Chapter 5

[Alaric's POV]

Ten Hours Later

The dense, unnatural fog of the Silver Moon borders clung to the towering pine trees. Standing right at the entrance of the labyrinth, perched casually on a floating woven rug, was Cassie.

Except, she didn't look like a middle-aged woman today. She looked no older than twenty, her fiery red hair tied back in a messy braid.

"You're late," she huffed, pointing a carved wooden wand at my chest. "Keeping a lady waiting? And you call yourself the Lycan King?"

I narrowed my eyes, stepping closer. "You remember the time jump?"

Cassie shrugged, inspecting her nails. "Nope. But I woke up drained of a massive amount of magic. I had a vision of opening a time rift to send two souls backward. Since I'm standing here waiting for a giant dog, I assume it worked. Now keep quiet and follow me."

I followed her as the magic carpet glided silently over the damp earth, parting the thick fog. I studied her profile.

"Witches never meddle in werewolf affairs," I noted, keeping my voice low. "Why are you helping me find my mate?"

A year from now, she claimed it was because she knew my grandfather. But her scent told me otherwise. She knew this specific forest entirely too well.

Cassie stopped the rug. She turned to me, her amber eyes turning cold and unreadable. "If my future self kept her mouth shut, I suggest you do the same."

"You have a connection to Alpha Eric. Or his daughter," I pressed, taking a step closer, letting a fraction of my Alpha aura bleed into the air.

She sighed dramatically. She flicked her wand.

A sharp, invisible band snapped tight around my throat. The words died on my tongue. I opened my mouth, but no sound came out.

"I told you not to piss off the only person who knows the way," Paul remarked dryly in my head.

Cassie shot me a wicked smirk. "Stay in your lane, pup. Curiosity kills more than just cats."

I glared at her, pointing a thick finger at my sealed lips, demanding she undo the spell.

Before she could respond, the heavy thud of wolf paws echoed through the mist. A border patrol was approaching. Fast. Alpha Eric was leading them.

Cassie flicked her wand again, lowering her carpet. "Listen closely, your majesty," she whispered, her eyes gleaming with absolute mischief. "If you mention my name, the word 'witch', or 'magic' inside the Silver Moon Pack - whether speaking, writing, or typing on your expensive phone - the spell will steal your voice. Each violation buys you twenty-four hours of silence."

She shot straight up into the thick canopy, vanishing into the fog.

"Wait, Cassie—" I barked out without thinking.

My voice vanished instantly. My vocal cords locked down tight.

I stood there, staring at the empty sky, my jaw clenched so hard my teeth ached. I had just triggered the damn curse the second she removed it.

"Brilliant move, King Alaric," Paul snickered. "Truly a master tactician."

The brush rustled violently. Alpha Eric stepped out of the trees, his brown eyes, his brown eyes widening in sheer shock at the sight of me standing alone on his territory.

Before he could drop into a formal bow, I closed the distance between us. I pulled him into a rough, brotherly embrace, projecting an overwhelming aura of absolute authority to keep his patrol guards at bay.

I forced a secure mind-link between us.

[I am here strictly off the record, Alpha Eric. Keep my identity to yourself.]

He tensed, his wolf immediately submitting to the command.

[And... I've lost my voice. Temporarily,] I added, my mental tone grim.

I couldn't risk testing Cassie's curse. Thanks to that damn witch, to anyone below Alpha rank in this pack, I was nothing but a mute.

Eric pulled back, his expression instantly shifting to deep concern. [Do you need my help? I can have the pack doctor look at you immediately.]

[It's a minor issue. I'll be completely fine by tomorrow,] I assured him smoothly. [But I may need to stay in your packhouse for a while.] 

He agreed without a second of hesitation. Eric was the only Alpha in my entire kingdom I trusted blindly.

But he was also a fiercely protective father. If I wanted to get close to his daughter without him loading a silver bullet into a shotgun, I needed an ironclad excuse.

[The Alpha Summit is approaching,] I linked, keeping my face perfectly unreadable. [Beta Chris just informed me his mate is due to give birth. He needs extended leave. I need a capable private assistant to handle my affairs.]

Eric flushed, his cheeks tinging red with pride. For an Alpha, sending a child to the Central Palace to serve the King was the ultimate honor.

But he was perceptive. [You know the Silver Moon Pack is small. Why not choose an heir from a larger, more resourceful pack?]

[You've dominated the Summit for ten consecutive years, Eric. You don't need to be modest. A candidate from your bloodline won't disappoint me.] I stated. It wasn't entirely a lie.

He cleared his throat, adjusting his jacket. [Then I think you might be interested in meeting my two children.] 

As he led me into the massive, rustic packhouse, a sharp, irritated voice echoed down the wooden stairs.

"George, throw those two bastards out of the pack lands!" 

My chest tightened violently. It was her.

Where is the mate bond? Paul, my inner wolf, growled in confusion, pacing restlessly in my mind.

She's only twenty, I reminded him, forcing my raging beast to heel. If nothing changes, we have to wait until she is twenty-one and officially rejects that bastard before the bond can snap into place for her. 

Eric shot me an apologetic glance, sighing heavily as his Beta stood frozen by the bedroom door. Eric pushed the door open without knocking.

"Patrick, lock the damn door! I don't want to see anyone!" her voice snapped.

My eyes swept the room. A tall, six-foot male wolf stood near the bed, Patrick, her twin brother. I didn't care about him right now.

My gaze locked onto the girl. She scrambled off the mattress and threw herself desperately into Eric's arms.

Her delicate head was wrapped in layers of white gauze, but it didn't hide her beauty. Her amber eyes were breathtaking, more mesmerizing than any rare amber gemstone locked in my kingdom's vault.

I inhaled deeply. She didn't carry the bright, electrifying lemon scent I remembered from my past. Right now, she smelled like wet earth, sharp motorcycle gasoline, antiseptic, and just a faint, underlying trace of wild roses.

But none of that mattered.

My hands clenched into fists at my sides to stop myself from reaching out and ripping her away from Eric. She was breathing. Her heart was beating. She was alive.