Mateo Santiago

MATEO

People feared me. They feared what I stood for and the bold justice I followed.

I demanded respect.

Loyalty.

There was no room in my pack for those who were disloyal.

I was fifteen when I took over the pack. My parents, murdered, had taught me to live on my own, to fend for myself from a young age.

As far as I was concerned, I’d earned the title of Alpha long ago. I was worthy of the Vistas Moon Pack, and them of me. No one would take what was mine. Each time someone dared, each time a rogue crossed onto our territory looking to take and take, they would suffer their decision.

And now someone had dared again.

“When did this happen?”

Orion stood at attention by my desk. The Beta, and my closest friend, Orion was the best at his job. Organized, respectable, and loyal, he was the epitome of what I wanted in my pack.

“She crossed into our territory a few hours ago. She came from the direction of the Litmus pack.”

I growled. The mention of the name annoyed me. The Alpha of Litmus was everything I hated. He was dishonorable and cruel. When we had reached out in a time of need, he refused while cackling. Many packs in the surrounding area were waiting for the day that his heir took over. They hoped for someone more tolerable.

I eagerly awaited the day Royce took control.

“There’s more, Mateo.”

I scowled. While Orion never failed to give me a thorough report of any incident, he oftentimes tried to push for me to sympathize more.

“She was being hunted down by a couple of wolves. They smelled of Dayton.”

“Why has it taken so long to get her back here?”

Orion hesitated, an act he usually never did. It had me anxious.

“We had some trouble getting her back here…”

“Spit it out, Orion.”

“When we confronted her, she was knocked unconscious. And when we tried to move her, well, whoever touched her would faint. The doctors had to find some special gloves just to treat her.”

Warning bells went off in my mind. Whoever this intruder was had power, or they were cursed. Either way, it meant trouble, perhaps foul intention. Who knew what this female had planned if she had gotten close enough to the pack?

What if she needed help?

Zeus, my wolf, was as righteous and stubborn as I was. While we agreed on many things, whenever a disagreement arose, it was difficult to come to a compromise.

We must dispose of her, I told my wolf.

You don’t have enough information to make that call yet.

She brings with her curses and unexplainable magic. We need to protect what’s ours.

Justice is only good when it's necessary.

Zeus’s growl faded away into silence. He had made his point, though leniency could be very dangerous.

There had been a similar situation before. A rogue had come onto our lands, claiming he was running from a cruel Alpha. He said he had been banished for trying to protect the Alpha’s daughter from unwanted advances.

The Alpha had set up the match, though, and thought the rogue had wanted to steal his daughter away. He wouldn’t listen to reason and ordered him killed for treason.

He came to us, seeking sanctuary.

He had lied.

At the time, Zeus and I had been conflicted over what to do with him. I wanted to send him on his way, a slap on his wrist for intruding on us so rudely.

His problems would bring unnecessary trouble down on our heads. When he refused to give the name of the supposed Alpha, though, my suspicions grew.

Zeus had insisted we exhaust all methods of investigation before deciding what to do. I was inclined to agree—no one should be punished for a crime they didn’t commit—except for the information he refused to share. We discussed it for days.

In the end, the Rogue had wanted to kill me for my title, and his true motives were revealed when he snuck into my room.

“Is she guarded?”

“Yes, Alpha. I have Max and Sam standing outside her room.”

“Show me.”

Orion led the way to the infirmary. While it wasn’t far, it was separate from our pack house. Sam and Max stood waiting outside one of our treatment room doors. Before we could step inside, the door slammed open and Mama Deo, our resident witch, stepped out.

Sam hurried to shut the door but not before the scent of strawberries and vanilla wafted into the hall. It was enough to make my nose twitch, and I had to catch myself from trying to breathe it all in.

What the hell?

Orion hurried forward to help Mama Deo. She was pale and shaky, and I berated myself for not noticing sooner.

Mama Deo was a mother hen to everyone in the pack. As a result, most viewed her as another mother, especially me, even though she wasn’t a werewolf. Where my mother had failed to show me compassion and a nurturing nature, Mama Deo had delivered it to me in spades.

“What happened?” I directed them into an opposite room. In there, Orion laid her down on the bed.

All the while, she was muttering under her breath, words I couldn’t understand.

Orion held her hand, and I stepped up on her other side to do the same. Worry etched his features like mine. I felt the tension vibrating under my skin, in my bones.

“Mama Deo.” I had to call her name a few more times before she snapped out of it. She was still trembling and pale, but her eyes focused on me.

She forced out a shaky smile.

“I’m fine,” she assured me. “That one’s special, though.” Her eyes trailed to the room where the rogue was being kept. “A verifiable lightning rod, that girl. Don’t touch her with a ten-foot pole.”

Her words made me bristle. Who was this person to make one of the strongest witches on this side of the world falter? My grip tightened before I released her. Standing, I stalked across the room. Orion called after me, no doubt getting up to follow.

I stormed into the other room and halted.

I was hit with a wall of that same delicious aroma. Strawberries and vanilla. It made my mouth water. It was enticing.

My eyes fell on the figure lying on the bed, and my heart nearly stopped. She was beautiful. Flowing blonde hair, milky-white skin, and curves that could kill any man.

Mine.

I didn’t know if it was Zeus or me who said it. It didn’t matter. We wanted this girl. We needed her.

We wanted to own her.

Mark her.

Fuck her.

No doubt, it would be amazing.

“Alpha?” I heard Orion faintly calling for me, but my eyes were glued to her.

What was her name?

Mateo, you can’t kill her. Can’t harm her.

We will see.

I didn’t know if I could. If it came to it, though, and this rogue proved to be like all the rest and the pack was at stake…

I wouldn’t have much of a choice.

“Alpha!” Orion’s call spurred me into action. I had to touch her, had to know if her skin was as soft as it looked. If her hair glowed as much as it did up close.

Walking toward her bed was like walking through molasses, slow and too time consuming. By the time I reached her bed, my heart was thumping hard. Could Orion hear it? Sam? Max? I hoped not.

I reached a hand out to stroke through her hair, over her cheek, and I jumped. It was like an electric shot, one that traveled through my body straight to my groin. It left me aching.

Throbbing.

Zeus screamed at the touch, roared inside my head, just as her eyes flashed open.