“You’re joking, right? I mean, this has to be a fucking joke. I lead the army. Scratch that, I am the army, and I’m meant to drop my duties and babysit her?” Aldric punched the wall in annoyance; the dent in it after that was proof of his anger.

They had just returned from bringing the Alpha’s Cub back. He had done his duty, and it was meant to end there.

“Aldric, you need to take care of your wounds. Come with me,” his brother interrupted, trying to stop the fight that was about to ensue.

“Go inside, Andre, and stay there.”

“But…your…”

“NOW!”

He watched his younger brother scurry in fear, and he felt his heart clench. He didn’t have to talk to him like that.

“You should have an explanation for this, Father. This is obviously a planned decision. You didn’t just think about this while I was wiping an entire coven off ALONE.”

His father refused to say a word.

“Are you going to ignore me?!” He felt his claws pierce out.

“It was my decision, Aldric.”

At the sound of his Alpha’s voice, Aldric and his father dropped to their knees.

“I know it’s an inconvenience to you, but do me this favor.”

He signaled for them to stand up and slumped on the chair closest to him.

“I’ve been such a bad father, and I can’t protect her anymore. You’re the only person I can trust.”

“What about…”

“I know she’s your mate.”

Aldric’s jaw clenched – he was the Alpha, and it was not surprising that he knew, but he believed nobody knew. His father glared at him.

“Why haven’t you said anything all this while?” he asked.

“I am a lone soldier. You made me one. I do not deserve to shackle any woman to my side.”

“How can you say such useless words? Did you think about her in this decision you are making?”

“I know that she can mate with another if I reject her,” Aldric smirked. He loved the look of horror on his father’s face.

“You will not do such…”

“THAT’S ENOUGH!” Alpha roared.

They both bowed their heads in submission.

“You can do whatever you like, Aldric. I won’t stop you or order you to mate with her. You will, however, keep her safe. That’s my command.”

“Yes, Alpha!”

“Thank you.”

Aldric went in search of his brother, leaving his father and the Alpha alone. He found him in his bedroom with a first aid kit.

“I was waiting for you. Come, let me treat your wounds.”

“I’m sorry for yelling at you.”

“It’s fine, bro. Please come.”

Aldric walked toward his brother, propelled by the fear in his eyes. Instead of sitting, he pulled him up and hugged him.

“I’m sorry.”

“You promised me that you will always stay safe. You promised me.”

“I’m here, Andre, and I’m not ever going to leave you. I promise.”

Andre pulled away from him.

“Pinky promise?”

Aldric laughed. “You’re not five anymore, you know that, right?”

His brother held out his pinky finger, waiting until Aldric linked his pinky with his.

“Pinky promise.”

“Now sit down. The fact that you don’t feel pain means we should make sure it doesn’t get infected before it heals.”

“Yes, boss,” Aldric saluted before he sat down.

***

“Are you going to do it?” Leonardo asked as he sent a punch flying in Aldric’s direction.

“It was a command. I may be stronger than the Alpha, but I do have to obey his commands,” he concluded by hitting Leo in his gut.

“What the hell… I told you not to use all your strength,” he groaned, clutching his stomach.

“You’re my second-in-command, you should be able to handle a little punch. How the hell do you plan to handle someone stronger than me?”

“Stronger than you? Damn, we’ll be ruined.”

Aldric sat down on the floor of their training room and signed deeply.

“Are you even going to tell her? She deserves to know. How will you feel seeing her with another man?”

“She’s not mine, man. If there’s another man for her, then so be it. On the next full moon, I’ll reject her before the Alpha gets another idea.”

“You’re not even going to tell her?”

“No, I’m not.”

“That’s cruel, man. Very cruel. I don’t think I’ll be able to do that to my Val. What if…”

“Stop it, man, I don’t want to think about it.”

Leo raised his hand in surrender. “I’m just saying.”

“Let’s get ready for the patrol. I won’t be around for the day shift for a while.”

“Yes, boss.”

***

Like a fish soaring from the bottom of the deep sea to the surface, Elysa swam to consciousness. The light was blinding, and she had to blink a hundred times before she could adjust to the light. She heard voices, worried voices discussing around her. Her mother’s voice was unmistakably laden with tears.

They had come to save her, but who was the wolf with the blue sea-like eyes? She needed to see him. Her body was drawn to him.

She tried to sit up and slumped back down. Her actions caught her mother’s eyes.

“Oh, my darling. I thought I had lost you. I’m so sorry…I’m so sorry.”

“Mother?”

“Yes, honey, it’s me. I’m right here, honey.”

“My head hurts.”

“Call the healer immediately,” she ragged out harshly at someone else Elysa couldn’t see.

“Are you hurting anywhere else, my love?”

She shook her head, wincing when the pain intensified.

