Chapter 4

• Lionel's POV
• I flew back to LA for the Ironclaw Pack Gathering hosted by my father, Alpha Drogo.
• But here's the kicker - I didn't tell a soul from the pack about my whereabouts. Only my Beta knew I was holed up in this overpriced hotel suite.
• I'd just stepped out of the shower, towel around my hips, reaching for my cigarettes and that bottle of Cabernet when my door burst open.
• I walked there and saw a drunken woman standing there, her steps unsteady.
• She was clearly wasted.
• I frowned, about to tell her to leave—I didn't want any trouble ruining my night.
• Before I could say anything, she stumbled into me.
• Her palms slid across my abs like she was checking for six-pack authenticity.
• My body responded before my brain could - typical werewolf biology.
• "Damn, you're easy on the eyes," I growled, catching her wrists. "Wrong room?"
• But she didn't seem to hear me. She kept trying to get closer, mumbling something incoherent.
• I tried to push her away, but she suddenly tripped me, and I lost my balance, falling onto the floor.
• At that moment, I felt a surge of power inside me.
• That's when my wolf Leroy went nuts in my head.
• "MATE!" he roared like a damn stadium speaker.
• What?
• Finding my mate now would be like spotting Bigfoot at a Starbucks.
• But Leroy wasn't joking. As I tried to ask him, I realized I couldn't control my body anymore.
• Leroy was taking over.
• Damn it, the full moon had amplified Leroy's abilities.
• The urge for a mate was hard to suppress.
• The woman seemed to sense the change in me. She stopped trying to get closer and just stared at me.
• Then she mumbled something about being drunk.
• Her scent hit me - honeysuckle and roses with that dangerous edge of whiskey. My vision blurred as Leroy took the wheel.
• I couldn't control how I felt—she smelled like a sweet fruit.
• I could feel her breath on my face. Her unique scent was driving Leroy wild.
• The full moonlight streamed through the window. I could feel my wolf growing even more eager under its glow.
• I touched her body gently. Sparks seemed to fly between our skin. It was a feeling I'd never had before.
• I stopped holding back and let my wolf take over. We began kissing.
• "Mark me," she breathed.
• "Mark her!" Leroy howled approval.
• Just as I was about to do it, the moonlight outside the window suddenly brightened.
• We saw each other's faces clearly. Her expression shifted from confusion to horror, and she stammered my name.
• I quickly reached for the bedside lamp.
• The sudden light made me squint. When my vision cleared, I looked at the woman lying in bed.
• She had long brown hair, and her eyes were filled with panic.
• When I looked at her neck, I saw a faint, incomplete mark.
• The sight hit me like a punch in the gut—I immediately realized the gravity of the situation.
• I looked at her face again.
• By then, she also saw me clearly. Her already pale face turned even whiter. It was obvious that the alcohol had worn off.
• "...Uncle Lionel?"
• Hearing her address me, I remembered something. A few years ago, I attended Aljean's son's wedding when I was back at Ironclaw Pack. Aljean was my brother. He was older than me.
• The she-wolf who had made a mate vow with Esmond was the woman in front of me.
• Her name was Camellia, a she-wolf with Alpha blood.
• "Uncle Lionel... I..." She opened her mouth, nervously trying to say something.
• "Shut up." I snapped.
• My mood was terrible, filled with anger and disappointment. I couldn't believe this had happened.
• She seemed scared. She wanted to explain, but I didn't want to hear it.
• Leroy protested in my mind. He still wanted her.
• I looked at Camellia's face. When my gaze fell on the skin of her chest, Leroy roared again.
• "Get. Out." The words came out harsher than I intended.
• As I stood up, Camellia's eyes glanced at my body.
• She froze for a moment, then awkwardly looked away. Her ears were turning red.
• She had no idea how attractive that reaction was to me.
• "Get out of here! I don't want to see you again!" I shouted, my voice filled with anger.
• Camellia scrambled for her dress, that damn floral scent still messing with my head.
• After she fled, I chain-smoked by the ruined bed, dialing my cleanup crew.
• "Scrub all security footage. Tonight never happened."
• Leroy kept whining about lost chances while I stared at the city lights.
• My nephew's wife. My mate. The universe really needed to lay off the tequila shots.