Marked by the Alpha

The Unexpected Mate

An Alpha. That’s what he was for sure. I could tell that by his strong scent and how he handled himself with authority and power. I couldn't help staring at him. He was glowing in my eyes. And he definitely was a new sight to admire. Who is this man?

Why is he here?

Why did he come to my aid?

While looking at him, I realized that I had never met him before. His looks and physique were pristine in this company. Too pristine that I am certain to not settle my eyes on someone so handsome and at the same time mighty. And I will bet my life that he belonged to a high-rank werewolf. I have a feeling that he was. Or if not, then a first-rank beta from the other pack. He might be one of the guests of our Alpha or a close friend of the next Alpha to be instated today.

I covered my body when he glanced at me before glaring back at Sasha and her mean pets. They were piercing their eyes at the gorgeous man, yet I could sense that they were attracted to him too.

As mateless like me, of course, they will. I have to admit that I am attracted to him in some way too. But what I felt for him wasn't a mere enchantment. Because I was drawn to him, and that’s what made me wonder. I have no idea why I am so drawn to him like a magnet, even if it's our first acquaintance.

This man standing in front of me gave me a significant assurance, something I find incredible and gratifying. With him against Sasha and her friends, I felt like we had already won and that I was finally safe.

Everybody was staring at this unnamed Alpha due to his strong and intimidating presence, and nobody said a word. As if he took all our tongues and we remained silent.

“Apologize...” he ordered with a cold authoritarian voice. “She doesn't deserve this madness.”

Sasha quirked a brow, refusing to surrender and admit defeat. “Why would I follow you? Who are you anyway? I don't remember you being a member of the pack.”

“Just because you don't remember me being a member of the pack, doesn't mean I will tolerate this act. I’m telling you to apologize because that’s what you're supposed to do,” he pointed out and took a step toward Sasha.

Sasha scoffed before she took a step back, terrified that this man had slapped her with the truth. It was the first time I saw Sasha defeated and scrambling for a scathing retort that she had always been good at doing.

“Why make this a fuss though? Why attack a woman like this?” she asked, trying to be the victim. “We just want to have fun before the ball. Of all the people who caught me doing this, it was only you who opposed me. You may be handsome, but you’re so damn boring.”

“Really, you want to have fun?” the man reiterated with a sarcastic hint before shaking his head. “Bullshit! Bullying someone is a terrible way to look for fun. Apologize until I still have the patience to wait for you to do it.”

I looked up at him while covering my naked body. “The phone...”

The man looked back at me and met my gaze briefly. Just like that, he knew what I meant when he clenched his teeth.

“And hand me that phone,” he ordered when he turned back to Sasha. “I know that you took pictures of her.”

Sasha shot her brows up and crossed her arms. “Piss off, you fun spoiler.”

The man tilted his head side to side because of Sasha’s mocking. By the tenor of his breathing, I knew he had clenched his teeth. And then I saw him stretch both his hands, restraining himself not to draw any strength.

He took a step forward toward Sasha before he towered over her height. “Sasha Samson, Mindy Anniston, Daniela Steve, Sofia Vasquez, if you don't want to be kicked out of this very company you are working for, apologized to Miss Mia Constantine, now! The new Alpha would hate to hear about this and your own mate, Isaac Martin, one of the highest-ranked betas in the Crimson Pack. I heard that you are both engaged and are to be wed this month. You still want to be his bride, don’t you?”

With that, Sasha and her pets’ mouths hung open, including me who was naked, slumped on the cold tiled floor because he appeared to know everything. His words carried so much certainty and outstanding capability that made anyone's tongue-tied.

I darted him an amused look. Just who exactly is this man? Why do I feel like he knows so much more than he wants us to believe?

“I’m sorry, Mia. I’m sorry, I hope you can forgive me,” Sasha stammered, her hands shaking. She looked at her phone and hastily gave it to the man. “Here is the phone. If you want it, it’s yours now. Just don't disclose this to my husband, please. I want to marry him.”

Sasha didn't even wait for the man to respond when she suddenly ran away, leaving her makeup kit on the vanity sink and her pets who were also horrified by the knowledge of this man.

When the man raised his head and turned to them, all of them straightened their backs and uttered an apology before running away like Sasha.

I gaped after what happened. Only this man was capable of directing things toward his own triumph that even the notorious bully in their company conceded.

Relief skittered at me after knowing that I was finally safe from being humiliated on social media. I don't think I would ever live up to shame if they did upload my naked body. Eyes will surely feast on my body and I would sully the name of the company I’m working for. If I even get unlucky, I could even be kicked out of Lewis Clothing Designs. And I can’t afford that to happen.

If I was thinking about my situation, I would have left this toxic company years ago. But I am just a poor, low-ranked beta who needs to work for Alpha’s establishment to be able to live. That’s how Betas worked and that’s what we do for a living.

Having a beta parent means that you are automatically a beta once you are born. A beta’s fate was to only become the helping hands of an Alpha and nothing more. Once you are born with a particular rank, you stay that way until you die. Unless one was fated into an Alpha and instantly becomes a Luna.

Not everyone can be lucky like that, obviously. And I wouldn't wish for something like that to happen because it doesn't work that way. It wasn't as easy as wishing. One must need to be fated to become a Luna.

After facing the phone, probably deleting all my naked pictures, he turned to me and I slumped on the floor when my wobbling knees gave up. And then I sobbed, not just because of the reason that I was harassed but also the fact that my dress which I’d been sewing for a month had been ruined just like that. The efforts that I exerted, all my spare time doing it, all the lining and detailing that I did, the trimming and hurting my thumb just so I could perfect my dress, it's all gone.

“Are you okay?” the unnamed man asked, averting his eyes from me since I was naked.

After that question, I stilled and asked myself the same thing before piercing my teary eyes on my dress.

I picked up the torn fabrics and gathered all of them, not minding that I was still bare in front of this man. It was really saddening to think that in just a snap of a finger, they were able to hurt me by undermining my capacity. I didn't cry at my father's burial and now I’m crying because I was tormented severely.

I tried so hard not to show any weakness for decades because I didn't want to appear weak in someone's eyes.

But in front of this man... I suddenly felt the permission of being vulnerable even just for once. That I wanted to be comforted, even if it was only this time.

“I’m not...” I looked up at him and shook my head, my tears kept dripping from my eyes. “I’m not okay. I have never been okay since I was born.”

The man took off his maroon coat and covered my body. He raised his hands and gently wiped my tears using his thumb. With that gesture, I met his grey eyes using my somber ones and we froze in sync as if we had the same body and mind.

Something inside me jolted as I stared at this man with a shocked countenance and he was the same.

Although I am not sure if his body was scorching because mine was like in burning water the moment something inside me jolted. And I wasn't that very clueless about these feelings. The elders always taught us back about locating someone significant to you and how it felt.

It was said to be feeling what I have been feeling at the moment. Scorching, the incredible attraction towards each other... and then the susceptibility.

“I can't believe it.” The man cupped my face and looked at me with an amused smile. “You’re my...”

“Mate,” I continued and drowned in his gray eyes and let my body burn with desire.