Chapter 2: Mate

The dim lighting of the bar flickered, casting shadows over Alpha Derek Kingston of the Moonstone Pack as he downed another shot of whiskey.

His tall, imposing frame was hunched over the bar, a scowl fixed on his face as he ignored the brunette who had been shamelessly trying to seduce him for the last half hour.

Her hand slid up his arm, her voice dripping with desire, but Derek didn’t even glance her way. His mind was elsewhere, uninterested in the shallow advances of yet another desperate woman.

“Get lost! ,” Derek said coldly, his voice a deep growl that sent shivers down her spine. He pushed her hand away roughly, eyes still fixed on his drink. “Find someone else, I'm not interested.”

The woman pouted, but eventually took the hint and walked away with a huff.

Derek exhaled sharply, running a hand through his dark, tousled hair. He wasn’t here for this—he was here to escape the relentless responsibilities of being Alpha, even if just for a few hours.

The pressure from the decision he had made weighed heavily on his broad shoulders, but nothing seemed to be able to distract him tonight.

Suddenly, the door to the bar creaked open, and Derek’s sharp senses pricked as a new presence entered. But he didn't look up —He didn't care.

Ella stumbled into the bar, her heart shattered and her eyes swollen from crying. She tried to keep her head down, not wanting anyone to see the mess she’d become in the span of a few hours.

Her engagement to Alpha Kevin was supposed to be her everything, and in one brutal night, it was torn away. “Sandra. Kevin.” The names echoed in her mind like a curse.

She found a quiet corner, far away from the crowd, and sat down heavily. Grabbing the bottle of cheap vodka in front of her, she poured a glass and knocked it back, the liquid burning her throat as she tried to drown her pain.

She was counting the minutes, each one dragging her closer to midnight. To her eighteenth birthday. To meeting her wolf.

But tonight, none of it mattered. Not the pack, not her future. Nothing mattered because the man she loved was having his dick sucked by her stepsister who was wearing the gown she had looked forward to.

“Bastard!” Ella hissed under her breath, her fingers tightening around the glass. She poured another drink, her vision blurring as her mind raced with the memories of their betrayal.

As the clock struck midnight, something suddenly shifted within her. A strange, intoxicating warmth spread through her, pulling her attention away from the bottle.

Ella’s heart skipped a beat as she felt a strange but overwhelming sensation ripple through her body.

“What... is that?”

Derek stiffened at the bar, his fingers freezing on the rim of his glass. The most alluring, irresistible scent hit him like a tidal wave. It was sweet, intoxicating—like wild roses mixed with the freshness of rain.

No. Derek shook his head trying to fight the pull. He didn't need a mate. Not now. Not after the decision he had made.

And certainly, he didn't want to be bound in the prison called the mate bond.

But his wolf, Leo, didn't agree with him. Hegrowled low in his chest, restless and eager.

“Mate.”

Derek’s head whipped around before he could stop himself, his eyes scanning the bar that was dimly lit. Until his eyes fell on her.

His burning gaze immediately locked onto her—her—sitting in the corner, drowning in her drink. She was breathtaking, even in her disheveled state. Her brown hair cascaded over her shoulders in soft waves, her lips parted slightly as she stared into her drink, oblivious to the world around her.

Her face was flushed, not just from the alcohol but from something else.

Derek could smell it—her arousal, sweet and pure, mixing with the unmistakable scent of their bond. His blood surged, his heart racing as Leo clawed at him to take her, to claim what was theirs.

Ella’s eyes widened as she felt the pull. Her wolf Lila, newly awakened and raw, was screaming inside her, calling for its mate.

She turned her head, stunned, her eyes locking onto Derek’s dark, brooding figure as he stood out from everyone in the bar. Her breath caught in her throat as she watched him approach her—he was... magnificent.

He towered over everyone else in the room just as she remembered, her eyes scanned his body which was hard and muscular beneath his tight black shirt and dark jeans.

His chiseled jawline was dusted with a hint of stubble, and his stormy gray eyes were fixed on her with an intensity that made her heart race. His dark hair was slightly unruly, but it only added to his rugged appeal. Every part of him screamed dominance, power, and danger.

But none of that scared her. Rather it thrilled her. Alpha Derek was her mate?

“Mate.”

The word echoed in both of their minds, and the space between them seemed to shrink as they drew closer, pulled by a force neither could resist.

Derek didn’t say a word as he reached her, his large hand gently cupped her cheek. His touch sent a jolt of electricity through her body, awakening every nerve. Ella gasped, her lips trembling as she looked up at him, her heart pounding in her chest.

“Mate,” Derek rumbled, his voice rough, his wolf barely contained. His thumb brushed lightly against her lower lip, and he leaned in, his breath hot against her skin.

Ella’s body burned with need, her head spinning from the alcohol and the overwhelming sensation of the mate bond. She should have been scared—this man was a stranger in some way. But every instinct inside her told her to trust him, to surrender.

“Alpha Derek...” Her voice was a whisper, her lips parting under his touch. His name rolled off her tongue naturally, as if she had known it her whole life.

Derek growled low in his throat in approval, his wolf barely in control as he inhaled her scent, that sweet mixture of arousal and innocence driving him wild.

His hand slid from her cheek to the back of her neck, his fingers tangling in her hair as he leaned down, his lips brushing against hers.

The kiss was raw, demanding, filled with a hunger that neither could control. Ella whimpered into his mouth, her hands clutching his broad shoulders for support as he deepened the kiss, his tongue exploring every inch of her, tasting her desperation, her need.

The scent of her arousal hit him harder, and Derek’s control snapped. Without a word, he scooped her up into his arms, carrying her effortlessly as she wrapped her arms around his neck.

“Where are we...?” Ella’s voice trailed off, her head spinning as Derek carried her through the bar and up the stairs to his hotel room. She could barely think, her body aching for him, her wolf pushing her toward him, wanting more, needing more.

Derek kicked the door open, his eyes dark with desire as he set her down gently on the bed. The air between them crackled with tension, the mate bond so strong it was suffocating. He hovered over her, his body radiating heat as he stared down at her, his chest rising and falling rapidly.

“I can smell how much you want this,” Derek growled, his voice low and dangerous as his eyes flickered with lust. “And believe me, I want it too.”

Ella’s breath hitched as she stared up at him, her body trembling with need. She had never wanted anyone this badly, never felt a pull so strong.

Derek’s lips crashed against hers again, this time more urgent, more desperate. His hands roamed her body, pulling at the fabric of her clothes as he stripped her down, leaving her bare beneath him. He paused for a moment, taking in the sight of her naked form, his eyes darkening with desire.

“You’re mine, Ella,” he growled, his hands gripping her hips as he positioned himself over her. “And tonight, I’m going to show you exactly what that means.”