Chapter 3
1448 Words
CHAPTER THREE
MY MATE
~KAEL POV~
The mating season was nearing its end. As Alpha, I was expected to have already found my mate. Yet, time and again, when I thought I had found her, my wolf grew weaker.
My best friend had warned that this was a troubling sign. It meant my wolf was rejecting these potential mates.
The pack was beginning to grow concerned; their Alpha couldn't afford to die without a mate before the next mating season arrived.
It was ironic.
I had never been particularly worried about finding a mate before, but now, as I felt my strength ebbing away, I realized I had every reason to be concerned.
The report of multiple deaths that had drawn the attention of both the public and the press to Ridgehaven was spiraling out of control.
Most recently, three YouTubers met their tragic end after deciding to poke their noses into affairs best left undisturbed.
Humans were an endless source of trouble. We had made every effort to keep them away from Ridgehaven, but it seemed our attempts were in vain.
The Selar Packs were becoming increasingly reckless, attacking humans in broad daylight. I had ventured into the woods to track down the wolves on their killing spree when I heard her voice—clear and pleading.
“Please…someone help me,” it echoed in my mind, awakening something deep within me. My wolf stirred, recognizing the urgency of her call.
“We must save her… she is the one… our mate,” my wolf insisted. Before I could think any further, I found myself sprinting towards the source of her voice.
Now, standing before her, I couldn’t shake the feeling of disbelief. She was nothing like I had imagined, and worst of all—she was human.
The very thought of it made my skin crawl. Was the Moon Goddess mocking me? My pack would never accept a human as my mate.
Moreover, it was strictly forbidden for an Alpha to have a human mate. Such a union could undermine my strength and authority.
“Get her out of here, Lyra,” I said, my tone sharp and stubborn.
I held her gaze for a moment, long enough to see the fear and confusion hint in her eyes before I turned my back on her and faced the rest of my men.
“Search the woods,” I commanded my voice firm and brooking no argument. “The others might not have gotten far. If you find them, don’t hesitate to take them down. We can’t afford more casualties.”
“Yes, Alpha,” they responded in unison, bowing their heads respectfully.
“And what about this body?” one of my men asked, gesturing toward the wolf that had attacked her.
My eyes shifted to the lifeless form spread out on the ground. It was a wolf from Selar’s pack—the omega tattoo on its neck was a clear mark of its banishment.
The air around the body felt heavy, a reminder of what happens when an omega is cast out.
An exiled wolf was a dangerous one. Stripped of its pack, its purpose, and its stability, an omega had only one instinct left: survival.
Survival made them ruthless.
“Omegas don’t survive without a pack,” I said, my voice low but steady, addressing my men.
“This one was desperate, likely out of options. When they’ve been cast out like this, it’s either kill or be killed. That’s why they’re dangerous.”
My men around me murmured their agreement, their expressions hardening. They all understood the risk an omega posed, but none of them could ignore the tragic truth behind it.
“Burn the body,” I added after a moment, my voice cutting through the murmurs. “We won’t leave a trace behind.”
“Yes, Alpha.”
I took one last glance at the lifeless wolf before turning to Lyra, who was now struggling to help the girl to her feet.
She was searching for something but that was not my concern. She needed to get out of Ridgehaven.
“Lyra, make sure she’s taken to the healer. And keep her out of the woods,” I said firmly.
Lyra nodded without a word, her expression tense as she turned her attention to the girl. “Let's go”
"Go?" the girl said stubbornly. "I'm not going anywhere until I find my necklace."
Her persistence was starting to get on my nerves. I had no time for her drama. I turned to my men, sending them off to carry out the tasks I had assigned to them.
At first, they hesitated to leave my side. "I'll be fine; we’ll meet up at the hideout," I assured them, hoping to ease their concerns.
They nodded and gradually disappeared into the depths of the woods, their howls echoing through the air.
The girl standing next to Lyra flinched, and I could see the fear in her eyes. Her cute expression made me smirk, a mix of annoyance and amusement washing over me.
“Leave us, Lyra. Join the others,” I commanded, my voice steady and firm.
“But… what about her?” Lyra hesitated, her concern unmistakable as her eyes glanced at the lady.
“I’ll get her out of Ridgehaven,” I assured her. “You join the others.”
The lady’s sharp voice cut through the suspense. “You want to leave me with ‘him’? Are you crazy?” she asked Lyra, her tone laced with disbelief and irritation.
Her words drew a smirk to my lips. Tough act. I’d seen it a hundred times before.
“My brother won’t hurt you,” Lyra replied softly, trying to ease her fears.
“He’s your brother?” the lady asked, her eyes widening as they flicked back and forth between Lyra and me.
“But… but… still—”
“Go, Lyra,” I interrupted coldly, cutting off whatever excuse she was about to make.
Lyra hesitated for a brief moment, glancing back at me with one of her looks. It was the kind of look I’d seen countless times, one that silently urged me to behave, to ‘play nice.’
With a resigned sigh, she turned and left, her footsteps fading into the distance.
Now, it was just the lady and me.
She stood stiffly, clearly unhappy about being left alone with me. But her feelings were irrelevant. The sooner I got her out of here, the better—for both of us.
Yet, deep inside, my wolf had other ideas.
“You can’t let her go,” it whispered, a low growl echoing in my mind. “She’s our mate.”
My jaw tightened at the absurdity of the thought.
‘A mate?’ A mere human? A weakling who could barely hold herself together in the presence of danger?
No. It wasn’t going to happen.
I glanced at her, my expression unreadable, as she shifted nervously under my gaze.
“Let’s move,” I said brusquely, gesturing for her to follow. My voice betrayed none of the storm raging inside me.
We walked in silence, the only sounds coming from her hesitant footsteps trailing behind me. She was lagging, slowing me down, and it was testing my patience.
When I first heard some human was snooping around for stories from the chief, it had angered me. The last thing Ridgehaven needed was more human interference.
“Are all humans this foolish?” I asked, breaking the silence, my tone sharp.
She bristled, clearly irritated.
“My name is Emma, you know,” she snapped, her voice tinged with annoyance, as though I’d committed some grave offense.
“I didn’t ask for your name,” I replied coldly, not even sparing her a glance.
She rolled her eyes, brushing past me with a defiance that provoked something unexpected inside me. Her scent—soft and sweet—hit me with a force I hadn’t expected.
My wolf awakened, restless and alert.
There was a saying: a true mate could be recognized by their scent.
No. This was madness. I had to be losing my mind.
Before I could stop myself, I grabbed her arm, turning her roughly to face me. Her startled gaze met mine, her wide eyes locked onto mine as if daring me to make the next move.
“Look at me,” I commanded, my voice low and edged with something primal, something I couldn’t quite control.
She didn’t look away, though her breath hitched. My grip on her arm tightened slightly as my wolf whispered again, more insistently this time:
“She’s ours.”
- Writer
