Chapter 4:THE MATE CONNECTION

Harold’s POV

I kept pacing across the floor of my office in tune with my wolf as it grumbled inside of me like he had been starved for days. I know he hasn’t, he just feels… anxious. He’s felt that way ever since Elara, my Omega, had brought the strange girl into the pack house.

I suspected the real reason why this was happening, but I only had to wait for her to wake up to confirm it.

I knew immediately she woke up because I had to double down on my control. I walked out of my office and made my way downstairs to the room where she was staying. Now, as I stand outside the room Elara had prepared for her, the feeling intensifies.

“Pipedown,” I grumbled to my wolf and he growled back. Taking a deep breath, I pushed down the primal urge of my wolf, at least until I knew who this woman was and what brought her to my pack.

I nodded at the guards stationed in front of her room and they shifted to let me pass. Pushing the door open, The woman is seated on the edge of the bed and I can’t tell if she was looking outside the window or the wall.

Not that I had the time to be sure anyway because, at the sound of the door opening, her hair swerved to the side as she turned to look over her shoulder at whoever had interrupted her moment. One look at her and my breath caught in my throat.

I sensed a mixed look of excitement and suspicion flash through her eyes before it settled on the latter.

The moment our eyes met, there was a shift within me, a connection that transcended logic. My wolf whined a low, desperate sound. I could almost feel him clawing against the cage of my chest desperate to get out and go to her. It was unmistakably a mate bond, a primal recognition I couldn't ignore. It had felt less prominent when I first saw her because she was unconscious but I was now sure she was my mate.

But it didn’t matter if she was my mate. I had spent years building my walls of control after a disastrous first love. I wouldn't let raw instinct cloud my judgment. I can’t risk making myself vulnerable to anyone I didn’t know whose aim I didn’t know. Mate or not.

I forced any reaction away from my face, maintaining the stoic mask that had served me well as Alpha of the Bloodmoon Pack. "You're awake," I state, my voice neutral.

She stood from the bed to face me and remained silent for a moment, her gaze searching mine. The fear I'd seen earlier had morphed into a wary defiance, a glint of steel in her green eyes. It was a look I recognized in myself, the look of a survivor. "Where am I?" she finally asked, her voice a husky whisper.

"Bloodmoon Pack territory," I replied. "I'm Harold, the Alpha."

The green eyes narrowed but I know a lot about reading expressions and I can tell that despite the stubborn tilt of her chin, she was still scared. "Alpha, huh? Some wolves attacked me while I travelling. They yours?”

Shame flickered in my gut and the urge to apologize and care for her almost engulfed me. It was a fair question. "Yes, they are, or maybe were. Seeing as you killed one of them.” I took a step forward and she took one back, making her back touch the wall.

“Look, it’s nothing personal. It’s standard protocol," I said, suppressing a growl from my wolf. "My Omega found you before you were killed. We don't allow trespassers across our borders. Especially ones who are skilled enough to kill one of my warriors."

Her jaw tightened, a flicker of anger sparking in her eyes. "so why am I here and not dead? Because I’m your mate?"

I was growing fed up with her sarcastic tone. She should be more grateful. "No because You are lucky my wolf sensed you first," I said, unable to help myself. An echo of a growl rumbled in my chest, and I clamped my jaw shut. Her defiance was intoxicating, a stark contrast to the typical submission I was used to.

She scoffed, attempting to throw her hands up. She winced and held her bandaged hand with her uninjured one. A grimace contorted her features, and she sat back down. "Lucky?" she spat. "I don't need your luck. I can take care of myself."

Concern momentarily warred with my suspicion. "You're injured," I said, approaching the bed with measured steps. My wolf whined again, protesting the distance I kept. I stretched a hand forward but she leaned as if she couldn’t get out of my reach fast enough.

"Don’t touch me. It’s just a few scratches," she muttered, though the effort of her defiance seemed to be draining her.

I ignored the protest in my head and pulled up a chair, sitting a respectful distance away. "Okay, I won’t but you have to tell me…How did you get here?" I asked, my voice calmer now.

Hesitation flickered across her face, a battle brewing behind those stormy eyes. Finally, she sighed, a sound laced with fatigue. "It's a long story," she said, her voice quieter now.

I felt a flicker of understanding. Trust wasn't earned overnight, especially not after a near-violent encounter. "Take your time," I offered.

She closed her eyes for a moment, her face drawn in concentration. She still didn’t speak. I could tell how conflicted she was. Whether to talk or keep to herself.

"Where are you from?" I asked, trying to draw her out.

She hesitated again, then said, "I was with the Redmoon Pack."

A jolt went through me. The Redmoons and the Bloodmoons had an… uneasy truce for years. Tensions had been high since my father's… passing. It wouldn't be surprising if they treated someone badly.

"What happened to you there?" I asked, already feeling a surge of protectiveness bubbling up within me.

She opened her mouth to speak, but then stopped, her gaze darting towards the window. A flicker of fear, fleeting yet undeniable, crossed her face. "I," she said, her voice a tight whisper.

Suddenly, a sharp knock echoed across the room. Before either of us could respond, Elara burst through the door, her face etched with worry. "Alpha," she said, her voice breathless. "There's a message from the Bluemoon Pack border patrol. They say someone claiming to be your mate has crossed into their territory."