chapter 5: Elias

She was a lively one at the very least. I shouldn't have expected anything less. When she entered that bar, though and her scent forced its way through alcohol breaths, cigarette smoke, and sweaty wolves it hit my nose and I was blind. I looked everywhere frantically, knowing that scent was it. She was mine. My pack felt the shift too. My beta and gamma were turning to me as if we were under attack. We might as well have been. Until I could find her, explain it to her, and bring her into the Hollow Moon Pack she was in danger.

My pack was massive, so much so that I couldn't vet everyone. Of course, there were going to be those who plotted my downfall what better way than to take out my mate.

“Bro?” Oliver spoke low next to me. He was a far more clean cut kid, the only thing we seemed to share were the blue eyes of our family. He was shorter, less skilled at combat but it made him the perfect gamma. He was able to bridge the gap between the wolves and the humans. One problem though, he always seemed to think everything needed to be treated as an emergency. “Did I feel that right?”

“Oh shit!” Andre, my beta, laughed and hopped to my opposite side, “Okay, where is the lucky wolf?”

“Fuck off you both!” I growled, “Andre, survey the pack. I want to know if anyone is plotting anything.”

Being the beta Andrea was in charge of the wolves. He had the strongest ability to access the pack link and with the size of our pack it was imperative to have someone like him as my right hand. He could lay down the law, be the perfect spy for anyone trying to hide, and he was the more charismatic one too so naturally people trusted him. He nodded back to me and within a second returned to our plane of thought with a wink, “I heard something. It was just the tail end, but there’s a chance someone is planning on kidnapping her. They’re trying to figure out who it is. So find the girl first.”

I nodded and continued scanning the crowd. Nothing, just the same wolves that were always here. How could she exist and then nothing? I turned away from the group and looked back toward the empty section of the bar. It was just a bunch of booths set up for people to break off and have private conversations and hang out. No one actually used them so why would I have thought to look there?

She was there, though. She was looking back at me now, and my heart skipped a beat. I suddenly became far too aware of my actions and realized I was just staring at her probably making her nervous. Someone passed between us for just a moment but I was ready to kill them for it. I pushed them out of the way luckily, Andre was there to make sure they didn’t fall to the ground. My instincts weren’t going to allow me to focus on anything until I made contact. I needed to stake my claim right now.

She was hunched over a book, just reading it while some kind of classical music was playing in her ear. She didn’t seem to be paying me any mind either, like I was definitely not something she should care about. My hand raised as I struggled with wanting to get her attention and wanting to leave her alone in this picture perfect moment.

Her long black hair was pulled up in a high ponytail, her shirt was dipping just slightly low, enough to show off a well-plump set of breasts pressed together under a sports bra. Oh, she was divine. I closed my eyes, taking in her scent, committing it to memory. Autumn leaves, maybe even after a storm, the lingering fresh scent of soaked leaves right before the harvest moon.

Shaking my head free from being lost in thought, I finally worked up the courage to touch her. Tapping her lightly twice on the shoulder. One sent a shockwave through my body calling out to me to grab her and thrust her against the wall. Twice and I needed to sit down.

She looked up to me and I motioned for her to remove her earbuds.

Our conversation went by so quickly that I hardly felt like I was paying attention and yet I was memorizing every piece of her. My wolf was going crazy with the coming full moon but it was becoming so apparent… she wasn’t a werewolf. She didn’t feel it. I was looking her over like my next meal and when I offered her to join the run she tossed it away.

She clearly knew of werewolves; what person would be in this place who didn’t? What was she, though? What was even more strange none of them could see her. Andre, he was right there, he couldn’t see the mate of his alpha right in front of him? He was acting like I was alone… she was something truly special and I was going to root out exactly what she was.

I made my obligatory appearance for the run of the single wolves. No female caught me of course, none were nearly fast enough. It allowed me to turn around and follow her scent. She had left Rosetta’s place; it was past midnight anyway.

“Head’s up!” Andre called through the pack bond, “Hired human. Don’t know how they found your mate, but she’s being followed.”

That was enough for me. I sprang forward, making sure nothing was going to happen to her tonight. She was going to be safe.

I saved her easily enough from that dumb ass human though just incase he tried anything I made sure two blood thirsty wolves were waiting for him on the opposite side of the park. I had debated telling her then what she was to me. I wasn’t sure how she’d react, though so I just let her believe whatever she wanted.

“She’s asleep finally?” Oliver called through the bond.

“Yes,” I grumbled after needing every ounce of strength to live through that most trying ordeal. Seriously, the moon goddess made this one my mate?

“Someone doesn’t sound happy,” Andre laughed. “Trouble in paradise already?”

“Fuck you.” I growled back. “Hotel next to my house. Room eleven forty. Don’t knock just bring me some damn clothes.”

“Oooh…” Andre snickered, his weakness: gossip and drama.

When they arrived, I slipped out quietly and dressed in the t-shirt and grey sweatpants Andre managed to put together. In this town no one asked questions when they saw someone naked getting dressed, as long as we didn’t do it out in the open we could get a pass.

“So-” He began but I held up a finger.

Use the bond, I commanded them. She’s sleeping.

