I held off until morning to break the news to Alpha Archibald about my departure. I didn’t have the nerve to wake him and Luna in the dead of night.
He’d likely be upset about me roaming the forest alone after dark. It wasn’t exactly ladylike behavior.
To some, my actions might seem suspicious, even wrong. My mother always instilled in me the importance of grace and elegance, as if she belonged to a different era. If only they knew I was a servant of the forest, that’s all I ever wanted—to be understood, to find peace.
My mate. Alpha Kairos. I’ve heard tales about him. Terrible, brutal, cunning, and wicked tales. The stories never quite matched up, leaving me to wonder which, if any, were true.
Some said he slaughtered most of his pack out of sheer boredom, with the survivors still imprisoned. Others claimed he was the devil incarnate. There were whispers of him cursing his pack members.
He asked me to go with him. I was afraid to refuse, knowing that where there’s smoke, there’s fire. I didn’t know what he was capable of. But he was my mate, and to deny him would slowly kill us both.
I couldn’t bear another rejection. I had to do everything in my power to prevent him from rejecting me. Once you meet your mate, life without them is unthinkable. But if I wasn’t good enough for Alpha Hans, who’s to say I’d be enough for him?
I spent the entire night awake, anxiously waiting to speak with Alpha. Now, I stood in the training field, waiting for Alpha Archibald to notice me. My cape drew attention, even though most were accustomed to it.
This time, I think it was the sight of a woman in the training field that turned heads. Women weren’t allowed to train, let alone be here. But I had no choice—this couldn’t wait.
“Adelie. You’ve never broken my rules before. I hope this is important,” Alpha said sternly. He wasn’t cruel, just responsible and mature. My alpha, in his early thirties, had learned how to be a worthy Alpha and protect his pack. He was a good Alpha.
“Alpha, I apologize for the interruption, but this is urgent. Last night, I snuck out to the forest,” I began, unsure of how to continue.
“Adelie, while I appreciate your honesty, this isn’t a punishable offense. Can I return to my training?” he asked, turning to leave. I quickly spoke up.
“I met my mate there.”
He looked at me, puzzled.
“Mate?” He seemed confused. “Your mate died, didn’t he?”
“My second chance,” I replied, and his gaze intensified. “He was trespassing, but I believe the mate bond drew him here,” I found myself defending Alpha Kairos.
“There’s only one neighboring pack. Who is he?” He braced himself for the worst. I knew he suspected it was someone from the Night Walkers Pack.
“He’s from the Night Walkers Pack,” I began, gauging his reaction. He only looked more curious.
“An Omega?” He knew my previous mate was an Omega. It would make sense if my second chance was also an Omega. I never thought I’d have another mate, so I never questioned my lie.
“No. The Alpha,” I said, trying to keep my voice steady.
Alpha cleared his throat, trying to hide his discomfort. “I see.”
He straightened up. “Kairos, his name is, correct?” I simply nodded. I found it hard to believe he wasn’t sure of his name. Everyone knew the infamous Alpha Kairos.
“What did he tell you?” He probed, hoping to glean more about the elusive Alpha Kairos. Rumor had it that Kairos hadn’t been seen since that dreadful night when his pack was decimated.
“He promised to be here at five o’clock to escort me to his pack.”
“And you’re okay with that?” His confusion was palpable.
I managed a smile at his bewilderment. “Absolutely, he’s my mate.” I held onto the belief that mates couldn’t physically harm each other. But then again, I once believed that mates couldn’t reject each other either.
He was my mate, destined to love me. Even if he was a monster, I was his mate and I could help him find his goodness. If he was taking me to his pack, it meant he wanted me as his mate. Why else would he do it?
“Alright. Thanks for the heads up,” the Alpha said before returning to his training.
I had already packed my belongings, mostly dresses and a few books. They were witchcraft books, filled with useful potion recipes. Only witches could make the potions work, and I didn’t understand why I could do it. I wasn’t a witch in any sense of the word. I always assumed it had something to do with my father.
Today, I chose to wear my forest green dress. It was ankle-length with a V-neck and mesh sleeves. It was beautiful and flowed around me. I braided my hair into a thick side braid and adorned it with flowers. I wanted to look nice for my mate. Even if I wore my cape, I believed my mate would eventually ask me to remove the hood.
I waited anxiously until five o’clock. My Alpha was also on edge. I could see him pacing in front of the pack house, hands clasped behind his back. Some guards were even summoned. I guess no one really knew what Alpha Kairos was capable of.
At exactly five o’clock, a car came into view from my window, a jet black vintage Ford Mustang. My pack’s Beta was dispatched to collect my suitcases. I stepped outside and watched as Alpha Kairos emerged from his car, alone. I would have thought he’d bring someone with him. It was risky for Alphas to travel alone, they never did. But then again, we were neighboring packs and the journey wasn’t long. The car was mostly needed to transport my belongings. If I could shift, I could run to his pack in no time. He didn’t know that I couldn’t shift, I would have to tell him eventually.
I didn’t stare at him for long, he didn’t even notice me watching.
Alpha Kairos was dressed in all black, his black coat adding to his intimidating, enigmatic aura.
He approached Alpha Archibald. “Nice to meet you. I assume Adelie filled you in?” He asked and Archibald nodded. They shook hands like any other men would.
