Red Thread

Aleah arrived at the Astral Guardians' camp, compelled to go there personally because, according to her grandfather, the Alpha was too busy training recruits to meet with them elsewhere. With Alpha's father's permission, her grandfather sent her to the camp so they could get to know each other before she was formally introduced as Alpha’s fiancée at the next family gathering.

At the camp gate, she noticed a crowd of reporters and media waiting. She quickly hid to observe the scene. She overheard one of the reporters saying they were there to catch a glimpse of the Demon Alpha’s fiancée. Someone had tipped them off that Alpha was soon to be married, and his fiancée might visit the camp. It was a significant opportunity for them to see the mysterious Alpha and the woman he was set to marry. They had never seen the real face of the Demon Alpha and hoped this would be their chance to uncover his true identity.

"Is he really that famous that reporters follow his every move? "And how did they know I’d be here?" Aleah wondered to herself.How am I supposed to get to the gate without being noticed? "This feels more like a spy mission than a marriage arrangement," she sighed, glancing again at the gate crowded with reporters.

"I think I have to----" Aleah whispered to herself, starting to back away. She suddenly thought it might be better to find another time to meet the Demon Alpha; today didn't seem like the right day to visit the camp. But as she stepped back, she abruptly bumped into someone.

"What do you think you’re doing? "Acting like a peeping tom," a deep voice said behind her.

Aleah turned around, her heart skipping a beat. She found herself looking up into the piercing eyes of a tall, imposing man. His presence was both intimidating and captivating. For a moment, she was at a loss for words, caught off guard by his sudden appearance and the intensity of his gaze.

Aleah jumped at the sound of the baritone voice behind her, feeling a jolt of electricity run through her body from her neck down to her feet. Peeping tom? She thought, realizing what the man behind her had said. "Hey!" she exclaimed indignantly as she turned around. In her haste, she tripped on her own foot and lost her balance.

The man quickly reached out to catch her, but they both ended up falling. He managed to protect her head from hitting the ground by holding it as they tumbled down.

They landed with Aleah on top of him.

"I-I'm so-rry... "Oh my," Aleah stammered, trying to push herself away from the man. As she did, she looked at his face and found herself captivated by his handsome features and striking grey eyes. His eyes looked familiar to her, as if she had seen them before. She felt enchanted as she gazed into them.

"You are... so... heavy," the man said, pushing her off and standing up. Aleah sat on the ground, rubbing her sore backside and glaring at him.

"Ow," she muttered, wincing in pain.

"Did you get hurt? "Are you okay?" the man asked, offering her a hand to help her up once he realized what had happened. Both of them froze as they noticed a red thread entwined around their hands, accompanied by a spark of electricity flowing through their touch.

Recovering from the shock, Aleah quickly withdrew her hand and looked at the man, bewildered. Then she glanced at her hand, unable to comprehend what had just occurred. Yet, amidst everything, one thought lingered in her mind. She looked at him with disdain for his earlier remarks and his actions. She hadn't even finished admiring his handsome face when he pushed her away. Annoyed, Aleah sized him up from head to toe. He was wearing a black shirt with an Alpha Kings logo, camouflage pants, and combat boots.

As her gaze lingered on him, she couldn't help but feel a strange mix of irritation and fascination, wondering how she could feel such strong emotions towards someone she had just met. The encounter had left her heart pounding and her mind racing.

He was also wearing a jacket and a cap, looking like Tom Cruise in Top Gun. If she wasn't annoyed by him pushing her away, she might have squealed at how dashing he was.

"Now you’re asking if I'm okay after you tossed me aside?" Aleah retorted, making sure she sounded irritated even though she was still captivated by his good looks. "Don't you know who I am?" she asked, trying to mask her fascination with irritation.

"I don't," the young man replied bluntly. "Should I?" His nonchalant response made Aleah pause, biting her lip in frustration. While she was drawn to his handsomeness, his sharp tongue and aloof demeanor irked her.

Aleah pondered whether she should reveal her identity to him. She glanced at the reporters. She needed to get through the main gate and would need his help to do so. She looked back at the young man, trying to make a decision.

"May I ask, are you heading into the camp?" Aleah inquired. The young man furrowed his brow, looking from her to the gate, then back to her with a puzzled expression.

"I'm not a bad person. "I just really need to get into the camp," Aleah explained, noticing his suspicious gaze.

"I will tell you everything and even forgive you for what you've done if you help me get through that gate," she said, pointing to the gate swarming with reporters. "You see, they're here for me. "I can't let them catch me before I meet the Demon Alpha," she added, her voice softening with a hint of vulnerability.

"Demon Alpha?" the young man repeated, his eyes locking onto hers. He wondered what she needed from the Demon Alpha she mentioned. More importantly, he couldn't forget the red thread he had seen earlier. It was the first time he had seen such a thread, and he knew what it meant. The woman standing before him was his fated mate, a concept that both thrilled and bewildered him. He couldn't understand why he suddenly had a fated mate; it wasn’t supposed to happen. It seemed impossible.

Aleah's heart pounded as she realized the intensity of their connection. She couldn’t deny the inexplicable pull she felt towards him, despite his aloof demeanor. The encounter left her mind racing and her emotions in turmoil, as she stood there, hoping he would help her get through the gate.

"I'll tell you later. "Help me get past that gate first, okay?" Aleah said, grabbing his arm. The young man looked at her face and then at the gate. Gently, he removed her hand from his arm and took off his jacket.

He draped the jacket over her shoulders and placed his cap on her head. Aleah was speechless at his quick actions, staring at him in astonishment. She wondered why he was so willing to help her despite them not knowing each other.

"Let's go," he said, putting his arm around her and guiding her towards the gate.

"Huh?" Aleah said, surprised by his action but not resisting. With her disguise and him holding her close, she felt confident that they wouldn't be noticed by the reporters and could quietly enter the camp. And that's exactly what happened. Even as they passed by the reporters, no one paid them any attention, much to her relief.

He led her into an office filled with guns and several plaques of awards and medals. On the desk was a nameplate that read Alpha Hunter Bryant.

Aleah quickly removed the jacket and cap upon seeing the contents of the room, and then looked around.

"This room belongs to that Demon Alpha," she muttered.

"Now, can you tell me why you need to meet the Alpha?" the young man asked.

"You might not believe me, but I am the fiancée of that Demon Alpha," Aleah said.I was sent here to meet him. "I didn't expect reporters to be waiting outside," she added, placing the jacket and cap on a chair.

"Fiancée?" the young man questioned.

"You heard it right. Some family circumstances. If you ask me, I don't want to marry someone I don't love. "And especially not a Demon Alpha," Aleah replied.

"Why do you keep calling him Demon Alpha? Have you met him? Do you know him?" the young man asked, his curiosity piqued.