Chapter 003

*LEONIDAS*

Drogo, my wolf growls relentlessly in my head as my fists slam into the punching bag.

He wants nothing more but to be with his mate.

The thought alone sends me into another fit of rage.

A human mate?

The moon goddess got to be kidding me.

My knuckles throb as the bag jerks violently with each strike.

But I don't stop.

I hiss when the bag burst , swallowing my fist.

My chest heaves, sweat dripping down my temples as I draw my hand out , glaring at the ruined bag.

‘Let’s go to mate.’

Drogo’s voice echoes in my mind, eager, impatient.

I curse under my breath.

The damn wolf seems to have forgotten—

she’s human.

That alone should be enough to reject her and end her like the others.

But I can't seem to do that.

It's the mate bond, I tell myself.

But that human smells different.

I grab a towel and wipe the sweat from my face, but it does nothing to cool the heat burning beneath my skin.

Drogo paces restlessly inside me, claws scraping against the walls of my mind.

Go to her.

His voice slithers through my thoughts again.

I grit my teeth. No.

She’s fragile. Weak.

I despise weakness.

And yet—

Her scent still clings to my skin. Sweet.

Like wild lilies. So wrong.

The moment I touched her, something had snapped in me.

Something stronger.

The urge to protect her. To shield from darkness overwhelms me.

The mark at the back of my neck still burns, as if her touch reached inside and twisted something I can’t explain.

I slam my fist into the wall, cracking the wood.

“I should’ve killed her,” I mutter, but the words taste bitter.

Drogo snarls. “You couldn’t. You felt it too.”

My jaw tightens. “Shut up.”

The door creaks open and I don't turn to know who it was.

The scent of the female drifts through my nose.

Her natural scent mask heavily with expensive perfume that almost made me choke.

Her footsteps draw closer until she's behind me.

Fingers trail down my bare back.

“Leo...” she purrs and my wolf snarls in disgust.

“Alpha,” I correct, pushing myself away from her.

Her smile falters for a second, but she recovers, tilting her chin in defiance.

“Of course... Alpha,” she says softly, eyes flicking to my chest.

I return the towel to the rack before turning fully to face her.

“What do you want, Octavia?”

“My father told me you've been....stressed lately. I can help with that, Leo,” She rasps.

Drogo growls in my head at her defiance. She had called my name. Again.

Oblivious,her finger trace the outline of the tattoo on my shoulder blade as she bites down on her lips.

I want nothing more but to pin her against the

wall and take her right here, rubbing it in Drogo's face.

But then again, I’m not in the mood.

I have better things to worry about—like why the Moon Goddess fated me to a human.

Octavia’s scent invades my nose as her fingers slide up my neck.

Jasmine. Her natural scent.

Not lilies—like her.

Damn it. Why do I keep thinking about that human?

Before I can move away, Octavia’s lips crash against mine.

For a heartbeat, I don’t react—my wolf howls in protest, claws scraping at the edges of my control.

Then I shove her back, and a gasp slips past her parted lips.

“Don't,” I growl, my voice rougher.

Her eyes widen but she mask it with a pout.

“You are tense, Alpha. I'm trying to help.”

I fight the urge to groan in frustration.

Instead, I snap, “Leave. Now.”

She hesitates for a moment before stalking away. Her feet now stomping against the floor.

You let her get close to you. My wolf snarls but I ignore him.

‘Alpha,’ My Beta's voice slithers through the mindlink.

‘The gym. Now.’

Before long, his presence fills the doorway.

“Any news?” I ask without turning to look at him.

He chuckles at my tone, his footsteps drawing near.

“There are report of human hunters near the borders.”

I grit my teeth, my fist balling at my side.

Those vernims again.

“If they so as much cross the borders, slit their throats.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

He fall silent behind me but I can still feel the heat of gaze, crawling down my back.

“Anything else, Kieran?”

“You brought a human girl to the pack,” he says in a tight voice.

I brush past him, picking my discarded shirt from the floor.

“So?”

He grits his teeth. “You should have killed her.”

“And I didn't,” I say lazily, my fingers working on the buttons on my shirt.

I can feel the frustration oozing off him at my vague answer.

“Why? Do you want me to do it? I can go right now and finish her off—”

Before he can finish, my wolf takes control and slams him against the wall.

“Know your place, Beta,” Drogo growls , his aura forcing Kieran to submission.

Drogo has been on edge lately —losing it at the slightest provocation.

The full moon is tonight. That’s when his rut begins… and also when he turns feral.

Kieran's brows pull in confusion.

It's been a long time since I used the Alpha's aura on him.

I release him, taking a staggering step back.

“She's my mate.”

His eyes widen. “W-What? That's impossible. She's human! ”

I meet his gaze, deadly calm.

He shakes his head, disbelief flashing in his eyes.

“There must be a mistake. The moon goddess must be mistaken.”

I almost let out a bitter laugh.

“The bond is real, Kieran.”

That's enough to end his ramble.

But then Drogo goes still inside me.

‘Drogo,’ I call out to him but nothing.

Something's wrong.