Read with BonusRead with Bonus

3

Alpha Steele couldn’t be more angrier. Being a ruler of the Cold Moon pack, it happened to have more cons than pros. And now his father was going to depose him the next full moon upon his failure to meet his mate?

That was utterly too dramatic but he wouldn’t put it past his father. Moreover, it’s been long since Steele took a breath, and until he’s completely re-energized, he’s embarking on no mate-finding journey.

Anxiety crept his chest for the first time ever because now, it seems he might have to reconsider his decision. Staying laid back can be dangerous—not when his uncle, Jackson, has been eyeing the throne for his son since forever.

“Your mate won’t fall from the sky, Steele!” His father had rebuked.

With a need to clear his head, he didn’t know when he drove out of the pack house. Alpha Steele veered left and right, darting between the streets while constantly pinching the bridge of his noise… something he always does to restrain his temper.

His keen nostrils soon discerned a scent in the air— of cinnamon. Steele disregarded the smell knowing he was probably mistaken but surprisingly, the scent still lingered in the air.

He darted between the trees, and soon came to a stop in the middle of a lone road. His ember eyes glistening in the dark night, his determined gaze located a feminine figure ahead of his car.

Alpha Steele stilled and came to a dead stop. He registered the smell and well, if it wasn’t the fairly recognized cinnamon scent from a particular defiant lady just this evening.

No it couldn’t be.

Unless he’s mistaken, that particular lady still has a price to pay for her nerves and defiance.

Before he could control himself, he had honked. He opened his car door and prowled out of it.

Mate!

The connection was undeniable.

Mine! His wolf growled.

“I know I have offended you. I— I seriously didn’t mean to, Alpha. I—promise it will never happen again.” Before the Alpha could speak, Alexia beat him to it.

She took a reasonable step back while sweating hard. The idea of escaping far from Alexia’s mind, she’s becoming tired of running away. Because now, she no longer cares however her life turns out.

But what was this smell? What’s this she’s feeling?

“How do I trust it would never happen? You puked on me, little doll.” Alpha Steele pointed out. He knew he ought to immediately claim her right there, nevertheless, he wasn’t about to look past her actions.

No one has ever disrespected him in any form. The last time someone did, the grave took its course, welcoming him. For this reason, he won’t be letting her off the hook, so easily.

“I no longer work at the brothel, so be rest assured.” Alexia whimpered and didn’t even care if he was giving her a listening ear, before turning around to leave. “Goodbye.”

Alexia felt some sort of weight lifting from her shoulders as she continued to walk away. There was however a nagging feeling at the back of her head— she sensed it.

The invigorating citrus scent that radiated off him immediately he approached her. He’s her mate, but how? What prank could the moon goddess be playing on her?

Depending on how perfectly she had feigned oblivion, she knows she could become a better actress.

His wolf stirred, with an angry growl. ‘Claim her!’

Meanwhile Alpha Steele was at loss. He couldn’t believe he was so damn attracted to a woman whom he had just met.

He quickly caught her wrist. He knows this woman, it was only a matter of time before she ran away from him, in fact, he’s surprised she seems to be taking her time this time around. She should know better, because as it is, he’s not willing to let her go, nor was she about to slip from his hold.

“Mate!”

Alexia froze on the spot. And when she finally turned, she looked at him carefully. He felt it? No, this can’t be.

She was just starting to think she had a problem with her nostrils or maybe it was the impact of Marcus’ rejection on her, causing her to imagine the most impossible scenario. But it was the harsh reality.

He was her second chance mate!

She looked down at his hand that was still holding hers. “I’m sorry, but we can’t—”

Mere looking at it, fate looked to have had all sorts of bad luck in stock for her. Alexia saw no reason why the moon goddess should keep battering more salts to her wounds, like she hasn’t had enough already.

She wasn’t looking for a second chance mate! Was it that hard to see? At least, not in the predicament she was in right now. And she’s certainly not aborting the poor child in her stomach.

“No, you’re not rejecting me. Wait, do you even know who I am?!” Alpha Steele cuts her off, evoking a sense of disappointment in her heart.

“I don’t fucking care who you are. I want to!” She yelled, her harsh words pricking at her chest. Who doesn’t know she has no other choice?

Right before her eyes, her life has crumbled already. Like the twinkling of an eye, she wasn’t even opportune to pick the crumbles off the floor and glue them back together before the air blew at her chance.

A constant reminder of how she was going to forever remain miserable.

