Alicia's Fate

Catalyst Wolf

Ethan kept his promise, and the quiet certainty of his loyalty was the only guard Alicia needed that night.

​Late that evening, a soft tap came at the Luna suite door. Ethan carried nothing into the room except himself, no heavy paperwork, no demanding patrol reports, no excuses for a hasty retreat. Just his warm, enormous body and a determination so fierce it radiated off him: the determination to simply be near her.

​Alicia's heart gave a nervous, excited flutter as he stepped inside and closed the door behind him. The suite, vast and luxurious, suddenly felt cozier, smaller, and undeniably safe.

​But Ethan looked like a man battling his own instincts. His muscles were tense beneath his simple t-shirt, and his stance was rigid, like a mountain trying very, very hard not to roll down the slope and crush the flower at its base. He was visibly trying not to scare her.

​“Alright,” he said, his voice lower than usual, almost gravelly. “Just tell me where you want me. Bed? Couch? Floor?” He offered the options with a careful neutrality, giving her complete autonomy.

​Alicia hesitated. The bed sounded... comforting. The couch was too far, and the floor was unnecessary. She desperately wanted the safety of his presence close by, but the vulnerability of the suggestion made her cheeks burn.

​Skylar nudged her wolfishly, no longer anxious, but simply firm.

'​The bed is fine. We need him close. Cole is warm.'

​Her face flushed, but she found the courage to speak, prioritizing her need for security. “The bed. If that’s okay.”

​Ethan inhaled sharply, a quiet, startled sound that told Alicia exactly how much effort this simple request cost him. The joy of her choosing him, even just for sleep, was evident in the rapid darkening of his eyes. ​But he nodded, respecting the boundary and the delicacy of the moment. “Of course.”

​He crossed the room to the ensuite, giving her space to prepare. When he returned, he had stripped down to only loose sleep shorts, revealing the sheer, breathtaking expanse of his powerful body. He was a creature built for war and command, and he radiated raw, unbridled Alpha male strength.

​He climbed into the massive bed on the side farthest from her, settling onto the fresh sheets with agonizing care. He lay on his back, his hands resting on his chest, looking straight up at the ceiling, utterly immobile.

“Good night, Luna,” he murmured, his voice a low rasp of restraint. “Just rest. I’m here.”

Alicia slipped beneath the thick duvet, her heartbeat slowly syncing with his steady breaths. He lay several feet away, silent and motionless, yet his presence wrapped around her like a heavy, invisible shield. A fortress she didn’t have to ask for.

The profound sense of safety was overwhelming. She had not realized how many years she had spent sleeping with one eye open, constantly listening for a threat, until this moment of absolute peace.

​The anxiety in her body unwound, muscle by muscle, tension she hadn't known she carried dissolving into the soft mattress. She focused on the heavy, steady rhythm of Ethan's breathing beside her, a metronome confirming her security.

'​He stayed,' Skylar whispered, her voice sounding clearer and less fearful than before, an echo in the quiet recesses of Alicia's mind. 'He did not touch us. He is safe.'

'Yes,' Alicia sent back, feeling herself drift rapidly toward sleep. 'He is safe.'

​As Alicia fell into a deep, dreamless slumber, the kind of healing rest she hadn't experienced since childhood, her consciousness dimmed, but her wolf, Skylar, remained gently aware.

​In that subconscious landscape, Skylar tentatively pushed herself out of the internal shadow where she usually hid. She reached out, not with the full, roaring force of a mate claiming, but with the soft, seeking presence of a pup searching for its den.

​Cole, Ethan's massive, dominant wolf, was instantly aware. He was usually a caged, restless beast, but the moment Alicia was near, he achieved a profound, almost painful stillness.

​In the deep mental space between them, Cole didn't rush or assert dominance. Instead, he radiated a thick, enveloping warmth, like a thermal blanket draped over a shivering animal.

​Quiet, Cole’s presence was a steady, low hum of security, a promise of absolute defense. 'Safe,' Cole murmured, his voice a low rumble that filled the space. 'You are home now.'

​Skylar pressed into the warmth, finding comfort in the colossal, steady power. It was the deepest she had connected with the mate presence, the first step in melting the icy barricade James's rejection had forged. The physical distance between them in the bed didn't matter; on a primal level, the wolves were close, and for the first time, Skylar truly began to trust.

​Alicia slept deeply, profoundly, for eight unbroken hours, protected by the invisible, powerful shield of the Alpha resting beside her.

​Alicia woke slowly, dragging herself reluctantly out of the deepest, most restorative sleep she had ever known. She felt lighter, stronger, and utterly at peace.

​Her first conscious realization was her nose against his warm skin. Her second realization was the heavy, protective weight draped across her back.

​She opened her eyes and realized the distance between them had completely vanished sometime during the night. She wasn't just close to Ethan; she was practically molded against his side. Her nose was pressed into the crook of his massive arm, and she was breathing deeply of his scent, as if she needed his presence to survive the night. Ethan's other arm was wrapped securely around her waist, holding her close, protectively, as if he was afraid she might vanish in the next minute.

