5. Moonlight Pack

The Moonlight Pack is truly the biggest I’d ever seen since Layla and I moved to the eastern part of Norway. The pack seemed alive, bustling with energy, shops lining the streets and pups playing joyfully around the village.

My eyes lit up at the lively scene, and a soft smile crept onto my face as I watched two girls using sticks as swords to play. The sight reminded me of my childhood with Layla. She wasn’t just my stepsister; she was the best one anyone could ask for. Unlike the other mean and rude ones back in our pack, Layla was energetic and bold, always calling herself “The Lurking Wolf.”

“You seem captivated by the sight,” Warren’s deep voice interrupted my thoughts, pulling me back to reality.

I turned my gaze from the pups and focused on the road ahead. “Yes, it reminds me of my childhood,” I said, glancing at him. His eyes glittered with an intensity that made my stomach tighten. The way he looked at me made me feel oddly comfortable, yet warm.

“I never knew a lone wolf could have a decent childhood,” he muttered, his tone laced with sarcasm as his focus returned to the road.

The comment stung, but I masked my offense. I couldn’t afford to lose my job on the first day. “I did,” I replied curtly.

He scoffed but didn’t say anything further, his gaze fixed ahead. I leaned back in my seat, closing my eyes as the headache that had plagued me all day finally began to subside. My wolf stirred within me, strong and alert, though I tried not to dwell on the feeling. I couldn’t let myself feel a connection with my boss, it wasn’t a good omen.

A sudden jolt from the car made my eyes snap open. Was he deliberately driving over bumps to keep me awake?

“Sleeping on duty,” he remarked with a smirk, his tone teasing.

I swallowed hard, ready to apologize, but my gaze was drawn to the enormous black gate we approached. A flag hung prominently, bearing the design of a wolf’s head, the same one I had seen on the shirt I woke up wearing that morning.

My pulse quickened as realization hit me like a storm. My gaze darted toward Warren. Could he be my mate? Or the man I had been with the previous night?

Embarrassment surged through me, and I wished I could sink into my seat. My cheeks burned as my thoughts raced in panic.

“Is everything alright, Miss Nightclaw?” Warren asked, casting me a brief glance before turning back to the road.

“Yes, Alpha,” I stammered, though my mind screamed otherwise. What the hell?! Could I have slept with my boss and not known?! My hand instinctively moved to my neck, brushing over the mark I’d woken up with.

The sound of the car door slamming jolted me from my thoughts. I scrambled out of the vehicle and hurried to catch up with Warren’s brisk pace.

The two men guarding the entrance bowed slightly as we passed, signaling his status. He wasn’t just an alpha—he was the Alpha King. My throat tightened as panic bubbled inside me. What would he do when he discovered I was his mate? Worse, when he realized I was the woman he’d slept with?

I might lose my job, or worse.

“Get me some tea,” he said, turning briefly to look at me before ascending the grand staircase. He didn’t wait for my response, leaving me frozen and clueless about where to even find the tea.

With the help of a kind maid, I eventually managed to prepare the tea and set it on the table in front of him. My phone blinked twice, signaling a message, but I didn’t dare check it yet.

“Your tea, Alpha,” I said, my voice steady despite the nervous flutter in my chest.

He smirked, his piercing blue eyes locking onto mine as he lounged on the couch near the window. The golden glow of the setting sun bathed his sharp features, making him look almost otherworldly. "Alright," he said casually, leaning back. "Help me with the drink."

I blinked, unsure if I’d heard him correctly. The tea was right there, on the table in front of him. Why couldn’t he just pick it up himself?

He straightened, his smirk growing more mischievous. “Come on, feed me.”

My heart nearly stopped. “You... you want me to feed you the tea?” I stammered, incredulous.

“Yes, Miss Nightclaw,” he replied smoothly, his voice carrying a wicked edge as though this was all part of some game he was playing. His smirk deepened, his gaze never wavering. “What are you waiting for?”

Sweat prickled under my sleeves, and my hands trembled slightly as I reached for the mug. The warmth of the ceramic seeped into my palms, but it did nothing to calm the storm inside me. Lifting the cup, I brought it closer to his lips, my movements hesitant.

He leaned forward, his lips brushing the rim as he took a small sip. The air felt thick as he drained the cup, his piercing gaze fixed on me the entire time. When he finished, I quickly stepped back, my breath uneven.

By the time I reached the kitchen, my mind was racing. What the hell was that? Was this some twisted form of punishment for calling him an asshole earlier? The thought gnawed at me as I placed the empty mug on the counter.

The maid who had helped me earlier walked in, a cheerful smile on her face. “Are you the Alpha’s new personal assistant?” she asked, taking the mug to the sink.

“Yes, ma'am,” I replied, my voice faint as I tried to shake off the strange encounter. I forced myself to focus on her, desperate for a distraction from the embarrassment still clinging to me.

The rest of the day was a blur of errands. By the time I was done, exhaustion weighed heavily on me. My body ached, and all I wanted was to leave the mansion and collapse somewhere far away from this tension.

As I made my way toward the entrance, I overheard two maids talking nearby. Their hushed voices stopped me in my tracks, curiosity and unease rooting me to the spot.

“I heard Alpha Warren finally found his mate,” one of them whispered, her tone tinged with bitterness.

“Oh, Moon Goddess!” the other replied, her voice a mix of surprise and jealousy. “Is it that girl who came looking for him earlier? I heard they spent the night together at his cousin’s party.”

The first woman groaned, her frustration evident. “Goodness, she was so rude.“

A cold chill swept through me, freezing the breath in my lungs. So I was wrong. The Alpha wasn’t the man I’d spent the night with after all. My stomach twisted, the weight of my earlier assumptions pressing heavily on me.