The rain drizzled lightly over Forks, Washington, as Alric stood at the edge of the dense forest, his molten orange eyes scanning the town below. The scent of damp earth mixed with the distinct aroma of human civilization, but something else tainted the air—a stench he despised. Vampires. Their sickly sweet odor was faint, but it was there, woven into the very fabric of this town.
'Pests,' he thought, his lips curling into a sneer.
He had traveled the world for centuries, observing the rise and fall of civilizations, and in every corner, vampires scurried like vermin, hiding in the shadows. But this town... something was different. The aura of these leeches felt controlled, restrained even.
"Master," a voice called from behind him. Erikk, his ever-loyal servant, stepped forward, his sharp eyes glinting under the gray sky. "The mansion is prepared. Erikka made sure everything is in order."
Alric nodded, his towering frame shifting slightly. "Good. We'll settle in, but keep watch. There are vampires here, and I want to know everything about them."
Erikk smirked, his hyena-like features giving him a feral edge. "Of course. Shall I sniff around?"
Alric waved him off. "Not yet. Let's see how things unfold first."
He turned his gaze back to the town, just as a beat-up old red truck pulled into the school parking lot. Inside, he saw her—Bella Swan, oblivious to the supernatural world she was stepping into. But Alric paid her no mind. His focus shifted when a new scent filled his lungs, and for the first time in centuries, his entire body tensed.
It was primal, deep, and it called to something within him. His heart thundered, his blood igniting like the hellfire he commanded. His gaze snapped toward the school's entrance, where a tall, tanned woman walked with a confidence that radiated from her very being.
Leah Clearwater.
His mate.
Alric clenched his fists, his sharp nails digging into his palms. He hadn't expected this—hadn't even been looking. Mates were rare among his kind, something fated by forces beyond even his comprehension.
'Fate has a cruel sense of humor,' he thought bitterly. A wolf from the Quileute tribe? This would be... complicated.
"Master?" Erikk's voice broke through his thoughts.
Alric exhaled sharply. "We stay here for now."
His journey had taken an unexpected turn, and he would see where it led.