Alpha's Vet

The encounter

Lara POV

I had the best dream ever.

Content, warm… whole.

But the moment I try to recall it, it slips away like water through my fingers.

‘What time is it? Where the hell am I?’

Suddenly, everything starts coming back—the way Lucas talked, the way I fell asleep on the floor with him, the way his presence made me feel… complete. I can’t remember the last time I felt so… safe. So right.

I feel someone lying next to me, holding me. The scent of him, the heat radiating from his body—it’s intoxicating. It’s as if I’m cloaked in his aura, wrapped in a part of him, and part of me wants to stay here forever.

If only my bladder would cooperate. ‘Urgh. Stupid bodily fluids,’ I mutter to myself.

I glance at the clock on the wall. Three a.m.

Three in the morning. Who gets up at three in the morning voluntarily?

I should get up, but I don’t want to. I don’t know this man from Adam, yet something deep inside says… it’s safe. It’s right.

“Urgh, I need to stop thinking like this. Someone is going to put me in the loony bin.”

I slowly disentangle myself from him. As soon as his arm slides off my waist, the chill of the room hits me, but I hardly notice. My mind is elsewhere. I need to find the dog, make sure Lucky is okay.

And then I notice it.

In the corner of the room, a small, cozy dog bed. Perfectly arranged. With his blanket. He even thought about Lucky’s comfort.

A soft smile tugs at my lips. He looks like a tough, untouchable man, but he’s… a big softy.

I decide I’ll keep this observation to myself. For now.

I hurry to the bathroom. Do my business. Wash my hands. Take a deep breath.

Where now? Return to the mattress? Sleep on the couch? I’m too tangled in my own thoughts to decide.

Then—a low, guttural growl.

My body freezes. My pulse spikes.

A massive wolf comes charging at me. Fast. Unbelievably fast. And huge. Every muscle ripples beneath its fur. Its eyes… I’ve never seen anything like them. Green. Bright, almost glowing green.

I should be terrified. I should run. But I can’t. Something about those eyes pins me in place. It’s not normal. Wolves don’t have eyes like that.

And yet, I’m more aware of his eyes than of my own fear.

He stops a few feet away. His eyes never leave mine. The growl fades to a low, rumbling vibration. And then, just as suddenly, he turns… and walks out.

I blink, stunned. Don’t these people lock their doors?

Shakily, I rush to the door, double-check the lock. Then, with a shaky exhale, I walk back toward Lucas’s office. I need him. I need… whatever sense of safety he gives me.

The mattress looks different now. Cold, empty.

Lucas sits on it, shirtless. My breath catches.

He is… perfect.

His chest, his arms, every line of muscle sculpted as if by an artist who knew every curve of masculinity.

I can’t think of a word strong enough to describe him. Perfection is too small. Majesty? Divinity? I bite my lip—afraid if I move too close, I won’t be able to stop myself.

I want to touch him. Feel him. Explore every inch I can reach. Every inch I want to reach.

Heat pools low in my body. My n*****s harden against the thin fabric of my tank top. A shiver runs through me.

Then—a soft growl.

My head snaps up. His eyes. Burning, intense, green.

Another growl, low and warning, and then he’s gone—storming out the room like a force of nature. So fast I barely catch a glimpse. His aura lingers, flashing red in my mind’s eye. Lust? Anger? Both?

I collapse, gasping, knees weak. My legs feel like they’re made of jelly. The adrenaline from the wolf encounter doesn’t help. My chest heaves. My heart is pounding like a drum.

I sit on the cold floor, trying to gather my thoughts. My brain feels fried.

The mattress looks even less comfortable now. Empty. Cold.

I need to sleep. I need to study. I need to survive this… emotional hurricane that Lucas has unleashed.

I lie back down on the floor. Cold, stiff, uncomfortable—but necessary. I close my eyes, willing my body to rest.

Somewhere around 4 a.m., I finally drift off, dreams tugging me back to the warmth and safety of him.

And I dream of Lucas again—holding me, guarding me, keeping me safe in a world I never knew I could belong to.