The Mate Switch

CHAPTER 5.

It took Enrique a while to recover from the conversation he’d just had with his mate. But he had to stay focused on the matter at hand. He didn’t return to Darkhowl just for the fun of it, he was on a mission.

First, he went through his bag to make sure Elias and his w***e hadn’t taken anything, then looked around before dipping his fingers into the side to retrieve a letter. After reading it for what felt like the millionth time, he shut his eyes and hugged it to his chest.

“I promise I won’t fail you. I’ll find out the truth.”

It wasn’t going to be easy though, this he knew. He owed everything he’d accomplished to this moment. Nothing was going to come between him and his goal.

That was easier said than done.

As soon as Enrique stepped out into the courtyard, his attention deviated. Laying still, just a couple feet from the walkway was a woman with dark hair. The tip of her fingers nails were bloody, as was her entire body. A line of thick crimson goo left a trail all the way from the middle of the yard to where she was positioned.

It took Enrique a few seconds to realize she’d attempted to drag herself to safety before completely passing out.

“Who would do this?” he whispered, looking around for any sign of life.

The better question was, how long had she been there? Was he the first to find her unconscious? And most importantly, who was she?

He took a squat to flip her around, freezing as soon as her face came into view. Gloria? His wolf reacted before he did, his eyes turning a dangerous golden. He barely recognized her with all the blood stains across her flesh. His nostrils flared in rage, her scent only now reaching him.

“Who did this?” he growled.

Of course, no response came. Without hesitation, he threw out his hands, burying them underneath his mate’s body to lift her up.

The moment her weight settled against his chest, something feral tore loose inside him. His wolf surged forward, claws scraping against his ribcage, demanding blood and justice. He forced it back only because dropping her to shift would’ve been unforgivable.

She was lighter than he thought, perfectly curled up in his arms.

“Hold on,” he muttered, adjusting his grip so her head rested against his shoulder. Her dark hair was matted and sticky, strands clinging to her lips and cheeks. One of her arms dangled uselessly, bent at an awkward angle that made his jaw twitch with anger.

There was too much damage. It couldn’t have been a fair fight. Why would any wolf lose this badly?

His boots moved fast across the stone courtyard, echoing loudly in the silence. Darkhowl slept, blissfully ignorant, while one of its own bled out beneath the open sky. Rage simmered low in his gut, the only thing keeping him from losing it was her faint breath against his skin.

This is what you came back to, his wolf snarled. This is what they’ve turned the pack into.

Enrique didn’t disagree. He cut through a servants’ passage instead of the main halls, instinct guiding him. He didn’t want witnesses, didn’t want questions. Didn’t want anyone alerting whoever did this to flee and hide.

Her breathing hitched as he moved, a soft, broken sound that scraped along his nerves. He tightened his hold reflexively.

“I’ve got you,” he said under his breath, though he wasn’t sure who he was saying it for—her, or himself.

Her scent was wrong. Beneath the copper tang of blood and pain, there was something stronger. He smelled something close to anger. Red, hot, sizzling anger.

He didn’t understand it. Who was she angry at? Him for helping? Or whoever put her in this state? No matter the answer, he could feel it overpower all other emotions, fueling her.

MATE. The word filtered through him again. His wolf surged, golden eyes burning behind his own. She’s ours.

“I know,” Enrique breathed. “I know.”

He slipped into an unused guest chamber at the far end of the west wing—one he remembered from childhood, back when this place still felt like home. He kicked the door shut behind him and laid her gently on the bed, his hands trembling despite his efforts to stay controlled.

The room smelled faintly of dust and old linen. Safe enough. Quiet.

He stripped off his jacket and pressed it against the worst of the bleeding, his teeth clenched as she hissed faintly, her body reacting even in unconsciousness.

“s**t,” he muttered.

His wolf paced restlessly. She’s fading.

“No,” Enrique snapped softly. “She’s strong.”

He forced himself to catalog her injuries like a soldier, not a mate. Broken ribs—at least two. swollen wrist, bruises blooming along her throat, her abdomen, her thighs.

The fury that followed was blinding. His hands curled into fists, claws threatening to break skin. Names flashed through his mind—guards? the so-called Luna? Celeste? Goddess, please let it be the last two.