Exhausted? Andre raised an eyebrow and tossed a smirk.

It’s not like that. I growled.

Of course not! He laughed.

As great as it is to hear about my older brother’s sexual habits, Oliver grumbled, we really need to talk about the massive breach in security. Not only did she, a nonwerewolf, get into Rosetta’s tonight, but someone in the pack knew she was your mate and nearly had her kidnapped.

Any idea who did it yet? I looked at Andre, he was supposed to be the expert.

Shrugging he just held up his hands, not a high member of the pack or one who uses the bond a lot. My guess is old silver moon wolf. I’m looking at the Argent family.

Hugo’s not an idiot. I scoffed, is he pissed his father merged the packs? Sure, is he stupid enough to go after his alpha’s mate? Hardly.

His daughter? Oliver interjected.

Chloe’s got ambition. Andre nodded. Just like her dad though, she wasn’t raised to be an idiot. Neither of them would use the link, but that doesn’t mean they wouldn’t hire someone to do it for them. Remember, if your line fails then their line gets to be alpha again. I’ll keep a close eye on the Argents and anyone they are close to. They have the motive.

Oliver once again put in his own thought, Anyone else, though? He’s not a hated alpha by any means, still the largest pack and largest territory. Maybe it was an outside wolf?

Enough, I huffed, I’m bringing her to Rosetta’s tomorrow morning for breakfast. I need you both to watch the pack to see reactions.

Telling anyone? Oliver smirked, finally he was giving in to the juicy gossip. You know everyone’s been waiting for your mate to come along. I’m sure they’ll be happy.

Even if she’s not a werewolf. Andre laughed.

Worry about it tomorrow. I growled and bared my teeth to both of them. Get going.

When they left I slipped back inside and took a seat in the armchair in the corner, the perfect view to keep an eye on her. She was finally sleeping, though from the wincing and clicking of her teeth, it didn’t sound peaceful.

She wasn’t a werewolf, I couldn’t access anything about the mating bond until she developed feelings for me. Even then we’d never have the same strong bond we would have if she were a werewolf. My grandfather taught me many years ago that cross-breeding was forbidden. Could he have known my mate would have been something else? It was a different pack now though, maybe they’d accept it. I mean of course, they’d accept it. I was the wolf who killed the great Alpha Lucien. If I wanted to have ten mates, all of different species they’d accept it. Deep down though I knew I couldn't go against what they wanted. I swore when I became their alpha I wouldn't force my ideals on them. I vowed to be a better alpha. This pack had been through far too much uncertainty and strife they deserved someone who respected them.

It was a give and take, when I first took over I was seen as a push over. I laid down the law three times. The first time I told them I wasn’t going to accept traitors. The second time I wasnt going to accept theft… the third time- That third time I told them I was never going to accept being usurped; five deaths that night. Did they deserve it? Maybe yes maybe no but from then on active open rebellion was done. Now I had to handle the secret plots that were designed to weaken me mentally. None of them could best me physically after all so I had to give it to them for trying.

This was my family's pack though. I wasn't going to give it up without a fight. If my line fails Oliver needed to succeed. We always had a plan together since I came back. We had been pitted against eachother as kids but no more. The pack may have lost a strong alpha but it gained so much stability. Looking at my mate I wasn’t sure if I was allowed to sacrifice that. My grandfather never would have questioned it. He would have sent her away immediately. I could have rejected her, maybe I should. Beyond face value she was annoyingly talkative. She was cute but damn was she stubborn. What kind of leader of this pack could she be? She hated us, it was clear she didn't value werewolves as much as whatever she was. We were lesser to her so why not reject her? Let Oliver carry the line of succession.

I looked over at her and my heart pounded wanting to be near her. As much as I was annoyed and inconvenienced by her I had always been taught to trust in my goddess of the moon. She wouldn't have given me a mate if she didn't think we were meant to be together. It was wrong to fight it. It was taboo to reject your mate too especially if it wasn't mutual. Was it mutual though? She seemed to be against me but she also didn't know.

Oh goddess, I sighed shaking my head in my hand. Just help me through this. Guide my hand and words to some solution.

I had grown close to my goddess in the five years I spent as a wolf. She was the only one I could talk to. The only one keeping me sane, the only one who made sure I maintained my humanity so that one day I could return. Maybe after all this time she hadn't forgotten me. Maybe she was listening and understood I was lost. I needed help. I needed something.

Is she really my mate? Should I try to convince her to accept me? I'm not saying youre wrong, I'm just confused. Please send me some kind of sign.

Maybe I needed to not pray so hard as I saw her phone light up and vibrate. It wasn't my business to see what it was, but then again maybe it was the sign I was looking for.

I walked over and saw the message flash across the screen: I know its early, but please tell me you gave up the property and are heading home today.

Property? I looked over to her as she turned over grumbling slightly in her sleep. She owned property here she couldn't have been old enough. Maybe it was an inheritance? She said she had business with Rosetta.

Okay fine, I thought. If you won't tell me then she will. My thoughts connected across the pack bond reaching out to Oliver. You're on deck. She doesn't get approached by anyone. Ive got business with Rose.

Good luck bro. He sent back.