, the garage lights went out. I heard Roman swear. Then came a growl from somewhere behind us. It wasn't human. Roman shoved me behind him. “Stay here.” “Who is that?” “Don't move.” A second growl answered from the darkness. Then another. My heart slammed against my ribs. Roman reached for something beneath his jacket, but before he could pull it out, a figure stepped into the faint light from the emergency exit. A man. At least, he looked like one. His eyes were completely black. “Alpha,” he said. Roman's shoulders stiffened. “Get out of here.” The stranger smiled. “I can't do that.” He looked around Roman and directly at me. “She's the reason we're here.” Roman stepped in front of me. “You're not touching her.” The stranger laughed. “You still don't understand what she is.” Roman's hand tightened into a fist. “What did you call her?” The stranger's smile disappeared. “The human mate.” My breath caught. Roman didn't move. Neither did I. The words echoed in my head. Human mate. That was impossible. Everyone knew humans couldn't be mates to werewolves. At least, that was what Roman had told me. Three months ago. The night he rejected me. The stranger took one step forward. Roman's wolf surfaced instantly. His eyes burned gold, and his canines lengthened. “Last warning.” The stranger didn't stop. Instead, he looked at me. “Ask your Alpha why your heartbeat sounds familiar to his wolf.” I looked at Roman. He wouldn't meet my eyes. That was when I understood. He knew. He had always known something was different about me. “You lied to me,” I whispered. Roman finally looked at me. “I was trying to protect you.” “From what?” He opened his mouth. A loud crash came from the upper level. The stranger turned. Roman grabbed my hand. “Run.” We ran. I stopped. “No.” He turned. “What?” “Anaya, get in.” “No.” His expression hardened. “Please.” That single word stopped me. I got into the SUV. “Why did you reject me?” “Yes.” “That makes no sense.” “It will.” “When?” I stared at him. “You don't even know?” “No.” That answer frightened me. I recognized it immediately. Vale Industries. Roman's company. “Where are we going?” “My office.” “Why?” The elevator opened. Hakim stood beside the desk. All three stared at me. Melanie was the first to speak. “You brought her here?” Roman nodded. She looked horrified. “Roman, are you insane?” “Watch your mouth.” “She can't be here.” “I said watch your mouth.” Imani stood. “Roman, she doesn't know, does she?” He didn't answer. I looked between them. “Know what?” Nobody spoke. My patience snapped. “What is everyone hiding from me?” Hakim looked at Roman. Then he said quietly, “Tell her.” Roman closed his eyes. “Anaya, your birth records were changed.” I laughed once because the alternative was screaming. “Changed?” “You weren't born at Saint Mary's.” “Then where?” Roman looked at me. “We don't know.” I stared at him. “That doesn't make sense.” My hands went cold. “Why?” “From who?” Roman's eyes darkened. “The pack.” I shook my head. “I don't understand.” Melanie stepped forward. “You weren't supposed to survive.” Silence. “What?” She looked at Roman. I couldn't breathe. “That child was me?” Nobody answered. I looked at Roman. “Was it?” “Yes.” My knees nearly gave out. Roman caught my arm. I pulled away. “You knew.” “I suspected.” “You knew enough to reject me.” His face tightened. “I knew your scent was impossible.” “Impossible?” “You smelled human to everyone else.” “And to you?” He looked at me for a long moment. “To me, you smelled like my mate.” The room went silent. My heart stopped. “No.” Roman nodded. “Yes.” “But you rejected me.” “I did.” “Why?” “What am I?” Roman didn't answer. A phone rang. Hakim checked his screen. His face changed. “Roman.” “What?” “We have a problem.” Roman took the phone. He listened. Then his entire expression went blank. “What happened?” I asked. He didn't answer. “Roman?” He looked at me. “The hospital bracelet wasn't the only thing they left behind.” My stomach twisted. “What else?” Roman slowly lowered the phone. “A photograph.” “Of me?” “No.” “Of you and your mother.” I stared at him. “So?” “The photograph was taken tonight.” My blood ran cold. “That can't be possible.” Roman's phone rang again. This time, he answered immediately. A man's voice came through the speaker. “Alpha Vale, we've found her.” Roman's face hardened. “Where?” A pause. Then the voice answered. “She's standing in your office.” The call ended. Nobody moved. Knock. Knock. Knock. Roman stepped in front of me. “Stay behind me.” The handle began to turn. And someone outside whispered my name. I couldn't move. “Anaya.” I knew that voice. My chest tightened. My skin prickled. Roman noticed. “What is it?” he asked. “I don't know.” He took my hand. I gasped. Roman released me immediately. A thin red mark appeared across my skin. It looked like a crescent. Hakim stepped closer. “That's impossible.” “What is?” I demanded. He pointed at my hand. “That mark.” Roman's face had gone pale. “Everyone leave.” Melanie stared at him. “Roman—” “Now.” I stayed where I was. “I'm not leaving until someone tells me the truth.” Roman looked at the main door. “You may not have time.” The knocking stopped. That was worse. “Who is outside?” “I don't know.” “You're an Alpha. You know every wolf in your territory.” “Not this one.” I backed away from the door. The room suddenly felt too small. “Roman, I'm scared.” His expression changed. “I'm scared too.” The lights flickered. My phone vibrated inside my bag. I pulled it out. Unknown number. There was one message. OPEN THE DOOR. I stared at the screen. Another message appeared. OR ROMAN DIES. I looked at him. He saw my face. “What did they send you?” I handed him the phone. He read the messages. His eyes turned gold again. “Don't worry,” he said. “Don't tell me not to worry.” He looked toward the door. “They want me to open it.” “Then don't.” “I won't.” A third message appeared. This time, there was a photograph. My breath caught. It showed Roman standing beside my mother. She was holding a baby. Me. But that wasn't the part that scared me. Roman looked exactly the same as he did now. Same face. Same eyes. Same age. I looked at the photograph again. Then at him. “You knew my mother before I was born.” Roman said nothing. “You knew her.” Still nothing. My voice shook. “How old were you in this picture?” His silence answered me. I stepped backward. “Roman.” He finally spoke. “Twenty-four.” I stared at him. The photograph was twelve years old. And he looked exactly the same. Roman grabbed me and pulled me behind him. A voice came through the door. “You have thirty seconds, Alpha.” Roman's face changed. The voice continued. “After that, we take your human mate by force.” I looked at Roman. “Thirty seconds for what?” He didn't answer. The door shook again. This time, I heard a lock break. Roman reached for my hand. “Whatever happens next, don't trust anyone.” The door burst open. And the first person who walked through it was someone I knew.