​Alicia froze, suddenly and acutely aware of their proximity. Her entire body flushed with shyness. She knew they had gone to sleep apart, yet their wolves, seeking the mate bond, had clearly closed the distance subconsciously.

​Her sudden, sharp intake of breath and minute tension immediately woke Ethan.

​He stirred, his dark eyes fluttering open. He looked down, surprised to find Alicia tucked intimately against him, her small form nestled perfectly into the curve of his body. He looked genuinely startled, realizing that his wolf, Cole, had acted entirely on instinct during the night.

​A low, deep chuckle rumbled in his chest, startling Alicia even more. "Well, hello, Luna," he murmured, his voice husky with sleep.

​Alicia pulled back slightly, her face the color of the berry compote from breakfast. "I—I'm so sorry, I didn't mean to..."

​"Shh," he interrupted, his tone instantly soothing. He didn't let her go; his arm simply tightened slightly. "Don't apologize. We both needed it."

​For the first time in years, both of them had experienced the most peaceful, restorative sleep, and they had slept far longer than either was accustomed to. Ethan, usually restless and haunted, felt completely refreshed.

​"I think we just solved the sleeping problem," he said with a wry smile, brushing a stray hair from her forehead. "Looks like our wolves knew what they needed, even if our heads were trying to be polite."

A few minutes later, after the initial shock wore off, Ethan finally released her and got out of bed. He was instantly the Alpha again, moving with a brisk, powerful energy.

“Today,” Ethan said as he tugged a fresh shirt over his head, “things are going to start getting resolved.”

Alicia looked up from where she sat on the edge of the bed, her fingers still gently twisting the sheets. Ethan spoke with the calm confidence of a man who had already made decisions while the rest of the world slept.

“I made some arrangements last night.” He crossed the room to the tall window, pushing the curtains aside. Early morning light cut across his broad shoulders. “I called an old associate, an advisor of mine. She’s… different from the witch who came yesterday. Her knowledge of ancient pack laws and mate bonds runs deep. She’ll take a better look at that blockade.”

​Just then, Micheal's voice came through the pack link. '‘Alpha, someone from Brookesborne is at the North Gate. Says her name is Victoria. Claims you’re expecting her and requests immediate passage.’

​Ethan's brow furrowed slightly. He had called a seasoned elder witch, but Victoria was a name he recognized as belonging to a younger, more mercurial sect. 'Let her through, Micheal. Bring her to the office.'

​A short while later, Victoria was ushered into the office. She was a striking contrast to the stern, old advisor Ethan had initially sought. Victoria was young, perhaps no older than twenty-five, with flowing dark hair and eyes that glittered with an unsettling, electric violet hue. She wore modern, beautifully tailored clothing, radiating potent, effortless power.

​She didn't wait for introductions. Her violet gaze bypassed Ethan entirely and fixed instantly on Alicia, assessing her with an unnerving intensity that made Alicia want to hide.

​"Alpha Ethan, you have indeed found your second chance," Victoria said, her voice clear and carrying a musical cadence. She took a step closer to Alicia and tilted her head. "But this is far more complex than a simple delayed bond."

​Ethan's posture stiffened. "The block is on her end. I need to know why."

Victoria let out a small, almost pitying sigh. She crossed the space so fast it was almost a glide. She didn’t touch Alicia, but she circled her as if studying a rare artifact that shouldn’t exist.

"Her wolf is wrapped in layers of trauma, decades old, woven into her spirit since childhood.” Ethan tensed.

Victoria continued, voice gentler now:

“The abuse you endured in your old pack… the neglect… the crushing of your spirit, it all stunted your wolf. Weakened her and buried her.”

​She paused, her eyes seeming to look into the past. Alicia swallowed hard, fingers curling into her palms.

“Your inability to shift isn’t because you’re weak.”

Her gaze sharpened.

“It’s because you were abused into silence.”

Ethan’s jaw flexed so hard the muscle twitched. He looked like he wanted to tear the world apart.

Victoria turned to him.

“And the reason she cannot feel the mate bond...”

She looked back at Alicia, almost reverently.

“Was because her wolf has only just begun to awaken again. Without your acceptance Alpha, without your strength anchoring her, her wolf would still be dormant.”

Alicia’s breath hitched.

Ethan’s chest rose with something fierce and protective.

Victoria smiled faintly. "The only reason she was even able to recognize her first mate, was because they were in the same proximity for so long, she was a prisoner; the bond simply seeped in over time, devoid of passion, recognized out of necessity, not strength."

​Ethan's face tightened with cold fury at the mention of James, but Victoria wasn't finished.

​She stepped back, her violet eyes shining with unexpected awe. "And that is not all, Alpha. Your Luna is special. A type of wolf bond I have only read of in the oldest scrolls."

Alicia’s heart thudded painfully. “What kind?”

