Chapter 3

Winter.

Standing tall and proud before my eyes was Dante Verlice, my mate. He was the alpha of the biggest pack in Vegas. One of the few who brought his pack to flourish despite building it from nothing. He was notorious for his leadership skill, his gentleness—which I believe was a facade, and his hobby of playing around with she-wolves.

“You are trembling again.” His low and deep voice snapped me back to reality. “I told you, don’t be scared.”

How could I not? Having him as my mate was the worst thing Moon Goddess could do. Dante was the type of male I should avoid at any cost. I should have never let Snow take over. I should have run the very first time I sensed him.

‘You won’t be able to run, Winter.’ Snow said carelessly.

She is wrong. I always manage to slip away, especially from a dangerous male.

“And I’ve told you I’m just cold,” I replied with confidence. I didn’t want him to catch a sign of weakness from me.

I knew he didn’t buy my reason, but he didn’t refute me either. Instead, he took over his suit, leaving him only with a white shirt with two buttons off, then draped it to my shoulder. A soft gasp escaped my mouth as he pulled my body closer and buttoned the suit in slow motion.

“Breath, Adrianne.”

“Alpha Dante, Alpha Harry is looking for you. He has something to discuss with you. And it’s important.” His Beta said impatiently while casting me a suspicious look. Despite his clear unfriendliness toward me, I thank him inside my head for interrupting this moment.

“Wait here—“

“I have to work.” I cut Dante before he finished.

“You don’t have to work. Tell that—“

Dante stopped, brows drawn together, and his mouth twitched as I took three steps away from him. Great, he looked pissed. As an Alpha, I knew it would be hard when someone defy your words. But did I care? Absolutely not.

“Adrianne—“

I lifted my hand in the air, once again stopping him from speaking. I lifted my chin, lips thinned in a straight line, and eyes looked straight into his piercing blue eyes.

“You don’t get to tell me what to do after meeting me for less than twenty minutes.”

His jaw ticked upon hearing me, and I expected him to explode, but he didn’t.

“Okay. Keep an eye on her, Kayden.”

“Understood, Alpha Dante.”

Dante reached for my hand, tugging me toward him, and placed a hard kiss on my mouth for the last time before he stepped away reluctantly and disappeared into the sea of wolves.

I could finally breathe and think after he wasn’t near me anymore. The only problem I had right now was his Beta, who looked at me like I was some sort of prisoner.

“You can do your job. If you change your mind, I can escort you to rest in Alpha Dante’s office.”

“No, thank you. I’ll work.” I removed Dante’s suit, gave it to him in a hurry, then continued my duty.

Twenty minutes had passed since then, and Dante hadn’t returned yet. His Beta still stood there with a solemn look. His eyes watched every move I made. I knew I couldn’t wait anymore. I should take a risk if I really wanted to escape.

And so I brought a tray of drinks to the guest near the exit gate while kept looking over my shoulder repeatedly. Only when he talked with the guest, I moved so fast. I abandoned the tray at the nearby table.

‘You are fighting a losing battle, Winter. He is not to be played with. His wolf is vicious, I know it.’

‘Shut it. I can’t, Snow. I don’t want and don’t need a mate in my life. He is too powerful. I’m afraid. Please, we shall leave.’

‘He will find you, Winter. And when he did, I’m sure both of us won’t like how it turns out.’

‘I’ll think about that later. Now, we run.’

***

As soon as I slammed the door to my apartment, I went straight to my room without greeting Skye, who loafed on the couch. I took my backpack and began shoving all my clothes and everything I’d need while I went into hiding mode.

“Did you find him?” Skye’s head appeared behind the door. “You okay?”

“I’m okay,” I said harshly.

Skye opened the door fully and entered our room. She held my hands, stopped me, and turned my body to face her. Her green eyes narrowed as she watched me from head to toe.

“You are so pale, and you are sweating. Did something happen at the Verlices?”

“No. Nothing.” I shoved her hands and continued my activity. I didn’t have much time to entertain Skye and her curiosity. “Has Nina returned yet?” I asked after zipping my bag. Then I hung it on my left shoulder.

“Not yet. Where are you going this time?”

“Skye, please — “I pushed her as I stepped out of the room. “You know I can’t tell you.”

“What exactly happened? You went into hiding every two to four months, and you just returned a week ago. What’s the trigger this time?”

I remained silent. My roommates knew that I occasionally went out to hide. They knew I did it because I was running away from something, but they didn’t know exactly from what. I didn’t even bother to tell them the first time I did it, but they confronted me the moment I went back.

I expected someone to take my place in this apartment, but Nina was kind enough to wait. So, she proposed a deal. If I told them why I went away, she’d let me stay without having to pay for the time I was away.

So I told them the half-truth. I explained that someone was chasing me for something I didn’t do and said I’d be dead if they caught me. I told them I had to move from place to place and leave many traces in other places so they wouldn’t know where I stayed.

“Nothing happened, Skye.” I brushed her question off and walked to the door. And when I was about to open it and embark on my journey, Skye attacked me with another question.

“Did you find your mate?”

My body tensed for a few seconds and Skye gasped so loud.

“You did. Goddess, congrats to you.” My head snapped to her, then watched her in anger. “I’m sorry.” She should’ve known that having a mate was the last thing I wanted.

“Tell Nina that this time I don’t know when I will return, so if she wants to find another roommate, I’m totally okay with that.”

“What about your work?”

“As you already know, I don’t have a fixed job. I can start looking for it in my new place.”

“Winter…aren’t you tired? Running from place to place. Don’t you think you deserve a home? A permanent one. Like this one, with me and Nina.”

Home, she said. Home has been a foreign concept to me ever since that tragedy happened. Every place I used to stay at was only a temporary shelter and every person I met was only friends on the surface level. But Nina and Skye… they cared for me. I knew it from the way they treated me. They accepted me even though I only shared a tiny piece of myself.

I wanted to stay and form a proper relationship with them, but I couldn’t risk their safety. Nina might have her pack to back her up if something happened, but that couldn’t be said to me and Skye. Both of us were lone wolves. So hiding was the perfect solution, at least for now.

Smiling, I pulled Skye into a hug and whispered to her, “Take care, Princess.”

“I’ll be waiting for you. So is Nina. Don’t get hurt!”

Then I ran away like a coward.