Azraiel left the King's Castle right after the meeting. The King's Castle is located at the far end of the dark and dangerous forest of Rysterbia. It is being used as an administrative building to conduct various tasks related to packs all around the world. Earlier, it was occupied by the Alpha King and his family. But after a tragic accident that killed the entire royal lineage, the castle has been turned into an administrative building with an exception to the residential wing of the castle. Some ministers of the king believed that someone from the royal family is still alive and would come forward soon to claim the throne. It has been 23 years since the accident and till date, no one has come forward as royalty.
The meeting Azraiel just left was conducted to discuss important pack business with the head coordinator. The head coordinator was a post on which a person was appointed by election. The job of a head coordinator was to maintain peace and balance in the werewolf world. When the King was alive, his Beta was appointed as the head coordinator.
The meeting was supposed to last two days. Since Azraiel left the meeting on the first day itself, he had no other choice but to inform the head coordinator about the human girl, or else he wouldn't have been allowed to leave without a reason. What surprised him the most was that upon hearing about the unconscious girl, the demeanor of the head coordinator changed completely. The current head coordinator was a man of age and experience. He was the younger brother of the former Beta of the King. Azraiel had known him since his childhood and respected him as a father. He expected him to be concerned about this potential security breach but he looked oddly relaxed and content. It was as if he knew what was happening. Although he didn't say anything other than to keep him updated and take care, Azraiel couldn't help but feel like there is something else going on.
Azraiel glanced at his watch to see the time. It was six in the morning. He would reach the pack border soon. Azraiel couldn't get the human girl out of his mind. His wolf was tense too. It was as if his wolf was trying to tell him something and he knew what that was. He knew the possibility of who this girl could be and it scared him to death. Before today, he never considered the possibility of this happening. He just accepted his fate as a trueblood and drowned himself in the sea of his responsibilities. But now the description of this girl has given him a slight ray of hope and he has unwillingly succumbed to it even when he was aware that his hope could be shattered in a second.
Azraiel rubbed his eyes and looked outside the window. He was entering the pack lands. He tried to concentrate on the vibes from the pack. He was expecting to feel a sense of panic, fear or uncertainty. Surprisingly, he felt nothing. Everything was just as he left. The doubts in his mind were now slowly taking a concrete shape. He himself felt at ease even after knowing that there was a bitten human on this land; a stranger that could turn out to be a threat.
Azraiel didn't stop anywhere. He mindlinked the Beta to come to the medical wing and started walking towards the same. His wolf was now restless. He needed to see this human NOW.
Upon entering the medical wing, he was greeted with the sight of Kira roaming anxiously in the corridor. She stopped abruptly upon sensing him.
"Welcome back, Alpha." Kira rushed towards him and bowed her head. Kira let out a breath of relief. Alpha is back. Everything will be fine now.
"How is she?" Azraiel asked quietly while keeping his eyes on the door of the room where the human was. He was struggling to keep calm. His wolf was on edge. He was scratching his nails on Azraiel's mind to let him out. There were no doubts in his mind anymore. He knew who this girl was.
"She is alive Alpha. Dr. Humphrey believes that she will complete the shift." Kira let it out. She was dying to know what will happen next. Will her Alpha allow the human to stay on the pack lands or cast her out?
Azraiel looked away from the door briefly and said "Kira, go home. Take some rest. I'll meet you at 12 in my office."
Kira didn't move an inch. She couldn't believe her ears. She had spent the entire night waiting for him to come and do something or tell her to do something and the first thing he does is to dismiss her. She continued to look at him expectantly while he waits impatiently for her to leave.
" Kira, Go... Now.." Azraiel spoke with clenched teeth barely restraining his wolf. His wolf was letting her know who he was. It had the desired effect. Kira took a step back as if she had been pushed and then with one last look at the Alpha, left the medical wing.
Azraiel took a deep breath to control himself. He couldn't harm her. He needed to control himself. "Matt, wait for me here. I need to see her alone." He didn't wait to hear Matt's reply. He turned on his heels and stormed towards the human's room.
Azraiel entered the room and closed the door behind him. He could smell her now. He could feel her now. His wolf had no idea what to focus on; her scent or her aura. Both her scent and her aura were strong. She smelled like lavenders and Matt was right. Her aura was as strong as his and yet he couldn't sense a wolf. She was a human, just a human yet so special. It was phenomenal to sense someone as strong as him after a long time, that too a female. It felt oddly strange yet satisfying. It was like he has been waiting for this for his entire lifetime. Just for this moment.
Azraiel walked slowly towards her bed. He could see her clearly now. The first thing he saw was her leg. It looked painful even for a werewolf and he couldn't imagine the pain she was going through right now. The next thing he noticed was her height. A chuckle escaped him unwillingly. She was short alright, very short. Then his eyes slowly drifted to her face and his breath got caught in his throat. She was beautiful. She had an oval face with chubby cheeks and a fair complexion. Her nose was straight and small getting wider towards the bottom. Her pale lips were small but full. Long black wavy hair sprawled on the pillow created a halo behind her head. A raw scar ran from the corner of her right eyebrow towards her hairline. She looked like a wounded angel.
Azraiel lifted his index finger and gently touched the back of her right hand. Sparks erupted from his finger and spread to his entire body like wildfire. It was nothing less than an electric shock. He couldn't breathe properly. He felt like a volcano ready to explode anytime. It has finally happened. He had found the one he never knew existed. His wolf who was ready to lash out moments ago was now sitting at a corner purring in delight. They were now complete. Their other half was here.
