Claim Me

Tristan’s POV 

It was five infuriatingly long months of searching for my fated mate who chose to reject our scared bond and somehow, escape the prison room I locked her in, my mansion and pack right under my nose. 

It wasn’t just humiliating, over the weeks and months that followed, it began to hurt as well. Alpha Wyvern had been over the clouds with his anger which nothing could assuage. 

He wanted nothing but Reya. Not even the land I offered him pleased him enough and that alone piqued my interest. I wondered why he was going to choose Reya over something that was so rare and luxurious other Alphas were fighting and begging for it. 

“It’s time you give up on finding her, Tristan.” My beta, Isaac suggested. “She might be dead for all we know. If she wasn’t, then we would have found her by now.”

I glared at him. “Why should I give up? Do you realize what is at stake if I don’t find her? Alpha Wyvern is a very dangerous man and I’m sure you know what happens if we cross someone like him.”

He said nothing, but looked at me in a way that said ‘I know what you’re thinking, Lycan and this isn’t about Alpha Wyvern.’ Still, I couldn’t admit it out loud. I couldn’t even admit it to myself. Neither could I admit that I had something I needed to admit in the first place.

“No one rejects me,” I growled, pounding the desk. “No one humiliates me, escapes my pack and lives freely. I have to find her and make an example out of her, so no one will think they can disrespect me and walk around freely.”

I could tell that Isaac was trying very hard not to laugh out loud at me. “So, you admit it’s your ego and Alpha pride that’s at stake and not your responsibility to Alpha Wyvern and your agreement? What if he decides to take Chloe back?”

My eyes widened. “Never!” I growled harshly. “That will never happen. Chloe is mine now!”

He shook his head at me. 

“Is there anything more you want to say?” I snapped, narrowing my eyes at him. “If not, then we are going out to search once more. Once we find Reya, we will drag her back here, teach her a lesson before giving her off to Alpha Wyvern or anyone else who comes for her.”

“Is that what you’ve been telling yourself?” Isaac insisted.

I scowled at him, but I knew that was not going to stop him from speaking what was in his mind as he always did in the past. Although he was my beta, when we were alone, all formality between us vanished and we are nothing but equals and brothers. 

“Why haven’t I sensed your wolf for the past five months?’ he taunted, smirking. “Did he stop talking to you? You know others can sense this as well, right? You better make peace with the fact that we might never find her and also make peace with your wolf.”

He eyed me. “And it’s about time you accepted Reya’s rejection and make Chloe the Luna. Once that happens, Alpha Wyvern will have no claim to her –”

“Enough!” I snapped, cutting him off with a stern glare.

Isaac always knew how to see through me. Although I had managed to hide the fact that I was hurting from Reya’s rejection and her escape, I couldn’t hide it from my best friend who knew me like a book. 

Still, I wasn’t going to accept Reya’s rejection and break our bond completely. Why did I need to do that? Reya was the mate the moon goddess chose for me. She was mine –

Before my confusing emotions overwhelmed me, I walked to the door. “We are continuing our search in the woods,” I announced. “Today, tomorrow and for how long it takes to find Reya and drag her back here. I don’t care.”

No one said a word, although I could sense their fatigues. We had been searching tirelessly for the past five months and there hadn’t been a single sign of her. Even my most trained tracker was looking like a novice. 

We had even gone as far as setting a camp in the woods across my borders and into other Alpha’s territories who had given us permission. 

Without glancing back at my sulking beta, I stumbled forward. Unfortunately for him, I wasn’t about to give up on finding Reya. Not now and not ever. 

As we had done every day for the past five months, we searched thoroughly through the Alpha’s territory, his infirmary, the outpost where people came in and left his pack, even the forest, but we found nothing. 

One more pack and there was no sign of her. 

I didn’t give up hope. We still had a few days to go in tis Alpha’s territory before we moved on to the next. 

After searching for several hours, I called my men back. We were going to continue tomorrow. I called my men back to our camps in the wood. While beta and the rest of the men decided to get food to eat, I went straight to my tent to make more calls and follow up with the Alphas who I had asked to be on the look out for my runaway mate.

At least, that was the plan, until I stepped into my tent and was shocked to find Chloe baring her nakedness in front of me. 

“What are you doing here?” I snapped, unable to hide my increasing frustration. I looked everywhere but at her as she strolled over to where I stood. 

“I missed you,” she said innocently, giving me a shy smile which on a normal day would have made goosebumps fill my skin. But this wasn’t a normal day. There wasn’t anything normal about a naked woman in a man’s tent deep in the woods. 

“It’s been weeks since I last saw you, Tris. I’ve been in your pack house all alone without anyone to talk to, or –”

“Go home, Chloe.” I cut in. “I still have a lot of work to do.”

Her smile fell and her expression hardened. “Where you are is my home, Tris. Have you forgotten? Where are you –?”

“I lack both the time and the energy for this!” I retorted, elevating my tone beyond what I meant. Her eyes immediately glistened with tears that pulled at my heart. With a sigh, I moved nearer, tenderly holding her face in my hands.

“Please, my dear,” I said in a gentler voice. “Just a few more days and I’ll be back. We’ll do whatever it is you want to do, I promise.”

“Do you still love me?” she threw the question at my face, her voice hardening as well. 

I stumbled backward, my mouth falling open. I tried to search for an answer to give her but nothing came to my mind. My wolf, as always, was silent and completely shutting me out. 

“Answer me, Tristan!” she yelled as tears streamed down her cheek. “Do you still care for me or do you need me to leave?”

My heart ached. “Of course, I do, Chloe.” I answered, finally finding my voice and the words to convince her. “And you know why I am doing this. I have to find her. If I don’t Alpha Wyvern will demand you return with him and I can’t let that happen.”

She straightened, her back arching in a way I knew meant trouble. “Then claim me, Lycan Tristan.” She said confidently. “Claim me as yours and announce me as your Luna. Once you do that, no Alpha will dare question you or me.”

Well, shit!