Valyrian (are you my soul mate?)

CHAPTER FOUR-MATE

“Mate.” The word hung in the air, a pronouncement that resonated deep within my very being, echoing the primal certainty of my wolf.

It wasn’t what I had expected to say, not in such a public and abrupt manner, but the sheer force of recognition, the undeniable pull that had slammed into me the moment I’d crossed the threshold of the cafe, had stripped away any semblance of carefully constructed composure.

My wolf, usually a roaring tempest within me at the mere scent of another pack member, was strangely calm, a deep, contented purr vibrating just beneath my skin.

He was never wrong about these things. We were intrinsically linked, two halves of a singular consciousness, and his recognition of our mate was as absolute as the rising of the sun.

The moment I’d stepped into the cafe, the world had narrowed, the cacophony of human chatter fading into a dull background hum.

All that registered was her scent – an intoxicating blend of warm cinnamon and the delicate sweetness of wild flowers.

It was a fragrance unlike any I had ever encountered, uniquely beautiful, and it had instantly anchored me, drawing me towards its source with an irresistible force. My Mate.

The words felt foreign on my tongue, a concept that had become almost mythical within our community, yet they held a profound and undeniable truth, a warmth that spread through the cold, ancient core of my heart.

The werewolf community had suffered a great loss over the centuries, a gradual fading of the sacred bond of fated mates.

For the past five hundred years, such unions had become incredibly rare, whispered about in hushed tones, almost relegated to the realm of legend.

And yet, here she was, standing behind the counter, oblivious to the seismic shift her presence had caused in my world. My Mate. Selene, the moon goddess, had truly bestowed a rare and precious blessing upon our pack.

My thoughts drifted back to the conversation with my beta, Liam, a few weeks prior.

He had informed me of the arrival of a mother and daughter who had taken up residence in the old Vanbrugh mansion, a place that had remained empty and shrouded in an unsettling silence for decades.

My instincts had immediately been on alert. The Vanbrugh name carried a heavy weight in Wolf Valley, intertwined with a history that was best left undisturbed.

A swift, discreet investigation had revealed the daughter to be Irene, Christopher’s child. A shadow crossed my mind at the mention of Christopher’s name.

Though I had been little more than a pup when the incident had occurred so many years ago, the tension, the undercurrent of animosity between Christopher and the Wolf Valley pack, was a story etched in the very stones of our territory.

Whatever had transpired had led to Christopher’s abrupt departure, a severing of ties that had never been fully explained. The return of his daughter, especially without him, had raised immediate suspicions. Foul play was a possibility we couldn’t ignore.

While the mother and daughter had kept to themselves since their arrival, maintaining a quiet and seemingly harmless existence, the need for caution remained paramount.

For their safety, and for the safety of the pack, I had tasked Gamma, Calvin, with keeping a watchful eye on them.

I vividly recalled an evening when Calvin had returned from his patrol near the mansion, his usually jovial face clouded with a strange expression.

“What is with that look, Calvin?” I had asked, my alpha instincts sensing his unease.

He had shifted his weight, a rare display of discomfort for my usually stoic Gamma. “Nothing much, Alpha… just that…” He had hesitated, his gaze fixed on the floor.

“Just that what, Calvin?” I had pressed, my patience wearing thin.

He had finally met my eyes, a flicker of something akin to shame in their depths.

“I feel this… strange pull towards her, Alpha. Towards the daughter. I feel this overwhelming urge to protect her.”

I had shaken my head, dismissing it as a misplaced surge of protective instinct, a common trait among werewolves.

“Forget about it, Calvin. It’s just… proximity. The feeling will pass.” But now, standing in the cafe, the scent of cinnamon and wildflowers filling my lungs, the undeniable connection blazing between Irene and me, I understood.

Calvin’s protective urge had been a precursor, a subtle ripple in the fabric of fate announcing the arrival of our Luna. I silently thanked Selene for her wisdom, for guiding our mate to us.

“Sorry?” Her voice, sweet and laced with a hint of confusion, pulled me back from my reverent thoughts. It was a melodic sound, and I found myself wanting to hear it again.

“Hi,” I managed, a wide, involuntary smile stretching across my face. She simply gave me a bewildered look, and her eyebrows arched in question.

“Do you… want something?” she asked, her tone polite but cautious.

“Of course, I do. You?” The words were out before I could stop them, a raw, instinctive response. I immediately regretted my bluntness.

This was not the way to approach her. “Yeah,” I corrected myself quickly, trying to salvage the situation. “Just some latte coffee and some cinnamon rolls, please.”

The order tumbled out, a desperate attempt to appear normal. I wasn’t hungry, not in the slightest, but the thought of leaving her sight just yet was unbearable.

I was acutely aware that every patron in the small cafe had likely heard my initial, impulsive declaration. A subtle shift had occurred in theirdemeanourr.

The curious glances they had been casting Irene’s way now held a different quality – a mixture of respect and perhaps a touch of awe. They understood, instinctively, the significance of my words.

“That is more like it,” I muttered under my breath, a small victory in regaining some semblance of control.

Soon enough, she reappeared with my order, her movements graceful and efficient.

As she placed the cup and plate before me, her hand brushed lightly against mine. A jolt of pure electricity shot up my arm, a visceral confirmation of the bond that connected us.

I saw a flicker of surprise in her eyes, a slight flinch as if she had felt it too.

Relief washed over me. I wasn’t alone in this. She had felt the pull, the spark of recognition.

But my wolf was a restless beast within me, his primal instincts roaring to the surface. “I want Mate,” he demanded, a possessive growl rumbling in my chest.

“Nope,” I mentally replied, trying to soothe his impatience. “You’ll scare her.”

As she walked back behind the counter, I allowed myself a moment to simply watch her.

She possessed a natural beauty, an understated elegance in her simple attire. Her figure was softly curved, pleasing to the eye.

She was human, though. A wave of confusion washed over me. Her father had been a werewolf, a member of our pack, albeit one who had chosen to leave.

Why hadn’t she shifted? Why was her wolf blood dormant? Perhaps it was recessive, a trait that had skipped a generation. It was another question to add to the growing list surrounding Christopher’s return to the valley, and now, his daughter’s.

I knew this was just the beginning. Claiming my mate wouldn’t be easy, especially given the circumstances of her arrival and the unanswered questions surrounding her father.

But one thing was certain: she was mine, and I would do whatever it took to protect her and to unravel the mysteries that surrounded her presence in Wolf Valley.