The Alpha's Frozen Heart

Four

Rav looks at me, his expression a mix of disbelief and exasperation. "Eve, you’re kidding, right? You don’t know the name of the Alpha of our neighboring pack?"

I shrug defensively. "Rav, it’s not like I’ve memorized every Alpha’s name. There are just too many of them."

Turning to Liam, Rav says, "Liam, why don’t you tell her the Alpha’s name?"

Liam scratches his head, looking equally clueless. "Actually, I don’t know his name either." I can’t help but chuckle, while Rav stares at Liam in even greater disbelief.

Rav shakes his head in disbelief and mutters, "Unbelievable," before turning back to me.

"Now that you know, will you just tell me the Alpha's name?" I ask, my curiosity piqued.

"His name is Alarick West," Rav replies. "And he’s a fearless Alpha."

“What makes you say that? Is it just because he leads the strongest pack in the world?”

“No, it’s not just that, Eve. Believe me, I’ve seen him in action. He’s capable of taking on an entire army of werewolves,” Rav explains. Then, he continues, “Do you remember the battle we had with the Silver Moonstone Pack?”

“Yes, the one where my dad was killed,” I responded.

Liam's father also died in that battle.

Rav continues, “The Silver Moonstone Pack came at us with the aim of overtaking our territory. But it was Alpha Alarick who stepped in during that fight. Thanks to him, we’re not under the rule of a cruel Alpha. He saved us from losing our freedom.”

“He doesn’t seem like much of a savior to me,” I mutter, but both Rav and Liam, with their keen werewolf hearing, catch my comment.

Rav’s eyebrows furrow. “What do you mean?”

“Have you seen his eyes? They’re so cold!” I explained

Liam chimes in, “He wasn’t always like that. I’ve heard he was quite cheerful as a kid. But something in his childhood changed him, made him the way he is now.”

“What happened?” I ask, eager for more details.

"Only those close to him know," Liam responds.

We sit in quiet contemplation, each of us lost in thought about what might have shaped Alpha Alarick into the cold figure he is today. Though I have a partial understanding now, the full picture eludes me. More pressing is my desire to understand why he has yet to acknowledge me as his mate. To find answers, I’ll need to speak with him directly.

The afternoon has arrived, and after a quick lunch, I stand before the bathroom mirror. My reflection shows no signs of fatigue—no dark circles remain. I’m dressed and ready to head to the moonlight Depths Pack to confront Alpha Alarick West. As I make my way to the living room, I find Rav and Liam sprawled on the sofa, absorbed in an action movie.

"I'm heading out," I announce, reaching for the front door.

"Where are you headed?" Rav asks, still focused on the TV.

"I'll let you know when I get back," I respond. I don't want to divulge that I'm going to see Alpha West just yet. I need to have my questions answered directly by him before I share anything with Rav.

"Come on, why not tell me? At least then I'll know where to look if you're not back by midnight," Rav says, trying to guilt-trip me.

"I appreciate your concern, Rav. I know you were worried when I didn't come back last night, but I'm capable of taking care of myself," I reassure him.

"Eve, I know you can handle yourself, but as your friend and Beta, I'm always going to worry about you. I care about you and don't want to see you get hurt."

Touched by his concern, I finally decided to reveal my plans. "I'm going to see Alpha Alarick."

"Why?" Rav immediately asks, as I expected.

"I'll let you know when I get back," I say, opening the front door and stepping outside quickly, trying to avoid any further questions from Rav.

But I soon realised I was mistaken. He mind-links me. *When will you be back?*

I respond through the mind-link. *Before evening. If I’m going to be late, I’ll let you know.* After that, Rav doesn't attempt to contact me again.

Mind-Link is a remarkable ability for high-ranking werewolves, allowing communication through our minds as long as we're within range. However, it has its drawbacks or better still disadvantages. For instance, if an Alpha chooses not to speak to someone, they can block those voices from their mind, though no one can block the Alpha's voice from theirs.

I keep walking toward the boundary, the crunch of dry leaves beneath my feet. Once I cross into the land of the moonlight Depths Pack, I venture deeper into the forest, hoping to find the pack houses. I take another step and soon spot Beta Jaxon approaching me.

"Beta Evelyn," he greets with a friendly nod.

"Beta Jaxon," I responded with a nod of my own.

"May I ask what brings you to our land?" He smiles, his tone light.

"Well put, Beta Jaxon," I say with a chuckle, appreciating his choice of words.

"Thank you," Beta Jaxon says with a flourish, tipping an imaginary hat, bowing, and then placing the hat back on his head. His cheerful demeanor catches me a bit off guard.

"You weren’t quite this upbeat last night," I remark, raising an eyebrow.

"That’s because I didn’t know you then," he explains. "I saw you as a potential threat to my pack."

"And now?" I ask.

"Not really," he replies with a grin, making me laugh.

"But you do seem trustworthy," he adds.

"I am," I confirm.

"So, did you come here for a friendly chat?" he teases, wiggling his eyebrows.

I laugh. "Not exactly. I came to speak with your Alpha."

"What’s your reason for wanting to speak with him?" Beta Jaxon asks, curiosity evident in his tone. It’s clear he’s puzzled about why a Beta from another pack would seek out his Alpha.

"That’s for him to know," I reply with a hint of mystery. "Could you lead me to his pack house?" I request.

"Sure," he agrees. As he starts walking, his focused expression suggests he’s already informed Alpha Alarick of my visit via mind-link. I had hoped to surprise him by showing up unannounced, but it seems that’s no longer an option.

After walking for a while, a big pack house came into view. When we walk near to it, I feel my mate's presence inside the pack house.

Beta Jaxon steps in front and opens the front door for me.

"After you," he says, motioning for me to enter. Beta Jaxon steps in behind me as we make our way inside. When I glance around, it appears that only Beta Jaxon and I are present in the house.

"Alpha is in his study," he informs me as he guides me in that direction.

As we arrive at the door, Beta Jaxon opens it and gestures for me to enter. I express my gratitude and step inside. Looking ahead, I see Alpha Alarick standing behind his desk, his expression cold and filled with the same contempt I saw last night. The door closes behind me with a soft click—Jaxon must have left the room.

It seems that Jaxon has likely departed from the pack house entirely. I find myself alone with the cold-hearted Alpha, who now crosses his arms and regards me with a harsh, demanding tone. “What do you want?” he asks, his voice coming out sharp and ruthless.