They have found their mate.
Charlotte had just finished the inspection of the ballroom when Azraiel mindlinked her.“We need to talk.”She exhaled a breath of relief. Finally…!The subtle tension that had been curling in her chest since yesterday loosened a little. She’d been waiting for this moment—hoping he’d stop keeping whatever it was from her. Her boots clicked against the polished wooden floor as she turned, ignoring the flurry of activity still unfolding behind her.“I’ll be home in 5 minutes.” She replied quickly and broke into a swift jog, her heart oddly heavy despite the anticipation.Outside, dusk had begun to settle over the horizon. The sky was painted in muted tones of lilac and charcoal, streaked with wisps of cloud that blurred the edges of light. The hum of enchantments being woven into the pack’s outer walls pulsed faintly through the air. Wolves passed by her, nodding respectfully, some too busy stringing fairy lights or placing magical runes to pay her any mind.When she reached home, the l
24:00 Hrs before the Ball The packhouse was alive with noise and purpose. Footsteps echoed off stone floors, voices called out over comms, and faint music from the rehearsal in the ballroom drifted through the halls. Everyone had something to do. Everyone had a task, a role.Charlotte wandered through it like a ghost.Katya’s glamour spell had hidden the burns well—no one could tell by looking at her that the silver flames had nearly torn her apart from the inside out. Her skin looked smooth, even radiant. Her eyes, though ringed with faint shadows, glowed just enough to pass for rest. The magic was perfect.And yet, she felt like a lie walking among the living.The halls bustled around her. Warriors ran logistics, witches reinforced protection charms, and the kitchen staff prepped for the dozens of dignitaries expected at tomorrow’s ball. Kira was busy near the southern border, scanning old journals from her mother between shifts. Katya was in the east wing, working on reinforcing Az
Azraiel sat still as stone on the chair beside Charlotte’s bed, his hands clasped loosely together, elbows resting on his knees. The soft beeping of the monitors filled the quiet room, a rhythmic reminder that she was still breathing.She was still here.But gods, it didn’t feel like it.His golden eyes were fixed on her face—peaceful, pale, too still. Her body was wrapped in healing bandages, the angry red and blackened burns visible in the few places the linen didn’t cover. Even the smell of charred skin hadn’t fully faded.His throat tightened.It reminded him so vividly of the day he first saw her. Unconscious. Her face just as pale. Her breathing just as faint. And him…sitting just like this, staring at her like she was the center of his universe.Back then, he hadn't known who she really was. But now...Now, she was everything.And she was hurt.He reached out slowly, delicately taking her hand in his. Careful. Reverent. Like the slightest pressure might shatter her completely.A
1234...5678...1234...5678Charlotte tried to calm herself.They wouldn’t hurt her...All the people standing in front of her—they were her. Weren’t they?Yeah... she tried to summon some courage.They really couldn’t hurt her. They needed her to survive... right?She shoved aside the fear curling tight in her chest like a coiled snake.As if the wolf sensed her inner struggle, it nudged her leg again—gentle, insistent."Fine. Fine..." she muttered under her breath.Drawing in a shaky breath, Charlotte stepped forward.She stopped barely ten steps from the woman—herself, yet not. Every nerve in her body buzzed. She could feel the power radiating from the group around her, the thick, charged air crackling with supernatural energy.She poured all her focus into neutralizing her expression, forcing calmness into her tone even as her heart pounded."Are you...?" she began, voice wavering slightly.The vampire cut her off, lips curling into a smirk."Yup," she said casually. "We are You."C
Charlotte’s head feels like she has been hit with multiple hammers a thousand times over. A sharp, pulsating pain courses through her skull, making her groan softly. Her throat is dry, her limbs feel like lead, and her eyes itch as she struggles to open them.What the hell is going on?Where is she?The last thing she remembers is an angry voice screaming “RAVEN!”, and then… nothing.She puts every bit of strength left in her body into forcing her eyes open. It takes effort, but after a few agonizing seconds, she finally manages to pry them open. The first thing she sees is the vast expanse of tree leaves above her, their thick canopy allowing only thin slivers of sunlight to pierce through. She barely catches a glimpse of the sky in between the dense leaves.Great. More trees. That narrows down the place, she thinks sarcastically.A groan escapes her lips as she tries to sit up. Every movement feels like she is dragging a boulder attached to her body. Her limbs protest, but she pushe
Azraiel leaned back into the sofa, letting out a loud sigh, his frustration is evident in the way his shoulders slumped. Ayleen sat beside him, her small hand lightly clasping his. She knew her touch offered him no real solace, but it brought her a sense of grounding she desperately needed. People often saw her as delicate, a young woman barely stepping into adulthood, sheltered and untainted by the harshness of life. They were wrong. What they didn’t see—what she kept hidden behind her soft smiles and quiet demeanor—was the weight of grief she had carried for years. She had witnessed heartbreak and loss, endured the kind of pain that left invisible scars, and yet here she was, sitting strong and steady beside Azraiel. Her fragile appearance was a mask; beneath it was a will forged by fire, stronger than most in their world. She tightened her grip on his hand slightly, as much for her own reassurance as to remind him she was there—not weak, not afraid, but ready to face whatever came