Chapter 1

• Louisa's POV
• Stirring from the abyss of unconsciousness, I was greeted by the overpowering scent of liquor hanging heavy in the air.
• What happened to me?
• My body was unresponsive, every attempt to move my limbs or lift my head met with searing pain.
• Good. Pain is good. Pain means that I'm still alive.
• I told myself.
• As my eyes slowly adjusted to the low light, the realization hit me - I was sprawled out on a bed in a tent.
• This wasn't the run-of-the-mill tent I was accustomed to during my time with the Crimson Creek Pack.
• It was adorned with intricate decorations, reminiscent of a royal abode.
• With my mind kicking into gear, the pain coming from my back started to deteriorate.
• Abruptly, a man's voice, dreamy and distant, echoed in my ears -
• "Fuck it... I don't give a fuck... I'll kill them all."
• I heard a man's dreamy voice next to my ear.
• That can't be good.
• Why am I lying on a bed with a man?
• And why is this man showing attitude and swearing to kill everyone in his dream?!
• Summoning all my strength, I managed to turn my head, revealing a face that was breathtakingly handsome.
• What the heck?!
• I have never seen this man before! I have never seen a man who looks so handsome.
• His sculpted face, partially hidden by his tousled black hair, was as if it had been caressed by the Moon Goddess herself.
• My nostrils flared and I recognized that he was the source of alcohol in the air.
• He must have drunk a lot of alcohol to be hammered like this.
• Other than being so effortlessly handsome even without opening his eyes, there was something very different about him.
• But what is it?
• My heart pounded in my chest, a wave of heat washing over me.
• In an attempt to steady my nerves, I took a deep breath, only to be overwhelmed by his scent, sending my anxiety spiraling.
• Just then, he shifted, his arm draping over my chest, sending me into a frenzy.
• My heart was racing, my scream echoing in the air as I used every ounce of strength to shove his arm off.
• I am not naked. That's a relief for sure.
• But just as I started to feel relieved, something very disturbing happened -
• He woke up.
• His eyes, a striking blue, sparkled eerily in the dim light.
• As our eyes met, I was completely petrified.
• Frozen in place, our eyes locked in an intense gaze.
• I had never been this close, this intimate with anyone before.
• "Oh, fuck... I need a drink for this." He lowered his head and grumbled, rubbing his head in distress.
• The tent was gradually filling with light.
• He pushed himself up, sitting on the edge of the bed.
• That's when I noticed his bare torso.
• His back was a canvas of scars, fully exposed to my view.
• I didn't know what to do.
• My mind went blank.
• All I could do was hold my breath, praying he wouldn't notice me.
• He looked very drunk and in a very bad mood.
• He stood up and poured himself a glass of wine.
• He rose to his feet and poured himself a glass of wine.
• For a moment, he just stood there, holding the glass, his muscular arm on display like a Greek statue.
• But as he turned his gaze towards me, our eyes locked once more.
• The wild cries of my inner wolf echoed in my ears, causing my knees to buckle.
• A wave of heat washed over me, like a bolt of lightning, seeping into every pore.
• My body began to tremble uncontrollably.
• This tall, brooding, enigmatic man...
• He is my mate!
• Somehow, I knew he recognized me as his mate as well... Maybe in a half-conscious way.
• I had dreamed a thousand times about this very moment in my life. Everything about this moment felt alright, yet everything was fundamentally wrong.
• For every werewolf, meeting their mates for the first time is the most life-affirming and sacred moment in their lives.
• But somehow, the expression on my mate's face made this moment very upsetting... even appalling.
• Disgust and hostility were written all over his face.
• "Lucian! Drag your lazy butt in here!" His voice thundered, deep and gruff.
• I was taken aback.
• A moment later, a gorgeous tall man with blond hair walked into the tent.
• He took a glance at me and bowed slightly to my mate -
• "Alpha Lucas, how may I assist you at..." he glanced at his watch before continuing, "...this ungodly hour of 3 am?"
• Alpha Lucas?!
• There was only one Alpha Lucas I knew of - Alpha Lucas Farrow of the White Walkers Pack.
• The mere mention of his name sent chills down my spine.
• Alpha Lucas Farrow was the most feared pack leader in the entire northern realm of the Kingdom.
• He was also my father's arch-nemesis, Alpha Jacob of the Crimson Creek Pack!
• My mouth fell open in shock, and I couldn't seem to close it.
• Everything was happening too quickly for me to comprehend.
• "Why is this fucking woman on my bed? Why is she still breathing?!" Alpha Lucas pointed at me and asked.
• "For the simple reason that you brought her into your tent, Alpha," Lucian replied nonchalantly.
• "And you watched me do it but didn't intervene?!" Alpha Lucas downed another glass of wine.
• Lucian didn't answer him. He took the glass from Alpha Lucas and replaced it with a glass of water.
• "You look like shit," he said.
• "Much obliged. I know I say this all the time but I just don't say it enough, but you're a heck of Beta," he said.
• Then, their gazes both fell upon me.
• Out of nowhere, I found myself the center of attention of two strikingly handsome men.
• There I was, stretched out on the bed, completely paralyzed, not knowing what they would do to me.
• One thing was for sure -
• At least one of them wanted to have me killed.
• A pounding question emerged in my head -
• How did I end up in this place?!