Chapter 3. Aces POV

It’s been three days since our brief encounter. Three long days of torment where the universe, as cruel as it has always been, toyed with my thoughts. I expected the moon goddess to deny me a fated mate. It would fit the pattern of my life.

Honestly, I couldn’t have cared less if I was never granted one. Three years of being mateless have already passed, and it’s been comforting, in a twisted way, knowing I’d avoid the pain of being tied to someone for life. After all, it always ends with me receiving the backlash of it all.

Yet, here I am, unable to shake her from my mind. Like a tumor. Nathaniel, won’t let it go or allow me to forget her. He relentlessly claws at my consciousness. We need to pursue our mate, he insists, his urgency growing by the hour. It’s maddening, my frustration mounts.

He’s making it near impossible to concentrate on anything else. I sit in front of my screen, trying to edit a video. No matter how many times I try to re-do it, it still looks like crap. Ideas slip through my fingers like sand, leaving me anxious.

I sigh, leaning back in my chair. Three hours of travel just to help set up the Ryker twins’ upcoming ceremony. If I weren’t the next alpha in line for my own pack, I’d skip this whole thing. But after our encounter, a flicker of desire pulls at me. A nagging feeling that I want to see her again. I didn’t even catch her name. Though she seemed to belong to the Silverfang pack, so I’ll probably find out soon enough.

Why do I even care? Damn omega, creeping into places she has no business being. I shake my head, trying to clear my thoughts, but it’s no use. Nathaniel growls, impatient and demanding. I should be angry with both him and her, yet the urge to run into her again is stronger than my resolve.

The conflict within me rages, an internal battle. Maybe I should have been nicer or even chased after her. No, just focus on my duties. It’s better that way. The pull of my wolf tugs at my instincts, battling against my rational mind. I can’t let this distraction win. But, the deeper I delve into my thoughts, the more I realize: I can’t ignore her. Her scent, her face, her voice, had already burrowed into my consciousness, uninvited yet impossible to dismiss.

As I began to spiral deeper into my thoughts, battling with Nathaniel, a heavy bang jolted me back to reality.

“Azariah, a word,” a deep, but familiar, voice called from the other side of the door. Kiran Cadelyn.

My father and the alpha of Crimsonfang. My Jaw tightened at his demand. Nathaniel growled quietly, mirroring my resentment towards the man who held power over us. Patience. Freedom was close, only three more months till the shackles of his authority would finally break.

I stepped into the longue, the starkness of the room echoing my mood. A small coffee table and TV are the only witnesses to this confrontation.

His dark brown eyes, almost black, bore into me. Thick, dark gray hair framed a face that felt more like a mask than a reflection of a man. His thumb swept over his finely trimmed beard, forcing memories of our past to surge between us.

He knew that simple gesture had an effect on me. So much so, I nearly missed his question.

“Tell me, where did you go three days ago?” His face showed no emotion — as if he was devoid of emotion. But his tone carried a hint of annoyance.

“For a run,” I replied, keeping it brief.

He had no clue about my online persona. The part of me that thrived outside his influence.

“For a run,” he repeated, thinking it over. “Do you think we came here for a f*cking marathon or site seeing? What do you think others will say if they see our future alpha toying around in another's territory?” His voice dripped with disdain, a clear reminder of my place.

“It won’t happen again, sir.” My gaze locked onto his as I clenched my hands behind my back.

Silence hung between us, thick and suffocating. But I wasn’t about to back down from his stern scowl like I did as a kid.

“Don’t make us look like fools, Azariah.” He stood, straightening his tie.

Hearing my name coming out of his filthy mouth was like someone scraping nails across a chalkboard. The sight of him, so polished and composed, was infuriating. A monster dressed as the perfect alpha and gentleman.

I stood in the same spot, hands still clasped tightly behind my back, frozen in place like an obedient omega. He strode past me, head held high, exuding dominance.

As he closed the door on his way out, the tension in my muscles began to dissipate, each knot unraveling slowly. Though the same couldn’t be said for Nathniel, it only made him more restless. Craving freedom, a release from the lingering presence of Kiran and the unfulfilled need for our mate. I knew we both needed a quick release before he went berserk.

As I shed my human form, my bones cracked and shifted, transforming as quickly as I changed clothes. The cold autumn air filled my lungs, tinged with the scent of decaying foliage, as I burst into the wild. My massive paws thudding against the earth, sending brittle leaves swirling.

Racing through the forest, darting between towering trees, my heart pounded in sync with the rhythm of my paws. No destination, no plan, just the thrill of the chase. Out here I was untamed. Out here I was free. Away from all the chaos, no stress or expectations, just the raw energy coursing through me.

The deeper I drove myself into the barren forest, the more at peace I felt. Slowing my pace, the rapid wind that flowed through my fur eased its grip. It felt good to get away for a minute.

When I finally came to a full stop, I spotted a small dugout den on the side of a low mountain. The scent of my mate clung to the air like a haunting melody. The same scent that has been driving me crazy these past days.

Curiosity tugged at me. I knew I had to return before Kiran found out I had left again, but for some reason I couldn’t resist the temptation to go closer. I should turn around, it shouldn’t matter to me.

Yet I was drawn in like a moth to a flame. Her scent was faint but pervasive, wrapping around me like a ghostly embrace. It lingered everywhere, hinting at the house she had spent here. The aroma was exotic—lavender and honey intertwined with a hint of her own essence.

I lowered my head, inhaling deeply. That was a mistake. It had set Nathaniel's instincts off, sending him into a chanting machine. Mate. Mate. Mate. Find her. Claim her. Mark her. She’s ours. The commands echoed in my mind, this wasn’t enough to satisfy him and I have to admit, it wasn’t doing it for me either.

I could feel his pain, raw and desperate. I needed her, my mate, before the world closed in around me. With fierce determination, I turned away from the den, but not before casting one last glance.

She’s mine.