EPISODE THREE— Meeting the Alpha Who Hated Christmas

Mara's POV 

“I have never celebrated Christmas because every year I'm afraid that the curse would strike again.”

My mouth hung open as I remembered the signage at the spa earlier and my mind quickly connected the pieces together. 

The Alpha who has never celebrated Christmas. But how do I know if this man is an Alpha? 

At that moment, I felt a cold, and intimidating aura emaciating from him—the type that almost made my knees buckle. His scent—frosted pine, smoke from an old winter fire—filled my nostrils. It was intoxicating. Captivating. I pressed my lips together, stifling the moans threatening to spill past them.

So, I had the strong belief that he was definitely an Alpha. A powerful one at that.

That means, I needed him. I needed him to survive.

Quickly, I acted. I tiptoed to the wall nearby and pressed my body to the wall, hoping that I'd get to catch a glimpse of him and hear him. But he was further away inside the room

“And the Luna candidates…” His words faltered.

A thick, tense silence fell over the room… then I heard a guttural growl. “Evander, I can perceive a strange scent.”

A scent?

That isn't me. Unfortunately, I'm scentless since I don't have a wolf and I have always thought that was one of the reasons why my family hated me until I realised I'm not even their daughter.

Then his voice came again. “Search the room. Someone that shouldn't be here is somewhere around.”

“Yes, Alpha,” the voice I assume belonged to Evander replied.

Fuck! 

My chest slammed with fear. I needed to get away before he find me.

Before I could take a step, someone whooshed in front of me. His eyes were dark and deadly. His smirk was almost haunting. “Got yay,” he said cheerfully like he was a predator who had just found his prey.

My body trembled as I swallowed hard. “I'm sorry—I don't —mean.” I stopped talking when I realised I couldn't form coherent words at all. 

“Alpha, I found the Intruder,” he called out. “What should I do with her? Kill her or cut off her ears that she used in eavesdropping?”  He gritted his elongated fangs.

My eyes widened. Kill me? Cut off my ears? Oh, no. The moon Goddess shouldn't have brought me back to life only to kill me immediately.

A pause… “Bring her over.”

His eyes widened in shock. “Roger that, Alpha.” 

Before I could blink, his claws were wrapped around my wrist and he was already dragging me further into the room, like I weighed nothing. I couldn't even struggle against him. Not because I don't want to, but because I felt so weak.

He shoved me onto the floor in front of a man who had his back turned at me. He was dressed in a leather cut jacket, black jeans, rugged boots, he had a black glove on and he was swirling a glass of wine in one hand and a cigarette in the other hand.

Is he the Alpha? But he looked more like a tout.

His powerful aura commanded the room—the type one couldn't help but notice, the type one should avoid but you can't help but be drawn to.

And when he turned?  The world ceased to exist. I knew I should bow—I knew a nameless Omega like myself shouldn't look him straight in the eyes, but I couldn't look away no matter how hard I tried.

His jaw was perfect—too perfect that I think it's unfair for one person to have this level of perfection. His skin was fairer and smoother than mine. His stormy gray eyes were piercing—it looked like it could see my past, present and future. The diamond studs in both ears flashed under the dim light. His leather jacket was unzipped, he had a black singlet in that cleaved to his strong chest like a second skin and Goddess, the dangerous, yet sexy tattoos of wolves with dripping jaws made me lose my breath. 

How can one person attain this level of beauty? This beauty is enough to go round for five other people.

“You should bow to the Alpha, young lady,” Evander spat. 

Still, I didn't look away.

“Or did you want me to plug out your—”

The Alpha cut him off with a single flick of his hand before dropping the cigar and glass on the counter.

Then he started walking towards me in slow, deliberate steps making my chest slam harder the closer he got.

When he crouched lower in front of me, goosebumps rose on my skin. I squeezed the sides of my dress tightly like a life line. 

“Your scent—”  he paused but his voice was like velvet, stroking places I never knew existed in my body.

My scent?  Can he smell me? How? Why?

Then his voice turned icy, sending shivers down my spine. “Who the hell are you?”  

“I'm—walking—into—the restroom but I stumbled here…”  I stammered. “Please—just forget you ever saw—me and let me go.”

“Let you go?” He laughed maniacally, his eyes cold. “You go nowhere, young lady until you tell me who sent you here?” 

He thinks I'm a spy?

I let out a humourless laugh. “No.. one sent me, Alpha. I had so much to drink, so I thought this was the restroom,” I explained, my voice steadier now.

He shook his head in sheer disbelief. He wrapped his large palms around my neck tightly.“Tell me..” he let out an animalistic growl, his fangs forcing their way out of his mouth. “... Who sent you?”

Air ripped off my lungs and I tapped his hands weakly. “I swear—no one did.”

A moment passed.. his gaze was intense and as if he could somehow figure out the truth from my eyes, he finally let me go. Suddenly he stood up and stepped away from me like I burned him.

I let out a guttural cough, clenching my aching neck and a tear escaped from my eyes. 

“Get lost before I change my mind.”

“Alpha!” Evander screamed. “You shouldn't let her go! You shouldn't believe her words. That bastard Alpha of the SilverHowl pack might have sent her.”

SilverHowl pack?

That is my pack and my ex-mate is the bastard Alpha he is talking about.

The Alpha looked at me for a long moment. “Get her out of here.” He gestured at me like I was a fly.

“But you can't do that Alpha. Christmas is coming and who knows what he—”

“Don't question my authority, Evander!”  He said calmly, but the authority in his voice was unmistakable. He turned away, threw down his wine and puffed a smoke.

Evander hesitated but nodded and yanked me up to my feet roughly. He dragged me away but I knew I couldn't leave. 

I know this Alpha is dangerous… but I also know he’s the only one who can keep me alive. If I’m going to survive, I have to take the first step.

I didn't know where my strength came from but I yanked my hand free from Evander and ran back to him. “I'm afraid I can't leave, Alpha.” 

He turned towards me, his eyes narrowed in a mix of confusion and disbelief. “What?!”

I fell silent for a while but when I remembered the fact that Leon would stop at nothing to use me for the ritual and only someone as powerful as him can actually keep me safe, I regained my confidence.

“Look, I know you need a Luna,” I said like my words are the most natural in the world. “Make me your Luna, Alpha. I can help you… and you can help me.”