MATED TO MY ALPHA MATE
The café bustled with life as the morning rush poured in. Mikael sat at a corner table, his fingers drumming rhythmically on the wooden surface. He hadn't slept much, not with the tension that seemed to be growing thicker with every passing day. Across from him, Evelyn sipped her coffee, her gaze sharp and calculating as she watched him.
"I don't know why you insisted on meeting here," Mikael said, his voice low. "You know it's risky."
Evelyn smirked, setting her cup down. "Relax, Mikael. No one's paying attention to us."
Mikael's eyes flicked around the room. The clinking of cups, the hum of conversations, and the occasional burst of laughter created a perfect cover. Still, he didn't trust it.
"We don't have time for this," he said, leaning closer. "Derek's already on edge. If he finds out you're helping me—"
"He won't," Evelyn interrupted smoothly. "And besides, you needed my help. Or have you suddenly developed the ability to track down people who don't want to be found?"
Mikael clenched his jaw but said nothing. She wasn't wrong.
Evelyn slid a folded piece of paper across the table. "She's staying at a motel on the outskirts of town. Room 214."
Mikael unfolded the paper, scanning the address. His heart raced. This was it. A chance to finally talk to Diva, to figure out what was going on.
"I hope you know what you're doing," Evelyn said, her tone laced with warning.
"I don't have a choice," Mikael replied, standing up. "She's in danger, and if I don't get to her first..."
"She's not the only one in danger," Evelyn muttered, but Mikael was already walking away.
---
Diva paced the small motel room, her mind racing. The journal sat on the bed, its cover worn and mysterious. She hadn't dared to open it since it was handed to her, but the weight of its presence was undeniable.
"What are you hiding?" she whispered, staring at the crescent moon emblem.
The knock at the door startled her. She froze, her heart pounding.
"Diva, it's me," a familiar voice called out.
"Mikael?" she asked hesitantly, moving closer to the door.
"Yeah. Open up."
She hesitated for a moment before unlocking the door. Mikael stepped inside, his expression a mixture of relief and frustration.
"Do you have any idea how hard it was to find you?" he said, closing the door behind him.
"I didn't ask you to come," she shot back, crossing her arms.
Mikael sighed, running a hand through his hair. "Diva, you're in over your head. Do you even know what that journal is?"
"No," she admitted. "But I know it's important. And I know people like Derek want it for a reason."
"Exactly," Mikael said, stepping closer. "And if Derek finds out you have it, he won't stop until he gets it. You're not safe here."
Diva's eyes narrowed. "Why do you care? You're one of them."
"I care because I know what Derek is capable of," Mikael said, his voice softening. "And because I don't want to see you get hurt."
For a moment, the tension in the room eased. Diva looked away, her walls cracking just slightly.
"What's in it?" she asked.
Mikael hesitated. "I don't know everything. But that journal... it's tied to the prophecy. To Derek. To all of us."
Diva frowned. "Prophecy? What are you talking about?"
"It's complicated," Mikael said. "But you need to trust me. We have to get out of here before—"
A loud crash interrupted him. The window shattered as a figure in black burst into the room, moving with inhuman speed. Mikael shoved Diva behind him, his instincts kicking in.
"Stay back!" he shouted, his eyes glowing faintly.
The intruder lunged, and Mikael met them head-on. The fight was quick but brutal, their movements a blur. Diva watched in shock, her back pressed against the wall.
"Mikael!" she cried as the attacker slammed him into the dresser.
"I've got this!" he grunted, throwing a punch that sent the intruder sprawling.
But the momentary victory was short-lived. The attacker recovered quickly, pulling out a blade that shimmered ominously.
Diva's eyes darted to the journal on the bed. Without thinking, she grabbed it and held it close. The moment her fingers touched the cover, a strange warmth spread through her, and the room seemed to shift.
The attacker froze, their eyes locking onto the journal. "Give that to me," they hissed, their voice distorted and unnatural.
"Over my dead body," Mikael growled, stepping in front of Diva again.
The intruder lunged, but before they could reach her, the journal pulsed with light. A wave of energy burst from it, throwing the attacker against the wall. They slumped to the floor, unconscious.
Diva stared at the journal in her hands, her breathing uneven. "What... what just happened?"
Mikael turned to her, his expression a mix of awe and fear. "That's what Derek is after," he said. "And now he knows you have it."
Diva swallowed hard, the weight of the situation crashing down on her. "What do we do?"
Mikael looked out the shattered window, the city lights flickering in the distance. "We run."
---
Back at Derek's headquarters, the alarms blared as a notification flashed on the main screen. Evelyn rushed in, her heels clicking against the floor.
"What happened?" she demanded.
Derek stood in front of the monitor, his expression unreadable. The screen showed a live feed from a camera near the motel.
"She activated it," he said, his voice low.
Evelyn's eyes widened. "That's not possible. She doesn't even know how to—"
"Doesn't matter," Derek cut her off. "What matters is that she has it. And now, everyone will be coming for her."
Evelyn hesitated. "What do you want to do?"
Derek's lips curled into a cold smile. "Let them chase her. She won't get far. And when the time is right, I'll take what's mine."
He turned away from the screen, his eyes gleaming with a dangerous light.
"Diva doesn't realize it yet," he said, almost to himself. "But the game has only just begun."
To be continued...