Alicia’s POV
My palms are clammy and slicked with sweat as I fiddle with the hem of my shirt. I lift my eyes as we pull up to the compound of the Greenwood pack.
My father has his eyes focused on the road, his hands gripping the steering wheel so tightly it’s turning his knuckles white.
“I told you I don’t want to marry him!” I shout through gritted teeth.
“My hands are tied here. And you, as my daughter, don’t have much of a choice,” my father explains flatly.
“The last time I checked, I’m my own person, Dad. I’m twenty-three years old and perfectly capable of finding a husband.”
“I know you’re not a little girl anymore. Believe me. But this is the only way to bring peace to the territory. Do you not understand that?” he asks, his tone shifting from anger to fear as are approaching the compound of the cold-blooded killer I am betrothed to.
I know my father is just as nervous as I am to face Adrian Silva. It feels as though my heart is going to fly out of my chest with nerves.
Everything is moving too quickly. It was only the day before that my father notified me of the arranged marriage, and now I’m at the front door of the man who will be my future husband.
Not by choice, I remind myself as we exit the car and make our way up the cement stairs leading to the house.
The house is set on a block of land surrounded by dense trees that stretch for miles beyond the naked eye. It appears to be an old Victorian house with black paneling on the exterior, multiple levels, and pointed roofs. It’s anything but bright and inviting as it sits deep in the woods, surrounded by nothing but trees and the whisper of the wind as it brushes past.
My father lays a gentle hand on my shoulder, giving it a light squeeze. “Are you ready?”
I nod because I can’t find the strength to speak right now. My heart is in my chest when my father knocks on the door.
A moment of silence. Then, heavy footsteps on the other side.
The door swings open. I am staring at the ground, and I see a pair of feet in polished dress shoes come into view.
I force myself to look up. The man on the other side is tall, broad, imposing. Taking a breath, I raise my eyes to his face. My eyes notice the scar over his right eye, starting from the brow and ending on his high cheekbone.
And then, I'm met by a familiar pair of green eyes with flecks of gold in them.
It’s as if the air in my lungs has been sucked out, and my mind goes blank with numbness.
I want to open my mouth and speak, say anything, but no words come to mind as he stares back at me. My heart is beating so loudly in my chest I’m afraid he can hear it.
The man standing in the doorway looks confused for a moment as his eyes dart between my father and me. My father stiffens at my side, but I barely register it, because I can’t seem to tear my eyes away from the man in front of us.
It feels as though I’m dreaming right now because I never thought I’d get to see those eyes again.
“It’s you,” I breathe, clutching at my chest.
—
*Two weeks earlier*
I’m sitting on a rug under the large oak tree in the backyard of the compound. My best friend Leila is sitting beside me on the red fabric reading a book, oblivious to the emotional turmoil happening inside my head right now.
I reach my hand toward her shoulder, hesitating on whether or not to tell her about what’s going on.
“Leila,” I finally say, grabbing her attention.
She slowly lifts her head to look at me, her brown eyes locking with mine.
“What’s up?” she asks, her eyebrows pinched together in what appears to be confusion.
“Do you think I’ll ever find my fated mate?”
“This again?” Leila sighs. “You asked the same question a week ago and I still have the same answer for you. All you have to do is be patient. So, sit back and relax, okay?”
I sigh because I know she’s right. She’s always right.
But sometimes I feel so helpless and lost sitting around twiddling my thumbs in the hopes my mate will appear out of nowhere and sweep me off my feet.
“The only reason I’m asking is because of John. Everyone in town wants us to be together, and I understand why. He is a nice, caring guy—but I have never felt that he is my fated mate,” I confess.
I sigh. “No matter how hard I try to convince myself he is, I can’t deny the lack of spark between us.”
The beating of my heart in my chest intensifies, causing my chest to heave up and down at a rapid pace.
Leila rests her hand on my shoulder in an attempt to soothe me and my mind. “Why don’t you go for a walk and clear your head, hmm?”
I take a deep breath to control my breathing and nod as I force myself to a standing position.
The sun is starting to set low in the sky.
“I’ll be back in ten,” I mutter in Leila’s direction as I begin walking toward the pathway which leads into the depths of the woods.
I keep my head down as I walk with my arms wrapped tightly around my body. I desperately try to forget about my non-existent relationship with John, knowing he isn’t my mate.
Suddenly, my head snaps up at the sound of a low growl and twigs snapping.
I catch the scent of sweetness and grass, almost like tundra.
It’s a bear.
I need to stay silent and still in the hopes it’ll move along.
The sun fades away, taking away the only light I have out here to see my surroundings.
Everything around me is still and quiet. The crunching of leaves and twigs cease for a moment.
Nothing can be heard besides my soft breathing.
I exhale slowly and press my palm to my forehead. Relief washes over me knowing the bear must’ve wandered off in the opposite direction.
Just as that thought crosses my mind, I hear twigs snapping behind me.
A loud scream escapes my lips. The bear growls as it lurches toward me, out of the underbrush.
My heart is slamming against my ribcage as I take a step back, ready to fight off the beast.
Suddenly, I feel a rush of air as something flies past me.
I blink.
I snap my head to the left to see the silhouette of what appears to be a wolf standing over the bear. In one swift movement, the wolf drops onto the bear and begins attacking it with all its might.
The bear roars under the attack, attempting to fight back, but it’s no use.
It feels as though my entire body has frozen in my place and my mind is numb as I watch the attack.
I stare dumbfounded as the wolf slowly approaches towards me. It circles me, raising its snout and takes in my scent. I remain still, wondering if I am its next prey.
But, immediately as those doubts surface, the wolf shifts into the figure of a human. A towering, muscular human.
The sun is now almost completely gone, making it harder for me to assess the features of the man who just saved my life. My heart is thumping now as the man approaches me from the shadows.
When he steps into the stream of light shining through the trees from the moon, my heart skips a beat.
“Are you okay?”
His deep, raspy voice hits me in the heart like a freight train tearing right through me. As he turns around, our eyes lock.
His pupils dilate as it seems like he’s having a realization. Does he know who I am? Have we met before?
At that moment, it’s as if something switches in me. My entire body feels like it’s on fire as his piercing eyes stare into mine.
I want to itch and scratch at my skin, because it’s becoming unbearably hot. My limbs feel heavy, and my brain has turned to mush at the sound of his deep voice.
He only spoke three words to me, yet my heart feels like it’s about to burst out of my chest at the same time that blood rushes to my ears, turning them a bright shade of red.
I’ve never felt anything like this feeling before.
Leila has told me many times what it feels like to meet your fated mate. It feels as though your mind has gone blank, your limbs are on fire, and your lungs are struggling to get air in. But even so, I never could have imagined this intensity of feeling until this moment.
Whoever this man is, I know deep in my heart that he’s my fated mate.