ALPHA'S FORBIDDEN MATE

Hope I made the right decision?

Chapter 007

DARIUS

I stood in the main hall of the pack house, arms crossed, waiting for Torren, the chief guard, to give me an update.

The new guards were supposed to be settling in, and I wanted to make sure everything was running smoothly.

My wolf, Kain, was restless, pacing in my head, but I chalked it up to the usual stress of managing the pack. Being Alpha wasn’t exactly a walk in the park.

Torren appeared, his boots clicking on the stone floor as he approached. He gave me a quick nod, his face all business. “Alpha, the new guards have settled into the quarters. They’ll be out soon for the official introduction and to go over the rules and regulations.”

I nodded, but my mind was already elsewhere. “Is Sebastian with them?” I asked, keeping my voice even.

Torren raised an eyebrow but didn’t question me. “Yeah, he’s there. I had him set up with the others.”

I didn’t say anything else. I just turned and headed toward the guards’ quarters. Something didn’t feel right.

Kain growled low in my head, a deep rumble that made my skin prickle. It wasn’t just his usual grumbling—he was on edge, like he could sense something I couldn’t. I picked up my pace, my gut telling me I needed to get to the quarters fast.

The closer I got, the stronger the pull was. Kain’s growl turned into a purr, which threw me off.

"What the hell was that about?" Then it hit me—Sebastian. Something was wrong, and it was connected to him. My steps quickened, almost a jog, as I rounded the corner to the quarters.

I heard the commotion before I saw it. Raised voices, sharp and mocking, spilled out of the open door.

I stepped into the doorway and saw five guards, all bigger than Sebastian, crowding him against a bunk.

His bag was on the floor, and he looked cornered, his eyes wide but trying to stay calm. My blood boiled, and Kain snarled, ready to rip their heads off. I wanted to storm in and knock them all flat, but I forced myself to stay professional. I couldn’t let anyone see how much this was getting to me. Not yet.

When we reached the pack house, I led him to a hallway lined with rooms for the higher-ranking guards. I stopped at a door directly across from mine. “This is your room,” I said, handing him a key. “You’re staying here, not in the quarters with the others.”

Sebastian’s eyes widened as he took the key. “This close to your chambers?”

“Yeah,” I said. “You’re my personal guard. I need you nearby.”

He nodded, looking a little overwhelmed. “Got it. Thanks, Alpha.”

I pushed open the door to his room, a small but clean space with a bed, a desk, and a wardrobe. “Listen up,” I said, leaning against the doorframe. “There are rules you need to follow. No one comes in here—not maids, not other guards, nobody. If someone says they’re cleaning or delivering something, you tell them to leave. You don’t leave your post unless I call you off, not even if Torren tries to pull you. You take naps when I’m in my room, and only then. You fetch my meals from the kitchen yourself, and you take my clothes to the laundry and bring them back. Understood?”

Sebastian frowned, setting his bag on the bed. “That sounds like maid work.”

I raised an eyebrow. “It’s not maid work. It’s your job as my personal guard. You handle everything I need so I can focus on running the pack. Are you good with that?”

He hesitated, then nodded. “Yeah, no problem.”

“Good,” I said. “Get settled. I’ll expect you to start tomorrow morning.”

He started unpacking his bag, pulling out clothes and a few small items. “I’ll get it done,” he said, his voice steady but quiet.

I watched him for a moment, leaning against the doorframe. He moved quickly, organizing his stuff with a kind of nervous energy. I couldn’t shake the feeling that I’d made a risky call picking him.

Not because he wasn’t capable—I’d seen him lift those crates. That stupid, reckless night when I let things go too far. Kain purred again, and I mentally told him to shut up. I didn’t need my wolf complicating this.

“If you need anything, you come to me,” I said.

Sebastian looked up, his hands pausing on a folded shirt. “Got it, Alpha. I won’t let you down.”

I nodded, pushing off the doorframe. “See that you don’t.”

As I turned to leave, I glanced back at him. He was already back to unpacking. I hoped I’d made the right choice. I really did.