Three

LAKE:

Adrenaline rush. The one thing that made a man lose his mind and do things he swore he wouldn't do. Only that, in my case, I had no problem pulling this ingrate and disgrace to the men of the world - which includes myself - from the top of the young lady, pinning him to the wall and generously delivering my fists into every inch of his skin my knuckles found worthy.

This good-for-nothing's face was battered, his eyes swollen and his nose had taken a totally different shape. I clenched my right fist harder and drove it into his stomach. I watched him scream in pain, like a fucking pussy.

The bastard.

"Alpha Lake! Lake!" The familiar male voice called from behind me and I sighed. I withdrew my fist from the man's face and stood still, turning my head backward to catch a glimpse of my beta running towards me. That was the chance the ingrate got to dash away from my sight, into the night. The young lady still lay on the floor, but I did not look at her.

Kenji halted in front of me, lowering his hands to his knees and panting heavily. Made me wonder how long he had been running.

I cast my eyes towards the empty road, and back at Kenji.

"Great, you saved him," I muttered under my breath. I took a look at my knuckles, only to find them stained with the infidel's blood. Kenji stood straight and looked at me, his right brow corked.

"Is everything alright...?" His eyes traveled down to the woman on the floor.

"Do you know her?"

I looked away from him. So many questions.

No, I did not know her, but something about her had led me to this particular alley.

I had managed to excuse myself from the so-called "annual gathering of billionaires". Where powerful Alphas and high-ranked wolves gambled and played with whores for fun. I attended, just out of courtesy and business socialization.

I drew out a stick cigarette from the pack on the bowling table and stuck it into my mouth.

I found the breeze of the night therapeutic. There were not many cars on the road by this time, and neither were there pedestrians. It was just myself and I. Well, that is was until my wolf began to rumble and pace about restlessly.

I paused in my tracks at that moment. It was strange to see River act in such a way, especially since he had not spoken to me since I rejected our second mate.

I didn't need a mate or women like my mother who'll abandon their kids for infidelity, but also, none of the mates could give me an heir.

My first mate Salome fell into depression because she couldn't produce children thinking it was her fault, but the moment she heard about my problem, she left without turning back. It broke me and cemented my hatred for women.

The males in my generation find it hard to bear children. Mine was pure luck while my grandfather had to use in-vitro fertilization to birth my father.

Jade, my second mate who loved me even before finding out she was my second chance mate got rejected immediately by me. I didn't want to give her false hope as the sister of my beta, and I couldn't bring myself to love another woman again after Salome.

No need to accept them and waste my time or give myself too much hope.

Now, my wolf was growling and gnarling, in hunger and anger. The next wave of wind that blew past me, carried with it a strong scent. I found myself sniffing the air, and that was when it hit me; Alamanda and raspberries, a strange but intriguing mix of flavors. River was growing restless with every passing second. The strange scent I had picked up pushed me into deeper confusion. It was normal for me to pick up scents from afar, but this was too peculiar, too precise, and too strong. It was the kind of smell that only one's mate could...

Mate?!

I shook my head and stuck my hands into my pocket.

Hell no. There was no way I could have had a third mate. I wanted to walk away and forget all about it, the noise from the bar must have messed up my head. But River wouldn't budge. Finally, I decided to follow his lead.

We took a left turn and walked straight ahead. With every step I took, the scent grew stronger until my eyes caught sight of her...or them. A man sat on top of her, she was pinned between his knees, crying out for help.

River gnarled and howled, seeking to pick him up and tear him into unrecognizable pieces.

Yes, it was not a secret that I hated females. But, I hated the disgusting act of non-consenting sex more. Immediately, I moved closer and dragged the man by his collar, my left hand slid to the side and threw him against the brick wall. I rushed to him and delivered my first blow into his chest.

I was going to beat him until he crumbled to the ground breathless if Kenji had not given him a chance to escape.

"I have been searching for you. You had me all worried Lake." Kenji's voice pulled me out of my stream of thoughts.

"You've seen me now. Have the valet pull over to this side, I'm leaving."

I saw Kenji's eyes narrow at me.

"But the meeting..."

"You can have fun without me."

He did not speak again. He knew better than to banter words with me, everyone did.

I watched in silence as he picked up his phone before I turned my head toward the lady on the ground.

She must have been a whore, battling with a customer that wanted more, sad life. I picked up the sight of sky-blue gloves on both hands and I scoffed. Was it some kind of fetish? Or was she a prude prostitute?

The valet arrived with my Tesla in a matter of minutes. I instructed him to get down and carry the lady into the car. I had started it; it was only wise that I finished it. He sat her in the back seat of the car and I found my way to the front.

"Start the car."

The engine of the car roared to life and we took off with speed. I stayed quiet until we arrived at my private suite. Once again, I had the valet carry her out of the car and lay her down on the luxury couch in my room. It was too small to keep her neck steady, so I had him take her to the bed again. He did not look too happy about it, the poor man.

After he left, closing my door behind him, I was left with nothing but silence and my own resounding thoughts. I settled on the couch beside my bed as I looked down at her.

Fiery flames of red hair spread across my white pillowcase, and strands of it fell to her face, hiding her identity from my vision.

The glove on her left hand had slid down to her fingers, and that was when I saw it; the deep scar, obvious to my keen eyes. This didn't look like something that had been gotten tonight, or even recently, it was old.

Then, I couldn't help but wonder who she was, the story behind the scar. And why I had the strong urge to run my hands against it.

I still found it utterly ridiculous.

Why would the Moon goddess give me a third mate? Why now? Why her? Well, rejecting this one would not be a problem, she was a mere whore after all. Once she was awake, I would get done with it and move ahead.