“Don’t move, honey. The healer will be here with you. Thank you for coming back to me. I don’t know what I would have done if I had lost you.”

“Who are they, Mama?”

“Who?” She turned her gaze away

“The people who kidnapped me. They seemed to know you very well. What am I? Why should I keep my drawings a secret? What is going on?”

“Honey, I’ll tell you everything once you get better. We can’t talk here.”

“I want to know now, Mother. I almost died because of this. At least tell me what my life is worth.”

“Honey, please calm down. I’ll tell you everything, I promise.”

“I’m all ears.” She tried to sit up again.

“No, don’t sit up. Just lie down.” Her mother fixed her pillow and placed her head back on it.

“Then…”

“I was a witch.”

“A what?”

“I was a witch before I married your father.”

“What happened?”

“Your father lost his mate during a war with us, and he kidnapped me to get back at my people. I was denied food for days and was beaten by the guards. One day, I was cleaned, healed, and taken to the palace. Just like that, I was going to marry the Alpha. I didn’t understand what was happening. But I couldn’t do anything about it. I was overpowered. All my spells were not working. The pack was fortified to prevent witches from being able to cast any spells.”

She looked at her daughter and continued.

“During the mating ceremony, we had to take a blood oath. I didn’t know the repercussions. I was just following orders. But he knew that it would sever me from my coven. Once it was finished, I fell into a coma for three days, and when I woke up, I was no longer a witch. And the killings began. By the time you were born, your father killed 500 witches because they were aware of your birth and they wanted you.”

“Oh my God.”

“He killed more, and he’s still killing more. He doesn’t resent me since I have been severed. I was scared that if he found out about you, he wouldn’t hesitate to kill you.”

Cara paused and looked at her daughter, waiting for a reaction or statement.

“So, I’m a witch too?” she asked finally.

“Yes, a prophet, specifically.”

“What does that mean?”

“Prophets usually foresee when danger is coming, and then the people can adequately plan to avert it. They bless marriages who they see will do well and advise the others to go their separate ways. They are like the eyes of the Queen Mother.”

“And you didn’t think I would need this information one day? How could you hide something like that from me?”

“I’m sorry, honey, I’m sorry. I just wanted to protect you.”

“I can see how well protected I am.”

“Honey…”

“I want to be alone, mother. Please leave me.”

“Please, baby, I…” Her mother’s words caught in her throat as her father walked in with the healer and a strange man with blue eyes.

Their gazes locked, and it seemed like they were the only two in the room. His blue eyes wanted to engulf her, and she couldn’t resist.

He averted his gaze almost immediately and avoided her eyes.

“I can see you are doing better,” her father said without any emotions.

“Yes, Father. I am.”

“That’s good. This is Aldric,” he pointed at the blue-eyed man.

“I’m not sure you’ve met him, but he was the one who single-handedly saved you. He’s the head of the army, but I thought you needed a bodyguard urgently since you seem to be the target of my enemies nowadays.”

“Bodyguard?”

“It’s not up for debate. He’ll guard you and be always around you. Aldric, this is my daughter Lysa.” 

“Pleasure to meet you.”

“Same here.”

It would be very inconvenient to have a bodyguard at her age, but she couldn’t resist the urge to want to know him better, to be by his side.

“I’ll accept on one condition.”

“I just said it’s not up for debate. You cannot disagree.” Her father was using his Alpha authority.

“I want to learn how to defend myself,” she continued as if her father had not said anything.

“What?”

“I want to learn how to defend myself. I cannot be in this same situation and be helpless again.”

Her father’s gaze was hard and cold. Did he know she was a witch? Was that why he avoided her like the plague?

“Well, good thing, you have Aldric. He’ll teach you.”

“Sir?!” Aldric wanted to protest. He couldn’t be that close to her.

“Then I better be going. Check up on her and leave the two of them to get acquainted,” he spoke to the healer and headed toward the door. “Cara?!” He called her mother, and she followed him out.

“You’re healing up nicely. You’ll be fine in a day or two,” the healer said a few minutes later and exited the room almost immediately.

The silence that dawned on the room was so thick that a pair of scissors could cut through it.

“I like your eyes,” she blurted out before slapping her hand over her mouth. That was not what she wanted to say.

“Thank you.”

He didn’t say anything again.

“Thank you for rescuing me. I never got to thank you.”

“I was just doing my job, Princess.”

“You can call me Lysa. Everyone calls me that or Elysa if you prefer.”

“Look, Princess…” Aldric started with a stare as hard as steel. Taken aback, Elysa immediately kept quiet. Aldric continued. “First, I’m here to protect you, not to become your friend. When we train, I’ll have one of the men train you. I will be close to you all the time but not close enough to be seen. But if you are in the slightest danger, I’ll be there to take the necessary precautions. Also, please resist the urge to touch or converse with me. Do you understand?”

