chapter 4

(Ethan’s POV)

The wind whispered through the trees as I stalked the edge of our territory, every sense sharpened by instinct and duty. My patrols were routine,habitual, even,but today, something gnawed at me from within. I couldn’t place it at first. Just an ache, a tension beneath my skin.

As Alpha, I was tasked with ensuring the safety of our lands, and I took that role seriously. The forest, vast and dense, sprawled endlessly before me like a living wall of secrets. Each step I took was guided by both wolf and man. But despite the responsibilities weighing on me, my thoughts kept straying, not to danger, nor to my enemies, but to the one thing that had eluded me all my life.

My mate.

I had searched for her longer than I cared to admit. Years, really. Across villages, packs, and rogue lands, I'd looked for the one the Moon Goddess crafted for me. And yet… nothing. Just empty trails and false hope. At some point, I’d begun to wonder if she even existed.

Then, in the stillness of the woods, something changed.

A scent.

Delicate. Feminine. Soft like morning dew and wild like rain-soaked leaves. It hit me suddenly, wrapping around my senses like a whisper I couldn't ignore. My wolf surged to the surface, restless and alert, pushing against the edges of my control. My feet moved before I could process why,I had to find the source.

I followed it, weaving through trees like a predator guided by fate itself. The closer I got, the stronger the scent became, warm, intoxicating, and impossible to forget. My heart pounded against my ribs, not from exertion, but from something deeper. A pull I’d never felt before.

And then I saw her.

She was alone, walking cautiously through the forest, unaware of the force she had just awakened. Her long dark hair spilled down her back, catching glints of sunlight that filtered through the canopy. Her dress was torn, dirt smudged her skin, a runaway, maybe,but none of that mattered. She had an aura about her, something that snatched the breath right out of my lungs.

She didn’t belong here. Not in my territory.

But even more than that,something inside me knew.

She was the one.

I stepped into the open, instinct overriding reason. Before she could register my presence, I moved, swift and silent, and grabbed her.

She screamed, kicking and thrashing in my arms. “Let me go!”

Her voice was soft yet fierce, her panic real. I tightened my grip. “You’re not supposed to be here,” I said, my tone sharp.

“Who… are… you?” she gasped, eyes wide, chest rising in quick bursts.

“You’ll see for yourself, young woman,” I growled, irritation bubbling at her defiance. I never appreciated being questioned, especially not by someone who had trespassed on my land.

She was trembling now, but I didn’t feel pity. I felt rage. Confusion. And an overwhelming need to take her away from the chaos of the world and make her mine.

I brought her to my den.

It was the safest place I knew ,reinforced, guarded, and deep within pack territory. No one could reach her here. No one but me.

As soon as I set her down, she jerked away from me, falling to her knees in the process. “Please, let me go!” she cried, voice hoarse with fear and anger.

“You’re mine now,” I said, my voice cold and flat. “You’ll stay here and do as I say.”

Her face twisted in disbelief. “Yours? What’s that supposed to mean?” she spat. “You’re insane.”

“Tie her up,” I ordered the guard standing by.

“No! You can’t do this!” she shouted, trying to run, but it was pointless. My guards were trained and loyal. She stood no chance.

“Watch me,” I muttered, eyes narrowing.

Once the ropes bound her wrists, I stepped forward. She looked like a caged animal, wild and desperate and still, so breathtaking.

“I didn’t want it to come to this,” I said truthfully, a muscle twitching in my jaw. “But you left me no choice.”

“I’ll never belong to you,” she snapped, fire burning in her eyes. “I’ll escape, and I’ll make sure you pay for this.”

Her words struck something inside me. Not fear , I didn’t fear threats. But her spirit… it unsettled me.

“We’ll see about that,” I replied, though my voice lacked the conviction it usually held.

I left her under guard, disturbed by the storm of emotions she stirred in me. I wasn’t supposed to feel guilt. I was the Alpha. The law. The enforcer. But something about her made me second-guess my own instincts.

The next morning, I returned to see her.

She was huddled in the far corner of the room, pale, weakened, yet still glaring at me with disdain.

“Good morning,” I said, arms crossed.

“Why are you doing this?” she whispered, her voice raw.

“Is that how you greet your Alpha?” I taunted. “I told you, you belong to me now.”

“I’m not an object,” she snapped back. “And I will never be yours.”

Her defiance… it infuriated me. But it also lit something inside me something dangerous.

I crossed the room in two strides, grabbing her throat and pulling her face close to mine. “Do you think your little tantrum will scare me into letting you go?” I hissed.

Her eyes widened. For a moment, I saw the flicker of fear she tried to hide. And it broke me.

I released her, stepping back. My hands shook.

“Accept your fate,” I said, forcing calm into my voice. “It’ll be easier for both of us.”

Tears slid down her cheeks. “Please… I don’t want to stay here,” she whispered.

I didn’t respond. Instead, I changed the subject. “What’s your name?”

She hesitated before replying. “Lila.”

Her voice trembled, but it did something to me. I turned away abruptly, storming out.

“Give her something to eat,” I told the guard. “Make sure she’s… comfortable.”

“Yes, Alpha.”

Back in my chambers, I paced. Her voice echoed in my head. Her tears… her fear… her fire. Why did it matter so much? Why did I care?

I wasn’t supposed to care.

Then the knock came.

“Speak,” I said when the guard stepped in, pale and trembling.

“It’s the girl,” he stammered. “She’s… gone.”

Gone?

The word sank like a blade.

“What do you mean gone?” I barked.

“I left to get her food… she must have escaped.”

The room grew cold. My vision blurred with rage.

“Find her. Now.”

My voice shook the den.

Moments later, another knock. This time, the guard returned, panting.

“We’ve found her,” he said. “Tracked her scent to the outskirts.”

Relief. A dull, shameful kind.

“Bring her back. Now.”

And as he turned, I stared at the door, lost in a storm of emotion. Why did she run? Why doesn’t she want me? What the hell is happening to me?

A second knock.

“Come in,” I said, bracing myself.

But it wasn’t her.

I straightened, eyes narrowing. “Why are you here?”