Forbidden Alpha : A Wolf's Secret.

Reunion II

I closed my eyes and took a deep breath.

Mira placed a reassuring hand on my shoulder, silently letting me know she was still with me. I didn’t have to say a word. She already knew who it was.

I opened my eyes and slowly turned toward the voice that was as familiar to me as my own heartbeat.

“Dean.”

A lump formed in my throat.

The man standing in front of me wasn’t the boy I used to know.

Dean looked every bit the Alpha now — broad shoulders, a sculpted body, at least 6'5 tall.

His dark brown hair was wet, pushed back by his hand. Dressed in nothing but shorts and a tank top, it was obvious he’d just finished training. His body shimmered with sweat, and those deep, dark eyes pierced into me with joy… and something more.

Even his look had changed. A silver earring glinted in his ear, and a tattoo curled along his shoulder.

"A silver earring? Seriously?"

The words slipped out before I could stop them.

A wide grin spread across his face.

“Aww… worried about me already? That was fast.”

At least his childish attitude hadn’t changed.

I rolled my eyes.

“We’re here to assist with the recent attacks. Eliah and Niran are responsible for our group,” I said, motioning to the two figures behind me.

“They’ll handle all the necessary arrangements. If you’ll excuse me, I’d like to rest after the journey.”

I didn’t wait for his response. I grabbed Mira’s hand and walked off toward the place we were supposed to stay.

“Do you even know where we’re going?” Mira asked, half-laughing.

“I think so,” I said, sounding far more confident than I actually felt.

We finally arrived at the small house that was supposed to become our home for the next few days. At least, I hoped it would only be days. The confidence I had carefully built over the years was beginning to crumble.

It was a modest two-story structure. At first glance, it was obvious that no one had lived here for a long time. The wooden terrace that wrapped around the entire house desperately needed a fresh coat of paint. The dry wood creaked beneath my feet as I stepped on it.

Inside, the living room was surprisingly spacious, furnished with a cozy-looking couch and two rocking chairs. There was a tiny kitchen with a small dining counter. Mira and I glanced around, taking everything in.

“We have a TV!” Mira squealed with excitement.

“You think we’ll even remember how to use it after all those years at the Academy?” I murmured, as a wave of anxiety washed over me.

The Academy had been completely isolated. No radios, no televisions, no phones. Nothing that could connect us to the outside world. Parents and friends were allowed to send letters—but only in limited numbers. And even then, I had always suspected that the mail wasn’t truly private.

That’s why I had forbidden my parents from contacting me—unless it was an emergency.

“So… that was Dean?”

Mira’s voice pulled me out of my thoughts. She had already made herself comfortable on the couch, flipping through TV channels.

“Yeah,” I nodded.

“He looked… happy to see you.”

“I don’t know, Mira. After everything that happened… how could he be?”

“Look, I wouldn’t usually suggest this,” she said, lowering the remote and giving me a mischievous look, “but Dean? He looks like sin wrapped in a leather jacket. And you, my love, look like you could use a distraction. I don’t think he’d mind if you tried seducing him.”

I stared at her, speechless. “How can you even say that? You know I’m waiting for my mate.”

She rolled her eyes. “I know, I know. But what if he is your mate? Are you really going to make him wait that long?”

A dry laugh escaped me. “Don’t even joke like that. He deserves someone better than me. And even if—his father would never allow us to be together.”

I paused. “Wait… why am I even letting you put these ideas in my head? I haven’t seen him in years. He could’ve found his Luna already.”

He probably had. I couldn't let my mind wander down that road.

“I saw the way he looked at you,” Mira said casually. “That was not the look of a man who’s taken.”

Then she added with a sigh, “I need to talk to him about connecting Netflix. There’s no way we’re staying here without it.”

“Come on. Let’s check out the rest of the house.”

Upstairs, we found a master bedroom with its own small bathroom, and two smaller rooms sharing another.

I sighed. “I think I already know how we’re splitting the rooms.”

“Yay! Don’t worry, sweetie, I’ll protect you from the monsters at night,” Mira grinned at me with mock drama.

Then a voice called from behind us. “I’m taking the room on the right,” Elijah said.

“I got the left one!” Niran shouted from downstairs.

The three of us headed downstairs to the ground floor. We found Niran staring intently at the fridge like it had personally offended him.

“Didn’t that Alpha say he’d stocked us up with food?” he asked, clearly unimpressed.

“What’s in there?” Mira inquired, peeking over his shoulder.

“Nothing. That’s the problem,” Niran muttered, closing the fridge a bit too hard. “Savanah, is there a*****e or a diner nearby?”

“Well… if we head the opposite way from the Pack House, there used to be a small diner, and a grocery store a bit further down,” I said, trying to remember. “At least, that’s how it used to be. Hopefully it hasn’t changed too much.”

“Dude, who has the energy to cook after that drive?” Elias jumped in. “What if Savanah and I hit the diner, and you two grab some stuff for breakfast tomorrow?”

“What do they even cook at that place?” Mira asked.

“It’s been years,” I admitted. “But it was a typical American-style diner. Burgers, pizza, fries… Dean loved the place. Hopefully they didn’t let it go to hell.”

“Decision made: cheeseburgers and fries it is,” Elias grinned. “Come on, Savanah, it’s gonna take us longer anyway. Hey Niran—grab a couple of sodas while you’re at it!”

Mira and I exchanged a knowing look before I reluctantly followed Elias outside.

“It’s about a ten-minute walk,” I said, nodding toward the small town in the distance.

“Good,” Elias replied. “Tell me how things work around here. I’d rather not go in blind when we start tomorrow.”

“I didn’t think you were taking this seriously,” I admitted.

“I’m the future Beta,” he said simply. “It’s in my blood to take things seriously.”

“That sounded rehearsed,” I teased, glancing at him. Truth be told, I had never spent enough time with Elias to really know him.

“When my father died,” he began, voice softer now, “I felt… forgotten. He gave his life in service to the Alpha and the pack. And when we were attacked…”

He trailed off, and I didn’t press him. We walked in silence until he decided to speak again.

“The Alpha didn’t even come to the funeral. Just declared my uncle the new Beta and moved on. That was it. I was left alone—with my mom and sister. My mom tried to hold it together for us, but I could see her slipping. Giving up.”

I listened, quietly.

“My sister was almost eighteen at the time. Not long after, she met her mate—a Delta from another pack—and of course she moved in with him. As she should. But after that, my mom gave up entirely. She stopped eating, stopped responding. I begged her to fight. She didn’t.”

I blinked, the weight of his story sinking in.

“My sister wanted to take me in,” he continued, “but my uncle forbid it. Said I needed to ‘toughen up’—that I was the future of the pack, and couldn’t abandon it. He didn’t care about me. He had his own plans. So I acted out. A lot. Did some stupid stuff I still regret.”

I stayed quiet, letting him speak.

“I don’t know if that sense of isolation ever really left me. But I do know I’d handle it differently now. People think the Academy is meant to break you. And maybe it does. But have you ever wondered why it’s only for ranked members?”

Before I could answer, he stopped and squinted at the sign up ahead.

“Seriously? Domino’s?”

I cleared my throat. “I didn’t name it.”