Elysa sucked in her breath. He didn’t have to be so rude.

“Aldric, I…”

“Please rest. If you need me, I’ll be right outside.”

He walked out the door, but she still felt his presence thick in the room.

She felt a cold sensation on her body, she tried to shout but couldn’t. Her entire body was stuck to the bed, and her eyes turned white.

***

Birds squeaked and flew in fright as Aldric jetted through the forest, snagging branches and anything that stood in his way with Leonardo.

According to the surveillance coordinates, they should be close to where Elysa was.

He wasn’t sure what condition he would find her in, but he had one duty. To bring her back alive and safe.

Rounding the curve, he slowed his pace and headed off into a field. He slowed to a walk and nodded at Leo to pause so he could listen for any sign that they had been followed.

His senses could pinpoint anything within a 6km radius. The cadence of an owl and the rustle of dead leaves filled the night and assured him they were alone.

He pulled out her dress from a box that had been given to him. He needed something with her scent to lead him to her. The soft material slid through his fingers; it was soft as silk. Her sweet scent hit him, and it sent his wolf into a frenzy.

He shook his head, shaking off the daze her scent had put him in, and forced his wolf to focus on the reason they were there in the first place.

He lifted his head upward to the sky and sniffed. He drew in the mingled scent of decaying leaves and the crisp air into his nose.

A jolt shot through his body as he caught a scent settling upon the wind.

Her scent was unique and like nothing he’d ever experienced. He squeezed his eyes shut and forced his body under control. He was on a mission. Now was not the time to fantasize and get caught up in the mate drama.

“Where are we?” he asked Leo

He looked at the map in his hand and pointed out where they were.

“We’re about two miles away.” If he could smell her from this distance, then she must be really scared to be putting off some major fear pheromones.

His pulse sped up as he bared his sharp teeth. His mind was suddenly invaded with every vile image of what they might be doing to her. He curled his fingers into fists, clenched his muscles, and forced his wolf side under control. First things first. He must find Lysa. Her safety was his only priority.

The plan was simple. Get in and find Lysa. He didn’t want to kill anyone, but he wouldn’t hesitate to clear off anyone who stood in his way.

They continued to run until they reached the camp. It was noisy and filled with the sound of celebration. He stopped Leo and stood a step back before changing into his wolf.

“Hey, you,” a large guard yelled. Aldric smirked. His size was enough to intimidate anyone. He continued to strut in the direction of Elysa’s scent.

“Hey, asshole, I know you heard me!”

Anger boiled low in his stomach. He wanted nothing better than to jump the guard right there. Get Elysa out first. He swallowed his rage and held his ground.

“You do not belong here, wolf. You are in our territory, and we can do whatever we want.”

“You have our own inside. How can we leave?” Leo said. They had hoped everything would be settled with words. At least Leo hoped so.

“Bring her out, and we’ll leave.”

“She’s not yours. She is the Alpha’s Cub. You are outnumbered. You should leave now.”

Several people suddenly surrounded them with their swords, sticks, and talismans. It was useless against Aldric, but they didn’t know that.

Elysa stood in the background, she couldn’t interfere, and she couldn’t say a word. What was happening?

“We don’t want to hurt anyone. We just want her,” Leo tried to negotiate.

“Hurt us?” the group of men and women laughed.

“You’re outnumbered. Give up now and leave, or your bones will be brewing in our next dinner. A nice p*t of dog will definitely set us on the right path tomorrow.”

Aldric growled at that statement, a fearful snarl that made everyone flinch.

Elysa stared blankly. This was Aldric. What was she seeing?

His wolf was the biggest she had ever seen. His fur was jet-black with a tint of blue. His paws were large enough to crush a rabbit with little effort. And his blue eyes were eerily icy.

“I can’t hold him back when he is mad. Let us have the girl.”

The group refused to answer him, and Leo got tired. He had tried his best. They couldn’t keep talking whilst something was happening to Elysa inside. With one nod, he sealed their fate. The wolf surged forward and attacked.

Elysa jerked from the vision. Tears pooled in her eyes. She had just witnessed how she was rescued, and her entire body shook to its core. The blood, the gore, the evil. She hated it.

Aldric had also been injured badly, and she wanted to rush to him and check if he was fine.

She looked at the closed door and imagined Aldric standing guard – his huge frame blocking the door and shooting daggers at anyone that came close.

A slow smile crept on her lips. He was her mate.

Everyone spoke of how heavenly it was to finally be with their mate. She had always longed for this. She was scared that since she hadn’t shifted, she wouldn’t be able to experience the bliss, but...

Her smile was wiped off in horror.

He knew he was her mate. She was sure he knew.

But he didn’t want her.