THE ALPHA' HUMAN

MINE

IAN POV

For the past hour, a scent has been haunting me.

Rich cocoa. Warm vanilla. Melted sugar wrapped in creamy butter.

Like a freshly baked chocolate pound cake.

It is sweet enough to soothe the beast inside me, yet potent enough to leave him pacing beneath my skin.

My wolf refuses to settle. Neither can I.

I stare at the stack of paperwork spread across my desk, forcing my attention back to the reports, but every other line blurs together. My senses keep drifting.

Back to that scent.

I draw in a slow breath, hoping it will steady me.

It doesn't.

The fragrance only floods my lungs harder, curling around every instinct I possess until a frustrated groan escapes me.

What the hell is happening to me?

I lower my gaze again, determined to ignore it.

Work first. Whatever this is can wait.

The office door opens without a knock. I already know who it is.

Only Kaizer walks into my office without announcing himself. One of the many privileges of being my Beta.

"Ian."

His voice barely registers.

Because the scent...

It crashes into me with terrifying force. Completely overwhelming.

Every muscle in my body locks. Slowly, almost against my own will, I lift my head.

Then I see her.

Bright green eyes. The brightest I've ever seen. They crash into mine.

Time stops.

Mine.

The word detonates inside my skull with enough force to make my vision swim.

Everything else disappears. Only her remains.

My wolf surges violently beneath my skin, slamming against every ounce of restraint I've built for thirty-two years.

She's here. She's finally here.

Mate. Mine. The instinct is older than thought. Older than reason.

Before I can stop myself, I'm already moving.

One second I'm behind my desk. The next, she's pressed gently but firmly against the wall, my body caging hers.

"MINE!"

The growl tears from my chest before I even realize I've spoken.

My wolf is fully awake now. I know my eyes are glowing gold. I bury my face against the curve of her neck.

God.

She smells even better up close.

Warm chocolate.

Vanilla.

Sugar.

And beneath all of it...

Her.

Completely, intoxicatingly her. Every inhale drives me closer to madness.

Mark her.

The command echoes through my head.

She’s ours! Claim her! Now!

My tongue brushes against the soft skin of her neck. A single slow lick. Preparing the place where my bite belongs.

She gasps. Soft and breathy. The sound shoots straight through me.

Need her.

Need her now.

My canines lengthen. Every instinct screams for me to sink them into her skin. To bind her to me forever.

I lean in—

And I'm ripped away.

A savage growl explodes from my throat.

Someone tackles me to the floor. I barely feel the impact. My gaze never leaves her. I don't care who dares touch me.

I shove them off with enough force to send them stumbling away.

She's still standing there. Still looking at me. I lunge toward her again.

Strong hands pin me down once more.

I roar, every muscle straining against the restraint. My ears ring. My pulse pounds. The only thing I can see is her.

Then...

She turns. She walks toward the door.

No! Mate is leaving. Don’t let her leave. Panic crashes into me with brutal force.

My wolf howls inside my head.

Get to her! Don’t lose her.

Rage replaces panic. I whirl toward the man holding me. Everything about him smells wrong.

Offensive.

My fingers wrap around his throat. I squeeze. Hard.

With my other hand, I wrench his wrist until I hear him hiss through clenched teeth.

"Mate!" I snarl. "You let her leave."

Another growl rips free. "You want to take her away from me?"

"No..." he chokes out, clawing at my wrist. "Calm down... Alpha..."

My grip only tightens.

"You need to let me go."

I answer with another growl.

"If you don't..." He struggles to breathe. "...she'll leave you forever."

The words slice clean through my rage. Forever.

The room stills. My wolf falters.

My grip loosens just enough for air to reach him. "Mate can't leave," I mutter, my voice rough, almost broken. "Mate won't leave."

"Alpha," he says carefully, still trying to pry my fingers away. "Listen to me."

I barely hear him.

"She won't leave," he continues. "But you have to control yourself."

My breathing remains uneven.

"You can't approach her like this. She's human."

Everything inside me freezes.

Human.

The single word crashes over me like ice water. My hand falls away from his throat. I stumble back a step.

The haze begins to clear. The man before me finally comes into focus.

Kaizer.

I've been attacking Kaizer.

I drag both hands through my hair. The scent still lingers in the office. Still tempts me. Still calls to every instinct I possess.

