Chasing Melania - No Mr. Alpha I do not want a Mate

Chapter Two: Melania and the Mate Bond

Brock's inner wolf was eager to run through the forest and could not be contained any longer. Heeding its urge, Brock ventured into the woods, shedding his clothes to let his lupine counterpart run wild. The wolf bolted as if its life was at stake, heading straight for the freeway—an unusual and risky path.

We always steered clear of the freeway, understanding that the less we were seen by humans, the safer we would be. To them, we were a menace, and frankly, survival was my priority. Yet, despite my insistent commands, I couldn't persuade the wolf to change course. As we broke through the tree line and saw the stretch of asphalt ahead, a breathtaking she-wolf caught my gaze. Our eyes met for an instant before she looked away.

Overwhelmed by the presence of who was unmistakably our mate, my wolf became frantic in his efforts to reach her. A van sped by, carrying her intoxicating scent—a blend of homemade corn muffins and honey. As you imagine her luminous green eyes, framed by thick, dark lashes, and her honey-brown hair cascading over her shoulders, it's clear she was the epitome of perfection.

Snapped out of my daze by the infuriating power of the mate bond, I chastised my wolf. We had led our pack without a mate for years, and we could continue to do so. Yet, undeterred, my wolf set off in relentless pursuit of the van at breakneck speed.

As we pulled up behind the van we'd been pursuing, the driver abruptly parked and a valet hurried over. She emerged from the driver's seat and caught my eye, offering a flirtatious smile and a wave that sent a thrill through my wolf. To my surprise, he responded with a submissive bow, something completely out of character, as we ordinarily balk at subservience.

She laughed at our reaction and sprinted into the hotel—a hotel I owned, along with the surrounding area. I promptly mind-linked my beta, instructing him to summon the rest of the guys; we were going to stay at my hotel tonight. My beta was evidently overjoyed by the prospect and wasted no time in making his way over.

Transforming back into human form inside the back of the hotel, I quickly dressed.

From my vantage point, I observed her mingling with a group of human girls, which puzzled me. How could a she-wolf tolerate the scent of humans, much less associate with them? In my world, humans were merely guests in the areas I allowed—like my hotel or the campgrounds—otherwise, I kept my distance. Their smell was off-putting, and their history with wolves was fraught with violence.

There was a mystery surrounding her that intrigued me, and it went beyond the potent draw of a mate bond. For starters, her scent was unexpectedly subtle for a she-wolf, particularly since she was past the age to have shifted. The fact that she chose the company of humans added layers to her enigma. I've always had a penchant for unraveling puzzles, and she was shaping up to be a fascinating one.

Approaching the front desk, I encountered a group of flirtatious she-wolves from my pack, each vying to be my Luna—a role I had no desire to fill. Their efforts were all too transparent for my taste.

I queried one of the front desk attendants, "Which room are the women from the van staying in?" She informed me they were in the suites just below mine. I took mental note—those were our most opulent suites—and with a satisfied grin, I proceeded to my quarters.

My hotel manager, Andrea, made an unexpected offer of s****l assistance, but I could only decline with a shake of my head. She mirrored my shock. We both grew up believing that by the age of sixteen, we were destined to be true mates. The revelation that this was not the case disappointed us deeply.

Although right now I just viewed Andrea with an unjust disgust, she bears no grotesque features. In fact, with her long, beautifully blonde hair that flows down past her waist, and her statuesque figure, she is the epitome of beauty and, notably, one of my top warriors.

I apologized to her sincerely, explaining that the recent discovery of my mate had left me mentally conflicted.

Andrea offered a sad yet understanding smile, and I hoped she grasped that my reaction wasn't personal. I withdrew, heading toward the elevator and used the key to the private floor reserved for my use only.

Andrea and I have shared a bond from childhood; she's well aware that I've found my true mate now. Sharing this information with the other she-wolves was out of the question—they would endanger my mate out of jealousy.

Despite never desiring a mate, my reputation was not that of celibacy. Conveying my intentions for casual liaisons alone to these she-wolves proved challenging as they all vied to become my Luna.

Nevertheless, my mate has appeared, and promptly, she will leave—hopefully returning my world to its usual chaos. This idea alone brought a smile to my face.

Standing on the balcony, I could see the she-wolf below—my mate—playfully causing a ruckus. She pushed one of her companions into the pool fully clothed, then followed with a cannonball beside them. Her antics made me question her age.

