Chapter 5: The Rescue

Jessie's POV 

Something about him felt different now. Back at the funeral, he had looked almost ordinary, like someone hiding a part of himself. But standing here, there was no doubt, this was the Alpha I had heard so much about, the same one I had seen in old drawings. Only those sketches had not even come close. His presence lit up the entire room, powerful and overwhelming, like the air itself bent around him. His eyes burned with a deep, intense blue that made it hard to look away, as if he could see straight through me. Every step he took sent a chill down my spine and a warmth through my chest at the same time. The drawings hadn’t done him justice; no picture ever could. Alpha Ethan was both terrifying and breathtaking, all at once.

I felt my heart skip at every step he made towards me, with his gaze fixed on me and mine on him.

 “ What is Alpha Ethan doing here?” I asked my wolf, who was already drowned in a pool of admiration.

“You know my name,” he said, his hand gently untying the ropes that had been tied to my legs, and he reached out for the rope tied to my chest. I felt more unease as the side of his hands brushed through my breasts, and for a moment, I forgot how to breathe. I jerked away instinctively, rubbing my wrists as I stood on unsteady, weak legs.

“You are trembling,” he observed, tilting his head slightly. There was something I couldn't quite read. Curiosity? Amusement? Or was it something darker, more possessive?

“I'm not afraid of you,” I lied, lifting my chin defiantly even as my knees wobbled. I tried hiding it when suddenly I felt his hands pull my feet off the ground and my head close to his chest. Dammit! My heart nearly ripped off my chest.

“I never said you were afraid, but you were trembling nonetheless. My heart pounded so loud that I was sure he heard. I hated how right he was, how his presence seemed to consume all the air in the room, how my wolf, who should have been weak from the drugs, was suddenly alert, wanting to surface, wanting to get closer to him.

“Why are you here?” I demanded, changing the topic. “What do you want?”

“Want?” He bent his face closer to mine, and I was swept away by unease until I couldn't maintain eye contact with him. All I could see was his soft lips, and behold, I was lost in a wild imagination of what those lips could do.

 "What makes you think I want anything, Princess?"

I was suddenly brought back to reality. Shit! The way he said 'Princess' made my stomach flip. It wasn't mocking, it wasn't gentle; it was something in between, something that made me feel both seen and exposed.

"Be..cause I…I… know your type. Wolves like you don't do anything without a reason," I shot back, forcing myself to hold his gaze again even though every instinct screamed at me to look away. "Especially not for someone you've just met." 

"Just met?" His smile widened arrogantly, showing a hint of sharp canines. "Is that what you think?"

Before I could ask what he meant, the door burst open.

“Princess Jessie, do hold on, I'm coming to save you,” I heard Derek's voice from the outside. Immediately, Alpha Ethan pushed the door open, Derek was already at the doorstep, and when he saw Ethan carrying me in his arms, there was a mixed feeling of shock, disappointment and anger written all over him. “This can't be,” he muttered, unable to move.

 “I am the one to save her, she is my mate, ” Derek howled angrily as Ethan tightened his hand on my body like he was trying to pass a message and carried me out of the abandoned school building. 

“Where are you taking me to, what's your plan, how did you end up…, what are you doing here?” I was lost and needed answers.

“Home,” Ethan handed me a bottle of water as he drove.

“You mean my father's house?” I tried to be sure.

“Where else is your home for now?”

“For now?” I asked as I got more confused

“You are weak, take some rest,” he said without turning to look at me.

“What..?” I was about to ask another question when he silenced me with a stare.

We arrived at the pack house, and everyone was happy to see me. “The princess has safely arrived,” one of the Omegas

 “My pup”

“Dad,” I ran into his already waiting arms. 

“Bless the Moon goddess, I thought I'd lose you,” he sniffed.

“You won't lose me, Dad, nor I you, not again.” My hands tightened around his waist.

Alpha Ethan stepped out of the car, and everyone's mood changed to a mixed expression. The female pack members began stepping into sight to be noticed.

 “Alpha Ethan," My dad bowed with a shock on his face, followed by the rest of the pack. “To what do we owe this unexpected visit?”. 

“It's Alpha Ethan,” the pack began whispering to each other, and suddenly, the she-wolves that were dying to be noticed started to retreat.

“Alpha Ethan rescued me,” I said, and there was a deafening silence. I already knew what it was about.

“If this dice is a step to changing my fate, I wouldn’t mind rolling it”.

“Honey, Derek made me pledge to mate you to anyone who rescues you. But what if you are not fated to….” 

My dad was suddenly cut short as my wolf and Ethan's purred simultaneously, “Mate”.