Chapter 37
~Alex’s POV-
-Seven Years Ago-
The amber liquid swirled in my ss, catching the dim bar light. Adrian, sprawled across the booth
from me, mirrored my action, his own drink disappearing with a satisfied grunt.
“So, let me get this straight,” he drawled, his voice thick with amusement. “Intense, undeniable
connection? You felt all that so that meant you finally found the person you were predestined to be
with for the rest of your life? Your mate.”
I grunted in reply, the news still settling in my gut like a boulder. A mate. The word itself felt old
fashioned, a relic from a bygone era. Yet, here I was, a modern man facing a truth as primal as
instinct.
“And she’s a college freshman? Not just that, she is a Stone.” Adrian pressed, a sardonic grin
twisting his lips.
“Junior,” I corrected, forcing down another gulp of whiskey. The burn did little to soothe the disquiet
churning inside me. I knew what he was getting at. I was a thirty year old man. Nine years wasn’t so
much but trust Adrian to point that out.
He threw his head back and roared withughter, the sound harsh and grating in the smoky bar.
“Brilliant! Just brilliant! Your Moon Goddess really has a twisted sense of humor, doesn’t she?”
My jaw clenched, a low growl rumbling in my chest. Adrian, with his infuriating brand of gallows
humor, was the only person! could have confided in. But even his amusement felt like sandpaper on
a raw wound.
“What’s so funny?” I snapped, my voiceced with a dangerous edge.
He sobered up instantly, raising his hands in mock surrender. “Whoa there, big guy. No need to get
your fur in a twist. It’s just… the irony, you know? Amaya Stone, daughter of that self-righteous p r i
c k Daniel Stone. Of all the people that could have fathered her, it just had to be him.”
The name hung in the air, heavy with history. Daniel Stone, the Alpha of the rival Crescent pack,
had been a thorn in my side for as long as I could remember. The animosity between our packs ranN?velDrama.Org owns this text.
deep, a legacy of past grievances.
“I don’t give a damn about Daniel Stone,” I growled, the words a low rumble in my chest. “She’s
mine. And I’ll take what’s mine.”
“Hold on, Romeo,” He scoffed. “Don’t get all possessive on me. This isn’t some fairy tale. She’s not
a damsel in distress waiting to be swept off her feet by the brooding Alpha.”
He was right, of course. From the moment I’did eyes on her across the bar, I’d known she was
anything but ordinary. I couldn’t stop myself. I was drawn to her and there waas nothing I could do
stop it no matter how hard I tried nor was I interested in stopping it.
“So, what’s the n, then, Casanova?” he continued, his voiceced with a challenge. “Shower her
with expensive gifts? Serenade her under her window? Stalk her? Kidnap her? Force her to be with
you? Because I don’t think she would go against her father, her entire pack to be with you.”
A muscle ticked in my jaw. He was right again. This wouldn’t be easy. iming a mate from a rival
pack was a delicate dance,
Chapter 37
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fraught with potential for bloodshed. But the primal urge that pulsed within me, the undeniable pull
towards Amaya, wouldn’t be ignored.
“I haven’t figured it out yet,” I admitted, frustration gnawing at me. “But one thing’s for sure. I won’t
let some ancient pack rivalry stand in the way of what’s mine.”
He studied me for a long moment, a flicker of concern recing his earlier amusement. “Just be
careful, Alex,” he said finally, his voice low and serious. “This could get messy. Really messy.”
I met his gaze, my own unwavering. “I know the risks,” I said. “But this… this is different. This is my
mate. And nothing will stop me from iming her.”
The weight of his words hung heavy in the air as we finished our drinks, a silent understanding
settling between us. The path ahead wouldn’t be easy, but the primal pull of the mate bond was
stronger than any obstacle.
Just then, he sprang to his feet, a mischievous grin spreading across his face. “Alright, enough
brooding,” he dered, pping me on the back. “Let’s go see what this woman looks like that’s
managed to rattle the all-powerful billionaire Alpha Alex Thorne.”
