The Alpha's Forsaken Feisty Mate

Nina found herself with her back pressed against the rough bark of a tree, both of them catching their breath as the rain poured relentlessly around them. Their soaked clothes clung to their bodies, and droplets traced paths down their skin.

"Leon... we’re completely drenched," Nina murmured between shallow breaths.

"I know," Leon replied, his golden eyes glowing faintly. "And I don’t like getting wet."

Despite his words, there was something unspoken in the way he looked at her that made the rain and cold seem irrelevant. And the scent she had was soft and comforting. Like the blooming orchids and roses.

In that moment, Nina felt it too, the bond he had spoken of before. Her heart began to race, thudding like a drum in her chest.

She inhaled, taking in the faint scent that lingered around Leon. It was earthy, warm, and oddly calming. As her gaze met his, her irises shimmered with a soft blue glow, mirroring the connection they shared.

"Is this..."

"Yes. I can’t believe you turned out to be my mate," Leon murmured, his thumb brushing gently along her cheek, his eyes locked onto hers with a mix of disbelief and hunger.

"Don’t you like it?" Nina asked.

"I do," he said, barely restraining himself from not marking her. Then he leaned in and kissed her, fiercer this time, wanting to remind himself that all of this was real.

His hands found her thighs, lifting her with ease as her back pressed fully against the thick stem of the tree.

Nina gasped, her fingers tangling into the soft strands of his hair. "Leon... hah..." Her moan melted into the storm around them as his lips moved to her neck, searching.

He found a spot just near her collarbone and sucked hard, leaving no doubt it belonged to him. His canines extended, and his wolf growled low in his chest, desperate to mark what was his.

Nina felt his teeth graze her skin and a shiver coursed through her body. The matebond pulsed between them, making their minds lose complete control.

"Ahhh!" Nina cried out, her grip tightening in Leon’s hair as his canines sank into her skin. A sharp jolt of pain quickly gave way to burning heat that surged through her veins. Her head thrashed back against the tree bark, her entire body trembling from the force of the matebond.

Leon sucked gently at the mark he’d made before placing a soft kiss over it, trailing his lips up to her jawline. Slowly, he eased her down until her feet just grazed the ground.

"You... you marked me?" Nina whispered, meeting his gaze, still feeling breathlesd.

"Yes," Leon admitted. "I couldn’t stop myself."

His body pressed against hers and she could feel his hard manhood beneath those clothes. Nina’s cheeks flushed, the blush spreading all the way to her ears as she felt the evidence of his desire.

"Then I must mark you too," she said, her eyes glowing with a vibrant blue. "Though... I doubt this is the place for it. We should return to the palace."

Without another word, Leon grasped her hand and they ran, soaked to the bone, uncaring of the glances thrown their way, toward the palace.

Once inside the chamber, silence fell between them.

Nina stood with her back to him, her wet hair clinging to her skin, her chest rising and falling in anticipation. Her breath hitched when she sensed him behind her. His fingers found the delicate knots at the back of her gown and began untying them slowly, reverently.

She clutched the fabric at her sides, heart pounding. When the dress slipped off her shoulders and pooled around her feet, Leon’s warm lips landed against her bare skin, kissing the new mark tenderly. She felt his fingers unfasten his overcoat and cast it aside.

Nina turned to him then, eyes searching his face. He stood in only his shirt now, soaked and clinging to his frame. Her fingers reached up, trembling slightly, and began undoing the silver buttons one by one.

A soft moan escaped her lips as Leon didn’t stop peppering the kisses on her neck.

"Nina, you can stop me now," Leon said, taking a step back, his gaze locked with hers.

"I don’t think either of us wants to stop," she replied without blinking her eyes.

"Then I have your permission," he murmured.

Nina gave a gentle nod, her hands reaching for the shoulders of her gown. With one motion, the fabric slipped down, pooling soundlessly at her feet. Her thin chemise clung to her curves, still damp, and Leon swallowed hard at the sight.

In the next breath, his strong arms lifted her effortlessly, carrying her to the bed. As he settled above her, his fingers traced a slow path from her shoulder, over the curve of her body, down to her waist, barely touching, yet leaving trails of fire in their wake.

Shivers coursed through her, and yet he had only just begun. Her lips parted with anticipation.

"Leon," she whispered, her voice breathless yet clear, "don’t make me wait anymore."

Though her cheeks were flushing red, she didn’t hesitate to express her desire.

~~~~~

"Savio, how long are you going to work day and night?" Radulf complained, his voice tinged with concern. "I know you’re my beta, but it’s time you took a break. The pack is stable now. There’s no need for you to carry all the weight. I’ll handle things on my end. As for you, my friend," Radulf paused, rising from his seat and placing both hands on Savio’s shoulders, "it’s time to go out and find a mate. I don’t wish to hear any more excuses."

Savio let out a hearty laugh and shook his head, his expression a mix of amusement and resignation. "I don’t think now is the right time for me," he replied.

"Don’t be ridiculous!" Radulf grinned, his tone playful yet firm. "Go out, meet some women. You deserve it. And if you don’t, I have to set you up."

"Don’t do that," Savio said.

"Why?" Radulf arched a brow, clearly amused. "You’re the one who always lectured me about family, this and that. Just trust me on this. Zenna has some great friends from other packs. Not the closest ones, but they’re her friends. She can suggest someone for you."

Savio couldn’t help but laugh, shaking his head.

"Alright. As my Alpha commands," he muttered with a smirk.

"Great!" Radulf grinned. "I’m glad you finally listened to me."

Savio’s expression shifted as a thought crossed his mind. "Radulf," he began, his voice turning more serious, "why do you think High Priestess Selina hasn’t come yet? You did say she’d show up the day the council meeting happened."

"I got her message," Radulf said with a thoughtful look. "She mentioned that she didn’t come because she already knew the truth would be revealed without her presence."

"That explains it," Savio said, nodding in understanding. "Commander Alfred wanted to see you as well. You should meet him in private sometime—he probably has a lot to say to you."

"Hmm. I’ll do that," Radulf agreed. "I’ve been thinking about constructing a private cottage for Zenna and me. There are too many disturbances here."

Savio raised an eyebrow, a smirk tugging at his lips. "Just admit it. You want to keep her locked up in the room with you. Those alpha pheromones are hitting you hard, aren’t they?" he teased, chuckling.

"Yes, they do," Radulf replied, a smile tugging at his lips. "Gregor is getting married next week. Zenna said she would help Aster choose her wedding dress and assist with the preparations."

"Isn’t that great?" Savio responded. "Her best friend, Gregor, is marrying his fated mate. I still remember how jealous you used to get of Gregor. Thankfully, he found his mate, or else you’d have convinced yourself that Gregor wanted Zenna."

Radulf’s expression darkened slightly, a flicker of jealousy still in his eyes. "He knows too much about her. That used to bother me, but not anymore," he said, a deep sigh escaping him.

"It bothers me that Gregor saw her vulnerable times. I remember kids around me speaking about a princess in the cold palace, but I never paid heed to it. I would have met Zenna when she was young and things would have been different. I still believe I’ve hurt Zenna a lot... I feel she’s too good to me to forgive me. Even thinking about this now, aches my heart for some reason."

Radulf placed his hand on his chest while Savio smiled.

"Well, you should forget it now. You’ve come a long way from that phase. You need to think of future, where you never hurt Zenna. And grow a family with her, Radulf. Have kids and have fun too," Savio said with a bright smile.

"Recently she’s talking about kids. At the end of the day, it’s on her. Not me. Childbirth is painful. I’ve heard about it," Radulf muttered. "But having beautiful kids like Zenna and me will definitely complete us."