Chapter 3

Kalmin’s wolf paced restlessly beneath his skin, every second without her scraping against his nerves like claws on stone. The bond had been forged—sudden, primal, impossible to ignore—and now his wolf ached for her with an intensity that rattled even Kalmin’s control.

He drummed his fingers against the steering wheel, his knuckles white. ‘Where the hell is she?’

'She’s ours. She’s supposed to be with us.' His wolf whined, low and guttural, filling his head with static.

“We’re going to see her. Calm down,” Kalmin muttered aloud, though his words lacked conviction. He was talking to himself as much as the creature clawing beneath his skin. “When did you become so soft?” he added with a sneer. “We didn’t become alpha by whining.”

But even as he said it, he felt the sharp sting of truth in his wolf’s obsession—his obsession. He couldn’t stop thinking about her. Nuri. The last time he’d seen her, she’d slammed the door in his face. That door might as well have been a wall between his world and hers, and the memory of it made his jaw clench tight enough to ache.

'If this is how we’re going to behave now that we’ve found our mate, maybe I need to keep my distance,' he thought bitterly, knowing that wasn’t an option, casting another glance in the rearview mirror. Still no sign of her.

He cursed under his breath and opened the door, stepping out into the chilly air. His boots hit the pavement with deliberate weight as he strode toward the front porch, every movement controlled—calculated. But beneath the calm exterior, his wolf snarled with impatience.

He raised his hand and knocked—firm and commanding. The sound echoed through the quiet street like a challenge.

The door opened to reveal a woman who looked nothing like the daughter haunting Kalmin’s dreams. Bella stood awkwardly in the doorway, small and round with faded eyes and unkempt hair. Her scent—dull and slightly sour—wrinkled Kalmin’s nose, and his wolf recoiled.

“Alpha?” she breathed, startled. Her voice wavered with something between reverence and fear. “Oh my... Please, come in.”

Kalmin nodded once and stepped inside. The house smelled faintly of worn carpet, old wood, and fading memories. Alvin looked up from his recliner, his face going pale the second their eyes met.

Kalmin didn’t waste time. He took the nearest chair, settling into it like it was a throne. “Where is Nuri? It’s nearly four. Shouldn’t she be home?”

Alvin cleared his throat, his gaze flicking toward the door. “She usually comes straight home... but she’s not here yet.”

Kalmin narrowed his eyes. Something about the man’s tone rubbed him the wrong way. He wasn’t used to people lying to his face. His wolf bristled.

“I’ll wait,” Kalmin said flatly, his gaze drilling into Alvin like a blade.

Bella returned awkwardly with a chipped mug of coffee. Kalmin didn’t touch it. Instead, his voice dropped a notch, ice threading through it. “Tell your human to pack Nuri’s things. She’s coming with me.”

The tension in the room snapped taut.

Bella’s mouth opened in protest, but Alvin grabbed her wrist. “We can’t. Bella, just do it,” he hissed under his breath, voice low but sharp.

‘He’s not even going to try to stop us?’ Rian sneered in Kalmin’s head. ‘Pathetic.’ Kalmin agreed.

Then—The door creaked open.

A golden beam of afternoon sunlight spilled into the room, catching in strands of her hair like a halo. Nuri stepped in, her backpack slung over one shoulder, earbuds in, her face unreadable—until she looked up and saw him. She froze.

Her scent hit him instantly—peaches and wild honey, pine and something darker. Something dangerous. His breath caught in his throat.

'She’s here. She’s ours.'

His wolf lunged to the surface so violently that Kalmin had to grip the arm of the chair to steady himself. His pulse thundered in his ears.

Nuri’s eyes widened. Her lips parted just slightly, like she was trying to form a question but couldn’t. Her heart was a rapid, frantic rhythm—and he could hear every beat.

Kalmin rose slowly, deliberately. “Hello, little hybrid.”

Her voice came out small, but steady. “What are you doing here?”

“Waiting for you.”

But before he could take another step, movement in the doorway made him stiffen. There was someone else. A boy. Tall, red-haired, lanky. Kalmin’s wolf went still for a single, stunned heartbeat—then roared. Fury flooded his veins like molten lava. Another male. Another scent on her.

'Kill him, Kalmin.'

Kalmin ground his teeth, forcing the wolf down with monumental effort.

The boy blinked. “Kalmin? You’re in Nuri’s house?”

Kalmin’s voice dropped to a dangerous growl. “The better question is—why are you?”

The boy fumbled for an answer. “We were just going to study... we always do.”

Kalmin’s stare could’ve shattered stone. “Leave. Now.”

The silence after the door closed was deafening. He didn’t look away from her—not for a second.

“We only just found each other,” he said, his voice taut with disbelief. “And you’re already letting some other man near you?”

“We’re not together,” Nuri shot back, fire flickering in her tone. “And even if we were, it’s none of your business.”

Kalmin stepped forward, close enough that he could see every fleck of gold in her irises. “You are mine, Nuri.”

She jerked her chin up. “I’m no one’s possession.”

“You are mine,” he repeated, each word a vow carved from stone.

Before she could answer, her eyes snapped past him—to Bella, who now stood on the stairs, holding a duffel bag and a suitcase.

“What’s going on?” Nuri demanded, her voice cracking with betrayal.

Bella flinched. “Sweetheart, it’s not what it looks like—”

“Oh, really?” Nuri’s laugh was hollow. “Because it looks like you’re packing my life into a bag.”

Kalmin’s voice dropped into something darker. “You’ll be coming with me.”

“No,” Nuri said sharply. “I won’t.”

His wolf snarled, aching to dominate. But Kalmin stilled him. ‘Let her fight.’

Kalmin didn’t move. He let the moment stretch, savoring the heat in her voice, the fight in her body. She was strong. She was perfect.

“You don’t have a choice.”

“The hell I don’t.”

Alvin stood quickly, hands raised in a futile gesture of peace. “Alpha, please—she’s only eighteen. You can’t just take her.”

Kalmin’s eyes glinted, dangerous. “She’s of age. She’s my mate. That’s more than enough.”

Nuri’s laugh was jagged glass. “Mate? I didn’t ask for that. I didn’t choose you.”

“You don’t need to,” Kalmin said. “The bond chose for us.”

“I’m not some prize you get to collect,” Nuri backed toward the stairs, trembling—not from fear, but fury.

Bella made a soft sound—half a sob—and set the bag down. “Please, Nuri. Just go with him. He’s... he’s the alpha. You’ll be safe.”

“Safe?” Nuri turned, eyes wide with disbelief. “You’re giving me away to someone I barely know because he’s alpha? Because of some ancient wolf law?” Her voice cracked, just a little. “You said I’d always have a choice.”

Kalmin stepped closer. “You have one. You can scream. Fight. Curse me. But I won’t take you by force. Not today. You have two minutes to pack.”

“And if I don’t?”

“Then I’ll stay. I’ll haunt every step you take. I’ll remind you of what you are, of who you belong to.”

Silence.

Then—Nuri turned, storming up the stairs like a hurricane.

Bella sobbed quietly. Alvin said nothing.

Kalmin didn’t sit. He stood there, unmoving. Waiting. His wolf paced again, but this time it wasn’t from frustration. It was hunger. She was coming with him. And the games were only just beginning.