Chapter 3: Mate

Ethan

Silver burns like liquid fire through my veins as I stare at the metal teeth embedded in my flesh. The most powerful Alpha in the region, reduced to prey by a goddamn trap. My leg throbs with searing pain as the Wolfsbane poison seeps deeper, the silver preventing my Alpha healing abilities from working. I know exactly who's responsible.

Kane Redclaw, you son of a bitch.

This trap violates every Moon Council war rule—silver-infused military-grade steel designed specifically to kill Alphas. The metal teeth have shattered my bones, fragments jutting through flesh. The wound edges blacken as silver poison spreads.

Shadow writhes within me, sharing my agony. My warriors are hunting down Redclaw's pack. I know they'll circle back for me eventually – no Pack abandons their Alpha – but I need to survive until then.

Then I smell it—a scent so intoxicating it momentarily dulls my pain. Nutmeg and cinnamon with undertones of something uniquely feminine.

Shadow immediately stirs, suddenly alert despite our condition. Mate, he growls internally, the recognition instantaneous.

After ten fucking years of searching, I find her now? Like this?

Through the trees, a chestnut-brown wolf with copper highlights cautiously approaches. She's beautiful, moving with grace rather than aggression. Her emerald eyes lock with mine, intelligent and assessing.

Shadow pushes forward, connecting with her wolf immediately.

"Your scent... it's you. We've searched so long," Shadow communicates.

"You're injured. The trap contains silver," her wolf responds.

The female wolf backs away, then shifts. Her human form is even more breathtaking—chestnut hair with copper highlights falling in waves over slender shoulders, emerald eyes assessing my condition with clinical precision.

"That's a silver trap with Wolfsbane," she states, crouching to examine it. "An Alpha-killer. Whoever set this violated war protocols."

Her voice sends a wave of calm through me, her scent making the pain recede slightly. I can feel her urgency as she examines my wound, her fingers working with practiced precision. Her eyes dart nervously to the forest around us, clearly aware we're exposed and vulnerable. From her tense movements, I realize she's planning to take me somewhere safer, away from whoever might be hunting me. I struggle to move with Grace's help, my legs barely able to support my weight.

Shadow roars inside me, confirming what I already know—this is our Mate. The sound must echo in my expression because she flinches slightly.

"Easy there," I manage, softening my gaze. "You just risked your safety to release me from a silver trap. I may be a vicious Alpha when I'm hunting my pack's attackers, but I'm not the kind of man who kills someone who just helped me."

"You said you're a doctor?" I ask, needing to hear her voice again.

"I'm studying at Princeton Medical School—human medicine and veterinary science," she replies, her eyes never leaving the trap.

"For humans and wolves? That's unusual."

"It shouldn't be for modern werewolves. We need better medical systems," she answers.

"What pack are you from?" I press.

"I don't belong to any Pack. I'm a Lone Wolf." She changes the subject swiftly. "Do you want me to examine your leg? The Wolfsbane will interfere with your healing abilities."

"Yes, I'd appreciate your medical assessment." I want her closer, her touch already easing my pain.

"What's a Lone Wolf doing alone in these dangerous woods?" I ask as she carefully examines my mangled leg.

"Letting my wolf run. When you attend a human university, it's not easy." She keeps her focus on my injury. "Mercy needs occasional freedom."

"Mercy? Your wolf's name? Fitting for a doctor."

"She's been my greatest support throughout my life," she says, finally meeting my eyes briefly.

Before I can respond, I hear it—the familiar howl of my Beta.

Grace tenses immediately, her body going rigid with fear. "Someone's coming," she says, tensing to flee.

Three wolves burst into view, immediately shifting to human form. My Beta Jackson and warriors have circled back.

Jackson's hostility radiates as he sees me with a naked stranger.

"Don't move," he snarls, hand reaching for his knife. "Who the fuck are you and why are you with our Alpha?"

I sense her fear spike, but instead of running, she positions herself protectively between me and Jackson. This simple act speaks volumes about her character. A perfect Luna, Shadow observes. Putting aside her own fear to protect the injured, even a stranger.

"My Pack," I reassure her, not wanting her to run.

"Lower your weapon, Jackson!" I command. "She saved me."

Jackson looks confused but obeys instantly. "Alpha? Who is this woman?"

"How bad is it?" he asks, examining my leg. "Dr. Richards is waiting at the medical center."

"Severe, with Wolfsbane interference. I'm not sure Richards can handle this properly," I admit.

"We'll get you back to the Packhouse," Jackson says, signaling the warriors to help me up.

As they prepare to move me, I notice her backing away, clearly planning her escape.

"Wait!" I command. "Bring the doctor." They look confused. "The girl! Bring Grace!"

"Don't even think about leaving," I tell her. "We need your medical skills, especially with Wolfsbane."

"I should go back," she protests, anxiety evident in her voice. "I should return to school. I have responsibilities there."

"As you mentioned, it's not safe here, especially for a Lone Wolf," I argue. "What kind of Alpha would I be letting you leave alone? No, you should come with us."

She hesitates, her eyes moving between me and the forest path. I see the calculation happening behind those emerald eyes—weighing her chances of sprinting away versus complying. It's more than normal caution. There's real fear there, something deep and primal.

Finally, she gives a tight nod, but I recognize the lie in the gesture. She's buying time, scanning the trees, mapping distances. Every muscle in her body seems poised for flight.

Shadow growls within me: She's ours. Our Mate. We can't let her disappear.

As my warriors help me up, pain shoots through my leg, momentarily blurring my vision. When my sight clears, I catch Grace glancing toward the densest part of the forest, her body angled slightly away from us.

One wrong move from my men, one moment of distraction from me, and she'll vanish into the trees. The doctor who saved my life—my Mate—might disappear forever.