Chapter 3

Ronan’s POV

I ran through the treeline, my paws pounding against the damp earth. Starting to slow down when the clearing opened before me, my body shuddered as bones cracked and reshaped, my fur disappearing. I now stood naked in the opening, rubbing my neck as I strolled towards a gate.

“Alpha!” A man yelled out, my Beta, Kade. He rushed forwards holding out an outfit. A pair of jeans and a black shirt. “What happened? Josh came back injured, a bite to the neck. Were you ambushed?”

Putting on the pair of jeans then I started walking with the shirt in hand. Kade fell into step beside me. “Nope. And as for Josh, he challenged me, and he lost.” With a swift movement I put on my shirt.

Kade’s eyes widened in surprise, “What? He challenged you? Why?”

I stopped and turned to face him, my voice low and steady. “Do you really think this is the place to talk about that?”

Kade froze then shook his head. “You’re right. I’ll grab Josh and meet you in your office.”

Tapping his shoulder and grinned, “Good. Make sure he is on his best behaviour.”

He gave a curt nod before taking off to the packhouse. I watched him disappear into the distance. Josh had always challenged my authority and how I ran things around here. His father was my father’s Beta, and he has been furious with me because I didn’t choose him to be my Beta. He wanted to follow in his father’s footsteps, but he was too immature for the roll, as for Kade, Kade has been my best friend since childhood.

Kade had always been loyal to me, even though he is not Beta bloodline he always had my back when things mattered. Josh didn’t, Josh had always challenged me. Always wanted to take the position as Alpha, but he has never been strong enough to be able to fill that role.

I had been trying to keep the wolves inline, due to the killings these past few months. It hadn’t been any one from my pack, so I hope. All these attacks are because of wolves that had turned rouge, when the Bloodmoon appeared ten years ago some had rejected it. They had turned mad and consumed by rage. None of my pack members had disappeared but if these killings continued, it would lead the towns people straight to us. Putting my packs safety at risk.

Humans.

That girl.

Who was she?

When our eyes met, I felt this strange connection to her. But she’s a mere human, wolves aren’t supposed to feel this way towards humans. That strange pull in the forest still thrummed through my veins, insistent and wild. Her beautiful brown eyes were printed into my memory. I was pulled to her but a human, it was impossible that I could ever have any connection to a human whatsoever.

It was against the Moon Goddesses rules, she wouldn’t break her own rules just because she wanted to. We weren’t even allowed to make any contact with humans let alone have any relationship with them.

Shaking my head, I started to make my way toward the packhouse, ignoring the curious stares of a few wolves training near the yard. Pushing open the heavy door to my office, Kade was standing beside my desk arms folded behind his back. Josh on the other hand sat slouched in a chair, his neck covered with bandages, he straightened when he noticed I had entered.

“Alpha.” He muttered.

“Josh.” I crossed the room slowly, letting the silence stretch between us. I enjoyed making the disobedient ones shake in their boots when I entered a room. I found so much joy in it, seeing them stutter or even worry so much that they start shifting in their seat, not knowing what to do or say. Call me sadistic or whatever you want, it’s the only pleasure I get out of life these days.

“You want to explain why you thought it was a good idea to challenge me?” I asked in a low growl.

His jaw tightened. “It wasn’t about you. It was about-“

“Don’t. Don’t finish that sentence.” I cut him off, my tone sharp enough to make him flinch. “Don’t give me that crap of ‘she wasn’t supposed to be there’ you know we do not attack humans. You almost risked the pack. You’re life. You realize that there were not one, but almost thirty humans in that proximity.”

He didn’t speak so I continued. “You could have gotten yourself killed.”

Josh hesitated, then he finally met my gaze. “Alpha… It was… Something felt different, when she entered the woods, it was like something had woken in the forest. I wasn’t planning on attacking her, but something just drove me-“

“Enough!” I snapped. “You are banned from entering the forest until I say otherwise.”

“But Alpha-“

“Go. Get some rest.” I ordered, voice lower now.

Josh lowered his head and slowly made his way to his feet. As Kade ushered him out, I moved to the window, staring into the dark stretch of trees beyond the compound.

‘Like something had woke’ what did he mean by that, were I too distracted by that woman to notice something shift in the forest? Or was he just making up so silly story to justify his behaviour? I pinched the bridge of my nose feeling frustrated by the situation.

Kade returned as stood behind me, “Ronan, want to tell me more about what happened out there?”

“There is something about that girl. Whatever it maybe I need to figure it out. If whatever Josh said is true me need to investigate.” I said letting out a soft sigh.

“Couldn’t it have something to do with the Bloodmoon that needs to appear in a few weeks? Maybe that is what he meant, or maybe he’s just going crazy like his father.” Kade moved behind me, awhile later he tapped my arm with a finger. I looked at him, and he handed me a glass of bourbon. I gladly took it and emptied the glass in one go. The liquid burned as it went down.

“She lives in the old Rendor house.” I said softly.

“Who does?” Kade asked with a confused look.

I turned to face him fully, “That woman. She lives there.”

“And do I want to know how you know this?”

I sighed as I walked over to my desk and fell onto my chair. “Something led me there. I don’t know what, but when I came back to reality, I was staring right at her from the woods. She was in her room on the phone, and she stared right at me.”

“You went to a human’s house and let them see you? Ronan, you know that is not-“

“You think I don’t know that?” I snapped. “Sorry, I just… Just find out what you can about her. What is her history, family, friends, anything.”

What was I doing? Being an idiot that’s what. Her face haunted me. Those eyes, wide, uncertain, but burning with something… Something ancient. The moment our eyes met everything inside me shifted, and when she broke eye contact something snapped. I didn’t want her to look away; I wanted her gaze to stay on mine.

I heard stories on how some of the pack members realized that someone was their mate. But none of them were anything near what I felt. It is said that you will know when you have found your mate, yet I was not sure if this was the case. Or was it? Come on, I was the Alpha, I should know if I had found my mate or not. Though this felt somewhat impossible, she was a human it’s against the rules.

“Why her?” Kade asked looking at me with curiosity, worry maybe.

“Honestly, I don’t know. There was just something about her.” I said letting out a breath as I leaned back in my chair.

“But she’s a human.”

“I’ll take full responsibility if any questions may arise. Just find out what you can.”

Kade nodded in understanding, “Very well. I’ll do what I can. But if I may, do you think she could be your mate perhaps?”

I looked at him and took a big breath, “That… I don’t know. Maybe. Maybe I’m just overthinking this.”

Kade gave me a gentle, warm smile. “Don’t worry. I get it, you were never granted a mate and not knowing what to feel or expect can be confusing. Especially if it might be a human.”

He gave me a curt nod and let my office.

I exhaled loudly and closed my eyes, her face appeared once again. Her brown eyes, her full lips and stunning body. Everything that any man would desire. Those slightly parted lips as fear consumed her, her chest that rose and fell as she breathed.

Opening my eyes, my heart was racing. How could that image of her make my heart race, who was that woman?