KNOX
I drove silently as I recalled Ravena's word.
"You should have met your mate by now. The full moon will prove it."
My mate?
Was she referring to the spark I felt with the applicant days ago?
But why? There were lots of werewolves olin the pack who needed one but not me. I didn't need a mate. Why can't the moon Goddess understand that.
'I need one' Fenris chipped into my thoughts.
'Why one when you can have anyone when you're in heat?' I asked annoyed already.
Fenris was about to speak when I suddenly stopped the car.
I knew he felt it too. He could perceive it even more intoxicatingly than I did.
I step out of the car as I traced the scent.
Rose. It was so intoxicating.
Why was my senses sharp to pick this sc-
"Help"
The scream broke through my thoughts as I followed the sound only to find a rogue attacking a lady whom seemed familiar. It lunged, his claws grazing her shoulder and tearing through her blouse. The fabric shredded, exposing the mark on her skin.
My world tilted.
The bite.
The sight of it hit me like a freight train. Memories of that night came rushing back clearly-the full moon, the haze, the uncontrollable hunger. I hadn't been myself then, but now there was no denying it.
She wasn't just anyone.
She had the bite..
My bite.
She was the one I bit
My attention returned to the rogue who had felt my presence.
Scar. A werewolf from a rival park. He knew better than to attack an Alpha like me as he retreated.
My eyes returned to the bite mark on her shoulder, my blood ran cold. It wasn't fear, not exactly. Fear wasn't something I entertained-not in the boardroom, not in the wild, and certainly not with her. No, this was something Fenris wouldn't stop growling about in the back of my head.
"We need to talk," I said, my tone clipped, leaving no room for argument.
Aria blinked at me, her wide eyes shimmering with fear and exhaustion. For a moment, she looked as fragile as the crystal glasses in my penthouse-delicate but holding the potential to shatter. Still, she nodded and stood, clutching the torn fabric of her blouse as though it could protect her from whatever she thought I was as she rushed after me.
The car ride was silent. She sat quietly but I could see he hands shaking uncontrollably on her laps, her gaze fixed on the window. Her rose scent filled the confined space-soft and maddening, like something designed to break my control. Fenris stirred again, his restless growl a constant hum in the back of my mind.
When we arrived, I led her into the penthouse, the cool marble floors and sleek, modern furniture reflecting the life I'd built for myself.
"Stay here," I instructed, my voice firm.
She nodded timidly, her gaze darting around the room. She looked out of place, her vulnerability stark against the backdrop of opulence.
I left her standing there and made my way to the bedroom, grabbing a balm from the nightstand. My chest felt tight, though I refused to name the emotion. She was a problem to solve, a complication. Nothing more.
'She's more than that'
Fenris growled. 'Stop lying to yourself.'
'Shut up' I said silencing him. I wasn't ready for some sort of arguments.
When I returned, she was staring at a painting on the wall-an oil portrait from a corporate gala. My face stared back at me, cold and detached, the way it always did in those damn things.
"You have a lot of these," she said softly, not turning to face me.
"It's for appearances," I replied briskly, setting the balm on the coffee table. "Sit."
"I... I'm fine, really. It's just a scratch-"
"Sit," I repeated, my tone sharp enough to cut through her hesitation.
She flushed, her cheeks pinking as she shuffled to the couch and sat, her hands twisting nervously in her lap.
"I can do it myself," she murmured when I knelt in front of her, unscrewing the balm.
I raised an eyebrow. "With your shaky hands?"
She hesitated, her silence answering for her.
"Thought so."
The balm was cool against her skin or so I thought. She flinched when I first touched the wound, and I bit back a growl.
"Hold still," I ordered.
She bit her lip, nodding as her hands clenched the edge of her skirt.
"Why were you out so late?" I asked, breaking the silence.
She blinked, caught off guard. "I... I was working."
"Until midnight?"
"Tasha gave me extra tasks," she said, defensively but quiet. "I couldn't leave them unfinished."
My frown deepened. "Tasha isn't your boss. I am."
"Well, you weren't there," she muttered, looking away.
My jaw tightened. "You're my PA, not hers. If she gives you more work, you report it to me."
"I didn't think it was a big deal," she said, her voice small.
"It is if you're wandering around at night getting yourself attacked."
She flinched, her shoulders shrinking under my hand.
"Do you always make such reckless decisions?"
"I'm sorry," she whispered.
Her apology shouldn't have affected me, but it did. I capped the balm, standing.
"You said we needed to talk." She stared up at me
I turned away, dismissing her words. "There's a guest room down the hall. Second door on the left. You'll stay there tonight."
"But-"
"It's late, We'll talk tomorrow" I said, my tone final as I walked away.
In my room, I slammed the door shut, the sound echoing louder than I meant it to. I leaned against it, running a hand through my hair.
'I think she's-'
"Not now, Fenris," I muttered under my breath.
'You can't keep running from this', he pressed, ignoring me as always. 'You know what this is.'
I let out a bitter laugh, shaking my head. "She's human," I said, as if that was reason enough. "She doesn't belong in our world."
'She belongs with us', Fenris snapped, his words firm, unwavering. 'What if the priestess was right? What if when she said our mate was already here she meant her? You can tell by her intoxicating scent'
I froze at that. The priestess's words had haunted me since the day she said them. "You should have met your mate by now. The full moon will prove it."
"No," I said, my voice tight as I started pacing the room. "We were just driving home, Fenris. That's it. Then you caught some random scent and lost your damn mind."
'Random?' Fenris's laugh was sharp, almost cruel. 'You're lying to yourself. That scent wasn't random. You felt it too. You didn't just change direction for no reason, Knox. You followed it straight to her.'
I clenched my fists. "It doesn't mean anything. Your senses are sharper, that's all. You're overthinking it."
'Overthinking? Fenris growled low, his anger bubbling beneath the surface. You can't ignore this forever. What if she's really our mate, Knox? What if-'
"She's human," I snapped, cutting him off. "Do you understand what that means? She's fragile, weak-"
"That's not an excuse. Why are you doing this? Why can't you just move on from the past? Do I have to suffer for it?' Fenris interrupted, his voice rising in a furious snarl.
"Don't go there." I shouted, my chest heaving. "Even if-if-she were our mate, she'd never survive in this world. A mate is supposed to make us stronger, Fenris, not drag us down."
'Just because you loved someone before doesn't mean you get to deny what's in front of us now. You know it, Knox. Deep down, you know. You're just too much of a coward to admit it.'
I recoiled as if he'd struck me, the sting of his words cutting deeper than I wanted to admit. "You don't know what you're talking about," I said coldly.
'I know exactly what I'm talking about' Fenris fired back. 'You're the one who's blind. She could be everything we've ever needed, but you're too damn stubborn to see it.'
"She's not," I said, my voice quieter but no less firm. "She can't be."
Fenris let out a low, bitter growl, the sound vibrating through me. 'You're not just denying me, Knox. You're denying fate.'
Then, just like that, he was gone.
The silence hit me like a punch to the gut. Fenris had always been there, even when I didn't want him to be. Usually, I was the one to shut him out. But this time, he'd pulled away.
The empty space in my mind felt heavier than his presence ever had. I slumped against the wall, staring blankly ahead as the priestess's words echoed again.
"The full moon will prove it."
I swallowed hard with my throat tight. "This changes nothing," I whispered, but the words felt empty.
Because deep down, I knew everything had already changed.
