002

RYKER

Coronations were supposed to be joyful, exciting affairs. A time when a wolf's hard work and dedication were rewarded, and they got to rule - not just rule, but lead as an Alpha king to all wolves.

But as I stood there, in my bedroom, my coronation day looming before me like a challenge, I couldn't shake off the feeling of unease.

The D-Day had finally arrived, and I was

still mateless. While my peers had already found their mates by the time they were 18, I was still searching at 25.

It wouldn't have bothered me so much if l were just any wolf. But I was the soon-to-be Alpha of all Wolves, and my lack of a mate was a glaring omission.

The whispers had already started - 'Unfit to rule', 'Not worthy of the title', 'Can't even find his own mate'. The envy and malice dripped from the tongues of those who coveted my position, and it infuriated me.

Even though I was renowned for being the fiercest and most skilled in combat, it seemed that my impressive attributes didn't outweigh the whispers circulating about the Alpha King-to-be being mateless.

My father, the current Alpha, had already started seeking other prospects. I had managed to stall him off till today, but he wouldn't have any of it anymore. My father had already started making preparations, deceiving our pack into believing I had found my mate.

I had to admit, the news had shut a good amount of people, and the pack was abuzz with excitement, congratulating me on my supposed good fortune.

But I knew the truth - that I was still mateless, and that my father's desperation to secure our pack's future had driven him to deceive our own kind.

I felt a pang of guilt, knowing that this charade would mislead other wolves who might be searching for their true mates. But with the coronation day at hand, I had silently succumbed to the wishes of my father, playing along with the farce to avoid ruining everything that generations before me had worked tirelessly to build and maintain.

But a small part of me still held onto the hope that I would find my true mate. I grabbed my keys from my bedside table and headed out to Nox Dev, a famous gathering spot where wolves from far and wide came to socialize and club hard.

The pulsating music and intoxicating aromas of the club were just what I needed to distract myself from the looming arranged mating.

But just as I was about to make my escape from the house, a vision of fiery red hair and piercing green eyes stopped me in my tracks.

Monica, the woman my father had handpicked to be my pretend mate, stood before me, her presence a stark reminder of the deception I was about to perpetuate.

"Hey, Alpha," she teased, her voice husky and seductive. I mumbled a quick hello, trying to play it cool, but she was quick to block my path.

"Not so fast, Daddy," she purred, her hands roaming across my chest, sending a spark of electricity through my body. My dick twitched, and I knew I had to be careful. She was good, too good.

She must have smelled my arousal with her wolf snout because she leaned in close, her breath whispering against my ear.

"We should take this somewhere more private," she suggested, her emerald eyes gleaming with invitation. "Or do it here, whatever you're into."

I raised an eyebrow, my lips curling into a hint of a smile. "You can't handle what I'm into," I let out, before brushing her off.

She didn't seem like the type who expected sweet nothings and romantic lovemaking. And that was exactly the type of woman I usually hooked up with. But if I gave in to my desires now, I risked losing my chance to find my true mate before the ceremony, and that was a risk I couldn't afford to take.

At least, not if I couldn't help it.

I drove out of the woods and down to town, the GPS leading me to my destination. As I emerged from the forest, I noticed it had already started raining. The droplets pattered against my windshield, growing heavier by the second. I pulled up to a stop in front of the club, the neon lights reflecting off the wet pavement.

I loathed rainy days. As a werewolf, I relied heavily on my keen sense of smell to navigate and track, but rain made it impossible to pick up a scent or follow a trail.

Grabbing my umbrella, I stepped out into the downpour. The rain was pouring so profusely that I could barely see a few feet in front of me. As I made my way to the club entrance, the only thing I managed to see was my boots splashing through the puddles.

At least the rain gave me a clear sightline - I wasn't going to veer off course or end up heading in the wrong direction. But just as I reached the entrance, a sudden collision on my chest had me halting in my tracks.

As we collided, the person lost balance, but I instinctively grasped their wrist-noting she was a lady by her small wrist - and held her steady with little effort.

The warmth I felt enveloped me, and in response, my wolf instinctively raised its head in anticipation. It seemed as though he had caught a whiff of something unfamiliar, a scent that stirred a sense of curiosity deep within him.

I became curious too.

I looked up to see a woman, her raven-black hair plastered to her head, framing her heart-shaped face like a dark halo. Her deep brown eyes sparkled with a hint of mischief, their warmth a stark contrast to the chilly rain. Her long lashes were spiked with raindrops, adding to her allure. She was drenched, her clothes clinging to her curves like a second skin, accentuating her toned physique. Despite the rain, she seemed utterly unbothered.

"You know your eyes are meant to see, right?" I asked, trying not to sound snarky, but she had run into me, after all.

"Could ask you the same thing," she retorted, "because you clearly have issues with yours."

Her sharp retort caught me off guard, but as I looked at her, I noticed her shivering.

Despite my initial reluctance, I felt a pang of sympathy for this mundane. My priority was finding my mate, but I couldn't bring myself to ignore her distress.

I knew the risks of bringing a human into the club, but I decided to take her in any way. Maybe the warmth and music would do her some good. And in her baggy clothes, I was certain she wouldn't draw attention from the wrong kind of shifters.

"There's a club where you can wait out the rain," I told her, and her eyes lit up with excitement for a moment before narrowing into a suspicious glare.

"Where?" she asked with a wary tone. I gestured towards the neon-lit sign reading

"Nox Dev" and headed inside without waiting for her response.

At first, she hesitated, but then her boots echoed behind me as she followed. As we reached the entrance, I informed the werelock bouncer, "She's with me." The bouncer nodded respectfully in my direction before granting us entry.

As soon as we stepped into the club, I didn't bother glancing back to confirm she was still behind me.

I was too busy scanning the room, my eyes locking onto the familiar faces of friends and acquaintances as I made my way through the crowd.

As I greeted a group of people who had approached me, I flashed my signature charming smile. We exchanged pleasantries, and I clapped a few backs, playing the role of the affable host.

But when I stopped at the counter to grab a drink and turned to face the crowd, my gaze scanned the room once more. That's when I realized she was gone. I didn't expect her to be on my tail, but I didn't expect her to wander off either.

I frowned, my eyes narrowing as I searched the sea of faces. Where had she slipped off to?