“May I have a word with you?” Archibald asked Kairos. For a brief moment, Kairos glanced at me before walking away with Archibald.
A guard attempted to follow the Alphas but was halted by a swift hand gesture from Alpha Archibald.
“What did you want to discuss?” I asked when Archibald had led us to a secluded spot.
“Adelie,” he replied. Of course, I was taking one of his pack members. He probably thought I was going to kill her, like the rest of my pack.
“What about her?”
“Adelie is an odd girl.”
Odd? That could mean a multitude of things. I knew she wasn’t a typical she-wolf. She didn’t look like one, she was far more beautiful and graceful.
I had only heard her speak a few words but I had never heard anyone speak with such tranquility. Her voice was soothing.
And she was wearing her cape again, why? I had seen her beauty, so why hide it?
“She found her way into my territory about a year ago, after running away from her own pack,” he explained.
“Why’d she run?” I asked.
“Honestly, I think it’s best if she tells you herself,” he replied.
That seemed fair enough to me.
“She’s always been different. Her wolf is unusually weak, she can’t shift. But I suspect there’s more to it,” Alpha Archibald continued.
“You think she’s hiding something?” I asked, intrigued.
He nodded in agreement. “She’s always worn this cape of hers. I don’t know her past, but I don’t believe she’s just an ordinary werewolf.”
“Could she be a vampire? A witch?” I asked, trying to guess.
He shook his head. “I’m not sure. But what I do know is that she’s kind-hearted and forgiving. She always puts others before herself and is incredibly polite and well-mannered.”
I listened intently to his words.
“Promise me you’ll protect her,” Archibald implored. “She may seem strong, but she’s delicate. If you ever change your mind about her, bring her back here. Nowhere else.”
He moved closer to me. “Whether it’s tomorrow or ten years from now, bring her back here. Even though she was only here for a year, she was the most helpful omega we’ve ever had. If you let her, she’ll make a great Luna,” he said, walking away before I could respond.
I returned to where two suitcases were waiting. I picked them up and placed them in the backseat of my car.
Archibald approached Adelie, taking her hands in his. “Take care, Adelie. You can call anytime. You’re always welcome here.” It was clear they all thought I would hurt her.
Adelie released his hands and turned to me as I opened the car door for her.
I started the car and began the drive. It would take a while. If we were in our wolf forms, we’d get to my pack much faster.
Her scent filled the car. “Why do you always wear your hood?” I asked, unable to ignore the mystery any longer.
“That’s just how I am,” was all she said. But that wasn’t a satisfactory answer.
“Take it off,” I demanded, perhaps a bit too harshly.
“It’s better if I keep it on, Alpha,” she replied, her voice shaky.
“Take it off.” She didn’t hesitate this time. She removed her hood, but I didn’t dare look at her. I was afraid I’d crash the car.
I decided to get straight to the point. “What happened to your original mate?”
“He died. He was an omega in my old pack.” How could she have an omega and an alpha as mates? If a wolf gets a second chance at a mate, it’s always within the same rank. Something wasn’t adding up.
“Why did you run away?” I asked.
She took a moment before answering. “The pain, the memories of him were too much to bear.”
I wasn’t entirely lying. It did hurt, but that wasn’t why I left. I left because my parents told me to. If they hadn’t made me run, I’d probably be dead by now.
“Does it still hurt?” He asked, and for a moment, I thought he might actually care.
“No.” Once your mate dies, the bond is broken. But my bond wasn’t broken because he was very much alive. I still felt him. The pain of thinking about him was unbearable. Only Kairos’ mark could ease the pain.
“Why can’t you shift?” I guess Alpha Archibald told him more than I thought. What should I say?
“That’s just how I am,” was the simplest answer.
“So, you’re weak?” He asked, not as an insult, but as a statement. I nodded in agreement. It hurt a little that my own mate thought I was weak.
“That’s a positive,” he murmured. But why would it be?
He didn’t probe further. I took it as my cue to ask. “What happened to your partner?” I ventured cautiously. Was it even my place to ask? But it seemed fair since he’d asked me.
“I don’t appreciate your questions,” he retorted, his grip tightening on the steering wheel. I’d clearly upset him—his jaw was set, his knuckles white from the strain.
“Alpha Archibald suspects you’re concealing something. About your true nature…”
He thought that? When had I given him any reason to doubt me? So my deception wasn’t as seamless as I’d hoped. “What are you? Who is Adelie Murrell?” He demanded, struggling to keep his anger in check.
I swallowed the lump in my throat, taking a moment to respond. “A werewolf,” I admitted. I’m a werewolf and that’s all anyone needed to know. That's what everyone believed about my mother and that’s what they’d believe about me.
He let out a scornful chuckle. “Just a werewolf…”
He fell silent.
Kairos pulled up to a grand house. It was a weathered gray, vintage in appearance. Not old in a negative sense. But charmingly so. It had a certain eerie quality, much like Kairos himself.
Kairos didn’t exit the car. He turned to me, his hazel eyes intense. “You get one question.”
One question, implying no more inquiries were permitted.
Just one shot. What should I ask? About his partner? His family? His pack? About him?
“Are you as wicked as the tales suggest?” I asked. This was the answer I was most eager to hear, the one that mattered most.
“No…” he began, then paused. “I’m far worse,” he confessed, a sinister grin playing on his lips that sent a chill down my spine.