I became an Alpha at sixteen; now, eight years later, at twenty-four, I contemplate the age of the girl below. Surely she must be no older than eighteen. "Oh Goddess, what have you gotten me into?" I wonder.

She seemed to sense my gaze, tossing her hair and locking eyes with mine. Her flirtatious wink causes my heart to race.

Her smile alone is tempting enough to make me consider fleeing.

A Luna or mate isn't something I thought I needed, but her mere presence is enough to challenge that notion.

Running my hands through my tousled hair, I settled on the sofa, grappling with the inevitable attraction. The bond between us is magnetic—inescapable and intense.

My Beta strolled through the door accompanied by my Gamma, Tony, and a few other members of our wolf pack, their laughter filling the air as Justin playfully tripped Tony, causing him to fall flat on his face.

These men are my foundation, my closest confidants since as far back as I can remember. Donning their swim trunks, they playfully urged me to suit up as well. Despite my initial refusal, they wouldn't take no for an answer. With a resigned sigh, I retrieved my swim trunks from my room and slipped them on.

Wolves like us possess a natural athletic grace, and with our group entering the pool area, we were bound to turn heads.

Among our companions are Rick and Ron, a set of twins, but it was Justin and Tony — my Beta and Gamma — who were with me today.

As we made our way down to the pool, Justin immediately took notice of a stunning she-wolf present there. With a mischievous glint in his eye, he dove into the pool near her, playfully calling dibs to her attention.

Justin's actions, for reasons beyond my understanding, sparked a surge of anger within my wolf and me. I promptly followed by plunging into the water after him and landing a punch. Confusion crossed Justin's face, which quickly gave way to realization as he raised his hands in surrender. Through our mind-link, he queried, "Dude, is she your mate?" I exhaled a weary apology, asserting my lack of interest in having a mate.

Nonetheless, Justin appraised the she-wolf with evident approval. "Well, if you decide she's not for you, she's definitely a catch. Any of us would be lucky to claim her," he commented — a remark that set my wolf on edge once again. My attention then shifted to the she-wolf, who was glaring at us, clearly displeased with our raucous intrusion.

Despite her earlier anger, she soon strutted seductively from the pool, occasionally casting flirtatious glances over her shoulder at us. Just as I was beginning to entertain second thoughts about her potential troublemaking, my conversation with the guys was abruptly interrupted by a splatter of green Jell-O.

Above us stood the daring she-wolf, her grin broad and victorious. Her voice was clear as she admonished us, "Next time, watch where you're jumping. You nearly hit me!"

Although we were momentarily entranced by her charisma, I quickly regrouped and, with a playful growl, hoisted her over my shoulder and cannonballed me back into the water.

A joyous chaos ensued as her friends leaped into the fray, challenging us with playful determination. Amidst the splashing and laughter, I couldn't help but be captivated by her name, Melania, uttered by her friends. The beauty of it resonated with me, triggering a strong reaction from the mate bond I was so determined to resist.

But as my smiling façade faded, I extricated myself from the festivities without so much as a farewell and retreated to the solitude of my suite. I needed to distance myself from the powerful pull of the mate bond. My friends, thoroughly engrossed in the pool party, didn't follow until much later, about three hours after I had departed.

When the guys come in all dripping wet with their towels around their heads, I shoot them off to the various bathrooms I have in the suite for them to shower and change. Turning on a movie and the guys come in and throw themselves on chairs and the floor, while I lay out on the sofa.

"Hey man!" my Gamma states, "You left early. What's up with that?" Beta laughs, "Melania is his mate dude, and he doesn't like that!"

Tony looked shocked, "Man, if I found out a smoking hot she-wolf like that as my mate, no questions asked, we would be getting down."

My wolf is mad again at such blatant disrespect to me and punches my gamma in the face. My Gamma looks shocked and smiles, "Looks like your wolf doesn't feel the same way about mates that you do. This is going to be a fun weekend. Get out the popcorn and watch The Alpha try to outsmart fate." I rolled my eyes as the gamma was joking around.

"By the way, Alpha," my beta stated, "We have invited her friends over to a party tomorrow with us. We did not invite Melania because after you left, she left too. Must be that mate bond!" Annoyed by my Beta’s laughter.