Ian's pov.

"Mate..."

That word with all of its weight and meaning carelessly slipped past my lips, Griffin my wolf had catapulted me me off my esteemed seat at the crown of the pack hall the second a strange woman with scarlet hair covering face reaching past her hips desperately in need of anything resembling a comb. 

She ran like she had been blinded, without direction or purpose other than to take herself far from whatever was behind her. 

The rags on her body, or at least what was remaining of it and the shackle on her neck told me enough of her status. 

And yet without thought my body reached for hers, the second her fingers touched mine the room began to spin, I got distracted and that word fell out of my mouth just like that. 

She tilted her head up, the Scarlet cutting giving way to pear-shaped face, with cracked yet full lips, sunken cheekbones... But her eyes. 

One look at those emerald eyes and I felt like I had been lost in a forest, and I didn't know how to get out. 

Or if I even wanted to. 

I shook my head. 

No... No... This can't be.. it would ruin everything all I've planned. I can't.. 

"Grand Alpha Ian..." That grating voice I had to hear all night penetrated my ears again, with my hand still subconsciously wrapped around her as if covering her in a cocoon I looked up to the Alpha's son, Mason Clawsbane. 

He had been excused from the fourth grand werewolf war on special 'exemptions'. Back then, I was not yet in the alpha seat so while he got to twiddle his fingers in the safety of his pack House a spot had already been prepared for me at the front lines of war whether I wanted it or not. 

"My deepest apologies, my mate was just trying to teach this slave a lesson and she ran off..."he licked his lips a habit that was probably subconscious but I despise it just like the rest of him, his chosen mate who I heard had been arranged for him from birth came in after him her scent told me that her wolf had almost surfaced. 

The pieces started linking together 

The metallic smell of blood in the wounds on her back that was mostly covered by her hair, and the scent of her rags came through strong at that moment. Griffin was inflamed, if I had freed him in that moment he would have gone for the two of them ripping them from limb to limb. 

But that would be as good as announcing to this whole filled with dozens of high elite that the woman in my arms right now was my mate. 

A bullet straight to the feet if I've ever seen one. 

I had to be calm 

Swallowing a deep breath I spoke, "Is this your example of discipline?"I said my hands now ghosting over her back to not touch her healing wounds directly. 

There were no responses 

With that shackle on her neck, her healing was bound to be slow but strangely enough for fresh wounds I could notice some difference since the moment she run into my arms. 

Taking my curiosity away from there, I planted it at the two fools in front of me. 

"Is this how you punish your slaves?" I didn't need to raise my voice I've never had to do that to command a room already I could see them shaking slowly beginning to understand the gravity of their actions. 

"Grand Alpha... I might have gone too far... But that Slave, she doesn't know her place from what I know I am her Seventh Owner, she has been resold over and over again because of how stubborn she is! She claims that she doesn't want to be a 'service' slave and yet she throws herself at my mate every time she gets a chance... I couldn't control myself I lost my mind for a moment..."

If only she knew how close I was to losing my mind right now- ugh, stay calm, Griffin. I'm not letting you out.

But Griffin was prowling within in, bursting with unfiltered rage that I hadn't felt in years.

Since the night that took everything from me.

I would deal with them later, when my head is in a cooler space and I've gotten Griffin in check 

But for now...

Her

She hadn't so much as whimpered despite the horrendous wounds on her back, most which have all but completely healed.

I mind linked Elena, one of the freed slaves I took under my wing because of her wit and level headedness.

"Have her cleaned and sent to my Chambers,"

There was a wave of troublement from her but nothing else her face remain completely blank as she reached for the woman in my arms, letting her go made me feel like I was ripping off one of my limbs and I really had to check that by clenching my fingers to my side as she took away the woman that had turned my entire life upside down.

••••••

I'll have to give Elena a pat on the back when I see her next, or maybe a scolding I'm not quite sure.

The redhead was now on my bed, bathed, bandaged and donned in a backless grey dress that made the contrast in her hair even more striking.

How would my fingers feel swimming through her wavy hair?

Snap out of it Griffin! 

I dragged a chair close to her, she hadnt so much as acknowledge my presence other than the stiffening of her shoulders when I walked into the Grand guest bed chamber.

"I'm sure you've already inferred who I am, incase it's not clear I'm one of the Grand Alpha's, Ian Silvermoon." Why was I introducing myself so awkwardly?

She turned slowly as if just deciding to acknowledge me.

"My name is Selena,"

That took me by surprise, most slaves had been stripped of their identity. Many could hardly remember their own names, the few who did were too broken to utter them.

But she met my eyes with ease, a small smile lifting the corner of her mouth that did strange things to my chest.

"Selena..."I said, "I've already begun the process to release you from your slave contract and-"

"No," she cut me off, rising from the bed, "...Take me with you instead, make me yours."