I will tear this place apart, his wolf promised. wolf by wolf.

Enrique swallowed hard and leaned closer, brushing blood soaked hair away from her face. “Hey,” he said quietly. “Stay with me.”

Her lashes fluttered. For a moment, nothing happened. Then her brow furrowed, her lips parting as a soft, broken sound slipped free.

“Don’t…” she whispered. “Please…”

The word sliced straight through him. “Don’t what?” he asked, lowering himself beside her. “You’re safe. No one’s here.”

Her head shifted weakly, her eyes still closed. “Didn’t do anything wrong,” she murmured. “I swear.”

Enrique’s jaw tightened. “Who did this to you?” he asked gently, though the word gently felt like a lie with the violence boiling under his skin.

Her breathing stuttered. “They said… they called her nothing.”

“What?” Enrique asked, his voice steadier than he felt. “Names, Gloria. I need names.”

Her eyes cracked open then—just barely. Dark. Glassy. Unfocused. She stared at him like she didn’t recognize him at all.

“Don’t touch me,” she whispered hoarsely, panic flaring. “Please—”

He froze instantly, his hands lifting to a distance. “I’m not hurting you,” he said quickly. “You collapsed in the courtyard. I brought you here.”

Her gaze dragged over his face suspiciously. “Why?” she asked.

The question caught him off guard. “Because you were bleeding to death,” he said.

Her lips trembled. “None of you care.”

He leaned back slightly, giving her space, even as every instinct screamed to pull her close. “You’re my—” He stopped himself, swallowing the word before it could escape. “I’m not one of them.”

She laughed weakly. “Could have fooled me.”

Enrique exhaled slowly, forcing the rage down. This wasn’t about him. “Listen to me,” he said. “You need help. I can’t heal you properly without shifting, and I can’t do that here. I need you to tell me who hurt you.”

Silence stretched between them.

Her eyes slid shut again. “Doesn’t matter,” she murmured.

“Yes, it does,” Enrique said, sharper than he meant to. His wolf howled in agreement.

Her grey eyes snapped open. Something in them glistened. “You smell different,” she said faintly.

His breath hitched. “So do you,” he replied.

Her brow furrowed. “That would be the blood smeared all over me.”

No, he thought. Your emotions are heightened. He took another whiff and almost smiled. There was something else mixed in all that boiling rage.

He could smell her arousal.

Even in this state, weak and battered, her body couldn’t resist him. He saw it as a small victory. At least she wasn’t totally immune to his charms.

His wolf yipped with joy.

“That’s… unfortunate,” Enrique said quietly. “Let’s clean you up then.”

Now was not the time to let her know she wasn’t masking her desire as well as before, probably because she wasn’t strong enough to.

Her pupils dilated. “You’re going to clean me?”

He smirked. “If that’s what you want.”

“No,” she whispered urgently. “I can take care of myself.”

“I know,” he admitted. “You’re pretty tough. Not a lot of wolves can survive what you just did.”

She let out a snot, pain flashing across her face. “Yeah, right.”

Points for making her laugh.

“Come on,” he said, stretching out his arm. “I’ll take you to my room.”

“But—”

“I promise you’ll have privacy.” Enrique interrupted gently.

She hesitated, thinking about it, almost like she was searching for the trap. Eventually, she nodded. As he carried her back into his arms, she asked,

“Why are you being nice to me?”

He stared ahead, not daring to make eye contact. “I told you. I’m not like them.”

Although it didn’t seem like she believed his words, she let herself relax against his torso, her chest heaving, following the same rhythm as his.

“…Thank you,” she whispered, before her eyes finally slid shut again. Her body went limp.

Panic surged instantly.

“Hey—no, no, stay with me,” Enrique said, gripping her hand carefully. His wolf pressed forward, lending strength, warmth, presence.

She’s ours, it repeated, quieter now. And someone tried to harm her.

Enrique bowed his forehead on hers. “I swear,” he whispered in a rough tone. “Whoever did this to you is going to answer for it.”

For the first time since he stepped foot back into Darkhowl, his mission shifted. The truth he was trying to uncover still mattered.

But now? So did Gloria.