I scoffed, shaking my head, but a reluctant smile tugged at the corner of my lips. “We’re not going
anywhere near her, Adrian, When I see her again, I want her to be mine,” I finished, the
possessiveness in my voice undeniable..
His grin widened. “Come on, Alex,” he chuckled. “Loosen up a bit. A little harmless curiosity
wouldn’t hurt, would it? Besides, I wouldn’t mind seeing the woman who’s got you all worked up.”
“It’s not harmless curiosity, Adrian,” I countered, my voice firm butced with a hint of amusement at
his usual daredevil tendencies. “This is serious. We don’t want to s p o her or cause an incident with
the Crescent pack, especially not before I have a n.
“Alright, alright,” he conceded, raising his hands in mock surrender. “But stalking from a distance is
practically a national pastime for werewolves, right? We can just observe from afar, gather some
intel. No need to get all Alpha protective just yet.”
I growled yfully, pushing myself out of the booth. “Stalking is a strong word, Adrian.”
“Oh,e on,” he countered, slinging an arm around my shoulder as we headed towards the door.
“Don’t be such a stick in the mud. Besides, you know you’re curious too. What is she like? Maybe
she’ll be out practicing her wolf form under the full moon tonight, who knows?”
Despite myself, a small spark of curiosity flickered within me. The truth was, I hadn’t seen her since
I left my mark on her in the bar bathroom after the initial shock of discovering our mate bond. The
weight of the situation, the potential for conflict between our packs, had kept me at a distance. But
the thought of seeing her again, even from afar, sent a thrill through me.
Just before we stepped out of he bar, Adrian stopped and ced a hand on my shoulder, his earlier
amusement reced by a look of genuine concern. “No matter what, Alex,” he said, his voice low
and serious. “I’ll be with you every step of the way.”
I met his gaze, a wave of gratitude washing over me. Trust didn’te easily for me, especially with
my past. But Adrian, my closest friend and confidant, had earned it which was why he knew
everything about me including the fact that I was a werewolf even though he was a human. A silent
understanding passed between us, a promise spoken without words.
With a small smile, I nodded in response, We may be heading into uncharted territory, but at least I
wouldn’t be facing it alone.
The memory faded, reced by the stark reality of the present. I blinked open my eyes, the sterile
white walls of the prison infirmary swimming into focus. Seven years. The memory was from seven
years but I hadn’t seen him in three years ever since he ended up in prison.
A harsh cough shattered the silence. I snapped my eyes open to see a burly guard with a shaved
head standing before me, “Mr Thome, right this way.”
With a curt nod, I followed him down the sterile hallway, the rhythmic clink of his boots echoing
against the polished concrete floor. The air grew thick and stale as we turned a corner, the
fluorescent lights casting an unttering, clinical glow. The guard stopped in front of a heavy, steel
door.
A metallic ng echoed through the corridor as the guard unlocked the door. He gestured towards
the darkness within. “We usually give ten minutes tops but for you Sir, we will extend the time.”
I nodded, not paying him more attention than I needed to. There were many advantages that came
with being one of the city’s most respected billionaires. This was one of those times.
I hesitated for a moment, a knot of apprehension tightening in my gut. Taking a deep breath, I
stepped into the darkness. The heavy door nged shut behind me, plunging me into a suffocating
ckness.
Then, a shift in the air. He stood in the center of the small cell. The chains binding his wrists and
ankles clinked faintly as he finally turned to face me, Gone was the easy charm that had once
crinkled the corners of his eyes. His face was gaunt, etched with the harsh lines of hardship. His
once-golden hair, usually worn meticulously styled, was matted and dull, hangingnkly around his
shoulders.
Silence stretched between us, thick and suffocating. His voice, when it finally came, was devoid of
warmth, as hard and unforgiving as the stone floor beneath my feet: “It’s been too long, Alex,” he
rasped, each wordced with venom. “Not since thest time we spoke. When you took everything
from me.”
Hatred burned in his eyes, a raging inferno directed solely at me, “And threw me in prison.”