Victoria smiled, a slow, knowing smile. "You,” she said, “are a Catalyst Wolf. A wolf meant to draw power, balance chaos, and unite fated strengths. You are destined for multiple powerful mates.”

​The air in the room went instantly cold.

​Ethan’s eyes snapped to pitch black, Cole's rage rising so swiftly it nearly choked him. The thought of sharing Alicia, of her being fated to anyone else, was an immediate, excruciating stab of betrayal.

​Ethan didn't let Victoria finish her explanation about the "catalyst wolf" prophecy. He was stuck on one idea: sharing Alicia.

“What,” he growled, voice dark and lethal, “did you just say?”

Victoria lifted her brows innocently. “I said she is fated to—”

“No.” His voice rumbled like a storm about to break. “She has one mate.” Ethan ground out, his Alpha command nearly shaking the windows.

​Victoria didn’t flinch. She didn’t even blink. The young witch simply lifted one elegant brow, as if the most powerful Alpha on the continent hadn’t just tried to shake the walls down around her.

“You may keep her, Alpha,” she said lightly. “But the Goddess’s will is absolute. And the Goddess has marked her path already.” Victoria’s gaze drifted to Alicia, sharp as moonlight. “Your Luna is vibrating with the faint resonance of other powerful mates. You have her now, yes, but you will not be the last. They will be drawn to her. You will have competition.”

​Ethan strode forward until he was towering over the Witch, His jealousy hit the air like a shockwave, thick, suffocating, and terrifying. Cole, his wolf, surged forward with a snarl that echoed beneath his skin.

“Then we will kill them all,” Ethan growled, deep and lethal. “Every last one. She. Is. Not. Going. Anywhere. She is mine.”

Alicia’s breath caught, her heart thudding painfully. Victoria, somehow, remained serenely unbothered by the threat of an Alpha who could tear the building apart with his bare hands.

“Temper,” she murmured, dismissing his fury with a wave of her fingers. “I am not here to debate fate. I’m telling you what is.”

She turned her attention fully on Alicia now, her expression softening, not with pity, but with understanding.

“If you wish to lock this bond quickly,” Victoria continued, “you must prioritize her healing. Trauma weakens the wolf. Closeness, safety, and constant reassurance strengthen it.” She gestured between them. “Physical proximity will speed the unlocking of the bond, and make her wolf strong enough to shift. Once she shifts…”

Her eyes gleamed with something ancient.

“…her power will roar across the continent. Wolves from every corner will feel her awakening. You must be prepared for the attention.”

Ethan barely heard the rest of Victoria’s words, shifting power, awakening, continental attention. None of it mattered. Not compared to that.

Multiple mates. Fated to others. Others who would want her...touch her, claim her.

A dark, primal rage coiled hot and murderous in his chest.

His mind had already begun strategizing, identifying threats, hunting them before they could ever hunt her. If destiny thought it would drag rivals to his doorstep, then destiny could prepare for war.

But first… he needed one answer. He tore his gaze from Victoria and zeroed in on Alicia.

She looked small, pale and shaken. Her fingers trembled against the arm of the chair, and her wolf hovered behind her eyes, nervous, confused, and frightened by the sudden clash of powers.

Ethan stepped toward her, the darkness in his eyes deepening until they were almost fully black. His voice dropped into something raw and unguarded.

“Alicia.” The sound of her name was almost a growl. “Tell me, would you accept multiple mates? Do you want anyone else… when you already have me?”

It wasn’t a command. It wasn’t even anger. Just a man on the verge of breaking.

A plea wrapped in possessiveness. A fear wrapped in dominance. And a vulnerability he had never allowed anyone to see.

Alicia’s lips parted, but no words came at first. Her heart hammered painfully against her ribs. She hadn’t even fully processed being fated to Ethan let alone the possibility of three men whose faces she didn’t know, whose wolves she had never met, whose presence might tear her world apart again.

Her throat tightened.

“Ethan, I...” She swallowed, voice trembling. “I don’t know what I want. I haven’t even felt the full bond with you yet. I don’t understand any of this.”

Her eyes lifted to his, wide and shimmering.

“But… I know this.” She placed a hand over her heart, steadying herself.

“Right now, you’re the only one who has ever made me feel safe.”

The truth wavered out of her in a soft exhale.

“And I don’t want you to get hurt.”

Ethan blinked, stunned. Because even in her fear, even in her confusion, she was worried about him. And that single, fragile admission hit him harder than fate, destiny, or any prophecy ever could.

​Her small, fearful defense of him, rather than herself, stunned him His shoulders slumped slightly, Cole's overwhelming jealousy subdued by her innocent concern. He turned back to Victoria, his voice now colder, shifting back into the strategic Alpha.

​"Very well. You will stay here, Victoria," he commanded. "You will monitor the Luna, and you will devise a comprehensive plan, magical or otherwise, to strengthen this bond and prepare the pack for the shift. If you fail to lock this bond down, I will hold you personally responsible for every rival wolf who shows up at my border."