She wasn’t nurtured with love neither does she know how to return it to others. It won’t be so long before their mate bond would hit rock bottom, he would never want to see her again after showing him why nobody wanted her in the first place.

Not even Marcus. The scumbag who only wanted her for her body.

“You shall not, and I stand on it.” His wolf, Lucas, was furious. He attempted to pull her to his car but she shuddered, wrenching her hand out of his grip.

“Dear Alpha, I can see all is sweet and rosy for you but just so you know, I’m so pathetic and miserable that after my mate rejected me, I won’t shy away from rejecting you too because it’s not too far fetched from my palms. Actually, maybe for once, I can finally make a decision on my own.” Alexia barked. “And you know what? I am pregnant. Do you still want me even after knowing that?”

Silence. A deafening silence.

For a short while, Alpha Steele’s eyes darkened, and it felt as though someone had stabbed him in the chest with a sharp knife. He usually don’t feel pain in his chest, until Alexia dropped the revelation like a bombshell.

There was a subtle sign.

He should have known earlier this evening when she ran away from his chamber that something wasn’t adding up.

He had mind-linked his Beta, Kade, to bring in a maid for the proper cleansing of the vomit and he dared to ask if he brought in a pregnant woman to bed this time around.

Alpha Steele was someone admired by his father from his tender age for not running away from his problem. But now, he needed to breathe. He felt like he was suffocating at the news but he stayed.

It takes quite a lot of effort to get the might Alpha Steele at loss of word but somehow, he stayed transfixed and speechless, equally overwhelmed with a flood of conflicting emotions.

Alexia paused to study his expression but was met with none. Before he could say anything, she cleared her throat, attempting to sound causal as she turned on her heels. “Yes, exactly what I thought.”

As she walked, she refused to look in his direction. Not too long after, she heard the sound of his car taking off.

Alexia sobbed as she ventured further into the dangerous night, regret clearing her chest. It was for the best—she reassured herself.

He didn’t even let her reject him, which almost rendered her guilty and unable to justify her insecurities.

Tears clouded her vision. She realized she had collided with a brick wall when it was too late.

Alexia’s gaze rose, only to narrow her eyes and clean her tears away, doubting the accuracy of her sight.

Before her were rogues shifting into their wolf forms. Unexpectedly, their furs sprout out, and they beared their claws.

They stood so tall and imposing that Alexia could swear she no longer feel her breath. All hope lost and taken over by fear, she hopelessly looked around for an escape.

They aren’t just fooling around. Their looks alone evoked threats.

“What is a young lady like you doing in the middle of the road.” The mysterious biggest wolf lept forward, followed by the smaller version of him. “Waiting for us?”

“Get away from me!” Alexia’s heart drummed against her ribcage as the rogues advanced towards her.

They prepare to attack and she immediately dropped the pretense of bravery.

“I’m—sorry. Please, pl—ease don’t do this.” Her wailing fell on deaf ears.

Before she could bat one eye, they have mauled her to the floor.

One even went as far as kicking her in the stomach, aggressively. “Who do you think you are, woman?! We are already banished from the pack, now the power lies in our hands because we can just decide to kill you.”

“Right here and now.” The second man suggested, evily. Alexia winched as she rested her hand on her pregnant stomach.

She was struggling to scramble back to her feet when a force hits her. Before she knows it, the man sat on her back, forcing her belly pressed against the ground.

“I’m sure you can now see who is superior.” The smaller wolf’s lips parted into a mocking snicker. A full blown smile adored their mouths: it’s been so long they’ve had a lad in their captive.

And tonight seems like the lucky day. More, and they had be able demand a whooping ransom from the pack’s Alpha.

Mentally preparing her head from crashing against the floor, Alexia arched her back but knowing how much that would cost her her spine, she relented.

She was completely caught off guard when the rogue stood only to bounce back on her back. She crashed her face to the floor, blood spurting from under her dress.

Miscarriage?!

“Oh my goodness, you scum bags. What have you done?” Alexia gritted her teeth. The imagery of agonizing beneath him wailing, and unable to do anything filled her with so much pain.

Now she couldn’t be so certain she didn’t just have a miscarriage. Why was she this weak?!

“What is going on here, you insolent rogues?!” The cold wind blew as destruction appeared in form of a certain amber-eyed Alpha.

The pain that had been so intense moments ago was now replaced by a burning heat.

Previous Chapter
Next Chapter