My Mate. My Mission

Chapter 7

RYKER

“I should have known better.”

I watched her bow. The sudden change in her tone and vibe caught me completely off guard. Just moments ago she was kissing me passionately, and now she's suddenly shy? Where did all that fire go?

“A low ranking student has no right to take up your time. Please… let me leave.”

My jaw tightened. Low ranking?

She is my mate. Why would she call herself that?

“Hey, you’re not—” I tried to reach for her hand, but she pulled away just as I got close. Stepping back, she lowered her head in that regular omega shyness. For a second there, I felt guilty. Something hot and frustrating twisted in my chest. I hated seeing her like this.

Is she scared of me because I’m the crown prince?

Does she really think she has to lower herself just because of that?

“Please forgive me, Your Highness. I need to return to my dorm before I cause more trouble,” she said, bowing her head before turning sharply on her heels.

Before I could even process the words, she ran.

Using her speed, she vanished around a corner. I chased after her, but she was too fast. Soon she disappeared entirely, leaving no footsteps to follow. There wasn't even a scent strong enough to track; her scent was trailing in all directions, bleeding into the air until I couldn't tell which way she had run.

I stopped in my tracks, running a hand through my hair and muttering curses under my breath. That same heat still stirred stubbornly in my chest.

I didn’t even get her name!

‘Where is she?’

‘Why is she running away from us? Find her!’

My wolf, Ravik, was restless and angry, pacing back and forth inside my head.

I know, I’ll find her.

I looked toward the empty pathway again. Her scent still lingered faintly– honeyed vanilla with something deeper underneath. I ran my tongue over my upper lip, tracing my hand over it at the same time. I could still taste her there. The moment I breathed it in, warmth rolled through me, and Ravik reacted hard.

She thinks she can avoid me? A small smile tugged at my lips.

Let her try. I’ll find her.

I pulled out my phone and dialed Cassian, the Beta’s son and also my assistant. His voice came through the line, sounding instantly smug and teasing. “Had a good time?”

I frowned. “What are you talking about? Get me the drivers. I’m at—”

He interrupted before I could even finish. “At Moonwood Forest. I know.” A chuckle followed, still full of that teasing tone.

I narrowed my eyes. “How?”

Was he watching me? My eyes swept the trees, but no—the school cameras stopped entirely at the forest gate.

A laugh came through the line. “No… your kissing scandal has already gone viral. The whole internet is on fire. Who knew you could be such a romantic?”

A kissing video? Viral?

Someone recorded us. Someone recorded her.

Ravik growled low in my throat. ‘Find them.’

I took a deep breath, knowing I had to get out of the forest first. “Just get the drivers,” I said, and ended the call.

I needed to find her before the academy does and tears her apart. And I needed to do it fast.

——————————

ROYAL SPIRE– Crown Prince Ryker’s Residence

“ So, who’s she?” Cassian asked, resting his hands casually on the balcony railing.

“You have work to do, don’t you? Why are you here?” I sat in the chair at the corner, scrolling through Wolfnet, watching the view counts climb under the videos and tracking the comments beneath them.

“I do, but I’m closed for today. So… who’s she?”

I paused. I didn’t know her name. She had run before I could even ask. Sucking in a sharp breath, I tried not to get angry all over again just from thinking about it, but the stupid comments under the video weren’t helping my mood.

I set the phone down and tried to remember what I could. Dark-burgundy hair. Rosewood-red eyes. That honeyed vanilla scent that made me lose control the second she was near. Warmth still rippled through my body just from the memory.

“Wow,” Cassian suddenly exclaimed.

I looked up to find him staring at me teasingly“What?”

He laughed. “Are you smiling?”

He leaned closer, that teasing grin stretching right across his face. “Damn! She got you down bad.”

He kept laughing. I ignored him and went back to the screen, where a new comment caught my eye.

"The crown prince deserves someone better."

Under it, more stupid replies piled up by the second.

“I agree, she’s just a weak omega.”

“ An omega like her is not qualified to be his mate.”

"A noble bloodline and alpha female like Seraphine is better"

How dare they?

Of course they think they are the ones who get to decide whom I should end up with.

A sharp spike of irritation hit me. I dropped the phone back on the table, reaching for the wine beside it and pouring a glass for myself, clamping down tightly on the frustration I couldn't openly express.

"What about Seraphine?” Cassian suddenly asked.

I looked up at him, resting my back against the chair while taking a slow sip. "What about her?”

"You guys had a thing going on last year. I don't think she would just let this go,” he said.

"We did, but you know it was fake. We agreed to go our separate ways the moment one of us wished to,” I replied, still sipping from the glass.

"You say that, but I don't think Seraphine thinks that way,” Cassian said, looking at me knowingly.

I tore my gaze away from him and looked back to the phone. Snatched it from the table, I tossed it directly to him. He caught it mid-air. "If you’re looking for something to keep you busy, start by taking down those videos and investigating my mate.”

He chuckled, holding the phone up. "On it.” He left the balcony to get what he needed.

I stood up, heading toward my room to get a change of clothes when a familiar voice called out from downstairs.

“Ryker?”

Seraphine.

I sighed and went down to the living room. I heavily disliked people coming up to my private floor without permission.

She stood up the moment she saw me. Perfect posture, long golden hair. She had the exact kind of beauty everyone had already decided belonged next to the crown prince. The girl they all expected to be my mate.

She must have seen the video, that was the only reason she was here.

“You saw the video,” I said, stopping at the end of the stairs.

“Everyone has.” Her voice was calm, but her eyes actively searched my face. "So we should…”

"Yes. We need to,” I said, looking at her sternly.

Seraphine and I had agreed to fake-date last year out of pure convenience.

I needed an excuse to escape my engagement to the Eastern Kingdom's princess, and she needed one to escape hers with Alpha Fenrir of the Ashwood Pack.

Her eyes dropped, and she blinked several times. Her practiced smile faltered for a second, then she looked up at me again. "Yeah—we should,” she said, biting her lower lip and looking away.

"Can I know her name?” she asked, looking away before shifting her gaze back to me.

"I don't know her name. Yet,” I answered, moving towards the window.

Her expression flickered for a brief moment, then she smothered it away the way she always did. “I see.”

I didn’t give her any room to push further. Turning to face her directly, I said, “I have things to handle. We’ll talk another time.”

She opened her mouth, then closed it. After a second, she nodded. “Alright. I’ll go.”

I watched her leave, the door closing behind her with a soft click. A few seconds later, Cassian walked back in, passing her on the way. He glanced back once, then looked at me, a wide smile splitting his face.

“ I've found her.”

I straightened up. “Already?”

“The angle wasn’t perfect, but one of the side cameras at the forest gate caught her face when she ran past. I ran it straight through the academy records.” He held out his phone. “Her name’s Vae Shadowmoon. Fresher.

Low-ranked omega.”

Vae Shadowmoon.

The name flowed smoothly on my lips, sounding as if it had always belonged there.

Ravik stirred inside me, no longer restless. Just completely focused.

I took the phone and stared down at the photo. Dark burgundy hair. Those same rosewood-red eyes. There was something about her eyes that seemed to pull me right into a peaceful trap.

She’s mine.

And this time, she wasn't getting away.