I inhale slowly.

This time, I force it to calm me instead of consuming me.

She's human. She doesn't understand our world. She doesn't understand mates.

To her...

I probably looked like a madman.

Frustration claws through my chest. I have waited thirty-two years for my mate. Thirty-two damn years.

And the moment fate finally places her before me, I scare her.

What kind of cruel joke is this?

"Who is she?" I ask, my voice still rough from suppressing my wolf.

"Nicole," Kaizer answers, rubbing his bruised throat. "She's here for a job interview."

Nicole.

Even her name settles somewhere deep inside me.

"Bring her back."

Kaizer immediately shakes his head. "No."

My eyes snap toward him. The Alpha in me bristles at the defiance.

His tone shifts with caution. "Alpha," he says carefully, "you're barely holding yourself together."

I don't deny it.

"If she comes back in here now..." He pauses. "...you'll only frighten her more."

Every word lands exactly where it hurts.

Because he's right.

My wolf still claws at me. Still demands I hunt her down. Still wants to bury my face in her neck. To breathe her in.

To mark her.

To make her ours.

I close my eyes briefly.

When I open them again, the rage has dulled into reluctant control.

"Fine." The word tastes bitter. "Tell Trina to reschedule her interview. This week."

Kaizer nods once. Without another word, he leaves my office.

The silence that follows is unbearable.

I sink slowly into my chair. My eyes drift shut.

Her scent still hangs in the air.

Chocolate.

Vanilla.

Warmth.

Home.

My fingers tighten around the armrests until the wood groans beneath my grip.

Every instinct urges me to chase after her. To pull her back into my arms. To feel her heartbeat against my chest.

To bury myself in that intoxicating scent.

To mark her.

To keep her.

Forever.

Then I remember the soft gasp she lets out when my tongue brushes her skin.

A low groan escapes me.

Damn it.

I need to get my wolf under control.

Before I lose the only woman fate has ever made for me.

My ears sharpen, straining to catch every word beyond the door.

Then I hear it.

A sob.

Everything inside me stills.

Her voice comes broken, every word swallowed by tears, and something vicious unfurls inside my chest.

My wolf surges forward with a snarl.

I don't give a damn about Kaizer anymore. Whatever plans we had ceases to exist. There is only one thing that matters.

Her.

I need to see her. Need to make the tears stop.

Bring her in. Now.

The order slices through the mindlink.

Seconds later, the door opens.

I rise immediately.

But instead of seeing Nicole, all I see is Kai standing in front of her, shielding her from my view.

A growl vibrates low in my throat.

"Ian," Kai says carefully, his voice calm but edged with caution. "I know she is upset but you need to stay in control."

I force a tight nod, every muscle in my body straining against the beast clawing beneath my skin.

He steps aside.

And there she is.

Her cheeks are wet with tears. Her eyes are swollen and red, her lips trembling as she struggles to breathe through silent sobs.

Pain grips my chest so violently it feels like my heart physically folds in on itself.

Who did this?

Who made my mate cry?

I'll paint these walls with their blood.

I close the distance quickly. My hands cradle her face."What happened?" My voice comes out rough, scraped raw by the growl lurking underneath. "Who made you cry?"

Her trembling only worsens.

Behind me, Kai sighs.

"Ian," he warns quietly. "Control."

I shut my eyes.

One breath.

Then another.

I drag my wolf back by force, locking him behind iron walls before opening my eyes again.

The rage doesn't disappear.

It merely waits.

Nicole places her hands against my chest.

"I..." she whispers, refusing to meet my gaze. "I think you should let me go."

Every instinct inside me revolts.

My arms tighten around her before I can stop them.

My wolf bares his teeth.

"You don't want me touching you... mate?"The last word comes out almost feral.

Confusion flashes across her face. "What—"

"Okay," Kai cuts in quickly. "Nicole, let's just take this one step—"

His hand suddenly lands on her shoulder.

Another man.

He appears behind her, gently trying to pull her away from me.

The world narrows.

His hand.

On her.

On my mate.

A savage snarl tears from my chest before I can stop it. The room instantly drops several degrees.

My eyes lock onto him.

"Take your f*****g hands off my mate..."

Each word is slow. Deadly.

"...before I break every bone in them."